How to get more allocated bottles

Hunting for hard-to-find bourbons is one of the most fun things to do. My wife and I have spent hours going from store to store to find something on the list we keep on our phones. When we finally see a bottle that we've been searching for, we are overcome with joy. We have a smile from ear to ear, and to be honest, after years and years of doing this, we have gotten a lot better at finding these rare bourbons. Now we had to learn it all the hard way, but we want to try and make your life easier so I have made a short list of some tips and tricks to get more allocated bottles.

Search around for different liquor stores in your area that have a good bourbon selection. Check out their Facebook page, or ask a worker if they ever get any allocated bourbons in and see what their process is. Many stores have different processes, but many do a raffle, mark it up at a higher price, or just put it out there on a first come first serve. The store we have built a relationship with does raffles every Saturday and I get almost all of my allocated bottles from them.
Call grocery stores that get allocated bottles and see when they get their shipments in. This is personally a strategy that I do not use, but I have many friends that do. They will call local grocery stores that are known to get allocated bottles and see when their shipments come in. They will then typically try to call again on those days, or even just go grocery shopping then with the hopes of getting lucky.
Check out the world's best whiskey app NEAT: Whiskey Finder!. If you and your local friends follow each other you can see what your friends bought and where they bought it, and recently we added the feature where you can even click on the location and get directions right there! Checking out what is going on in your local area is a great way to narrow down what stores you should check out!