Comments on: Kyoto By Way Of Kansas City http://tleaves.com/2008/03/19/kyoto-by-way-of-kansas-city/ Creativity x Technology Thu, 18 Mar 2010 05:12:00 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.5 hourly 1 By: Lew Bryson http://tleaves.com/2008/03/19/kyoto-by-way-of-kansas-city/comment-page-1/#comment-4760 Lew Bryson Fri, 20 Jun 2008 12:37:07 +0000 http://tleaves.com/2008/03/19/kyoto-by-way-of-kansas-city/#comment-4760 Just came across your blog while looking up something for a post I'm writing on mine ("Why the PLCB Should Be Abolished"). I had an exact replica of your experience with Luxardo in 2006. I wanted to get a bottle for my sister for Christmas. First response was "We don't sell grenadine." No, I said, it's not syrup, it's a spirit. "There's no such thing," was the second response. I didn't bother SLO'ing. I walked out the door. Later that day, though, I had to go to New Jersey for a tasting, and on a whim, stopped in the first Joe Canal's Discount Liquors I saw. I walked over to the liqueurs section, grabbed a bottle of Luxardo, paid for it, and walked out: under three minutes. I frickin' hate the PLCB. So...mind if I put a link up on my blog to a Google compilation of your PLCB posts? Just came across your blog while looking up something for a post I’m writing on mine (”Why the PLCB Should Be Abolished”). I had an exact replica of your experience with Luxardo in 2006. I wanted to get a bottle for my sister for Christmas. First response was “We don’t sell grenadine.” No, I said, it’s not syrup, it’s a spirit. “There’s no such thing,” was the second response. I didn’t bother SLO’ing. I walked out the door.

Later that day, though, I had to go to New Jersey for a tasting, and on a whim, stopped in the first Joe Canal’s Discount Liquors I saw. I walked over to the liqueurs section, grabbed a bottle of Luxardo, paid for it, and walked out: under three minutes.

I frickin’ hate the PLCB. So…mind if I put a link up on my blog to a Google compilation of your PLCB posts?

]]> By: Christian http://tleaves.com/2008/03/19/kyoto-by-way-of-kansas-city/comment-page-1/#comment-4761 Christian Thu, 27 Mar 2008 02:47:41 +0000 http://tleaves.com/2008/03/19/kyoto-by-way-of-kansas-city/#comment-4761 Your PLCB stories are a kind of horror story for me every time you post one. Fortunately for me, it's a chill I only experience vicariously. Where I live may be bad in certain ways, but alcohol selection and price isn't one of them. Here's an easy way for you to see what a liquor store that cares in a state that loves regulating, but not directly interacting with alcohol does. www.specsonline.com A circa 1998 site, but all inventory is searchable, with prices. Luxardo maraschino? Check. Peychaud's bitters? Check. Suntory Yamazaki? Check. All on the shelves, ready to buy. Brizard Creme de Violette by special order, sadly. 1 week. I called and asked. If your travels bring you to Houston, put Spec's on Smith Street on your agenda. (God knows there aren't many other things for a visitor to do.) 80,000 square feet of wine, liquor, coffee roasting, cigars and gourmet foods. It's in the running for the biggest liquor store anywhere. Your PLCB stories are a kind of horror story for me every time you post one. Fortunately for me, it’s a chill I only experience vicariously.

Where I live may be bad in certain ways, but alcohol selection and price isn’t one of them. Here’s an easy way for you to see what a liquor store that cares in a state that loves regulating, but not directly interacting with alcohol does.

http://www.specsonline.com

A circa 1998 site, but all inventory is searchable, with prices.

Luxardo maraschino? Check.
Peychaud’s bitters? Check.
Suntory Yamazaki? Check.
All on the shelves, ready to buy.
Brizard Creme de Violette by special order, sadly. 1 week. I called and asked.

If your travels bring you to Houston, put Spec’s on Smith Street on your agenda. (God knows there aren’t many other things for a visitor to do.) 80,000 square feet of wine, liquor, coffee roasting, cigars and gourmet foods. It’s in the running for the biggest liquor store anywhere.

