Microbrewery why not in The Villages

[deano_hoosier]

My "little" town in south central Indiana now has 4 microbrew places. Only about 38,000 live here. So I'm wondering how is it that The Villages does not a half dozen??? Seems like population size would support them.

Any ideas?

[pooh]

There was one in Spanish Springs a while ago, Spanish Springs Brewing Co. It is out of business. Some businesses thrive here and some do not.

[2BNTV]

There was one in Spanish Springs a while ago, Spanish Springs Brewing Co. It is out of business. Some businesses thrive here and some do not.

Funny how I was going to post this info and here it is!!!!!

[pooh]

Funny how I was going to post this info and here it is!!!!!
Great minds think alike......:) :) :)

[rubicon]

Micro Brewer vis a vis Warm Milk Kiosk which one do you believe would prevail here in The Villages?:D

[Shimpy]

Micro Brewer vis a vis Warm Milk Kiosk which one do you believe would prevail here in The Villages?:D

Ha Ha! You're right! It would be like opening up a Tofu stand at a NASCAR race.

[2BNTV]

Great minds think alike......:) :) :)

Amen.:smiley:

[Patty55]

If John Harvard would open here I would be very supportive.

[l2ridehd]

Almost all the commercial property in The Villages is owned by the Villages. There model is one of taking a % of the revenue. They also control the liquor wholesale sales. Look at all the CC'c, they all serve the same terrible beer on tap. It is really tough for an independent to make it. Chains can survive, but independents struggle.

[Jim 9922]

The brews were good and served all over The Villages, and the bar area was always very busy. Problem is that the high retail rents for Villages space is not friendly to all the production area needed for the brewing and packaging of the product.
Too bad, it was a great place!:beer3:

There was one in Spanish Springs a while ago, Spanish Springs Brewing Co. It is out of business. Some businesses thrive here and some do not.

[sueandskip]

The brews were good and served all over The Villages, and the bar area was always very busy. Problem is that the high retail rents for Villages space is not friendly to all the production area needed for the brewing and packaging of the product.
Too bad, it was a great place!:beer3:
Are you referring to the brewery in Augustines ? If so I loved that place and the seabolt select was the best....

[gomoho]

Just like some of TV's has changed their thinking on accepting American Express I think they will come around to thinking Boomers like Microbrews. It's an evolution and the Morse family did not become successful because they weren't tuned into the market. Things will come around in time - hopefully sooner, rather than later.

[Jim 9922]

Are you referring to the brewery in Augustines ? If so I loved that place and the seabolt select was the best....
Augustines was the place. Painted Posters of the various brews still adorne various buildings walls around Spanish Springs. I believe the Morses owned "Augies" and held some interest in the brewery and so the beer was served in all the country clubs, which at the time, were all run by the Developer.
I think some of the brews even won a few awards over the years.:beer3:

Sometimes the good old days were good!

[NJblue]

I think the general taste in beer (and I use the term loosely) here is more towards the light, flavorless stuff like Miller Lite. Do you notice how in the restaurants when you ask what they have on tap, they always start with the watered down stuff? Once, after running through the littany of flavorless American stuff, the waitress paused, looked at me and said, "Usually by the time I get to this point the customer has heard what he wants. Do you want me to go on?"

Last October we had an Oktoberfest party where I provided a whole range of German beers. I also bought several cases of light stuff. You guessed it, the light stuff was the first to go and I had plenty of German beer left over.

[redwitch]

Last October we had an Oktoberfest party where I provided a whole range of German beers. I also bought several cases of light stuff. You guessed it, the light stuff was the first to go and I had plenty of German beer left over.

You just invited the wrong crowd. There are some of us who would have loved to help you drink the good stuff. :beer3:

[l2ridehd]

So far I have found only one place with decent beer. And unfortunately it's not on tap. Garvino's actually has some very good beers. Boddington in a can is as close to good beer I have found anywhere in The Villages. They also have a couple good IPA's. So yes please, bring on a good micro-brewery and I will be a big supporter.

Sounds like a business opportunity waiting for someone.

[deano_hoosier]

Just like some of TV's has changed their thinking on accepting American Express I think they will come around to thinking Boomers like Microbrews. It's an evolution and the Morse family did not become successful because they weren't tuned into the market. Things will come around in time - hopefully sooner, rather than later.

I hope you are right, several of our micro brew places are coupled with sit down restaurants and brick oven pizza deals.

[billethkid]

retail/restaurant/etc space in TV is on a par with most major shopping malls.

As far as TV getting a "cut" of the business....that is only the part of the story that seems to get spread. The reality is that when presenting one's business plan and expectation for revenues, has nothing to do with the base rent being applied. Yes there is an escalator in the revenue projections that TV does get a % of revenue once AND IF the projected levels are reached. For example and perspective if you think you would do $300,000 per year in sales the escalation might be once the business attains $750,000. So most businesses would be happy to pay the "cut" if their businesses ever hit the usually, very ambitious numbers....since they would be doing significantly better than they ever expected.

The businesses that do not make it in TV are usually the ones that do not accomplish the level of business they expected they could do here in TV. Just looking at Lake Sumter Landing and the number of businesses that have opened and closed in the 6+ years LSL has been open. The closures were not because the rent was too high. Remember the owner signed the lease knowing what the rent would be for the next 5 years. They also expected they would do enough business to pay the rent and operating expenses and make a profit.....that is the only reason they would sign the lease......right?

Unfortunately when these places have to tell others why they QUIT, they usually say the rent was the reason....when it was not. And more unfortunately others who do not know repeat that it was the too high rent and the "cut" TV takes.....when it was not.

I am not defending or promoting TV or against the businesses that have failed........just presenting for edification the more real scenario.

There are a lot of independents that have had their doors open since day one. There is no secret to what it takes to run a successful business here in TV or anywhere else for that matter.

btk