In Addition...

To those of you on the email list who received the update, I offer this in addition.

I have and continue to have the support of my owners which make K&L a fantastic place to work and do my job.  In no way did the scenario that played out recently endanger my position, or even bring the slightest ounce of heat upon my head.  In sitting down with ownership, I brought the situation to their attention and they responded by saying that if I felt such frustrations were justified, then I had their full support to voice them and to continue voicing them in the future.

In no way do I feel that my opinions as a retailer are being censored, nor do I plan to scale back any strongly-felt opinions should I continue to have them.  However, I do feel that having a large audience is a responsibility, and I really had no idea how far these messages or blog posts were traveling.  That being put into perspective, being rash or shooting from the hip can exacerbate scenarios that don't deserve the frustration being wasted upon them.  Using that audience to vent your own personal issues can be satisfying, but probably isn't very useful in the long term.  I'd rather have a smirk on my face than a frown.

In order to be a strong retailer, I have a responsibility to carry the products that my customers want and I would feel horrible if my own personal frustrations resulted in bad relationships with producers that our customers enjoy. Why should anyone out there lose out on quality booze?

No one cares about personal beef, at least I don't when it applies to other people.  People care about good service and quality products at competitive price points.  I just want people to know what is honestly happening and what is honestly going on in this industry.  I have apologized for nothing in presenting our viewpoints on the marketplace and neither has K&L.  Nor do we feel pressured to do so.  Nor will we ever. 

Crediblity is everything.  I would quit if we ever lost it.

-David Driscoll