A PC Wine Industry

A new restaurant opened in my neighborhood and I, for one, was very excited for it. Boutique wines, a one-chef kitchen with fresh, never-frozen ingredients and an avant garde menu, and a beautiful yet simple decor. My place, all the way.

I had scoped out their website and their menu before I first dined there and, after spotting their beverage list (heavy on the small-production Belgian imports and hard-to-find French wines.... can you say "sauvignon blanc from Burgundy?" Who knew???) I was very excited to drink/dine.

Any excitement dissipated and quickly turned to disappointment with my first conversation with the bartender/sommellier. Condescending, uppity, and down right snobby, this girl spent the entire meal talking about herself, her education, her wine knowledge, and the wines on her wine list. Never, not once, did she stop to listen to what her customers had to say. Any knowledge they had, anything they brought to the table, she shot down and topped with some other out-of-my-back-pocket wine fact that she was certain her customers had never heard of.

I observed with amusement and started thinking. This woman was knowledgeable, educated, and had an excellent palate. She had created an amazing wine list and clearly had a talent for pairings. The ability was there. The people skills? Nonexistent.

And I realized, at that moment, that this might be everything wrong with the wine world. This might be exactly why people are turned off by wines, why they are intimidated by the industry and everything it entails, and why many people never "get into" wine. And, in the business sense, it might be what costs you money.

An employee's vast amounts of knowledge is only as good as their presentation of the material. The wine world is already stereotyped as snooty... someone selling you wine with these characteristics only perpetuates this stereotype and continues to dissuade people from enjoying what I consider to be an amazing world of tastes, history, and culture.

So... what do we in the retail wine industry do? Do we act as teachers for those who want to learn about wine, while running the risk of turning into a long-winded salesperson? Do we go the extra mile and admit that we actually love Opus One (even though we agree that it's quality has gone down and it is overpriced) but in the same conversation consent that Two Buck Chuck indeed deserves its ranking in last year's California State Fair as a top chardonnay because fair is fair and it was judged to be as good as other California whites by some reputable judges? Do we admit that Merlot isn't as bad as Sideways made it out to be (thank you, Carr for your amazing Merlot) and tell people to stop fitting wine profiles into neat little boxes? Do we give the industry a big shove, show our customers the "steals" and talk them out of the overrated wines? Or... do we not say anything at all, because talking wine and sharing your knowledge will always, always be considered condescending and elitist?

I don't know, my friends. But I do know that at the end of the day, a wine consultant that is overly-eager to share their knowledge with the wrong person can come across as full of themselves, and in the process of satisfying their own desire to share their wealth of knowledge from the wine world, they can end up humiliating those they are trying to help. As one who worked in a wine store for years, I watched this happen on a daily basis. And to be fair, the customers are just as guilty of this wine crime: I've definitely seen a few too many "educated" customers tell a wine consultant "a thing or two" about the wine world while the other employees looked on in amazement.

So what do we do? How do we reach a point where we can share our experiences, and our amazing wines, with others without coming across as condescending? After contemplating this for the last week, the only conclusion I can come to is that we work in an industry where we must choose our words wisely. For many, many historical, political, and social reasons, the wine world is a touchy one with a lot of sensitive folks. Encourage your employees to treat each customer with respect and never judge... yes, even when they ask for white zinfandel.

Decade of Dreams

Sometimes I repeat myself. One statement I constantly repeat is the simple fact that “I love my job and I love this industry.” This month, I am amending that statement to include this fact: The reason I have loved this job for the past decade is that this industry is packed with the most creative, fun-filled and energetic people I have ever had the privilege to learn from and grow with, one of whom is James Mellgren, an editor, author, dear friend and specialty food merchant I greatly admire.

Another is Anna Wolfe, a fabulous journalist working on a competing brand for the past 10 years. It tickles me to announce in print this month that Anna is now part of The Gourmet Retailer team. Bringing Anna into the fold has been a much-awaited goal I have worked toward for many months. When I first began that effort, I had no idea that I would also be announcing my departure from the magazine; I had always envisioned Anna, Jim and I working together to build the brand and its events to a new level. Alas, it is with a mix of sadness and excitement that I am officially announcing my departure from The Gourmet Retailer.

I have chosen to take on a new chapter in my career, still with the industry but focused on developing consumer awareness of what this industry has to offer, with a gentleman I have long respected — Phil Lempert. I will be working with Phil on SupermarketGuru.com, The Lempert Report, as well as a new project that is dear to my heart with a focus on kids in the kitchen — Koodies.net. I look forward to continuing dialogues with both retailers and brands in my new role with Phil.

