Beer Laws In MN

Some of the smaller liquor stores say that the ban of alcohol sales on Sunday allows them to have one day per week off. If sales were allowed on Sundays, they would have to work seven days a week. And while I feel for them- working 7 days a week sucks- a day off for a small business owner is not a right that should be protected and mandated by the government (imo of course).

 

I've heard it was some of the bigger stores that don't want to be open as well. As far as I understand though, nobody would be forced to be open on Sundays, right? Why not just give liquor stores the option?

 

no one is forcing them to be open, but if they aren't people will likely go elsewhere and that is lost revenue.

 

There was a good thread about this on the old site a while back, but I can't locate it now.

Someone brought up a valid point from the perspective of those that own liquor stores: that being open on Sunday is a way for grocers & other big retailers to get a foot in the door to allow them to sell alcohol as well. However you might feel about that, I thought it was an interesting point.

And yes, it's generally city laws that mandate closing times.

Really, I don't see what the big deal is. Not being able to buy booze for one day a week has never impacted my life in the slightest. Not an issue for me.

 

I've lived mostly on border cities so I have been able to get beer or wine on Sundays for a last minute get together or whatever, but some of those would have been to MN stores if they were open. I have been to the Twin Cities visiting relatives and due to the schedule, not been able to hit the liquor stores on any day other than Sunday, and naturally, I couldn't go then either so they lost sales then too.

 

When I tried that link it just sent me back to the BA community page. Do I have to do something different because it's cached?

 

Not that my assumptions are necessarily right but I have always thought that not selling beer on Sunday had something to do with keeping the religious people happy on Jesus day. I also assumed it might have something to do with the fact that if they don't sell alcohol (real beer in the store except 3.2) then more people are less likely to get hammered on Sunday and not make it to work on Monday. I know these reasons might have absolutely nothing to do with the real reasons liquor stores aren't open on Sunday but without any other info this is what I have always thought.

It sure is nice living in the eastern suburbs when it comes to needing a Sunday beer run. Gives you a great reason to check out the newer Wisconsin selections.

 

All I know is I keep my cellar stocked, so no Sunday beer sales is not an issue for me.

 

as do I, I have more than enough at all times, and yet never enough.

 

My beer fridge is definately filled at all times but most of my friends could go either way with craft beer or simply don't like it. I would definately share any bottle I have with them if they appreciated it. However most of my friends would rather drink a Coors light so it's off to Wisconsin for me cause I don't want to feed them $20 bottles of beer that they are gagging down. Sad but it's happened.

 

I'll say this... Having just gotten back from MI driving 1300miles, it would have REALLY sucked if I could not have pciked up bottles on Sunday at these shops. Because 1/3 of the places I hit were on a Sunday. I feel bad for people that have a limited amount of time to be in MN and can't come grab some awesome Surly beer.

 

I think the fear of this is that the big grocery stores then might have some leverage to sell full strength beer as well as wine, which is another law change that always seems to be on the books. They would lose those sales. Although, maybe I am the only one, but has anyone else noticed that almost every new grocery store being built these days seems to have a liquor store attached anyway...seems they are probably already starting to steal those sales away.

 

the biggest voice I have heard comes from the liquor stores, their logic has been "we have increased costs by being open another day of the week. if we don't want to take on those costs, the store down the road will crush us if they are willing to open on Sunday". last time I checked, that's basic business. if you own a restaurant and don't want to be open Monday's, you will have to deal with the consequences of another restaurant making up for your lost business.

 

I agree with your assesment, but some people/business want the law to regulate for them. I have never understood why we go into business in fear of competition...isn't competition the best thing for consumers?

 

agreed. i have the luxury of being a 30 minute drive to Hudson as a worst case scenario, but after touring through WI, IL, and MI drinking beer, I was amazed at how much more beer-friendly everything was. I look forward to the day MN gets to that level but at this point, how can Sunday sales even really be debatable?

 

Well, that is their choice then. Why should all liquor stores be forced to stay closed because others don't want to open?

 

In theory, competition is always the best medicine. In reality, it quite often backfires (see a classic: the airline industry & high air fares out of Minneapolis/St. Paul compared to other major cities).

Example: we were in Florida two winters running on the Gulf Coast. We had to drive a looooong ways to find any kind of liquor store, much less one that carried a good selection. Sure, we could have popped into a nearby grocery store & chosen from their limited selection, but it seemed competition in that area had actually hurt the ability to find a decent liquor store. I've often wondered if this is common in states that allow grocery stores to sell alcohol.

 

To me this sounds like the customers are probably driving the selection. Cub/Costco/Sam's already sell booze. And in MN, even they carry a decent selection of drinkable craft beer.

I just got back from a 4-day trip to MI. I visited 7 breweries in 3 days. 3 of those were on a Sunday. Being able to go there, and buy beer from them, and local stores made my trip. So to me, I think about the thread from a month back where someone was asking if someone could buy Abrasive for them because they would only be in MN on Sunday. How nice would it have been if they could have walked into Ale Jail or Dennis Brothers to pick out from the nice selection on their way through?