]]> By: peterb http://tleaves.com/2008/03/19/kyoto-by-way-of-kansas-city/comment-page-1/#comment-4763 peterb Thu, 20 Mar 2008 13:16:55 +0000 http://tleaves.com/2008/03/19/kyoto-by-way-of-kansas-city/#comment-4763 I thought about addressing Susan's point before she made it, but I didn't get around to it. My issue is this: the only hope for the PLCB to provide good customer service is to have an ordering system that does not require me to interact with an actual human being. It <em>absolutely kills me</em> that the PLCB's real product catalog is online and searchable, but that their "online consumer store" only has the merest fraction of their inventory online for purchase. If I could have pointed-and-clicked my way to special ordering the Suntory Yamazaki, instead of having to visit, call, or email, I'd have bought it -- from the PLCB, not Gomer's -- months ago. I thought about addressing Susan’s point before she made it, but I didn’t get around to it. My issue is this: the only hope for the PLCB to provide good customer service is to have an ordering system that does not require me to interact with an actual human being.

It absolutely kills me that the PLCB’s real product catalog is online and searchable, but that their “online consumer store” only has the merest fraction of their inventory online for purchase. If I could have pointed-and-clicked my way to special ordering the Suntory Yamazaki, instead of having to visit, call, or email, I’d have bought it — from the PLCB, not Gomer’s — months ago.

]]> By: David McWherter http://tleaves.com/2008/03/19/kyoto-by-way-of-kansas-city/comment-page-1/#comment-4762 David McWherter Thu, 20 Mar 2008 11:15:04 +0000 http://tleaves.com/2008/03/19/kyoto-by-way-of-kansas-city/#comment-4762 I actually am confused by Susan's comment. Even though their web site says you can email your orders to ra-lbslo, every time I've emailed they tell me to call them: "You may place an order at any Wines & Spirits Shoppe or through our Hotline @ 800-332-7522." (It's just as well, since you'd have probably have to write your credit card information in an unencrypted email sent to the PLCB). I actually am confused by Susan’s comment. Even though their web site says you can email your orders to ra-lbslo, every time I’ve emailed they tell me to call them: “You may place an order at any Wines & Spirits Shoppe or through our Hotline @ 800-332-7522.” (It’s just as well, since you’d have probably have to write your credit card information in an unencrypted email sent to the PLCB).

]]> By: Eeyore http://tleaves.com/2008/03/19/kyoto-by-way-of-kansas-city/comment-page-1/#comment-4764 Eeyore Thu, 20 Mar 2008 00:28:39 +0000 http://tleaves.com/2008/03/19/kyoto-by-way-of-kansas-city/#comment-4764 By the by, just bought a bottle of Marie Duffau Napoleon Armagnac at the state store a week or so ago. Not my favorite ever, but pretty good and reasonably priced. http://www.lcb.state.pa.us/webapp/Product_Management/psi_ProductLocation_Inter.asp?cdeNo=006481&searchPhrase=armagnac&regular=on&searchCode=&selTyp=&Cost1=&selTypS=0&selTypW=0&holiday=on&psiSD=ASC&selTypA=0&submit=SEARCH&accessory=on&chairman=on&closeout=on&limited=on&slo=on&onetime=on&outlet=on&specialty=on&powerpur=on&psiSB=brnd By the by, just bought a bottle of Marie Duffau Napoleon Armagnac at the state store a week or so ago. Not my favorite ever, but pretty good and reasonably priced.
http://www.lcb.state.pa.us/webapp/Product_Management/psi_ProductLocation_Inter.asp?cdeNo=006481&searchPhrase=armagnac&regular=on&searchCode=&selTyp=&Cost1=&selTypS=0&selTypW=0&holiday=on&psiSD=ASC&selTypA=0&submit=SEARCH&accessory=on&chairman=on&closeout=on&limited=on&slo=on&onetime=on&outlet=on&specialty=on&powerpur=on&psiSB=brnd