I am pleased to know that The Gourmet Retailer will remain in the hands of the best editors in the industry. Anna and Jim will love and nurture this well-respected brand and its audience, continuing TGR’s mission of bringing the most relevant educational resources to its readers in a variety of vehicles — print, digital, educational conferences and networking events. Retail 2020, an event I founded two years ago, will continue this year with stellar education. The program is set, the team is in place, and this San Francisco educational production is sure to outperform its two preceding years. I urge every retailer to sign on for this event. It’s a bargain for the cost and will provide you with the education and vision to run your business that you will never find anywhere else.

What lies ahead for both TGR and the industry is more growth, many more surprises and much success. While I say that this is an industry of cooperation, one of the areas we’ve had difficulty finding cooperation is sadly enough on the media side of the street. I’ve always been one to try and urge my colleagues at “competitive” media brands to cooperate with one another, supporting each other’s efforts to bring more knowledge and education to independent retailers.

And so, with my last column as Editor-in-Chief of this brand, I once again exhort every media outlet and supportive association to take a long look at its own efforts in building this industry, in supporting its creative entrepreneurs, be they retailers or startup manufacturers. Remember, every face, every voice, every new concept is as important as the one that came before and the one that will follow.

Cheers, Thanks & Love,

Michelle Moran

You can reach me here - 239.992.2404

Or e-mail me at foodworksllc@yahoo.com or Michelle@Supermarketguru.com

Top Wine Accessories to Stock (and to gift to wine lovers!)

I remember the good ol' days, when wine stores had... well, wine. Perhaps the counter would host a few wine openers: the waiter's corkscrew, the rabbit, maybe an ah-so if the owner was serious about their wine... the shelves were stocked with a few decanters and interspersed with wine glasses and champagne flutes... you get the idea.   

The amount of wine gadgets in today's wine world is untenible. The industry has seen an influx of new devices: electronic bottle openers, instant chillers, cutesy wine bags/holders/preservers/chillers/stands... if you can think of it and paint a few wine grapes on it, then you can sell it in the tasting room of almost any winery.

There are some negatives and some positives to carrying an assortment of wine gadgets. On one hand, the shelves of gadgets are a little distracting: they seem to take away from the wine itself. Stores looking to focus on wine will have a hard time sending this message to their customers when they have a wall of electronic openers instead of a wall of Montrachets. On the other hand, wine retailers should take into consideration that a large portion of their customers (particularly around the holidays) might be looking for wine as a gift, and they may not know much about wine themself. This task--purchasing wine as a gift for a wine lover--can be more daunting than dressing someone: wine is so personal, and so subjective, and if the customer does not know the palate of the person receiving the gift, then they are sometimes hesitant to decide on a bottle. Wine gadgets are a perfect way to provide customers with a gift, and typically they feel a little more confident about their purchase.

There are a few wine accessories which all wine stores should have: high-quality wine glasses (Burgundy, Bordeaux, and all-purpose white wine), champagne flutes, and decanters. I also suggest carrying the simple waiter's corkscrew and a champagne stopper.

In addition to these traditional accessories, a few gadgets (some new, some old) have recently caught my eye, either because of their ease of use or their inovative design. They are great gifts for a wine-loving friend, and I highly recommend that wine store stock their shelves with them.

The Vinturi Aerator

I love, love LOVE this new aerator. With one pass through the device, wine opens up as if it had been decanted for an hour. Try it! I've demostrated it numerous times in our tasting room and it never fails to impress. It's sleek design is appealing, and they now carry one device for reds and one for whites. The Vinturi comes in a black velvet bag for a little added appeal.

Essence Kits

A serious wine lover will "geek out" on this. Kits come in various sizes (and are sold at various prices) but the general idea is the same: little "kits" (oils or tins) contain the many different smells found in wines. They are a fun and unique gift idea and something that any wine lover can use to hone their ability to detect various characteristics in wine.

Marble Chillers

I love the look of marble AND, in the summer, I love that I can use these little wine holders to keep my whites at an optimal temperature. Nothing is more annoying that jumping up and down to pull a bottle out of the fridge to pour you and your guests another glass! I know, I know... you can always use a champagne bucket to chill the wine, but I advise against it: whites should not be consumed at such a cold temperature.

