Tuesday, April 29, 2008

A New Wine Store Like Filene's Basement

A new wine store will open on May 7 in Braintree, and it could be the Filene's Basement of wine stores. Today's Boston Herald had an article "Wine Dealer Aims At close-Out Market" which discusses this new wine store.

The new store, Bin Ends, will be an "...off-price, specialty fine-wine retailer devoting two-thirds of its 400 selections to bind ends ---overstock, inventory-reduction and closeout bottles offered at discount prices." The bin-end bottles will be marked down every three weeks, first by 25%, then 35% and then 45%. Prices will range from $6-$200 but most will range from $12-$25. They will also sell their wines online. The owners hope to open two more stores within two years.

This is certainly an interesting concept. I know many wine stores have a tiny section of bin ends and I have on occasion bought a few. Often, when a new vintage is due in, the old vintage is sometimes discounted, dependent on the wine. Yet the selection at these tiny bind ends has usually not been that good. But a store concentrating on bin ends would hopefully have a much better selection.

The new wine store is sure to attract bargain hunters, and with the rise of the value of the Euro, people may begin seeking out more bargains if the new European wines start becoming too pricey. I am curious too as to which new wines they will sell, whether it will be the "usual suspects" or whether they will buy outside the box and seek less common wines.

Though their website is up. not much is there yet. Though they seem very social media savvy, on Facebook, Twitter, Pownce and Linked In. You can sign up for future updates. Plus, they even have a blog. So check out their site and I will report back once I visit their shop.

Bin Ends
236 Wood Road
Braintree, MA

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