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Do you support the Maker's Mark boycott? Pick as many answers as apply.

Yes, it's a great cause.
0
No votes
No.
29
29%
Don't care.
16
16%
Never heard of it.
28
28%
I will not patronize (boycott) any establishment that boycotts Maker's Mark
11
11%
I have, in the past, on at least one occasion, chose another bar/eatery solely because Makers Mark was boycotted
5
5%
I have pitched a fit in public and embarassed myself and my party because I wanted a Maker's Mark and couldn't get one
2
2%
I would be interested in signing a petition to have Maker's brought back to the "blue zone" (wouldn't your mom be proud that you took a stand on such an important cause)
5
5%
I always copy my post on this forum before hitting "submit" because sometimes I hit submit and my post disappears because my log-in timed out.
3
3%
 
Total votes : 99
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Greg R.

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Re: POLL: This really chaps my hide....

by Greg R. » Sat Apr 12, 2008 2:44 pm

Deb Hall wrote:
Come on! Let me live in my little fantasy world with my local Maker's Mark! Actually, in my mind it is local even though I am well aware it is owned by fortune brands. There's a word for that. Denial.


If you are interested getting out of denial :wink: and having a really great, truly local Bourbon, try tasting the Single-barrel/small batch brands from Heaven Hill (Elijah Craig 18 yr old, or Evan Williams Single Barrel 10 year old). Still local (Bardstown) and Family-owned and run....one of the very few remaining Bourbon companies not owned by a multinational mega-corp. Pappy Van Winkle also comes to mind, but they may have been bought out.

Deb


I have had them and love them, but not as easy on the wallet. For me it's hard to beat Maker's especially when value is considered.
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Jeremy J

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Re: POLL: This really chaps my hide....

by Jeremy J » Sat Apr 12, 2008 2:48 pm

huh? Maker's is totally overpriced! Elijah Craig is a 12 year, and is generally the same price, if not cheaper, and it's much higher quality!
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Re: POLL: This really chaps my hide....

by Jeremy J » Sat Apr 12, 2008 2:48 pm

Bulleit is also fantastic and way cheaper than Makers.
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Ken Wilson

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Re: POLL: This really chaps my hide....

by Ken Wilson » Sat Apr 12, 2008 2:59 pm

Mark R. wrote:
Ken Wilson wrote:I've read quickly through this thread and I didn't see anyone actually explain what incidents or issues are behind the boycott. Somebody fill me (and others out ot the loop) in... Thanks!

The reason for the boycott is in the 1st post. The reason is basically because there is a Makers Mark lounge in 4th Street Live and the businesses that are boycotting don't like the competition! Of course the lounge is not owned nor operated by Makers Mark, the owners only licensed the use of the name.



Neither the first post nor this one explains clearly what the issues are. Will someone please state dispassionately what is behind the boycott? I can't take sides if I don't know what each side wants.

I'm a retired English teacher. So far, I ain't passin' nobody.
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Re: POLL: This really chaps my hide....

by Greg R. » Sat Apr 12, 2008 3:14 pm

Ken Wilson wrote:
Mark R. wrote:
Ken Wilson wrote:I've read quickly through this thread and I didn't see anyone actually explain what incidents or issues are behind the boycott. Somebody fill me (and others out ot the loop) in... Thanks!

The reason for the boycott is in the 1st post. The reason is basically because there is a Makers Mark lounge in 4th Street Live and the businesses that are boycotting don't like the competition! Of course the lounge is not owned nor operated by Makers Mark, the owners only licensed the use of the name.



Neither the first post nor this one explains clearly what the issues are. Will someone please state dispassionately what is behind the boycott? I can't take sides if I don't know what each side wants.

I'm a retired English teacher. So far, I ain't passin' nobody.[quote]

Ken buddy, all I know is what I've been told (exactly 1,000,123 times....i counted)and that is stated pretty clearly in my first post....Robin added some insight a couple posts down. I don't think there is a 984 page written proclamation anywhere. I'm willing to bet these places have no idea why they are boycotting anymore....
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Re: POLL: This really chaps my hide....

by C. Devlin » Sat Apr 12, 2008 3:21 pm

Ken Wilson wrote:
Mark R. wrote:
Ken Wilson wrote:I've read quickly through this thread and I didn't see anyone actually explain what incidents or issues are behind the boycott. Somebody fill me (and others out ot the loop) in... Thanks!

The reason for the boycott is in the 1st post. The reason is basically because there is a Makers Mark lounge in 4th Street Live and the businesses that are boycotting don't like the competition! Of course the lounge is not owned nor operated by Makers Mark, the owners only licensed the use of the name.



Neither the first post nor this one explains clearly what the issues are. Will someone please state dispassionately what is behind the boycott? I can't take sides if I don't know what each side wants.

I'm a retired English teacher. So far, I ain't passin' nobody.


I confess, the issue is a muddle to me as well, even after reading through the entire thread and rereading the first post and the one above several times. Or does the boycott itself really not make a lick of sense? Has the company issued a statement explaining the boycott?

I was actually glad Ken said something, because although I may not be a genius, I'm generally a pretty good reader. And once I read through a thing carefully a few times and still can't figure out what's going on, I figure either I'm just that tired, or the writer hasn't made the point clear.

