Minnesota Municipal Beverage Association Newsletter
(March 8, 2015 - March 14, 2015)
 Click Here
for the
As I See it...

It is a topic that comes up often for those of us who have an on sale and was discussed this year at Boot Camp. 

It is the question everyone fears to change....

 
Drink prices!

First off, let me ask this question?

How many people including yourself, walk into an establishment and ask how much they want their drink to cost?

Hardly no one -  and the ones who do are not there to make you profits.

There is a reason you often see menus that do not list prices on their wines, beers or liquors at your favorite restaurants or drinking establishments.

It is because the people are there for the idea of being out, the atmosphere of your establishment and the fun and enjoyment they want to experience.

At our on sale, I took an idea I had experienced during a girls weekend.  It has become a famous drink that puts us on the map to newcomers because they heard from a friend that you have to stop and have their "Special Bloody Mary".

What makes it special is not only what's in it, but the story behind it.

We had stopped at a small bar in northern Minnesota waiting for another friend to meet up with us and the owner sat down and ordered a Bloody Mary.

We chatted amongst ourselves and since we were all bartenders we watched as the bartender mixed her this awful concoction.

My friend said he must really not like his boss,...did you see what he just put in that!

Well he heard us and so did she and so he had us all try it.

It was the Best Bloody Mary we had all ever had!

I learned the recipe and started to make them at my bar.

It took a few try's with the friends as guinea pigs, but I mastered the specialty!

It started as those friends ordering it when they would come in.

Others became curious, so they had to have one and it grew from there!

We now have people come in who have never even stopped in Nevis along their way, because they have to try what they heard someone else rave about!

The bottom line is we charge $7.00 for our house Bloody Mary and   $9.00 for a "special" Bloody Mary.

We sell roughly 10 special ones to the regular!

People don't care what it costs, they will pay because that's what they want!

They care about the excitement of something new.

I don't think it is fair to overcharge and you have to base your prices on costs and overhead, but just because the competition is cheaper, doesn't make them better!

Don't be afraid to charge what you need to be charging.

The few who complain will be back tomorrow and will pay the price.


Lisa Kamrowski
Nevis Liquor
Marijuana Sales May Serve as Model for US City Revenue
marijuana2

From: Bloomberg

North Bonneville, Washington, has become the first US town to open its own recreational marijuana store, in an experiment that could serve as a model for cash-strapped cities looking for ways to generate revenue.

 

The city of almost 1 000 on the Oregon border opened Cannabis Corner on Saturday to a line of about 30 people. 

 

Officials estimate the store will produce about $3.5 million in revenue in the first year, some of which will be steered to police and public-health expenses.

 

"This city has a hard time paying its bills and so this, if it turns out to be a good operation, will be a financial boon to our community," said Steven Hasson, the city administrator. 

 

"If we're successful, other cities here in Washington and around the country will look at it as a possible option."

 

North Bonneville, about 56km east of Portland, Oregon, opened the store three years after residents in Washington and Colorado voted to legalize recreational marijuana use. Oregon and Alaska followed last year.

 

The city, nestled in a gorge surrounded by evergreen-lined cliffs, had a budget of $1.2m last year and ran a shortfall ranging from $30 000 to $60 000, Hasson said.

 

Profits

 

The city used about $280 000 in private loans to renovate and stock the store without dipping into taxpayer dollars, said Tim Dudley, the president and chairman of the five-member North Bonneville Public Development Authority, created by the city to run the business. 

 

Initial profits would go towards repaying the loans, with an estimated $100 000 in revenue steered to the city in its first year and double that in the second year, he said.

 

Statewide, recreational marijuana stores generated $108m in marijuana sales and $27m in taxes since they began operating in July, according to data from the Washington State Liquor Control Board, which regulates the industry.

 

North Bonneville was the only city in Washington to apply for an application to run its own store, according to board spokesman Mikhail Carpenter. 

 

The liquor board had issued 124 other licenses for privately run stores in Washington, he said. 

 

The store, housed in a renovated concrete company maintenance shop, had 11 employees who qualify for state retirement benefits, Dudley said.

 

About 60 percent of customers were locals and the rest tourists, Dudley said.

 

If all goes as planned, marijuana-derived funds would pay for animal control and turning on street lights that were dimmed for budget reasons, said Hasson, the city administrator.

 

Bob Bianchi, a North Bonneville city council member, said he opposed the store because it would encourage drug use. 

