RECENT NEWS

It is with great sadness that we announce we are closing our doors due to low sales caused by a general lack of customers.  We took over the store three years ago filled with hope, enthusiasm, and a sense we could really make a difference.

Despite the looming recession at the time, we felt having three businesses in one location would provide enough diversion to allow us to grow and develop the business.  With the closing of Bonnie’s and Main Street balloon, we became the only complete balloon store in the area, and we have always been the only home brewing store in Ventura and Santa Barbara counties.  Between keg beer and home brew, we had the two cheapest forms of beer available.  We expanded the special order keg list from less than two dozen labels to over 400 and listed them all online.  And it worked for better than two years as we saw sales grow 10% in 2009 and another 10% in 2010.  2011 started out the same through March when we were running 4% ahead of 2010.  But then the customers starting disappearing and by the end of summer, our strongest months, we had fallen down to 14% below last year.  It may have been a perfect storm of Squashed Grapes moving from Camarillo to Main Street, BevMo! coming to town, and Surf Brewery opening with a home brewing supply section in their brew pub.  We offered to match prices on keg beer and online brewing supplies and we offered delivery of everything we sold.

For my part, I apologize for being an absentee owner during the week and only able to work weekends.  The original plan to split ownership responsibilities with my family just didn’t work out and I was left to go it alone with more projects and work than I could handle on my own.  The store needed an owner onsite and working in the community but the business couldn’t provide the immediate income and benefits my full time job provided.

I offer the previous information for those that wonder what went wrong and to those who want to keep small businesses like Mr. Suds open and serving the local community.  Buy local and support small businesses over chain stores if you want the specialty stores in your town to survive in this economy.

Since we announced our closing, customers have been coming out of the woodwork.  Some old timers wanting to say goodbye and pick up a deal, and some first-timers who didn’t know we were here, but wished they had sooner.  They all agreed we’ll be missed

I plan to continue some of the services and sales from my home.  Kegerator and jockey box cleaning and service and large balloon orders and balloon drops will be my initial emphasis.  Please contact me at david.sr@mrsuds.net if you have any questions or comments..  I will do my best to maintain our Facebook page also.

Thanks to those who provided the loyalty and support that kept the store open as long as it did.

The Mr. Suds Family

We will match any verifiable price from any of our competitors on the sale of keg beer everyday.

Nobody in Ventura County can beat our selection or our prices, GUARANTEED!