OVHA Chat

Why can't we have an LHBS here in the area? Surely,I think ,it would be profitable.

We do!
CO-OP Corner General Store
St. Joe Ave. & Mill Rd.
812 423-6481
and you can email Al Debes if you have a special request
debes@insightbb.com

He ordered White Labs Special Yeast for me in January
WLP022 Essex Ale Yeast
He only charged me a little bit more than the regular tubes.

Don

That's where I currently shop,He has about a 150 sqft area and always out of this&that,poor fella probably is only allowed a small budget for this,(And I Am very grateful that he is there) .I was thinking of a real store .Think like...Local neighborhood gas station for groceries compared to Buy Low or Wesselman's.Maybe not such an upscale,but...
I know the main issue would be money for initial investment,but HB is,still,on the rise and not expected to falter any time soon .
It would be nice to just walk in and see a wide selection of supplies and equipment available without the need to order and watch the mail.

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Also,CO-OP in Mt.Vernon,I go there sometimes when in the area.Al does the supply orders for that one,too.He is very nice man and will get any thing you need without hesitation.

We had a nice store out there on north Green River Rd by Office Depot, and Heavenly Ham called Beer and Wine By U. I bought my first kit there... ahh the memories of that honey brown ale... boy was I clueless back then, wait, make that, still clueless... I do miss that store sometimes.

Ditto,I still have the kit stuff that I bought from there,still using the carboy.I miss that place;wish we had another one like that.I did have some recipes from their 'home made' beer kits,but haven't seen'm for a while.

How about forming a Co-Op of our own. The OVHA COOP. Basic premise is just like all other food type co-operatives. Membership fee, volunteer hours (or pay up more money for someone else to cover your time), etc. Or it could be broken up into "shares" like farms where each portion costs "X" dollars, allowing those people that want a larger stake, or more able to give more $ a larger share.

I'm interested in having something available in this town than bad advice, cheesy hops, and "I can order it".

You know, John, that's a really, really good idea. I have no idea how a cooperative works but I have been interested in learning more about the subject after reading a baking book about the Cheeseboard Cooperative in Berkley, CA.

Interesting....I would support it.

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I would definitely buy from such a co-op.I'm not even close to rich enough to invest money but I have a good back and will do all I can.Definitely in the devotee mode.I spend about $50.00 a month at the General Store out there from October to June or so.And I'm not even brewing as much as I would prefer.I have a small set up but am about to upgrade my 3gal. set to 10gal.as soon as money will allow.That's more than a 300% jump.

I wouldn't mind doing volunteer promotion work in my spare time or help out any way I can.I think that it is a viable market that is on the rise and prime for the picking.Let me know what to do.

It sounds like we have at least a group interested in such an adventure. I don't know much about starting or running a co-op, but a quick google search yielded tons of information. Here's a couple of links:
http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/rbs/pub/cir7/cir7rpt.htm
http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/rbs/pub/cir7/cir7rpt.htm

There is a food coop on Wahington Ave. They would probably give advice on starting one.

WOW!Sounds like a lot of work,but it might be worth the effort.

HAY ! I'm bigger'n some people.Count me as a group by myself.I make a lotof mistakes and consequently drink it up to get rid of it,throw it out or jug it as vinegarSo ek-speck me to be a freqent buyer.

Are we gonna get buyer miles...like the airlines

Some info and links from Seven Bridges Co-Op.

http://www.breworganic.com/About7bridge ... ridges.htm

Looks like it's gonna take a lot of money. Sorry,I don't have much.I haven't even payed dues to O.V.H.A. this year,yet.(I'll pay up next meeting).If a Co-operative is to be,then I'll do all I can to help.