Ohio Spirits 2018 Q2 - 33

we had before," Davis says. "Our holding power is better since we can get
more case pack (product on shelves),
and it seems easier to find the products
that customers are looking for."
Davis says the bourbon interest is
so great that, when deliveries come in
on Mondays, the Agency fields about a
half-dozen calls weekly inquiring about
specific bourbon types. "It's like the
craft beer craze," he says.
Whiskeys and vodkas also have
a great showing with the store reset,
Davis adds, and there is a nice selection
of local products tagged with appropriate signage to pique shoppers' interest.
Meanwhile, end-cap programs showcase
cocktails. "There are opportunities for
incremental sales and giving people
ideas about different drinks," he says.
The power of suggestion through
signage is-well, powerful. "It stirs
interest and while there might not be a
sale at that exact time, it lets customers
know what we carry so they might buy
it down the road," Davis says.
As for the sales impact of AOI, this
Giant Eagle Agency saw a slight spike in
sales and experienced a steady holiday
season. What's interesting is that, in
January, sales continued to increase
compared to usual, Davis says.
Overall, Davis says, "With this
structured program, there is less clutter
and it's easier for people to get around
and shop."

providing ideas-and Markho says he
would love to see this evolve into an
electronic system using tablet stations
so guests can look up recipes. (He often
uses his computer to look up ingredients
for customers who inquire about what
products to buy for certain drinks.)
Top-sellers at Marino Beverage
include Fireball, Tito's, Crown Royal
Apple, Sirach and the various flavors

of Smirnoff. Having the store organized into sections based on liquor
variety helps customers navigate the
wide selection, Markho says. And, he
can assure shelves are stocked appropriately with this new setup.
"The project definitely increased
my sales," Markho says. "People really
like it, and it looks much cleaner and
more organized in here."

MARINO BEVERAGE:
OPTIMIZING STORE
NAVIGATION
Fast-selling products now have firstrate shelf space at Marino Beverage in
Sylvania, where owner Eli Markho has run
the business since 2004. "Before, the store
was a mish-mash-there were liqueurs
here, liquors there," Markho says. "Now,
there is more room for better-selling products and new shoppers don't have to ask
to find out where everything is."
When he had an opportunity to participate in the AOI, he jumped on it.
The recipe cards were helpful for

SPRING/SUMMER 2018

33
https://castlebrandsinc.com/jeffersons/
Ohio Spirits 2018 Q2

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Ohio Spirits 2018 Q2
