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Minnesota city-owned liquor stores hit new sales mark
State Auditor’s report finds Minnesota’s city-owned liquor stores hit new high sales marks for the 26th year in a row.
MINNEAPOLIS — Municipal liquor stores in Minnesota set a new sales record in 2021, for the 26th straight year, according to a new report from the Office of the State Auditor.
The annual analysis of city-owned liquor operations found 212 stores owned by 171 cities had combined sales of $423 million in 2021, an increase of 3.2% over 2020 sales. The City of Lakeville led the pack, with a combined $19 million in sales from it’s four municipal stores.
Profits hit $36.4 million in 2021. Profits from on-sales – liquor consumed on premises – were $6.4 million, representing a 105% year-to-year jump. This was mainly due to the fact that restaurant and bar closings during pandemic in 2020 suppressed on-sale revenue.
Profits from off-sale – alcohol packaged for retail – were $30.1 million in 2021, which was a decrease of 8.5% compared to 2020.
Again, the main factor is that off-sale revenue soared during the height of the pandemic in 2020. But 2021 off-sale profits were still far higher than before the pandemic.
“This report was started out of our office as people had a lot of questions about municipal liquor stores,” State Auditor Julie Blaha told reporters Thursday.
“Where does the money go? Are they effective? Do they do what we’ll hope they’ll do?”
The City of Savage Liquor Store at The Marketplace hosted Blaha for a live, online presentation of her annual report, which also tracks how much money liquor stores return to city governments to help pay the bills.
“The past two years for the City of Savage have been very profitable. Over the past two years we’ve put more than $1 million back into the community,” Brenda Visnovec, who manages the city’s liquor operations, told KARE.
In Savage that money has recently gone to parks, libraries, the fire department, and other projects. That influx of liquor revenue takes some of the pressure of local property taxpayers.
Visnovec has spent 40 years in the municipal liquor store management profession, and during that time has seen city-owned stores thrive by looking to compete with private market stores.
“Our stores used to be dark, and municipals were known for no windows, cinder block walls, and we’ve really turned them into aesthetically appealing retail sites.”
The number of city-owned liquor stores has steadily declined over the past 30 years, while overall profits have kept setting new records.
“When you see the number of liquor stores dropping while the overall profits are increasing, I think that suggests that close attention is helping people manage these well,” Blaha remarked.
State law requires any city that loses money on its liquor operation in two years during a three-year period to hold a public hearing to consider whether it’s worth remaining in the alcohol business.
Sylvester Hudson walks with a limp and was last seen early on Saturday morning at Millers Landing Senior Living in Minneapolis.
MINNEAPOLIS — Minneapolis police are asking for the public’s help finding a missing elderly man last seen early on Saturday morning.
According to officials, 74-year-old Sylvester Hudson is approximately 6 feet tall and weighs around 130 pounds. He has gray hair and brown eyes.
Hudson is possibly wearing a black hat, jeans and socks. he walks with a limp and police said he would likely appear confused or disoriented.
The missing man was last seen around 3 a.m. at Millers Landing Senior Living in Minneapolis.
Anyone who sees Hudson is asked to contact officials in one of the following ways:
The annual celebration will feature wagon rides to cider making and sheepdog herding.
MINNETRISTA, Minn — Celebrate the changing of the seasons at Gale Woods Farm.
Located on Whaletail Lake in Minnetrista, Gale Woods Farm offers visitors an educational opportunity to gain an understanding of agriculture, food production, and land stewardship.
Fall Fest will be celebrated Sunday, Oct. 13 from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
The annual celebration will feature wagon rides to cider making and sheepdog herding.
Admission is free as is parking which is available throughout the park.
The mocktail is inspired by pumpkin pie spice and Minnesota Grown apple cider.
GOLDEN VALLEY, Minn. — In anticipation of the influx of holiday parties and alcohol consumption that happens in November and December, consumers are increasingly participating in “Sober October.”
A lot of ready-to-drink, new, seasonal, clean non-alcoholic options are in store now, including:
- Nozeco (pronounced like prosecco!) is a sparkling drink made from dealcoholized wine, maintaining the true flavor and experience of wine, without any next-day consequences.
- Sayso looks like a tea sachet that you simply “steep” in cold water (or alcohol).
- Mingle RTD cans are naturally infused, low-calorie botanical beverages in your favorite cocktail flavors, with no artificial sweeteners
- Recess Zero Proof cans are low-sugar, low-calorie mocktails infused with 10mg of naturally occurring caffeine from guayusa and balancing adaptogens like L-theanine and lemon balm.
We’re celebrating Sober October with a mocktail inspired by pumpkin pie spice and one of fall’s best bevvies – fresh pressed, Minnesota Grown apple cider! This is a great drink for sipping at a tailgate, a bonfire or a Halloween porch party.
SPARKLY CIDER-PUMPKIN MOCKTAILS
- 2 tbsp. superfine sugar
- 1 ½ tsp. pumpkin pie spice, divided
- pinch cayenne pepper (optional)
- 1 lemon wedge
- ½ cup Kowalski’s Minnesota Grown Apple Cider
- ¼ cup pumpkin purée
- 1 tbsp. Kowalski’s Cinnamon or Bourbon Maple Syrup
- 2 tsp. Kowalski’s Freshly Squeezed Lemon Juice
- ½ tsp. Kowalski’s Organic Madagascar Vanilla Extract or Paste
- ice
- non-alcoholic sparkling wine (such as Nozeco) cold, to taste
- fresh Minnesota Grown apple slices, for garnish
- Pour sugar onto a flat-rimmed dish; whisk in 1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice and cayenne.
- Moisten the rims of 2 martini or coupe glasses with the lemon wedge; dip the rims in spiced sugar. Set glasses aside.
- Add cider, pumpkin purée, syrup, lemon juice, vanilla and remaining pumpkin pie spice to a cocktail shaker.
- Add ice to fill the shaker ⅔ full; shake until the mixture is very cold (about 30 sec.).
- Strain the mixture through a fine mesh strainer evenly into the prepared glasses.
- Top each glass evenly with wine; stir gently.
- Garnish mocktails with fresh apple slices.
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