Yesterday’s mail included a 20 page plus full color brochure touting the new Total Wine store that has opened on Youree Drive in Shreveport. To say the least, it’s a slick, well put together marketing promotion like none Shreveport has witnessed in its history.
Page headlines include:
Lowest prices & the best selection in Shreveport
8167 wines, 4874 spirits, and 2693 beers
Free glassware
The secret to finding you that one perfect (wine) bottle? Having 250,000 in the store
For the question “which wine” 8167 answers
We’ve got spirits, yes we do. 4874 of them.
If you shopped with us, you could try a different beer every week for 48.7 years.
198,456 bottles (and cans) of beer on the wall.
Get app-y!
VIP? Yesiree! Welcome to the white glove treatment.
To say the mailing is impressive is an gross understatement.
I know personally the owners of four well-established local liquor stores. These are local folks who were either born here or have lived in this area for many years. Their stores are well kept, and their owners are good business community members supporting local events. In all fairness these owners cannot be happy about the entrance of a wine/liquor gorilla entering the local market, and understandably so.
Total Wines is the country’s largest independent retailer of wine. Started in 1991 by two brothers in a small store in Delaware, the company now has more than 250 superstores in 30 states. The company has more than 11,000 employees and unmatched buying power in the wine/liquor market.
Will this new store have the same impact on the local retail market as the Walmart Stores did years ago and now Amazon? Will locally owned liquor stores take a big hit, lay off employees and maybe close? After the “new” wears off, will local customers who wanted to experience the Total Wine experience return to local retailers?
I know its “progress” to have Total Wines, much like having Whole Foods, Aldi and Amazon. I also know that there is always a price to pay for “progress” and the only real question is what will be the “price” on locally owned liquor stores.
So, will Total Wines grow the alcohol purchasing market or just gut local stores?
John came to Shreveport in January of 1977 when he was transferred to Barksdale AFB.
He’s been active in Shreveport politics since deciding to make Shreveport his home.
John practiced law for 40 years and he now monitors local politics. He regularly attends Shreveport City Council and Caddo Parish Commission meetings.
John is published weekly in The Inquisitor, bi-monthly in The Forum News, and frequently in the Shreveport Times.
He enjoys addressing civic groups on local government issues and elections.