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Come and check us out, local brewers say, as LCBOs close due to job action

Mia Jensen

July 5, 2024

With LCBO stores across the province closing due to strike action, local brewers are ready to step into the breach.

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With LCBO stores across the province closing due to strike action, local brewers are ready to step into the breach. At Ottawa’s Bicycle Craft Brewery, co-owner Fariborz Behzadi said he’s waiting to see what the effect of the strike might be for his business. “We sell some of our products through (LCBO) stores and they’re a good customer. But I understand that employees want to update their wages. Stuff like this happens all the time in any industry. We just see how it goes.” Hopefully, the closure will drive traffic to his storefront on Industrial Avenue, something Behzadi will have his eye on this week. “It’s a Friday today and we’re usually very busy on Friday, Saturday and Sunday,” he said. “I don’t know if that’s going to change, if it’s going to be busier or not. We’ll have to see.” And if customers broaden their horizons, he said local breweries offer plenty of services that they might not know about. “We do a lot of home deliveries throughout the year. At the beginning of the pandemic, everyone started ordering online and that’s still available,” said Behzadi. “It’s been pretty steady for the last few weeks. So we’ll have to see how it plays out next week.” Breweries typically see a burst of activity at this time of year, he said. As the weather warms up, more people seek out pale ales, IPAs and even non-alcoholic options that local brewers offer. The last week of June is always particularly busy, Behzadi said, in the lead-up to Canada Day and the Fourth of July. “Those are really good months for us,” he said. “It’s always been like that every year and we sometimes see that momentum continue in July and August. It varies every year. Coming out of the pandemic, each year has been a little bit better than the previous year. This year, I think things are looking good.” Michael Sirko, brewmaster and co-founder of Vimy Brewing Company, also on Industrial Avenue, said his company’s products are available outside of LCBO across the city, including in grocery stores, bars and restaurants, sports venues such as TD Place and even military messes. “We do have one product in the LCBO, so we will see an effect on that product,” he said. “However, that’s just one of our many styles of beer. In fact, we have six styles of beer available at the brewery, so we actually have more variety available there. We’re continuing.” Like many local breweries, Vimy Brewing also has a retail storefront attached to its facility. Sirko said the company had to get creative during the pandemic to reach its usual customers while the store was closed and some of the innovations have stuck, including its online store. It also offers free Ottawa-wide delivery. While the pandemic dealt most retail industries a hit, including the alcoholic drink industry, sales have been improving year over year, and this summer is already set to be better than the last, he said. “We’ve seen demand increase in our taproom and for off-sales coming out of the pandemic,” he said. “We have seen a lot of people coming in and learning about our product and enjoying it.” While the strike may be inconvenient for shoppers, Sirko said it’s a good time for consumers to explore new options closer to home. “Local means fresh and we’re very closely located to people who live around here and in the city. We’re going to give you a top-quality product,” he said. “You’re supporting a local business and people who live in your neighbourhood. There is an opportunity to go out and learn more about the breweries that exist near you.” While Behzadi understands the appeal of LCBO, which he said he visits often for its expansive selection of wine, beer and spirits, he said there are plenty of alternatives to discover. “There are a ton of great breweries in Ottawa and each neighbourhood has access to a local brewery,” he said. “I encourage people to go explore if they haven’t done so. We have great support from the local community in Ottawa and we have great customers. I think we can expand on that.” On Facebook, Marc Plante, the owner of Ottawa’s Stray Dog Brewing Company, said, “You can certainly support LCBO workers, but please, if you buy beer and want to support locally owned businesses, I highly encourage you to purchase directly from your local microbreweries. These are businesses that buy local, hire local, and pump money back into the local economy. They support local charities and give back more than you probably know.”

Perth Brewery says LCBO a ‘major channel’ for sales

July is the busiest month of the year for Perth Brewery, and though it’s unclear how long the strike will last, co-owner Cathy Brown said the company is expecting sales to take a hit. “It’s definitely unfortunate with the strike,” she told OBJ Friday. I do have sympathy as to why they’re striking. However, (LCBO) is a major channel for sales for us.” While she hopes more traffic will divert to the brewery’s storefront off Highway 7, she said there is no way to make up for the losses the business will incur while the LCBO is closed. “We sell in pretty much all of (the LCBOs) around Perth, Ottawa and Kingston, but also further across the province and into the GTA,” she said. “Obviously, those people can’t come to our retail store.” Still, she hopes consumers will make an effort to seek out the brewery’s products through other means. The store carries more beer varieties than are currently sold through the LCBO and she’s noticed an uptick in orders from grocery stores that stock Perth Brewery products. “I think (grocery stores) are stocking up because people won’t be able to go in and buy at the LCBO,” she said. Perth Brewery is also looking at ways to keep customers coming in to soften the blow. Online ordering and home delivery remain available across the province, and local customers can have products delivered by the company. Brown said the brewery will promote that service more heavily and potentially offer incentives, such as lowering the threshold for free delivery. With other breweries likely to be impacted as well, she said she hopes customers will take the time to find new ways to support the brewers they love. “If you’re local, the best way to support us is by coming into our retail store,” she said. “We have lots and lots of products. And we’re at restaurants and bars. Go out and support them because they need it too. Lots of them had a huge struggle through COVID and they’re still working to get their head up above water.” Contract talks between Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU), which represents liquor store employees, and the LCBO broke down on Thursday, just before the strike deadline of 12:01 a.m. on Friday morning. The union is fighting for wage increases and protections for existing jobs in their collective agreement. It is also calling for more full-time positions. The union said 70 per cent of current LCBO jobs are only part-time. The strike is the first in LCBO's history. The Crown corporation had previously announced that its 669 retail stores would not open in the event of a job action. The LCBO noted that customers can still purchase alcohol online through its website and mobile app.