Here - ABLE BC

For a small, independent establishment, it’s not easy competing against the
big guys. Still, many pubs, bars and private liquor stores across BC are not only
surviving, they’re thriving. Despite the challenges of fighting for the same
business as chain restaurants or government liquor stores, they have found
ways to offer something unique through their products, expertise, relationships
with the community, and the special experiences they provide. Here are just a
few things they do to stand out from the crowd.
Offer Exceptional Products and the Occasional Surprise
Queens Cross Pub
“Chain restaurants are predictable,” says Andrew Wong, manager of the Black
Sheep Pub & Grill in Maple Ridge. “You get the same experience every time
you go. Where we differ is that we can do whatever we want with our menu.”
You used to be able to step into just about any pub in BC and find the same few
mass-produced beers on tap and the same handful of dishes on the menu. Not
any more. Today’s pubs specialize in gourmet food and high-quality beverages
that hail from every corner of the globe.
Food has become especially important in the past few years. Thanks at least
in part to tougher drinking and driving laws, food sales have skyrocketed.
At the Black Sheep, the menu features everything from burgers to schnitzel,
quesadillas and Asian dishes, while the Fox & Hounds Pub & Restaurant
in Aldergrove has added a children’s menu on the restaurant side of the
establishment. “People are a lot more responsible drinking that way,” explains
manager Karen Ruchty.
Being a smaller place also means that pubs and private stores can respond
quickly to customer requests without the time-consuming hassle of going
through a head office. “Flexibility [is key] - we can move as the customers move,”
Wong shares. “We pretty much cater to our customers.”
That’s even more important when it comes to drink selections, especially as the
public grows more informed - and demanding - about beer, wine, and spirits.
Queens Cross Pub in North Vancouver, for instance, recently added 10 new
taps so it could jump on the craft beer trend. It has also increased its wineby-the
glass program and added cocktails to the list. “Over the years, people
have gotten a better wine knowledge, so we decided to get a better product,”
describes manager Brent Armstrong. “We’re also starting to get into Scotch,
wine, and beer tastings, and they seem to be really popular.”
Staff Know What They’re Talking About
The same customers drinking better beverages on pub night are the ones
frequenting the province’s private liquor stores, knowing they will find
exceptional products and expertise. Customers flock to The Strath Ale Wine &
Spirit Merchants in Victoria for rare spirits, seasonal specials, and the province’s
biggest whisky selection. They’ll also find a highly trained staff that includes
several sommeliers along with assistant manager Richard White, who is a
well-regarded expert on whisky. “I want to provide a store that I want to shop
at myself,” he says. “We try to carry those harder-to-find spirits and liqueurs.”
Meanwhile, over at St. Regis Fine Wines & Spirits in downtown Vancouver,
manager George Baugh is a pro at suggesting what wine to pick up for dinner
on your way home. After all, he has been in the wine business for more than 20
years, including a stint as the wine-obsessed owner of the legendary Piccolo
Mondo restaurant. “It’s a small store, so we are not able to carry everything
that we would like to carry, but we do try to stock products that are harder to
find,” he describes. This includes large format wines and BC wines that are not
readily available at government liquor stores.
The Publican
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