While people are keeping a tight grip on their cash during these tough economic times, there is one business that is not flat. Nationwide, people are still saying "cheers" to beer. The Tri-Cities are no exception. "It's beer, people love beer," said Tommy Williams, a specialty manager at local grocery store Earthfare. Perhaps even more so when times are tough. "I think people are looking for an inexpensive indulgence and I think beer offers that," said Williams.
Tommy Williams runs the beer section at Earthfare in Johnson City. "Compared to last year beer sales have increased," said Williams, both in his store and company-wide. In November, the company picked up a new local supplier, Depot Street Brewery. "It's one that's on demand, people tend to request the Depot beers more than any," said Williams.
"We're doing well, I can't complain at all," said Depot Street owner Michael Foster. Foster said business is up 20 percent from last year, even with higher expenses. "Over the past year, what I pay for hops has gone up three times. What I pay for grain has gone up twice. Of course all the fuel costs and distribution...price for materials," said Foster.
When the economy started to falter, Foster, who opened the brewery four years ago, was not sure what to expect. "I was worried about my customer base. Were they going to be able to afford high quality beers?," said Foster. To find out why Foster thinks people are still buying his beer in high numbers, click play above.
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