Minnesota Municipal Beverage Association Newsletter
(October 16, 2011 - October 22, 2011)
 Click Here
for the
As I See It... 
 
 

Wine2

Last month our store had a wine seminar that featured Minnesota Wines.

 

The group was rather small this time, about 10 people, but I still consider it a great success. We tasted some very great wine, learned about wine making in Minnesota and had great conversation.  

 

I now have more wine of my list of gotta haves! Had I not attended and tasted them I probably wouldn't buy them.

 

If you aren't doing seminars or tastings....what are you waiting for?

 

It doesn't matter how big or small your store is, this is a good way to introduce products to your customers.

 

The list of potential topics is endless: Minnesota wines; wines of South America; trends in the wine industry; food and wine pairing; the list is endless.  

 

If you need help getting started talk to your wine vendors, another store that has done them or MMBA.

 

Don't get discouraged if you have a small group. Keep trying and find the times of year that are successful in your community.

 

This is a great way to provide a fun activity in your community and increase the sales for your store.

 

Bridgitte Konrad

City Administrator

City of North Branch

 

 

Rush City On-Line Equipment Auction 
 
Auction

On October 31, there will be an on-line equipment auction from the old Rush City Bar and Liquor Store.

Wisconsin Considering 6 AM Liquor Store Opening
6AM4 

The Wisconsin Legislature is considering changing state law to allow liquor stores to open at 6 a.m. 

 

Under current law, they can open at 8 a.m. and must close by 9 p.m. seven days a week.  A Senate committee approved the measure last week.

 

Supporters of the law change say they're seeking it to accommodate, in part, football tailgating fans and people who work overnight hours. 

 

The idea is taking some liquor store owners and customers by surprise, as we found out in Hudson today.  Hudson has a city ordinance that restricts liquor stores to 8 a.m. openings, but only one store opens that early now.  The rest all open at 9 a.m.

 
Lakeville Liquor Supports Fire Department
Fire Chief Logo 
 

Lakeville Liquor manager Brenda Visnovec was recently chosen to receive the 2011 Minnesota Fire Chief's Public Fire Safety Education Award.

 

This award is given to community members who demonstrate a commitment to fire prevention and safety.

 

Brenda says the award should have been presented to the entire liquor department.

 

According to the nomination letter, "Every community need to have a liquor store operations group with the dedication and ability to fund community projects that will help save lives."

 

Click Here to View Nomination Letter

"Free Beer Truck" Crusies the Streets of Heaven
 

Heaven 

By Cristel Mohrman, Buffalo Grove Patch

 

A man who came across an unlocked, refrigerated beer truck in Buffalo Grove, Illinois told police he thought he had "died and gone to heaven."

The conversation took place after officers were alerted that an intoxicated man was drinking beer from a pitcher at noon Oct. 11 behind a building on the 300 block of Weiland Road.

Due to his level of intoxication, the man was transported to the hospital by paramedics. But before they took him away, the man had one thing to say. He told police he thought he had "died and gone to heaven," where there must be "a free beer truck."

The man was not charged in the incident. Buffalo Grove police secured the beer truck before leaving.

 
Be Consistent
 
Success2 

By DMSRetail

 

All of us are looking for success in our businesses. Apart from and beyond everything else, sustainable success requires consistency. What do we mean by that?

 

We mean being consistently great in all aspects of our business.

 

Short term successes are possible due to some lucky combination of factors. But, we can't rely on lucky combinations. They are too few, and far between.

 

What we need to do is to set the foundations of our business right so that we can repeat our successes consistently.

 

This also has a profound impact on customer satisfaction. Your customers expect a certain level of performance from you on the basis of the perception you created. By being consistent at your skill set and service levels, you satisfy the minimum expectations.

And if you put a degree of constant improvement process in place, you'll create a winning combination for your retail operation.

 

At minimum, some of the areas you must deliver on a consistent basis are:

 

1. Sales Skills (Trained staff on professional retail sales skills)

 

2. Quick response to all sorts of customer issues (Rapid response procedures in place)

 

3. Clean, tidy and efficient store environment (Great visual merchandising and maintenance)

 

4. Streamlined and customer friendly checkout process.

 

Pretty basic, right? Yet, just wander around the malls and shopping centers and see for yourself how many retailers are failing in consistent delivery of the basics.

Companies who understood this simple philosophy went on to create empires.

 
In the 1970's and 1980s, diversity meant gender. 
 
In the 1990s diversity meant culture. 
 
 Today, diversity means
non-traditional thought.
Future Dates to Remember!!
 2011 MMBA Regional Meetings
  
October 26
Austin

Click Here for More Information

2012 MMBA Boot Camp
  
February 21-22, 2012
Breezy Point Resort 
  
2012 MMBA Annual Conference
  
May 20-22, 2012
Arrowwood Resort
  

 

Ask A Director

Gary Buysse
Rogers
763-428-0163

Cathy Pletta
Kasson
507-634-7618
  
Vicki Segerstrom
Milaca
320-983-6255
  
Brian Hachey
Stacy
651-462-2727

Nancy Drumsta
Delano
763-972-0578

Lara Smetana
Pine City
320-629-2020

Michael Friesen
Hawley
218-483-4747

Tom Agnes
Brooklyn Center
763-381-2349

Steve Grausam
Edina
952-903-5732

Toni Buchite
50 Lakes
218-763-2035

Michelle Olson
Sebeka
218-837-9745
E-Mail Me

Bridgitte Konrad
North Branch
651-674-8113
  
Shelly Dillon
Callaway
218-375-4691
  
Paul Kaspszak
MMBA
763-572-0222
1-866-938-3925

 
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Wine 101
Wine2
Turning 21
IDs

Earlier in the week, an MMBA member asked:

 

Can you tell me if someone turns 21 can they come into the bar at midnight on their birthday and drink or do they have to wait until 8am or some other time?

 

According to

Minnesota Statute

340A. 503, Subd. 5a

 

 Attainment of age

 

With respect to

purchasing, possessing, consuming, selling, furnishing, and serving alcoholic beverages, a person is not 21 years of age until 8:00 a.m. on the day of that person's 21st birthday.

And the Bartender Says...
Neutrino
And the bartender says
"I'm sorry but we don't serve faster than light neutrinos."

 

So a neutrino walks into a bar.
 
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