I had the pleasure of attending boot camp last month.  It was refreshing to see a group come together that were eager to find new ways to improve their stores.  The information sharing that occurred was great. 

There is no better way to learn what works and what doesn't then from others that have done it.  If you've never participated in Boot Camp I would highly encourage you to consider it next year.  It doesn't matter if you're the largest store or the smallest store, there is always room for new ideas!

 

CONGRATULATIONS!  The State Auditor's report on municipal liquor operations provided some amazing information about the profits of your stores.  Through all of your hard work, $17.8 million was transferred to other city funds throughout the State.  As we work through these challenging economic times transfers such as these are more important than ever so we can minimize the impact on taxpayers. 

As Administrator, I will be working with our Liquor staff to find ways to maintain or improve the transfers we make to our other funds. I encourage you to talk to your administration and start planning now for how you can assist with funding for projects, equipment, etc. in the coming year. 

Thank you all for your hard work and dedication to your communities.  KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK!

 

Bridgitte Konrad

North Branch City Administrator

March 4, 2010

By National Public Radio

 

Stamping out binge drinking is a tough task. Now research shows that common advertising approaches to curb drinking may actually backfire, leading people to consume more alcohol.

 

Researchers used the image from an ad by the Liquor Control Board of Ontario in their study. (Courtesy of Kellogg School of Management)

 

Ads that rely on guilt or shame are problematic, according to research being published in the April issue of the Journal of Marketing Research.

 

In five related studies that looked at roughly 1,200 undergraduates' responses to anti-drinking public service announcements, researchers found that students discounted the notion that bad things could happen to them.

 

Shots caught up with Nidhi Agrawal, lead researcher and associate professor of marketing at the Kellogg School of Management of Northwestern University, to find out more. Here are edited highlights from our conversation:

 

What prompted you to undertake this work?

 

All of my research deals with two topics. First, the effect of emotions on people's responses to advertisements and consumption situations. And the second thing I'm very interested in is vulnerable consumers--consumers for whom it's very easy to make compromised decisions.

 

What we examined was anti-drinking messages. We wanted to see if these messages are effective. So much money goes into them and they're intended to bring out good behaviors. But we weren't sure. So we wanted to study what makes ads effective or makes them backfire. And what our research shows is that well-intended anti-drinking messages can actually cause people to drink more. They're not just ineffective and wasting money, but could actually be causing harm.

 

How were the studies carried out?

Part of what we wanted to study was the effect of emotions, and the two emotions associated with risky behaviors such as binge drinking are guilt and shame. Often, once the damage has been done [after drinking] people feel like they've messed up.

 

We got people to think about an instance where they felt very guilty or ashamed of themselves and then we exposed them to advertising messages that get them to feel ashamed or guilty. And once they've seen these messages, we measured how likely they were to binge drink in the next two weeks.

 

In another study, we told people that they were taste-testing a juice that was going to be used as a mixer for alcohol. So, they then associated the juice with alcohol. Then we looked at how much of the juice they drank. What we found was that people binge drink more, in the first case, and they drink more of the juice mixer, in the second case, when they feel guilty.

 

So, we don't want to overload the consumer with these feelings because they can have a bad effect.

 

Why is shame used as the means toward change in so many PSAs?

Shame and guilt are very interesting emotions because they are very intense. Consumers often respond to them in a very intense way. So many health messages employ these tactics: See what your risky behavior could lead to? But do these measures actually work? And in what conditions? We wanted to figure that out. That's why we focused on guilt and shame.

 

Often, people react badly to this. A sort of defense processing encourages them to have another drink.

 

What do you mean by defensive processing?

The thing about these emotions is that they're so intense and negative because they're self- focused. When we feel guilt, it's because we messed up. No one wants to believe that. We all want to believe we're amazing people. Which is why, when you get people to feel guilty or ashamed, they want to defend against those feelings.

 

They don't want to feel that they are vulnerable to the dangers of binge drinking if they already feel guilty or ashamed. And they want to drink more then. They have the incentive to show that they can handle it--they can drink and they won't mess up. They think others shouldn't be drinking because others can't handle it, but they can. So, they feel even more entitled to have a drink.

 

What are the lessons to be learned here for advertisers?

They should be very careful about using very powerful emotional tactics--when we use guilt or shame, or even sadness or anger. We have to have a carrot to go with the stick: it's OK to mess up; you can handle it; here's how. Or you put the ad in the middle of a positive, empowering situation. You want to put it in a situational comedy, something with a lighter mood. Positivity is very important. It can come from the [message] but also from the environment.

 

How would that work?

Our research suggested that maybe as you're talking to people about binge drinking, [don't just talk about] mess ups, tell them how they can get out of situations that lead to binge drinking. Saying "you're cool if you have only one drink". You need positive reinforcement: telling people new tactics for getting out of binge drinking situations and not telling them how they're going to mess up. Give them a tool to use.

 

City of Osakis (pop 1615) is accepting resumes for a permanent full-time Liquor Store Manager. 

The position oversees and administers the day-to-day operations of on-sale and off-sale liquor operations. This position requires: but is not limited to, purchasing, pricing, budgeting, promotions, marketing, maintenance, hiring, scheduling, working weekends, supervising staff, and reporting sales and operations of the store.   

 

Requirements:

 

Valid driver's license computer experience Working well with others.

Representing the City of Osakis in a professional manner.