Champagne Stopper

Perhaps you don't have the problem of being left with a little sparkling wine at the night's end... but for those of us who would like just a glass (but are afraid to pop open a bottle and risk spoiling the rest!) I recommend investing in a champagne stopper. They are roughly $6 and really are an investment when you think about the wine that you could potentially save from being poured down the drain.

Like wines, the industry is always changing, and I love keeping my eye open for new and inventive products! Please let me know if there is anything that you have come across lately which impressed you!

Family Winemakers of California Tasting in San Diego is TODAY!

The best perk of working in the wine industry? Tastings!

I love being in a room full of people who share my passion for wine. And it is not often that you get the opportunity to meet so many winemakers face to face!

If you live in Southern California and have no plans for this beautiful Sunday, the Family Winemakers of California are hosting their second tasting today in Del Mar, San Diego. I was lucky enough to attend the tasting in 2009 and had an amazing time. I encourage anyone who lives in the area to go. If you are busy today, there is a tasting in Pasadena coming up!

Dubbed “The San Diego ‘Tasting 2010’, this event is the region’s largest California wine tasting and is an excellent opportunity for wine buying trade and wine enthusiasts to taste and explore award-winning wines from some of California’s finest winemakers.

 

The event will be open to qualified members of the wine buying trade from 1:00-3:00 p.m. and will be open to both trade and general public from 3:00-6:00 p.m. Tickets for the general public are $45 in advance and $55 at the door. For those who would like to get a head start, a complete list of wineries is available on www.familywinemakers.org.

 

For more information or to purchase tickets, please visit www.familywinemakers.org. For any questions regarding “Tasting 2010,” contact tasting@familywinemakers.org. No one under 21, including infants, will be admitted to the tasting.

 

ABOUT THE FAMILY WINEMAKERS OF CALIFORNIA

 

Family Winemakers of California was established in 1991 in response to a need for public policy legislation for the small wine producers of California. The Association has become a strong force in the wine industry, lobbying for wine producer rights, and has an active membership of over 600 California wineries. Family Winemakers draws its membership from all the wine producing areas of the state, with the largest concentration coming from Napa and Sonoma Counties.

 

Family Winemakers trade tastings, held in San Francisco since 1991 and in Southern California since 2000, are well known in the industry for the quantity and quality of the participating wineries.  The tastings give members of the trade the opportunity to get to know wineries from all over the state, the well known and the unknown, the big and, especially, the small, all in one place at one time. Family Winemakers will follow the Del Mar event with its 11^th annual trade only tasting in Pasadena on Tuesday, March 16. 

 

I would like to say thank you in advance to the sponsors of this wonderful event:Bremmer Biscuit, First Republic Bank, Golden State Overnight, StaVin, WW Shipping Solutions, Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board, Nestle Water and Dining Out Magazine.

 

I hope to see you there.

Products Get CBS Boost

I love CBS Sunday morning and you should too. Today was the "Money" edition and housewares products received great PR from Kathy Ireland's home line to Batter Blaster [pancake batter in a 'whipped cream can'].

Correspondent Bill Geist featured interviews with the creators of Batter Blaster and Baker's Edge Brownie pan - these interviews just might result in some Google searches by consumers interested in the product. Create a shelf talker this week to remind other fans of the TV news magazine of the episode.

For more information, check out the show or the products at the following links:

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/02/28/sunday/main6252159.shtml?tag=contentBody;featuredPost-PE

http://www.bakersedge.com/

http://batterblaster.com/

Cheers!

Michelle

Preparation is Everything

I'm not usually one to draw upon sports for my metaphors but if the athletic shoe fits... As I was watching the first round of the NFL playoffs this weekend, and as I prepare to go walk the aisles of the Winter Fancy Food Show next weekend, it occurred to me that many of the same preparations for one could apply to the other. Having spent more than a decade as a buyer and now another decade or so as an editor, I have not only walked many, many miles of trade floor aisles in several countries, but I have developed some good working theories about how to make the most of my shoeleather and come away from a show feeling like I found what there was to find. I remember very well when I was a buyer/manager in New York and other buyers would be in town for one trade show or another. We were a destination for many buyers and they would descend on us with note pads and tape recorders in hand, trying surreptitiously to glean the sources of the products on our shelves. Often, some fledgling buyer from the provinces would exclaim over our selection, innocently inquiring, "where ever did you find such a thing?!" I would be amazed - not that they asked, but by the fact that the object in question had been found at the very show they were in town to attend and had attended before. I discovered in talking to these buyers that they get so caught up in meetings with vendors they already do business with, and in seeing their friends that they miss half of what the show has to offer. With that in mind, I humbly offer some tips on working a trade show. Savvy veterans will forgive me as I indulge here, but for those who are new to the business, or have had poor luck in unearthing great new products at the shows, the following is my two cents worth of advice.

