March 24, 2020 – UPDATED APRIL 3, 2020 – UPDATED APRIL 8, 2020
*New delivery area added. Map below. Here is that blog post.
To say that the last couple of weeks have been hard for us here at Great Lakes would be an understatement. COVID-19 and its effects have hit our industry hard and we’ve had to adapt to a changing landscape daily, if not hourly.
Yesterday, we, together as a family, made the difficult decision to shut our retail store and taproom until further notice. Even though the provincial government deems craft beer an essential service, we felt that shutting the store to weather the storm was the best option for the safety of our staff and you, our customers.
Click here to buy #FreshGLB
So, what does this mean? In typical GLB fashion, we decided to interview ourselves. Please find this Q & A session useful.
Q. You closed the store? Why?
A. In all transparency, we strongly considered staying open and just accept online orders for in-store pickup, but we wanted to ensure that the customer service and attention to detail that you’ve all come to love about us here at GLB remained intact. At the end of the business day yesterday (March 23rd) we felt it best to focus our attention on our online home delivery option as it was steadily picking up, could guarantee more of our staff work, and provided a safe working space. Monday March 23rd was the last day the store was open to the public.
Q. We love your #FreshGLB! How are we gonna get it now that the store is closed?
A. Well, the good news, for now anyways, is that the LCBO, Grocery Stores and The Beer Store are not closing. They may be on reduced hours, but their doors remain open. This means that you can find Canuck Pale Ale, Octopus Wants to Fight and Pompous Ass English Ale in over 350 LCBO stores and Grocery outlets. You can also find Meanwhile… Down in Moxee, Shinny Pants Session Stout and As Far Back As I Can Remember IPA in over 200 LCBO stores too! Canuck and Pompous cases, and singles, are also available in select Beer Stores.
Q. But… we heard GLB is doing online orders? Tell us more.
A. We’d be happy to! Yes, we are offering Etobicoke / Toronto residents the ability to order from our online store. We will provide free home delivery on orders of $50 or more. You can read more about it here, and order here. Essentially, for the time being, our delivery boundaries are Hwy 427 (in the west) to Victoria Park (in the east), Hwy 401 (in the north) to the waterfront (south).
Click here to buy #FreshGLB
Q. Are you guys for real? Only that footprint? Will you be expanding the zone anytime soon?
A. We are indeed real. We just pinched ourselves and it hurt. That is our zone for now as this is all new to us. We are learning on the fly (having fun with it btw) and hope to expand in the next couple of weeks (though, don’t hold our feet to the fire yet). Since we launched our online beer shop for free home delivery, well, we’ve been slammed (thank you!).
There are so many other amazing craft breweries out there in the province doing home deliveries in this trying time. Yes, right in your backyard. So, spread the love and support our neighbourhood breweries throughout Ontario.
Q. Can someone order kegs online for home delivery?
A. You sure can! We have a bunch in stock as we type this out. From our Blonde Lager to Canuck Pale Ale, Octopus Wants to Fight IPA and Meanwhile… Down in Moxee IPA, we have the fresh stuff ready to go.
Q. Did you stop offering customers the ability to order online for in-store pick-up?
A. With the closure of the store, for the time being, yes, we have stopped offering the in-store pick-up option. We’ve put our retail staff on the road to make home deliveries.
Q. How long will the store remained closed for?
A. Like everything else surrounding COVID-19, we have no answer. It could be a week or two, or a month. Like we mentioned above, we are taking this one day at a time. We’ll be sure to announce the date of the re-opening from the rooftops once we determine the best time that is safe for all.
We sincerely thank you for your patience and your understanding at this time. We’d love to hear from you, so please, drop us an email at your convenience and we’ll follow up – info@greatlakesbeer.com.
Beer is the most social beverage on the planet. Please practice physical distancing and social connecting… with #FreshGLB – safely.
With love,
GLB Family
