I decided to open the tasting room at the ciderhouse. This decision was made after I decided to sponsor TEDx Salem and to hand out tasting coupons at the event. Will anyone show up?
Two groups did show up at the tasting room. Both groups came because they received the tasting coupon at TEDx. The response rate from the coupon was roughly 1%. However, the coupon is good forever, so there is time for that response rate to improve.
The first group of two people to show up was from pH Tech. pH Tech is a firm down the street from the cider house that has about 200 employees. The two men stayed for about an hour and a half and left with four and a half cases of cider (4 cases of Hops 22oz and a half case of BreakCider Tea). They also said they would let their co-workers know about the tasting room. One in the group also suggested that we offer various dips as a food option when I asked what type of food we should serve in the future. Being open consistently, posting a sign on the street perhaps delivering some flyers to businesses on Fairview Industrial Dr will help further develop the tasting room patrons from our street.
The second group was younger and made up of two men and one woman. Instead of coming after work, like the first group, the second group was starting their night out. they were there to hang out and have fun. This fun included striking up and maintaining interesting conversations with me. They ended up enjoying all the ciders and ultimately purchasing a 6 pack of BreakCider Tea. They headed out to eat and left two cars parked outside the gate so they could drive to dinner together.
Based on the initial response on the first night of the tasting room being open. I am going to continue to keep the tasting room open. I may limit the hours to only Friday nights, however. I am also going to bring in hard to find ciders and rotate our ciders each weekend. And of course, I am going to add some type of food to serve too so the complete out for the night experience can take place at the tasting room.