First, wear comfortable shoes. I'm being half facitious here because there is some planning to do before you ever get to the show, but then planning one's wardrobe requires advance thinking as well. In fact, wear comfortable everything. You should never be distracted by what you have on. Clothes should be loose fitting and just enough so you are neither too hot nor too cold. Remember, they don't usually turn on the air conditioning until the first day of the show, so if you happen to be in on set-up day, don't be fooled into thinking that will be the temperature. Also, consider the comfort of what you are carrying too. You'll need something to put all the brochures, catalogs and samples you collect and it should be as light weight as possible. It will be heavy enough by the end of the day so don't start out with a heavy leather briefcase. Be sure also to have plenty of the supplies you'll need - paper, pens, business cards, perhaps even a small calculator, and pocket to keep them in. Be sure to always have an extra pen or a refill. Try and develop a strategy for the show. Is there anything specific you are looking for? Is there a department in your store that is weak and needs help? Is there a holiday coming up that needs to be considered? Try to keep appointments to a minimum or you risk spending the show hours criss-crossing the exhibition area trying to make it to one meeting after the next. I believe this is the chief reason why buyers so often miss what is at the show. Start at one corner of the show and walk each aisle. For many it is a good idea to walk in pairs with one set of eyes scanning one side of the aisle and yours on the other. If your manpower is limited, split up but reconnoiter frequently to compare notes, sending your partner back to look at items that you may not be 100% sure about, and to make sure that you are not doubling up on orders. At food shows, be careful with all the samples that are offered to you in the aisles. A good rule of thumb is to only taste what you are truly interested in. Beginning the day gobbling down chocolates and other sweets will have you crashing by the afternoon. Try to stick to savories early in the day and save the desserts for later in the afternoon. Of course, this is not always practical as the exhibitors are not necessarily laid out that way, but you can always take a sample, promising to try it later. Sometimes tasting something back in the privacy of your hotel room is a more enjoyable and a more telling method, without the pressure of the candy maker in front of you. 

Also, know your limit. Don't force yourself to stay until the very last moment of each day if it means you are exhausted and will be in worse shape the next day. Go at your own pace and take breaks when you fell you need them and drink plenty of water. Try to avoid a lot of coffee and sodas as they will ultimately drag you down. The key here is to stay as fresh as possible, to be alert and pain free with nothing to distract you from the task at hand. After the show, sort through and meet with your collegues to review the show as soon as you possibly can, while the show and the products you found are still fresh in your mind. 

If you can make a plan before the show, be as comfortable as you can during the show, collect as much information as you can, and once you are home again, organize your findings and document what you intend to do, you will no doubt find these trade shows much more interesting, more fun, and a lot more productive for you and the store. And did I mention comfortable shoes?

  

It's Your Turn

I'm loathe to admit it but every year I find myself making NewYear's resolutions, or goals as someone suggested, a far less daunting term. Fortunately, mine aren't of the I-want-to-become-a-completely-different-person variety. My goals tend to be somewhat more realistic, such as make more soup, improve my Spanish (notice how I didn't say "master" Spanish), and be more disciplined about my work (my editor will like that one). No triathalons, no 300 situps a day, and I'm not going to set out to complete the Great American novel by summer (it will take at least until the end of the year). In fact, my loftiest goal is to re-read the entire Shakespeare canon, also not unrealistic considering how much I read anyway and how much I like the Bard, and I've attached no specific time frame to the goal so I can take as long as I want. If I were still a retailer, however, my professional goals would be quite different. These are tough times and although I believe things are slowly getting better, the key word here is slowly. We're not out of the woods yet and in all likelihood we will never again see the unfettered spending of pre-2009 economic meltdown. Therefore I would resolve to communicate better with my customers through signage, blogs, social networking sites, newsletters, and personal contact. As an owner or buyer I would resolve to spend more time on the sales floor fluffing the merchandise, talking to customers and staff, and even rotating through the departments once in a awhile. I would resolve to run my business lean and mean, culling out superfluous items in the store and focusing on my core business. I would resolve to strengthen my realtionship with vendors, negotiating better deals, getting more exclusive products, and learning everything I could about their products. I would resolve to streamline my operations, cutting out needless paperwork and procedures and simplifying the flow of goods through the store as much as possible. I would institute on-going staff training, including information about new products, old products, and cross-training people in different departments. I would be certain to have an extensive library of food books - cookbooks, reference books, and essays about food - and then share it with the staff, perhaps even making some of it required reading. I would resolve to become more active in my community, seeing how I could participate in local functions, street fairs, etc., all with the aim of giving my store a higher profile and keeping in step with the beat of the city. I would resolve to travel abroad more, both to trade fairs like SIAL and Anuga, as well as holidays wherein I might learn something new about a foreign culture and their table. I would resolve to travel more within my own region, seeking out artisans and purveyors of locally-grown and produced goods. And, of course, I would resolve to read The Gourmet Retailer every month to keep up on new products, merchandising ideas, and everything else one needs to know in this business. Last season on "Dancing with the Stars" (yes, I watched DWTS - it was either that or leave the house), one of the contestants compared the dancing competition to his own milieu when  he said, "it's like riding in the rodeo. You're never really ready, it's just your turn." Life can be like that, and in retail it's your turn everyday to make a great impression on your customers, on your staff, and in your community. I wish everyone a happy and prosperous 2010 and I look forward to seeing all of you this year in the aisles of one trade fair or another. Cheers.

