"Beer Summit" leaves out a green beer

Photo by Matthew Levine


It seems like everyone is chiming in with what they would like to see served at the "Beer Summit," as they are calling the upcoming informal meeting at the White House. Apparently the choices of those appearing have left out our local small brews and they have everyone second-guessing Pres. Obama'a choice of a Bud Light. Now that Bud is owned by a non-American company, apparently it is a big deal. Don't get me wrong - I got through college on cheap beer, and Barack is free to keep on drinking that stuff if he likes. A cold light beer on a hot day sure hits the spot. However, I have recently learned some info about one of my favorite "grown-up" beers that I feel makes it a much better choice.

Growing up in Texas has its perks and bordering Louisiana has them as well. Heading down to New Orleans to get some culture, me and my brother discovered a little Louisiana brewery called Abita Beer. They make such brews as the popular Amber, Purple Haze, but my absolute favorite (which just happens to be on tap at New World Brewery) is Turbo Dog. I don't know how they named it, but I like to picture some little cajun kid with a super fast three-legged dog hollerin' "Come on Turbo Dog, less git goin!" as they walk down a railroad track.

Anyway, the point of all this back story... Abita has been quietly working to make beer as green as possible and not just on St. Paddy's day! They have a beer brewing system that captures the steam and reduces the energy used by something like 70%. They also use recycled and reduced packaging sizes and supply the local farmers with leftovers from some of the grains and hops used for feed. They even built their own wastewater treatment plant where they can convert a lot of the waste to bio-gas for their own boilers and reduce the water sent to the local sewer plant by 85%. On top of all that, they added auxilliary power units to their delivery trucks which cut down on idling when the trucks are sitting still!

I'm not sure why I would drink anything else, but just try it for yourself. Maybe you'll even feel a little better about that brew in your glass. You'll not only be supporting an independent brewer, but also a rare green leader in the not-so-eco-friendly world of beer.

By the way, if you see Pres. Obama, why don't you offer him a beer, and maybe something with some flavor?

Display is Like Playing Dominoes...... Everything Moves!

Early yesterday morning and late last night, I worked on new product displays at Poppyseeds. Temps here in the Seattle area have been in the high 90's all week, so we are all making adjustments to how and when we work each day.

This might seem like a strange time to choose to restyle retail displays, but it was just time for a change... the existing look had been there for two months, and that's just too long! Variety is needed each month to keep customers interested and returning. The photos above show the final product: a sunny, bright, cheerful mid-summer look as soon as you enter this darling boutique.

Another reason for the change was that new product had also arrived, so it was time to feature it in the front room. In a small shop, when you move one item, it affects everything else. The product that was here was relocated to another room - which meant that everything in that room had to be rearranged as well, to accommodate the merchandise. It's like lining up dominoes and watching them fall! I'm not sure if it's an 'official' industry term, but 'Domino Effect' certainly applies here...

So, I'd like to know: how often do you change the displays in your store? Windows? Front of Store/Entry? Interiors? Point of Purchase? Have things been the same for longer than a month? Two months? THREE months? Hey, folks, retail is change! If we never brought in new products, we'd be outta' business. Same is true with displays - you have to mix it up, move it around, make it fresh & new to stop your customers in their tracks. Otherwise, they just walk on past, thinking 'Been there, seen that.' Yes, it's work... it's time... it's effort..... but it's a foolproof way to increase customer awareness of what you offer. Isn't that worth it?!

To see the Before and After of this room, PLUS where the 'Before' product ended up in a new room and new display, check out the slideshow below... the first pink & black GLAM look is the Before, the aqua & orange is the After, and then the pink & black moves to a new location in the last photos.

If you are in the Seattle area, stop by Poppyseeds this weekend for the Furniture Fair event, running in conjunction with the Stanwood-Camano Community Fair. You'll find lots of furniture & home decor available direct from local designers, under a tent in the parking lot from Friday through Sunday, 10 AM to 5 PM.

It's easy to find: Located between Marysville and Mt. Vernon. Exit 212 from I-5, East onto Hwy 532 and 6 miles East to Stanwood. Poppyseeds is located at 26915-98th Drive NW Stanwood, Washington, on the right side of Hwy. 532 next to John L. Scott Realty (and just past Starbucks!) 360.629.73339