Best Cellars?

We saw a sign for what obviously is a new wine shop on Barbour Lane that said "Best Cellars Coming Soon!" This is about 2 blocks from our house, where the Barbour Lane Animal Hospital was before they built their own building next door, and I'm very excited. (I thought it was going to be an electrical company, but that was apparently who was doing their wiring. Duh!) Does anyone have any more information about them? When they're going to open? Will they have any gourmet foods or cheeses? I also wonder if they'll have wine tastings, etc.? I really want to learn more about wine, and having a little wine shop so close would definitely encourage me to do this. Very pleased to see this new addition, and so close to home!!

Did it look anything like this?

http://www.bestcellars.com/aboutbc/aboutus.cfm

Because if that's the case, I would be beside myself with happiness. We fell in love with BC when we lived in Seattle (along with the oft-mentioned Trader Joe's), and it would be fabulous if they came here. I am skeptical, however, mostly because they closed their stores west of the Mississippi to focus on their "core East Coast market." And while we are East of the Mississippi, we aren't exactly East Coast

However, it would certainly be a great thing!

They are part of the Liquor World Chain. They will concentrate very heavily on wine. This will be a nice addition to the neighborhood and because of the amount of stores they own they have strong buying power so their prices will be very competitive. It will be fairly upscale with a manager who has been in the wine business many years. They are shooting to be open by Halloween.

Did it look anything like this?

http://www.bestcellars.com/aboutbc/aboutus.cfm

I don't remember the type face, and would have to look for the 'B' symbol. Easy enough, we'll pass it on the way to work tomorrow! It just really took us by surprise. I hope you're right, or that whatever it is will be wonderful. I'm sure of this much - it's still a positive to me, and I'm looking forward to it! I'll let you know after I look at their sign again - thanks!

They are part of the Liquor World Chain. They will concentrate very heavily on wine. This will be a nice addition to the neighborhood and because of the amount of stores they own they have strong buying power so their prices will be very competitive. It will be fairly upscale with a manager who has been in the wine business many years. They are shooting to be open by Halloween.

That's cool, thanks for the info! I used to shop at Liquor World quite a bit when I lived across the street from them in Lyndon some years back, so that is kind of serendipitous. Do you know if they bought into the BC franchise that Melissa was talking about?

No. They are strictly independent.

[Robin Garr]

No. They are strictly independent.

They may want to have a lawyer at hand. The Best Cellars chain has been extremely litigious about what it considers threats against its concept and trademarks.

They may want to have a lawyer at hand. The Best Cellars chain has been extremely litigious about what it considers threats against its concept and trademarks.

They will need a lot of lawyers based on what I have read about them in the past.

While I still doubt that they were the first to set up a wine shop based on flavor profiles rather than varietals or regions, they assuredly cornered the market with that concept. I likened to it to wine buying for dummies, but it does seem like an easy way for people who are not too familiar with wines to shop. There are several other groups that have put this way of categorizing wines into franchises across the country. I cannot think of one of them, but I know they have a store in Evansville.

I had actually thought about setting up our new store in a similiar fashion, but decided against it in the end. Litigation was actually one of the reasons I gave up on the idea.

If they are independant, I am very surprised at the name they have chosen for the business. That is really asking for it.

Wine Styles was the chain that has a store in Evansville that I was thinking about earlier. It took me forever to think of that name. The have grown to Indianapolis, Ft. Wayne, and Valpo as well.

http://www.winestyles.net