Minimum two year business degree from college for merchandise retailing, marketing, business management, finance or related field with two year responsible experiences in a related position managing bar and restaurant with supervisory responsibilities.

Any combination of education and experience that provides equivalent knowledge, skills, and abilities will be considered.

 

Salary will be set according to years of experience.

 

Submit resume, cover letter, and completed application to City of Osakis, PO Box 486, Osakis MN 56360.

 

Application deadline is March 31^st, 2010.

 

Applications and additional information can be obtained by calling 320-859-2150 or email: cityhall@cityofosakis.com

 

City of Osakis is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

By: Emily Gedde, Blackduck American 

 

Reputations in small towns are key. Luckily, most residents of Blackduck label The Pond's reputation as having the best burgers in town.

 

The Pond, which is city operated and managed by Shawn Waldo (pictured) is a great place for locals and visitors to share good food, their favorite beverages, entertainment and good company.

"My favorite part of this job is getting to know people," said Waldo, who has been at her position since January 2008. "I enjoy meeting people and talking with them."

When Waldo came to the position a little over two years ago, she wanted to bring a potential to increase business.

"I like to think I have improved The Pond's business," she said.

Waldo explained that she wanted to open new doors to what The Pond offered. A wine tasting club, a Texas Hold 'Em tournament, happy hour, different nightly specials and ladies night are among fresh new ideas Waldo and her staff have brought to the community.

"I'm constantly trying to figure out ways to keep people in here," she explained.

To come up with ideas and keep up with regulations, The Pond is a member of the Minnesota Municipal Beverage Association.

"We meet twice a year," Waldo said. "It gives us an opportunity to get new ideas from other managers, find out what works and what doesn't and just get some good ideas."

According to Waldo, The Pond's busiest season is during the winter months with ice fishing bringing tourism to the area. With that season coming to a close, the business looks at March and April being the slowest, more challenging months when it comes to business.

"It is during these slower months that I really work to come up with new ideas for the place," Waldo said.

When looking at another challenge The Pond is facing, Waldo explained the controversy over municipal liquor stores.

"There has been a lot of legislation in past years that people want to see municipal stores done away with," she said. "However, towns that have municipal stores, this is really the only revenue. People need to understand that every dime spent at a municipal goes directly back into their community, basically reducing property taxes."

Waldo went on to explain that The Pond transfers money to the general fund of the city every year.

Waldo went on to say that originally municipal stores were established to control the sale and consumption of alcohol.

"We don't have any stricter rules than a privately owned bar, but because we are city owned, we kind of do. We try to be firmer - especially with minors and over serving. That is why we're here," she said.

Waldo looks forward to the warmer weather in upcoming months and has high hopes for The Pond's business when temperatures do go up.

"We're going to build a smoking patio this spring," she said. "We're going to have some big events this summer and really take advantage of outside."

The Pond's hours are 9-1 a.m. for on sale and 9 a.m. - 10 p.m. for off sale.

 

By SYLVIA RECTOR, Detroit Free Press

Getting a table for two once meant you could
look forward to a romantic meal.

 

That was before restaurants began installing yards-long banquettes and that endless row
of two-person tables, lined up like piano keys.

I've always disliked those side-by-side seats, especially when they're so tightly spaced you
end up sitting closer to the stranger beside you than your own dining partner.

You're not alone

If I can reach over and touch your table, I figure, you're too close for my comfort. But
does that make me antisocial?

Not according to a 2009 study called "Don't Sit So Close to Me: Restaurant Table
Characteristics and Guest Satisfaction" by Stephani Robson and Sheryl Kimes of Cornell University's Center for Hospitality Research.

They studied table size and spacing to find out what effect they had on a guest's satisfaction, spending and length of stay at the table. Their point was to help restaurant owners choose optimal seating.

For the rest of us, though, the paper not only sheds some light on our habits as diners, but
may tell us why we like dining at some placesbetter than others.

Among habits the researchers noted:

Most of us prefer to sit at right angles when we're in conversation with friends. Notice
that two-person tables -- deuces, in restaurant jargon -- usually force us to sit
face to face, which can feel confrontational.

We don't usually sit side-by-side when dining for business because it can be viewed
as too intimate.

Our need for ample personal space and being able to control it is considerable -- even in a public place -- and when we lack that space and control, our stress level rises. That may explain the popularity of booths, with their obvious physical barriers to other people.

Personal-space needs vary among cultures. In Western society, when someone who isn't
an intimate friend gets closer than 18 inches, we feel stressed and overstimulated, the
authors say, and we will either try to increase the distance or leave the area as soon as
possible.

The study's findings about seating were clear:

Guests don't like being crowded.

 

Using a restaurant in New York's Soho district for their research, the authors studied spending and used questionnaires to find out how two-person parties -- some at deuces and others at four-tops -- rated their
experiences.

Guests at the larger tables felt they had more space, felt less crowded by other diners,
stayed longer and spent more than guests at two-tops. But the differences in satisfaction
weren't statistically significant.

What did make a significant difference in guest satisfaction was how far apart tables
were placed. Simply put, the closer together the tables, the less happy the guests.

Diners at tables that were 20 inches or less apart "generally expressed lower satisfaction
in almost every category" including food, friendliness of service and the wisdom of
having chosen that restaurant. They ended up spending more per minute because they
left sooner than people at four-tops, but they were significantly less likely to return, the study said.

It's a reminder that the food isn't the only thing that makes us want to visit again -- or

not. Sometimes it's as simple as the distance to the next guy's table.