B. Mann Consulting

Tim Bray writes about the re-vamping that the liquore stores in BC are going through.

Here in BC, at around the same time, presumably feeling threatened by the chill wind of threatened privatization, our government liquor stores decided to try to pull up their socks and get customer-oriented: more locations, longer opening hours, a bit more fun. By and large, they've done a pretty good job.

We've been here in Ottawa for over 3 1/2 years now. When people come and visit us who have never been to Ontario, we always take them to the big LCBO store on Rideau Street. It's got books, music, gifts, leather armchairs, gift baskets, cooking classes, etc. etc.

It also has Vintages, a whole area downstairs dedicated to premium liqeurs of various kinds. We don't usually buy much stuff down there, but I did pick up a couple of bottles of port that were usually $70 for only $20 a piece.

Anyway, hopefully the stores in BC follow the same model. It seems to work really well here in Ontario.