In that post, she mentions some ISSUES list discussion about it, too. Here’s the link:
http://lists.northfield.org/pipermail/issues/msg01983.html

And at the 19 minute mark of our March 12, 2006 podcast, we focused on the Muni.

I like that idea, Scott. I’ll bring that up to Councilor Scott Davis who’ll be appearing on our Locally Grown podcast/radio show next week.

The “Wine with Dinner” initative is a attempted economic grab by the Minnesota Grocers Association. Wine is a high margin profit for liquor stores, and Super Valu, Nash Finch, et al would like to get that money for themselves.

Locating municipal liquor stores adjacent to grocery stores, however, is a very good idea. In Eden Prairie, we have three muni stores - each one of them is located adjacent to one of the city’s three large grocery stores. It’s a good locational strategy because it is more convenient for consumers. Consumers like that.

In response to Kiffi’s question about what happens to the money derived from the sales at muni stores, the $180,000 a year in Northfield goes directly into the City’s General Fund. It is lumped in with all the other General Fund revenues (Property taxes, fines, building permits, recreation program fees, LGA, etc) to help support the general operations (police, fire, streets, library, planning, etc) of the city. If the City did not have this revenue stream from the muni store, it would have to reduce its services or increase taxes. No other way around it.

I’d like to see a new store adjacent to Econofoods. Perhaps in the area where the recycling containers are now. I think the City could negotiate an agreement with Nash Finch for that site in which NF participates in the construction cost of the store. It would be a huge competitve asset for them.

I dislike circling around the downtown trying to find a parking spot. For parking issues, I was thinking about the whole downtown area.

The liquor store is in a prime advertising spot– take away the store and put in a beautiful and yet useful parking area and put a sign which describes what the heck is downtown. That’s what I was getting at. Not just “is there enough parking at the Muni.”

Compare to Lakeville muni’s site:
http://www.ci.lakeville.mn.us/departments/liquors.htm

Personally, I would love to see Just Foods carry a quality selection of beer and wine.

Larry, you raise an important and interesting point. I didn’t read the entire report so I don’t know if the consultants raised the issue of what impact a “wine with dinner” law might have.

But it could be argued that if both Just Food and Econofoods sold liquor, it would still be a draw to downtown.

Hmmm.

I think the liquor store should move to Hwy 3 someplace (near Woodley and Hwy 3) and the current building should be razed and made into parking and bike racks and trees.

At that location could go a nice bulletin board with a map of the stores and a listing of eateries, etc. I vote we get Margit to do the map (like the FANTASITC one in the post office, only store specific.) Scan it on a computer and then we/she can add stores and minus stores as they come and go. Not that many will go, I hope.

Check out the reference that I made back in November to Tracy’s even older EDA blog posting: http://nddc.org/weblogs/homepageblog/archives/000540.html

When she’s not busy tossing tomatoes, she sometimes pitches interesting concepts.

Ross