]]> By: Susan http://tleaves.com/2008/03/19/kyoto-by-way-of-kansas-city/comment-page-1/#comment-4754 Susan Wed, 19 Mar 2008 23:17:51 +0000 http://tleaves.com/2008/03/19/kyoto-by-way-of-kansas-city/#comment-4754 You don't need to set foot in the PLCB store to spend the 15 mintues helping them fill out the form. You can make special orders with an e-mail to ra-lbslo@state.pa.us or call 1-800-332-7522. If you do go into the store and they don't offer to take your number and call you when it gets in, complain to RA-LBConsumer@state.pa.us. You don’t need to set foot in the PLCB store to spend the 15 mintues helping them fill out the form. You can make special orders with an e-mail to ra-lbslo@state.pa.us or call 1-800-332-7522.

If you do go into the store and they don’t offer to take your number and call you when it gets in, complain to RA-LBConsumer@state.pa.us.

]]> By: Nat http://tleaves.com/2008/03/19/kyoto-by-way-of-kansas-city/comment-page-1/#comment-4753 Nat Wed, 19 Mar 2008 18:17:38 +0000 http://tleaves.com/2008/03/19/kyoto-by-way-of-kansas-city/#comment-4753 Oh man, I've been meaning to pick up some Lucid for a long time. I thought about picking some up in MA last week, but didn't want to deal with making sure it didn't break on the plane. Stupid PLCB. Really I need to head west until I find crème de violette, decent absinthe, and a ready supply of Maraschino and stock up. Oh man, I’ve been meaning to pick up some Lucid for a long time. I thought about picking some up in MA last week, but didn’t want to deal with making sure it didn’t break on the plane.

Stupid PLCB.

Really I need to head west until I find crème de violette, decent absinthe, and a ready supply of Maraschino and stock up.

]]> By: Cynthia Closkey http://tleaves.com/2008/03/19/kyoto-by-way-of-kansas-city/comment-page-1/#comment-4759 Cynthia Closkey Wed, 19 Mar 2008 18:12:46 +0000 http://tleaves.com/2008/03/19/kyoto-by-way-of-kansas-city/#comment-4759 Beggars can't be choosers, so the Maraska will do. Comparing will be fun as well. I am fully stocked on Peychaud's bitters -- ordered some online, and also picked some up last trip to Cincinnati/Kentucky. I feel sure I'd like some other bitters but don't know what to request. I totally want some Lucid. I can SLO that but the minimum order is two bottles, and I couldn't justify ordering $130 of one kind of booze. But if you're not too overloaded, a bottle of absinthe would completely turn my year around for the better. This is all so thrilling. Whee! Beggars can’t be choosers, so the Maraska will do. Comparing will be fun as well.

I am fully stocked on Peychaud’s bitters — ordered some online, and also picked some up last trip to Cincinnati/Kentucky. I feel sure I’d like some other bitters but don’t know what to request.

I totally want some Lucid. I can SLO that but the minimum order is two bottles, and I couldn’t justify ordering $130 of one kind of booze. But if you’re not too overloaded, a bottle of absinthe would completely turn my year around for the better.

This is all so thrilling. Whee!

]]> By: peterb http://tleaves.com/2008/03/19/kyoto-by-way-of-kansas-city/comment-page-1/#comment-4758 peterb Wed, 19 Mar 2008 17:44:33 +0000 http://tleaves.com/2008/03/19/kyoto-by-way-of-kansas-city/#comment-4758 PPS: And Lucid Absinthe. PPS: And Lucid Absinthe.

]]> By: peterb http://tleaves.com/2008/03/19/kyoto-by-way-of-kansas-city/comment-page-1/#comment-4757 peterb Wed, 19 Mar 2008 17:39:55 +0000 http://tleaves.com/2008/03/19/kyoto-by-way-of-kansas-city/#comment-4757 PS: Also, they have Peychaud's bitters, too. PS: Also, they have Peychaud’s bitters, too.

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