Tuesday, May 31, 2005

Package store swill pricing and baby steps of old.

Earlier this evening, we were enjoying frozen sugar concoctions at Zesto's on Charlestown Road when I looked across the street at the Copper Still sign and saw that a 30-pack of Natural Light is going for $11.99, plus sales tax.

Given that Natural Light is in a wholesale price tier below Budweiser and Bud Light, which we used to sell for $8.49 per 24-pack at the now defunct Scoreboard Liquors in New Albany, this price seems quite high to me.

What it really means is that I've lost all touch with the price of swill, and haven't the foggiest which price is good and which isn't - although, of course, no cerebral exercise is necessary to determine that $5 or $6 for ballpark swill is an outrage.

The average price of a 20-ounce pint of draft beer at Rich O's is now around $4.25, and we don't sell swill.

Well, we do sell Corona, which is currently priced at $4.50 for a 12-oz bottle ... and that's just to see how much someone will pay for bad beer.

I need some amusement, you know.

In 13 years out of the package store biz, I've lost all sense of proportion, and I'm not complaining at all.

Here are links for two previous NA Confidential stories pertaining to the liquor store daze (1983-1992):

Remembering Jim Creech (April 29, 2005)
Package store veterans day (November 11, 2004)

Finally, here are the best liquor stores in New Albany when it comes to finding a good beer:

Bridge Liquors
Old Mill Wine & Spirit Shoppe

Things have changed since the late Jim Creech let me "have" a door in the walk-in cooler to put some of the "fancy" beers.

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