Less Grinch, More Giving

Now that we're deep into the fourth quarter, you know, the season formerly known as Christmas, I am forced to reflect on my own somewhat precarious relationship to the holiday. It started out okay. My memories of Christmas morning are all good, waking up to the excitement of knowing that Santa had come during the night and that there would be alll sorts of wonderful toys under the tree (my apologies to all our Jewish, Muslim, and other non-Christian friends, you'll just have to bear with me a moment). Even as I got older and no longer believed in Santa Claus, the morning of Christmas lost none of its appeal. Part of what made the day special was my father's talent for putting together stockings. We weren't wealthy by any stretch of the imagination but Mom and Dad always managed to make the holiday very special and there would always be that one great gift that was exactly what we wanted - even if we hadn't even thought of it. But it is my dad's stockings that are the highlight reels of my Christmas memories. He would fill them with all kinds of silly things - note pads, pens, candy, little games, small books, and any number of other stationery items and toys and it was always the first thing my brother, sister and I would go for. One of the items he would usually include was a "book" of Lifesavers, the little ring-shaped candies. It was a set of several flavors inside a package that opened just like a book to reveal the wondrous assortment inside. Anyway, every memory I hold of Christmas past - that is my pre-retail existence - are as glowing as the sappiest Christmas movie.

A dozen years in retail later and my Christmas spirit was all but exhausted. Oh sure, I wished customers a Merry Christmas, but in reality, Christmas to me came to mean a month of 14-hour days, crowds, pushy people and all too often rude and angry customers. Let's face it, retailers often see the worst side of shoppers at this time of year. I would look forward to Christmas day as merely a day off after working myself to the bone. As a manager I was the first one in and the last one out every day during December, sneaking out for an hour here and a half hour there to do my own shopping. For years, if I couldn't find the right gift in Soho within a couple of blocks of the store, or in the store itself, I didn't get it. The fact is I did very little Christmas shopping at all. My then wife and I would spend Christmas day at home eating our favorite foods whether they went together or not - shrimp cooked with butter and garlic, chicken liver pate, and so on - and then go to the movies. Not exactly "It's a Wonderful Life."

My life changed in the following years. I left retail, I left that marriage, and I left New York. When my current wife and I got together I inherited 4 step-children, only one of which still believed in Mr. Claus during our first couple of Christmases together. The very first one had me in a conundrum. Suddenly I was going to be a part of a family Christmas and my Christmas spirit was almost on a par with Scrooge and the Grinch. I say almost because I didn't actually go as far as stealing the presents from Whoville, and no, I was never visited by any ghosts of Christmases past. I helped buy some gifts but my main job became putting together the stockings. I must have found a small glimmer of old spirit somewhere deep down inside of me because I started to get into it. Each year the stockings would have a theme and I would carefully hang them on the fireplace so that things seemed to burst out of the top of the brightly colored stockings (maybe that was the problem before - I had no fireplace in New York!). The kids are all grown now, and one of them has a nine-year old son, my grandson (when you start a new generation there is no more "step") who is just beginning to question the existence of Santa Claus but is still clinging to the belief. This year my wife and I decided to pare down the gift giving, to be a bit more conservative, especially in light of the fact that we went to England for three weeks this fall and spent a small fortune. I decided though that the stockings would be as grand as ever and have been slowly, methodically assembling the components - small books, CDs, candy, and other little gifts. As I was buying the last of the traditional candy for the stockings - Hershey's Kisses, M & Ms, etc. - I saw on a display something I hadn't seen in many years, since I was a child actually, a "book" of Lifesaver candy. Of course, this modern version is festooned with a picture of Spongebob Squarepants holding a giant wreath, but it was essentially the same. Now I don't know if Lifesavers have been doing this every year or whether they just brought it back, but it sent me reeling in much the same way Proust must have felt when he bite into his Auntie's madeleine. Needless to say, my grandson will find one inside his stocking Friday morning when he comes over. I'll bet somewhere my dad is smiling. Happy holidays everyone.  

