John Nese is the proprietor of Galcos Soda Pop Stop in LA. His father ran it as a grocery store, and when the time came for John to take charge, he decided to convert it into the ultimate soda-lovers destination. About 500 pops line the shelves, sourced lovingly by John from around the world. John has made it his mission to keep small soda-makers afloat and help them find their consumers. Galcos also acts as a distributor for restaurants and bars along the West Coast, spreading the gospel of soda made with cane sugar (no high-fructose corn syrup if John can avoid it).

Source: www.youtube.com

Hearing this man talk about his business is a pure delight; even if you are not a soda afficionado, his passion will win you over (and yes I call it soda, not pop or coke).  What I find so striking is how few businesses like his exist in a way that modern consumers know about it–he is the underground indie band of soda vendors.  He has found a niche by zigging when economies of scale demand that everyone else zag.  

 

Questions to Ponder: If a store like this was close to you, would you shop there?  How come?  Why are there so few stores with this type of business model? 

 

Tags: industry, economic, scale.