Well I’m back.

I did a little convalescing after a rough week, and I’m back at it today.

One of the things that a little time off did, was give me the opportunity to hatch a scheme, squeezie’ ma’ mind grapes, and enjoy some entrepreneurial titillation.

After meeting with Matt and Jamie, I had a better idea of what I could do to fill a gap in the market, have a competitive edge, and specialize in something that I know.

I have to thank the woman who came into the liquor store last night with the ultimate wealthy person problem. She needed a bottle of “I’m sorry wine” because her gardener accidentally clipper her neighbors television and internet line.

Gap. Found.

There’s no emphasis on the role that liquor plays in gift giving. Outside of the decorative bag or a bow there’s nothing unique to it.

Let’s be honest, alcohol is the answer for almost all major life events that we face once we pass an age (that age matters on how old you start, I suppose, but if you walk into my store than 21 means 21 you little punk!) alcohol is how we celebrate and how we commiserate. Even in a city as small as Little Rock someone is born every day, someone dies everyday, someone gets engaged, someone gets married, someone has a child, someone is invited to dinner, someone is done a favor……. I don’t think I need to continue here.

I’ve established that people give gifts of alcohol. So how do I tie into liquor business that focuses on service that surpasses the industry standard of customer service? Helping someone make a selection, using razor blades to scrape off price tags, and carrying bags out for old ladies is pretty much it around here. Hell, for a week the only thing I could think would be people wearing bow ties.

What I’m proposing is a liquor store with a highly knowledgeable staff that can help you make not only taste but situational decisions. The focus on service will manifest itself in one unique aspects. Gift baskets.

The baskets can already be made for situations that happen regularly. There’s birthday’s engagements, sympathy, apologies, and house warming. Think for a second about how close alcohol is to the relocation process. You stop in to see if your neighborhood liquor store has boxes for your move, you have one more drink with your friends before you go, and you have a champagne toast when you get your keys to your new place.

In addition, the staff of trained professionals in social liquor etiquette and taste can assist you in making a basket that’s specialized with your choice of alcohol as well that fits any specific occasion. For a slight fee of course. It leads me to believe that people who work in hospitality are the people I target for staffing.

I think this action can make the act of gift giving between men far less awkward.

“Rick, I really wanted to say thanks for the help. So I bought you a shirt that I thought you might look nice in…” said no man ever.

This of course is how Rick feels when you give the gift:

Men give other men liquor. Now you can say “thanks for taking me to the duck club” with a bottle of boot warmer, a box of pricey shotgun shells, and a new duck call all put into a presentation that won’t make either of you feel reaaaallllyyy gay. I told a friend at work about this idea and he relayed a story I felt really relevant. When he was younger one of his friends passed away. One of his other friends, also male, wanted to do something special for him. The answer……. a Chili’s gift card. See what I mean?

Now, the issue that I had with the idea is that daily liquor sales are so substantial that you can’t specialize that much and lose the business of someone who just wants a six pack. My answer is just to carry a stripped down inventory. It’s something that will pay the rent if the baskets don’t take off and then in the worst case scenario you’ve got a liquor store, and mine will be in a part of town that desperately needs one. Smaller stores can still make a pretty good haul.

The main element of my marketing plan for this is event planners, specifically wedding planners. Do you want to outsource making 300 gift baskets to put in hotel rooms? We got it! Liquor laws in the state puts a damper on making this the FTD or Tipton Hurst of liquor, but I’m sure there’s someone way around that.

So that’s the plan. I’ll be working on it in the next few weeks and updating with my progress.

I’m thinking about calling it “Soggy Celebrations”. But leave a comment if you have a better name.