No More Discounting!

Lately many business owners are telling me they are tired of discounting their wares.  The “sale” ploy has run it’s course and by now I hope most retailers have the right merchandise mix and the right level of inventory of goods that people want to buy without having to cut prices as the primary step to build traffic and cash flow. 

 The risk of sale pricing is that you are subject to commodity pricing rules- the low priced goods prevail.  I’m starting to see a new trend of limiting the quantity of merchandise  (primarily in the soft goods market but equally applicable to specialty retailing) to get full prices for goods that are considered valuable.

 The door busters used to draw holiday shoppers this season had some interesting conditions… one national chain had a limit of 500 items at the low price but spread that limit across the country at all their stores rather than having a per location limit.  With 136 stores only 3-4 items were available per location.  And...  sorry no rainchecks! 

Actually that's good for specialty retailing... consumers will start to migrate to quality having been subjected to such tactics.

What about value?  It’s something customers used to trust you with.  If the product is fairly priced and will met their needs then it has value to them and will help you build repeat business.  However the word “value” has been promoted interchangeably with “sale” nowadays so I caution using that term in promotion.  Improving service, creating events and fun tastings and cooking demos will improve your value more than advertising a sale.

Ron Jakubisin

Jakbisin.com

 

Our Friend Bill

I’ve been staring at this blank computer screen for a while now since I got the call. A friend in the industry let me know that we lost a superstar this week - Bill Snyder of William Glen in Sacramento, Calif. passed away on Tuesday.

When I think of Bill all I can do is smile – if he were here right now, he’d be giving me a big hug, teasing with a playful joke and telling me with perfect Irish brogue that everything would be all right.

For those of us who were blessed to know Bill, well, it was like getting to know joy. Bill embodied joy. When he walked into a room, happiness and laughter were his companions.

I’ve been speaking with lots of people today about Bill, reminiscing, sharing our gratitude that we were able to spend time with him in San Francisco this past August. 

And no matter who I spoke with – above the sadness – the joy of knowing Bill is what resounds. He was a gentlemen’s gentleman, a businessman ahead of his time, a father, a husband, a grandfather, and a friend.

Someone said to me that to see him in his natural habitat – on the sales floor- was something to witness. He had an instant rapport with customers, with anyone. 

Bill’s passion for retail is evident in his store. William Glen has been at the cutting edge of retail for decades. The store was founded in 1963 by William Snyder and Glen Forbes as a decorating studio and candle shop. William Glen was one of the first cooperative independent retailer catalog services. Beginning in 1976, the company offered services to independents across the country, printing catalogs as a collaborative effort.

Although the catalog service stopped in 1999, it's just one example of Bill’s innovation and forward-thinking business sense. 

Bill embraced technology. At William Glen, gift registries have been in use since the 1970s. In 2003, William Glen launched a proprietary registry link that serves as a bridge between the point-of-sale system and the web-based gift registry itself. 

When Bill began venturing into cyberspace, he again relied on his own inventiveness to create a site deserving of his customers. He launched “Bill’s World” blog – [http://www.williamglen.com/billsworld/default.asp] a place, he told me this summer, he created to live on long after he was gone. I recall responding to him that nothing could ever go on without him.

He said only, “Ah but it will.” And he smiled that great grin that always made whoever was so lucky to be there to see it smile right back.

And he gave me a squeeze that let me know all was right with the world.

Bill will be missed by us all, by grateful individuals and a grateful industry. And most of all by his family, who we send our most heartfelt condolences and thanks for letting us all share in his life.

[William Glen was selected as the Global Innovator Awards with the International Home + Housewares Association. You can read about this fantastic store and retailer here.

http://www.gourmetretailer.com/gourmetretailer/esearch/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1002276460]