Gerrards Market: A Hop, Skip and a Jump Away from over 1,000 Types of Beer

At the front of Gerrards Market, nestled into the back right corner of the store, two clear plastic flaps form the gossamer barrier that keeps hundreds of local, domestic and imported beers from the heat of a sultry Southern California spring. This fully stocked refrigerated section, known fondly as the “beer cave,” though less than a year old, is one of the store’s most popular sections, and, according to owner Tom Reingrover, it’s just one of the things the market offers that make it stand out from chain grocers and spirit markets. “We differ from other stores, like BevMo!, not only in that we carry more beer than they do, but we also keep all of it refrigerated,” Reingrover explained as he weaved his way in and out of the aisles of the cave. In this section alone, there are more than 700 different types of beers ranging in price from $3.99 to $20 a piece for the classic and collectable bottles. The beers come from all over the country, including from local breweries like Yucaipa’s Brew Rebellion and Redlands’s own Hangar 24 and Ritual breweries. Beers also include those from Riverside and Temecula based breweries, and there’s also widely sold domestic beers from breweries like Coors and Miller. This section opened to the public on July 4, 2013, and Reingrover, who purchased Gerrards Market from its original owners in 1999, explained it’s been one of the market’s most popular sections since then, stocked so full that there’s consideration to possibly expand it further to accommodate demand. “It can get overwhelming for some people, because they say they just don’t know where to start,” said Bob Kirkland, a Gerrards Market employee of over 20 years and the store’s purported beer expert. “But people love it. The way (this section) is going is great.” Kirkland explained the store is always looking to expand its beer selection, and in this endeavor a suggestion box has been placed out for customers to add to. Customers can also sign up for Gerrards’ free Beer Cave Club, which alerts beer connoisseurs of new and rare brews that come in. Kirkland explained, “There are so many beers and we always want to get as many as we can. We find that a lot of customers know a lot about the beer and they’ll give us suggestions. You know, when you start looking for one (type) you find 10 others.” “We had one type of beer, just two cases, which sold out in two minutes,” said Reingrover. The beer cave expanded from its previous 40-foot-long refrigerated section along the front of the store, which has now evolved into the store’s import section featuring beers from around the world. Another service Gerrards offers is a Create Your Own 6 Pack for $9.99, a design Reingrover implemented two years ago. “Microwbrew and craft brews have really exploded in the last year in popularity. I got to thinking one day that the average price of a six pack of beer is about $10, and I know people want to try new beers but who wants to spend $10 on a beer that they might not like?” The Create Your Own 6 Pack sampler area, offering over 200 beers, originally took up a four foot space at the front of the store, but that soon doubled when the beers began flying off the shelves, he explained. “Now people can try six types of beers they’ve never tried before and if they don’t like it, they’re only out maybe $1.50 for a beer instead of $10 for a whole pack,” Reingrover said. “Plus, it’s really fun to come and assort your own beer, try new ones.” Gerrards Market is located at 705 West Cypress Ave. in Redlands, and is open 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.