As we start a new year, many of you probably have new council members in your city. This is a great time to educate not only the new members about your facility, but give the veteran members of the council a refresher.

 

 Provide them with a year-end report that highlights your successes and outlines a plan to improve things that were not as successful.

 

The relationship between staff and council is vital to a successful operation. If you have a committee system, make sure the roles and responsibilities of that committee are well defined. Staff needs to provide accurate, up to date information to the committee on the operation of the store and what exactly is done on a daily/weekly/monthly basis.

 

A weekly / monthly activity report to the committee is a great communication tool. The committee should provide leadership and assist in setting goals and objects for staff, so they can handle the day-to-day operations and achieve the established goals.

 

I am very lucky to have a great working relationship with the management at our liquor store. I know there are facilities out there that have a challenging relationship with City Hall.

 

A few years ago I started meeting twice a month with our manager to talk about what is going on at the store.   It gives me an excuse to go to the store and see how things are running. Those meetings have given me a better understanding of the operation which I think is invaluable.

 

I highly recommend regular meetings between liquor store management and City Hall management. Together you can build a successful operation.

 

If you need help establishing a committee, setting goals or improving the communications please reach out to a board member. We have resources available and are willing to assist.

 

Bridgitte Konrad

City of North Branch

BY JOE JULIUS Savage Pacer

 

Question: What does the city of Savage have that our neighbors in Prior Lake, Burnsville and Shakopee don't? (No, it's not the sports dome, that's fodder for another time).

 

Give Up? Savage is one of the few cities south of the river that owns and operates its own liquor stores. That's right, no "off sale" liquor can be sold within Savage city limits unless it's sold by the city.

 

But why, you may ask. How did we get there?

 

A history lesson: After Prohibition was repealed, numerous cities, and some states, deemed that they could better "control" the drinking of their citizens if liquor could only be sold though government-owned outlets. A side benefit was the profits the government would receive from the sales.

 

Fast forward to 2013. Over the years many cities decided that they could no longer efficiently operate their own liquor stores. They decided they would be better off receiving the tax revenue from privately owned operations or when the city was incorporated, they simply chose not to get into the liquor business.

 

Savage was one of the cities that decided to stay in the liquor business, and own and operate its own stores. It appeared to be a wise decision by the city fathers (and mothers). Profits from the liquor operations were a boon to a rapidly growing community. The McColl Pond Environmental Learning Center and Savage Library were two projects funded, in part, by liquor store profits.

 

Things were joyous for the city until we began to be surrounded by the regional and national liquor stores that opened in our sister cities. Profits plunged 80 percent. The stores had a bloated expense structure and were heavy with non-current inventory. I, for one, advocated for closure and sale of the stores. Hey, I reasoned, some money is better than none.

 

Then a funny thing happened. The city administration and council decided to aggressively address the problem of declining sales and profits. They commissioned studies, did surveys, cut expenses and hired a new, savvy liquor store manager. The result was an immediate return to profitability and the transfer of approximately $175,000 to the city's general fund. Hey, I for one applaud any action that will reduce my taxes!

 

So, job well done Ms. Mayor, Barry and City Council! We should all be excited to see the new remodeling and signing of the MarketPlace store this year. We're not out of the woods yet, but the positive steps taken, I believe, will assure success. I know my wife is planning on buying all her wine at the Savage liquor stores. That should increase business dramatically.

 

Joe Julius is one of several people in the Savage community who write for Community Voices - a column appearing weekly in the opinion and commentary section of the Savage Pacer newspaper.

 

By Nightclub.com

  

Planning a promotion is time-consuming, but the return on your investment is a crowded bar and ringing register.

  

To help you get a serious jump on this crucial work, we've assembled our 2013 Promotion Planning Guide, including a calendar of events and holidays around which you can build sales-sparking promotions and some expert how-to advice.

  

  

At approximately 11 a.m. Monday, a white male entered the Nevis Municipal Liquor Store and told employees he was there to service the ATM machine.

 

Employees called Northwoods Bank, which owns the machine, to verify this and learned no service had been ordered, according to Hubbard County Chief Deputy Scott Parks.

 

Liquor store employees denied him access and he left, driving a white Ford 2007 Taurus, license number 050CNZ, direction of travel unknown.

Parks urges all locations with ATMs to verify service has been ordered and ask for identification before granting access.

 

Contact the Hubbard County Sheriff's Department at 732-3331 for more information.

 

The City of Lakeville is accepting applications for a Store Manager responsible for strict control of the sale of beverage alcohol, enforcing laws & regulations, and supervising employees.

 

AA and 8 years related experience or equivalent combination.

 

Will work a variety of days, evenings, weekends, and holidays. $53019 - $63640. D.O.Q.; excellent benefits.

 

For a full job description and to apply, see our web site at www.lakevillemn.gov.

 

Completed applications should be submitted to Human Resources by 4:30 p.m., February 8, 2013.

  

************************************************************ 

  

Liquor Store Manager: The City of Detroit Lakes is accepting applications for a Liquor Store Manager. Responsible for overseeing all operations of a municipal off-sale liquor store such including but not limited to; buying, inventory control, pricing, marketing, merchandising, staffing, customer satisfaction, budgeting, sales and building maintenance.

 

Required Qualifications:

• Two years post secondary education or equivalent
• Five years of supervisory/management experience
• Five years retails sales management experience
• Five years of experience with merchandising including retail pricing methods and inventory control
• Proven record of coaching and directing employees in an effective manner
• Five years experience retail sales promotion marketing with a proven track record of sales growth

Preferred Qualifications:

• Knowledge/experience of the supervision and operations in a liquor or grocery industry
• General knowledge of accounting principles and budget process and procedures
• General knowledge of employment laws and procedures
• Knowledge of federal, state and local laws relating to liquor sales and liquor store operation
• General knowledge of liquor, beer and wine products to effectively assist customers
• Management and experience in successfully opening a new or expanded retail liquor or grocery facilities

Salary range $55,500 to $66,500 plus benefits.  

 

Job description available at www.ci.detroit-lakes.mn.us or 1025 Roosevelt Avenue.

 

To be considered for this position, all candidates must include:

• Cover letter explaining why they are interested in this position
• Resume
• (3) three letters of reference

Send cover letter, resume and three letters of reference to the City Administrator, 1025 Roosevelt Avenue, Detroit Lakes MN 56501. Resumes will be accepted until 5:00 P.M., February 8, 2013. The person offered the position will be subject to a background investigation.

 

An equal opportunity employer

On the first day of a marriage retreat, the instructor talked about the importance of knowing what maters to each other.

  

"For example," he began, pointing to one of the husbands,"Do you know your wife's favorite flower?"

  

The husband answered, "Pillsbury All Purpose."

2013 MMBA / MLBA Legislative Day

 

January 28, 2013

St. Paul, MN

 

Click Here for Details

 

 2013 MMBA Boot Camp 

 

February 19 & 20, 2013

Breezy Point Resort

 

Click Here for Details

 

2013 MMBA Annual Conference

 

May 18 - 21, 2013

Arrowwood Resort

 Click Here to View the New Wine 101 On-Line Training

 Contact Bob Leslie at:

 

320-766-3871

 

763-428-0164

E-Mail Gary