Tina and Eric Hoff wanted to run a business together, applying experience gained managing and working for different companies.  “We selected five businesses that we had been in and that looked like, with a few great improvements, could turn around,” Eric said. Then the couple dropped in cold-turkey to see if the owners were interested in selling.  The owner of one of those, the Village Bottle Shop in La Feria, returned their call rapidly.

Built in the 1980s, the 700-square-foot store on Business 83 displayed liquor and wine in kitchen cabinets and on six shelves.  The low, popcorn ceiling, the dark, smoke-filled interior, poor service and limited products turned off customers.

The Hoffs purchased the business in late July and kept the renamed Bottle Shop Liquor Store open while they did extensive remodeling:  raising the ceiling, installing central air conditioning, refrigeration and modern shelving.  In the process, they doubled the retail space and tripled the inventory to 13,000 bottles. The previous owner had kept 70% of the alcohol in an outlying storage shed, Eric was amazed to learn.  “If you can’t see it, you can’t buy it.”

“Eric has maxed out the space where we can sell. Every inch is retail,” Tina said. Fresh limes at the register, snacks and mixers, craft beers singles or six packs, chilled liquor – all address customer convenience and drive additional sales.

The new name reflects TABC regulations that limit the use of the words beer, wine and liquor on exterior signs, unless it is part of the business name. “So we changed the name” and installed a custom made, bottle-shaped sign and a feather flag sign out front. “I wanted to make sure nobody would ever pass this building and not know we sold liquor and beer,” Eric explained.

A banker asked Eric how their liquor store was different from the three area liquor stores that had gone out of business.  “Our difference is we fire on all cylinders. We take good care of our customers, bringing in products they ask for.” He pulled out a yellow legal pad half filled with customer requests. “We order it, they thank us and tell their friends. If we could get everybody who spent their liquor budget out of town to come here, we will be doing good.”

The sales are going that way.  The Bottle Shop’s small billboards sprinkle their service area, which extends to Harlingen, Santa Rosa and Mercedes. Their ads are on popular radio stations, and Facebook and Google bring in more customers.  “Tina says to stop spending money, but it’s stupid to spend money on fixing up the store and not go after customers.”

Eric, who grew up in Chicago, recalled liquor stores there would deliver to homes. “I don’t want people driving after drinking. We try to be a good vendor.” So he got a TABC permit to deliver liquor without charge. He limits the trips of the colorfully wrapped delivery van to the service area.  “It’s a convenience.  Delivery has boosted sales.”

The Bottle Shop added a drive-up window in May. “It’s been great,” Tina said. “It’s increased beer sales.” The dog treats at the drive-up window and inside also endear the business to customers. “If I can get dogs hooked on coming here …”

But remodeling an older building was not easy. Eric recalled it took five weeks to get construction and sign permits from the City of La Feria. At Service Masters (which restores homes and commercial properties after disasters like fires and flood), he had been able to get permits in various Valley towns in a day or two.  “People told me, ‘If you can fix your building, you can help fix the city and make it business friendly.’”  Although he only moved to Santa Rosa last year, Eric was sworn in as a La Feria City Commissioner this spring.  That ceremony was the only time since last July that one of the Hoffs wasn’t in the store.

The Hoffs are getting to know their rapidly expanding customer base. “Winter Texans, for example, won’t buy real expensive stuff, but they party,” Tina added. “Some of our regulars look at me now and remember when they never had to wait in line here. You find out so much about their lives.” Frequent events, such as Wine Wednesdays, are bringing in new customers and strengthening existing relationships.

The Hoffs have established an aluminum recycling location with 100% of funds raised going to the Wounded Warriors project.  They expect to raise about $1,500 this year.

For more information, see BottleShopLaFeria on Facebook.

This story by Eileen Mattei appears in the August 2016 edition of Valley Business Report.