Maybe somebody could help us old English professors out.
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Re: POLL: This really chaps my hide....

by Greg R. » Sat Apr 12, 2008 3:35 pm

Oh my god I'm getting flash backs to English class. :D

I apologize if I didn't make it clear. Some of the local bars have boycotted Maker's Mark - they do not buy or sell it - because, from what have been told by staffers at the various bars, the bars are ticked at Maker's for opening a bar at 4th Street Live. There it is. Is there more to it than that? If there is I've never heard a word about it...I've been fed the same line for 3 years at many different places.

How's that?
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Re: POLL: This really chaps my hide....

by C. Devlin » Sat Apr 12, 2008 3:46 pm

Greg R. wrote:Oh my god I'm getting flash backs to English class. :D

I apologize if I didn't make it clear. Some of the local bars have boycotted Maker's Mark - they do not buy or sell it - because, from what have been told by staffers at the various bars, the bars are ticked at Maker's for opening a bar at 4th Street Live. There it is. Is there more to it than that? If there is I've never heard a word about it...I've been fed the same line for 3 years at many different places.

How's that?


Sorry for the PTSD-induced response :) .

So the boycott really is as senseless as it sounds, I guess. On the other hand, I suppose it might make sense in the context of the general animosity against the 4th Street Live venue when it opened, what, three years ago already? You'd think by now folks would have moved on, especially now that it seems the entire enterprise is struggling to remain viable. Or anyway that's what I've understood. I haven't found much there to keep me going back. On the rare occasion my husband and I wander into one of the restaurants, we wonder all over again why we bother and how the places manage to remain solvent, if they do.
Last edited by C. Devlin on Sat Apr 12, 2008 3:47 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Ken Wilson

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Re: POLL: This really chaps my hide....

by Ken Wilson » Sat Apr 12, 2008 3:46 pm

That's it? Maker's Mark is a bourbon and a bar owner. The bar is at 4th Street Live. Local bars object to Maker's Mark bar because_____________, so they won't carry its bourbon. Is that it? Unless someone fills that blank in convincingly, I'm not impressed. I'm a big 'Buy Local First' guy, but this issue is too shaky to make me take any action.
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Robin Garr

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Re: POLL: This really chaps my hide....

by Robin Garr » Sat Apr 12, 2008 4:17 pm

Ken Wilson wrote:That's it? Maker's Mark is a bourbon and a bar owner. The bar is at 4th Street Live. Local bars object to Maker's Mark bar because_____________, so they won't carry its bourbon. Is that it? Unless someone fills that blank in convincingly, I'm not impressed. I'm a big 'Buy Local First' guy, but this issue is too shaky to make me take any action.

I think you've pretty much wrapped it up, Ken.

The only variable you haven't really covered is an emotional one: In the context of the time (three short years ago), it appeared to many people - not just those in the business -that the city administration was bending over backward (or maybe even displaying "round heels") in an effort to make everything go smoothly for the chains in Fourth Street Live, from special and previously unheard-of exceptions to the liquor laws to extra police protection, a lot of regulatory relief and yes, there's more ... while the Baxter Avenue strip, St. Matthews and other local nightspot zones felt under the hammer of Zero Tolerance regulatory burdens and a sense that City Hall was much more concerned about the feelings of a resident troubled by noisy bars than about helping the small businesses that were not in Fourth Street Live. A lot of misinformation and anger was floating about, I'm sure, but for a while there it looked a lot like Mom and Pop taking sides in a battle between the children.

I don't know how much this helps understand the issue in any clear, rational or quantifiable way, but it certainly colored the way people felt about things for a while there. And when the Makers Mark logo went up on a chain-owned eatery under the dome, it did indeed create some hard feelings.
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Re: POLL: This really chaps my hide....

by Ken Wilson » Sat Apr 12, 2008 4:48 pm

Thanks, Robin. I wasn't living here three years ago, so I missed the opening drama. As it stands right now, the battle - if, indeed, there is a real conflict -between 4th Street Live... oops, Live! ... and the neighborhood spots seems to be an even match. I won't be giving up my Maker's Mark.
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Re: POLL: This really chaps my hide....

by John Greenup » Sat Apr 12, 2008 6:17 pm

Since this is not a single malt Scotch issue, I have no premium spirit in this fight....wake me when they want to boycott Macallan's 12 year old.
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Re: POLL: This really chaps my hide....

by Mark R. » Sat Apr 12, 2008 10:11 pm

Ken Wilson wrote:That's it? Maker's Mark is a bourbon and a bar owner.

Ken, actually Makers Mark doesn't even own the bar. The establishment just pays a royalty to Makers Mark to be able to use the name. So in all actuality they're nothing more than a customer of Makers like every other bar is. From what I've heard they don't even get a preferred rate on buying from Makers.
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Re: POLL: This really chaps my hide....

by Doogy R » Sat Apr 12, 2008 11:00 pm

I'm gonna drink Maker's wherever they have it. If the place doesn't have it, I shall go elsewhere. Nuff said. I could care less about all the other crap going on out there. To me, it's about the bourbon.
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Re: POLL: This really chaps my hide....

by Jeremy J » Sun Apr 13, 2008 12:49 am

Really!? At this point, while I'm disappointed in the lack of local representation in 4th St. Live!, I just shrug because locals just don't go there....what really boggles my mind is that this many people like Makers Mark....it sucks! Evan Williams is half as expensive and just as good....what the heck? Why go out of your way to defend a mediocre bourbon with millions upon millions of ad dollars?
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