When the clothing stores started closing, I was slightly perturbed. When the fast food joints began going under, I was concerned. But, now, a popular beer chain is closing multiple stores, and I feel like it's time I took to the streets.
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Founded in 1927, The Beer Store has been serving drinkers in Canada for generations. But, with the changing economic and retail market, they have made the decision to close multiple beer chain stores.
The Beer Store has revealed that they are looking to take 15 brick-and-mortar establishments from their roster. The beer chain looks to have all of them shut down in June without any current plans to replace them.
In a statement about his planned closures, Ozzie Ahmed, Vice President of Retail, TBS said, "We are closely monitoring the performance of each store and at times may need to make the challenging decision to close select stores."
Changing World Means Changing Beer Sales For The Chain
The way we shop is always changing, with more people moving to online purchases. Everything from a hot coffee to a 90-inch TV can be delivered to a door. There is less demand for storefronts than ever, and that counts for beer outlets too.
The CEO of the beer chain explained their actions, acknowledging the impact it will have on employees and customers. "As the marketplace shifts, we must adapt our business model to ensure we continue to meet the needs of our customers. While we acknowledge that closures can be disappointing for our loyal customers and the dedicated employees who work in these stores, every decision we make is rooted in our commitment to being a sustainable business and ensuring we can continue serving customers for many years to come."
But it is all in the name of modernization. The beer chain is shutting up its stores in order to save money and streamline its business. "The Beer Store is modernizing operations to meet the needs of the marketplace," he explained. "This means making the difficult decision to close some stores. We know this will be disappointing to many customers and our valued employees."
I understand why The Beer Store chain is shutting stores, but it does make me wonder. With so many outlets, be it clothing or pharmaceuticals, leaving brick and mortar behind, what will high streets look like? There will be nothing left but empty buildings.
I guess they could be repurposed into housing the 770,000 homeless in the US. But, I think there is little chance of that.
