Minnesota Municipal Beverage Association Newsletter
(April 6, 2013 - April 12, 2014)
 Click Here
for the
As I See It... 

   

It's Thursday night and I'm watching the Gopher hockey game. Score is 0-0 after two periods and as we all know, one team is going to lose. We have all worked hard to get where we are in this business, just like Minnesota and North Dakota.

 

I bring this up because we have to keep working hard even though we may think the game is over or we don't have a chance to win.

 

As I look at our business, the most important thing I can keep telling my staff is that we just have to worry about what WE do and how WE do it and NOT what others do or plan to do.

 

Here are some things we are doing to make sure we are relevant in our city and market:


* Rebranding our stores. We are working on new signage so when a customer goes to any of our three stores they know they are at Edina Liquor.

 

* We recreated our community message- "Edina Liquor, Where Profits Get Poured Back Into the Community". We also have signs in our stores letting customers know that every purchase they make helps keep our parks clean, roads smooth and taxes low.

 

*We will be expanding our hours of operation starting in May to take advantage of increased housing being built near our stores.

 

* Customer service- We have been working hard to make sure our staff greets all customers coming into the store, ask them if they need assistance, make recommendations, help them to the counter with their products, cashiers greeting at the counter, asking if they found everything, and most important, thanking them for supporting the community and shopping at Edina Liquor.

 

* Customer service is the single most important aspect of our job. If we can provide a great customer experience we know more than 80% of these customers will return. Without loyal and repeat customers, we cannot expect to be in business long.

 

* Small remodel project- We enhanced one of our stores by changing the size of our tasting area (actually made it smaller) to increase traffic flow. We also expanded our warm beer section and redid our cash wraps to make them more functional for staff and even customers.

 

* We conduct a monthly staff product training done by our sales reps or others in the industry.

 

* We are involved in the community. We work with our chamber of commerce, senior center, rotary groups and others, helping with wine or beer tastings. Community paper shredding event, the annual MMBA food drive, coat drive and collecting money for the animals.

 

The liquor business has changed dramatically over the last 5 years or so and it will continue to change whether we want it to or not. Sunday sales, wine in grocery, craft distilleries, tap rooms, growlers, Total Wine and other retail competition.


We will keep working on getting better at what we do and how we do it. That is what we can control.


Oh, by the way, the Gophers kept working hard, stuck to their game plan and won the game with less than 1 second left in the game.


Keep working hard, stick to your game plan and good things will happen.

MMBA is here to help. Just send Paul or a board member an email and we can help with your game plan.

 

Steve Grausam

Edina Liquor

Animals Helped in Madelia



From Madelia Liquor manager John Nelson:

Here is a display we created in Madelia for the April MMBA Help Our Local Animals Supplies Drive.

We are also running/sponsoring a pet adoption day with the Watonwan County Humane Society!
 
Hopefully these two things will help boost donations.

We have received many compliments on our display.  It really grabs the attention of customers and makes them ask what's going on!
Lakeville Police Officer Zeus
   

Received this note from Lakeville Liquor Assistant Store Manager Kelly Singer to the Lakeville Liquor staff: 

 

Hello All,

 

Over the weekend I meet a Lakeville Detective, who wanted to share a recent story about Zeus from Lakeville K-9 unit.  

 

He said there was a call that came in with 3 shots fired in Lakeville.  

 

The suspect was on foot with a AK- 47. They called in the canine unit to help track down this suspect.  

 

The leader of this successful mission, the detective said, was Zeus.   

 

Zeus was able to track the suspect into Burnsville while the suspect was attempting to hide in a Burnsville School- still holding the AK-47.  

 

I showed the detective the amount all locations have collected from the MMBA Support Your Local Animals Drive after only 5 days into the K-9 donation.  

 

He was so surprised as how much we as all teams combined have done.   

Again great job to all!  

First Annual RIP It Open

Greetings. We are coming up on one year after the sudden passing of our father, family member and friend, Ronald "Rip" Radke.

Ron loved many things, among the top was golf.

To honor Ron, the family has decided to host a golf tournament at his home course in Tracy, MN.

Here are the details:

RIP It Open

May 24, 2014

11:00 AM Registration and Bloody Mary Bar

12:00 PM Shotgun Start

4- Man Best Ball Tournament  1 Mulligan Per Person Per Nine $100 Per Team

Proceeds go directly to Tracy Country Club

To Sign up you can:

* Call the Tracy Country Club at 1-507-629 -4666

* E-mail- [email protected]

* Call Jason Swanson at 1-507-828-4712

* Simply sign up at the Country Club

Tracy Country Club is located on Highway 14 1 mile East of Tracy, MN 10752 U.S. 14, Tracy, MN 56175   (507) 629-4666

If you should have any questions please do not hesitate to contact me at 1-507-828-4712 or via email.

Thank You,
Jason Swanson
Future Dates to Remember

2014 MMBA Annual Conference

 

May 17 - 20

Arrowwood Resort

Click Here for Information
Ask A Director

Gary Buysse
Rogers
763-428-0163

Cathy Pletta
Kasson
507-634-7618
  
Vicki Segerstrom
Milaca
320-983-6255
  
Candice Woods
Hutchinson 
320-587-2762
  
Nancy Drumsta
Delano
763-972-0578

Lara Smetana
Pine City
320-629-2020

Michael Friesen
Hawley
218-483-4747

Lisa Kamrowski
Nevis 
218-652-3135

Steve Grausam
Edina
952-903-5732

Toni Buchite
50 Lakes
218-763-2035

Brenda Visnovec
Lakeville 
952-985-4901
 
Bridgitte Konrad
North Branch
651-674-8113
  
Shelly Dillon
Callaway
218-375-4691
  
Karissa Kurth
Buffalo Lake
320-833-2321
 
Paul Kaspszak
MMBA
763-572-0222
1-866-938-3925

 
Click Here For Newsletter Archives 
Sunday Sales: Convenience at What Cost?
The MMBA website now contains comprehensive information on Sunday Sales. 

It is a reference for members, legislators, media, city councils and the general public.

Click Here for the Website

 

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 Contact Bob Leslie at:
 
320-766-3871
 


Contact Gary Buysse at:

763-428-0164

A Little Pig Walked into a Bar....
Pig
A little pig walked into a bar, ordered fifteen beers, and drank them.

The bartender asked, "Would you like to know where the bathroom is?"

"No," said the pig.  "I'm the little pig that goes wee-wee-wee all the way home."
 

Great customer reactions are more important than any marketing vehicle. 


Trinchero 
Contact Trinchero Family Estates 
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