Wine shop customers

I'm working on a story I'm calling 'Club Vino' about how smaller wine
stores - outgunned and outdiscounted by the big box stores, chains, etc. -
are building customer loyalty by offering new services and formats. Services ranging from the usual tastings to wine dinners to art shows and even belly dancing lessons. Formats? Look at Juicy, the new retail space/lounge or Pops for Champagne - retail/club/restaurant.
I'm looking for customers...regular wine lovers who patronize these places. do these services appeal to you? turn you off? leave you confused? what do you think is missing from wine stores?
you can e-mail me at wdaley@tribune.com or leave a note here if you feel like it.
Hope to hear from you soon.
Bill Daley
Chicago Tribune

I've been to the WineStyles here in Evanston - it's an interesting shop, but my take on it is that it's a wine shop for beginners, or for those who want wine-related gee-gaws and gimcracks. When I was in my early 20s, it might have been a good resource (I was drinking Boone's Farm and Pink Catawba at the time). Now that I know which reds are "bold," "rich," or "fruity" I think I can get better prices at Binny's.

When I think of smaller wine stores, neither Juicy nor Pops comes to mind because lounges and clubs generally aren't my type of thing. I'm more likely to think of a place like the Printers Row Wine Shop, which has a rustic feel that the bigger/chain places don't offer and which seems to build its customer base by greeting every person off the street, regardless of wine knowledge, with same warmth reserved at other places only for regulars. For these smaller places, I don't think format or service needs to be flashy or overly coordinated.

All of that said, it's perfectly possible to build this kind of rapport with someone who works at your local Binny's and so get the selection and price.

Printers Row Wine Shop
719 S Dearborn
Chicago IL 60605
(312) 663-9314

Billd- My neighborhood store is Wine Discount Center on Elston. It's my go to before Sam's. I like that they send me a flyer in the mail, and an email if something really special comes in and I want to buy a case.

On a separate note-Is something going on with Sam's Wines, because I was there over the weekend and it looks as if half their stock is gone. My GIESEN MARLBOROUGH SAUVIGNON BLANC that I usually buy by the case as it's coming into white wine season, is no longer there.