Those looking to satisfy their taste for spirits or other items from the LCBO might find these to be challenging times, but there are options out there.
In looking at the provincial government’s interactive map on where consumers can find their choice of alcoholic beverages, there are few places close to Stratford that have much stock. Embro Foodmarket, Shakespeare Variety and the Kirkton Market are all LCBO convenience outlets but their stock is running low. Those willing to put in a little extra footwork can find some locally-sourced options that might fit the bill.
Junction 56 Distillery in Stratford has seen an increase in customer flow since the strike took effect July 4, and owner Mike Heisz said he and staff have noticed the uptick.
“With fewer places to buy products, a lot more people have found us,” he said. “To help accommodate things, we’ve added hours to our schedule at the end of the day.”
Mondays to Wednesdays, Junction 56 is open until 6 p.m., with that moving to 7 p.m. Thursday through Saturday. Sunday hours remain unchanged. Heisz estimates that they’ve seen four to five times the amount of foot traffic since the strike compared to what similar days and times were historically.
And it’s the staple products they’re going after.
“Mostly we’re seeing vodka, gin and whisky selling better right now,” he said. “We do a lot of special flavour products that generally sell better but there’s been a shift away from that simply because people usually get those things at the LCBO.”
While Heisz is happy to see a lot more new faces coming through his door, it’s a mixed bag: the LCBO is Junction’s biggest single customer, so the lack of orders on that end is noticeable.
“We’ve had a few restaurants and bars we don’t normally deal with contact us for product,” he said. “But I can’t say we’re happy that the LCBO is on strike. It’s good that people are finding us and trying our products, but the downside is we have no mass distribution. I hope it all works out in the end.”
Heisz also added that Junction has been able to handle the increased in-store volume and are not in any danger of running out of items thanks to having their production on site. They’ve increased their bottling of whisky to help keep their inventory levels up.
“We can bottle as needed, and that allows us the flexibility to keep up with demand,” he said.
Go here to find the Ontario government’s interactive map on alcohol purchasing options.