 |
| Coors Sales Rep Greg Styp |
An aspect of running a liquor business that is neither seen nor appreciated by most folks, save for those of us who have to deal with them, is interacting with the sales reps and deliverymen. These are the folks who sell and deliver you your goods for re-sale.
Buzzy used to give all of them a hard time. I think he did so because having been a liquor salesman himself for several years, he knew how the game was played re: obtaining and pitching sales/orders to store owners. (Buzzy was a sales rep for the Tri County area back in the 60’s and would have my Aunt Sissie watch the Store for him during the day while he made his rounds.)
One of my favorite sales reps/delivery dudes is the Coors Beer rep Greg Styp. Greg told me a funny story about his predecessor Chris Connick and his initial dealings with Buzzy.
Chris was training Greg to take over the route and they pulled into Buzzy’s for the first time. Chris told Greg how he first met Buzzy when he was younger and drove a Coca Cola truck delivering soda. He said that on his first couple of visits, Buzzy was very brusque and sort of mean to him. One day after Buzzy had asked him “What the hell do you want?” he fired back on Buzzy by saying “I don’t know why you don’t like me. I never did anything to you.” And Chris turned and walked out of the Store.
Buzzy then followed him out into the parking lot and told Chris “Hey look, if I didn’t like you, I wouldn’t give you a hard time. I’m sorry for pissing you off. Now get your ass back in the Store and sell me some soda.” Chris said that after that clear-the-air-session, he got along just fine with Buzzy. Chris’ advice to Greg was “Buzzy’s bark is bigger than his bite so don’t let him get to you.”