Governor Corbett announced his plan for privatization on Wednesday. I want to see more details, but it goes a lot further than Turzai's flawed plan from last year. The 'unlimited' licenses for beer and wine sales alone are a huge boon for consumers, and SHOULD shut up the "all the licenses will go to big box stores, waaaahh!!!" crowd...though it won't, because they can't wait to cloud the issue.
Get the details. Get organized. Let the Governor know you support privatization, and let your legislators know, too. Tell them this is an important issue for you. Because I guarantee you, every State Store employee (and their families) is calling their representative every week to let them know it's an important issue for them, and filling them full of crap statements about jobs, and "profits," and safety, and morality, and all that jazz...all of which doesn't hold up to examination.
I'll lay it out -- I'm back on the job, now that the game is afoot -- and yeah, we'll talk about The Fall Of Conti, too, just for fun, since he's become a non-issue. Sorry to see him go, he was a real poster child for privatization.
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7 comments:
Back on the job...now that there's publicity to be had. you are all for lew.
Hi Lew. PLCB worker here (hold the jeers, everyone). I have a question about prices. Do you think that Corbett's current plan will result in cheaper, equal, or more expensive pricing? I think I read that the Johnstown Flood Tax is staying, in which case PA will still compare poorly to some nearby states in pricing.
First Anonymous: Cute, but working on this actually COSTS me money. No one I write for likes me writing about this. Sorry that you're so bitter.
Second Anonymous: I haven't seen anything about changing the taxes, so yes, that's going to be an issue in some cases. But look: sorry to say, but the reason a lot of people buy out of state is SERVICE. The PLCB simply falls down on that. I've gotten better buying advice almost every time in out of state stores, and I've gotten better customer service from 20-something big-hair gum-chewing girls in NJ than I have at my local PA State Store (good old store #0909). As a whole, the State Store clerks simply do not do a great job on helping the customer. There are exceptions, naturally: there's a guy at the Flourtown store who's great. It's also about in-store selection. The PLCB has no stores that can compare to Total Wine or the big Canal's stores (leaving aside the big selection of beer they also carry). We're always told that the PLCB stocks thousands of SKUs of wine and spirits...but they don't. They're available ONLINE, which is not the same thing. That's not how people buy wine, they buy it by looking at it in the store, by browsing, and by talking to a knowledgeable clerk. I love the guys at Canal's: I tell them something like, 'I like this particular wine: what else is similar that I might like?' and they usually point out 3 or 4 that are a range of more and less expensive...and I get to try new wines. I ask that at Good Old Store #0909, and I get either "I don't know," or I get the guy who always just points to the three most expensive wines in the section. It would be funny, if it weren't so depressingly predictable.
Second anonymous here again (I'd post with my first name but I don't know the potential ramifications of that). We do have some useless clerks at the LCB, there's no denying that. If only there were some way of linking product knowledge (or simple people skills) to advancement. But I guess that statement is just asking for the "privatization" response. What I fear ultimately from this bill is a shoddy handling of licenses/fees that shut potential smaller stores out. Though some would favor privatization at ANY cost (that doesn't include you, thankfully), I think this bill would favor grocery stores and Wal-Marts FAR beyond the average consumer's interests. But I guess it's naive for me to expect differently, as that's politics.
Hey, no problem, 2A. I usually give Anonymous posters a ration of crap, but PLCB employees, well...obvious issue!
I've actually brought up that linkage with product knowledge in another post (the one about how to end privatization), but I don't see it happening. I've been told there are issues with the Civil Service rules, but I don't know.
I'm concerned about the smaller store thing too, but I also am sure that larger areas with the money and interest for high-end wines and spirits will be served, and served better than they are now. As for the grocery stores and Wal-Marts...well, most people DO want a simple bottle of chardonnay or merlot, and they'll get that, in a much more convenient space. But I wouldn't write them off completely. I've seen great beer selections in grocery stores in small towns in upstate NY (and here in PA, in towns like Williamsport), so I have reason to believe that the selection won't be all that bad at all. People are more knowledgeable in general today, and they're asking for more; smart retailers will supply it.
Google total wines glassdoor to learn how total fools you into thinking you are getting great service
Huh. Many of the same complaints I hear from PLCB clerks -- too much physical labor (hey, I worked beer retail, a LOT of the day is throwing cases; how else are they going to get there?), management is idiots, customers are idiots, blah blah blah. But even the most bitter Total Wine employees say that the wine education they get is excellent...something I've NEVER heard from a PLCB clerk.
And while you're Googling, try this one: total wine yelp. See how every Total Wine store gets at least a 4-star rating from customers. I'm sure you'd say that the customers are all "fooled" into thinking things are great. Right.
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