 

The five-member city council agreed, on a 3-1 vote, to create the Public Development Authority, with Bianchi on vacation and Mike Hamilton voting against it.

 

"I don't believe we need another habitual drug added to society," Bianchi said.

 

"We already have alcohol, tobacco, cigarettes."

 

Mayor Don Stevens backed the store and was met with applause when he became the first to buy marijuana there on Saturday.

 

The publicly run store was not subject to federal income taxes and Washington was an income tax-free state, allowing the store to charge less for marijuana, Hasson said.
Another Cool Old Photo




Here is the first Lakeville municipal liquor facility.

 

This picture is from 1934 & it was called the Rock Garden Inn.

 

It sold on and off-sale.

 

And yes, there really were trees inside the bar! 
Vern's Funeral
RIP

Vern works hard at his job, but spends two nights each week bowling, and plays golf every Saturday.

His wife thinks he's pushing himself too hard, so for his birthday she takes him to a local strip club.


The doorman at the club greets them and says, "Hey, Vern! How ya doing?"

 

His wife is puzzled and asks if he's been to this club before.

"Oh no," says Vern.
" He's in my bowling league ."

 

When they are seated, a waitress asks Vern if he'd like his usual and brings over a vodka tonic.

 

His wife is becoming increasingly uncomfortable and says, "How did she know that you drink vodka tonics?"

 

"I recognize her, she's the waitress from the golf club.


I always have a cocktail at the end of the 1st nine, honey."

 

A stripper then comes over to their table, throws her arms around Vern, starts to rub herself all over him and says...


"Hi Vern. Want your usual table dance, big boy?"

 

Vern's wife, now furious, grabs her purse and storms out of the club.

 

Vern follows and spots her getting into a cab.


Before she can slam the door, he jumps in beside her.

 

Vern tries desperately to explain how the stripper must have mistaken him for someone else, but his wife is having none of it.

 

She is screaming at him at the top of her lungs, calling him every 4 letter word in the book..

 

The cabby turns around and says,

 

'Geez Vern, you picked up a real feisty one this time.'

 

VERN'S FUNERAL WILL BE HELD THIS COMING FRIDAY.  



It is management's role to create the best environment for their team to perform at their highest level. 


That role includes delivering the right message.


Future Dates to Remember
2015 MMBA Annual Conference

May 16 -19
Arrowwood Resort
Ask A Director

Gary Buysse
Rogers
763-428-0163

Cathy Pletta
Kasson
507-634-7618
  
Bill Ludwig
Paynesville
320-250-3325
  
Candice Woods
Hutchinson 
320-587-2762
  
John Jacobi
Isanti
763-444-5063

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 
Minnesota SMART

The SMART campaign: Supporting Minnesota's Alcohol Regulations and Traditions, is a renewed public education and grassroots advocacy effort in support of Minnesota's current alcohol regulations and three-tier system.

 

We believe Minnesota's current alcohol regulations are smart, balanced, and supported by many citizens and our local small businesses.    

    

They work well for Minnesota!

 

The SMART campaign functions to help you engage in advocacy efforts with state legislators and others in support of Minnesota's current alcohol regulations, and to oppose issues-such as Sunday alcohol sales.

We want to make it easy and effective for you to engage.

 

Take action and send an email to your state legislators today through the new SMART campaign website.   

 

We have sample letters and legislator contact information put together that is ready to go.   

 

  Click Here for the Website
Join Our Mailing List

Beverage Alcohol Training

BAT Logo
 Contact Bob Leslie at:
 
320-766-3871
 


Contact Gary Buysse at:

763-428-0164

Play this Game to Come Up with Original Ideas
Shimpei Takahashi always dreamed of designing toys. But when he started work as a toy developer, he found the pressure to use data as a starting point for design quashed his creativity.

In this short, funny talk, Takahashi describes how he got his ideas flowing again, and shares a simple game anyone can play to generate new ideas.

 

  Click Here 

Powder Alcohol Product Approved by TTB
 

The Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) has approved the reformulated labels for Palcohol, a form of alcohol that is manufactured in a powdered form through an encapsulation process.  

 

This allows the product to be sold legally in the US where allowed.  

 

TTB had previously approved labels for Palcohol in April 2014 but those labels were later turned back to TTB by the company upon TTB's request.    

 

Several states have already enacted laws or policies to prohibit the manufacturing, possession, and sale of powdered alcohol products within their jurisdiction.

 

Several more, including Minnesota, are considering such actions or have bills winding their way through the state legislature.   

 

Click Here for More

 

Trinchero 
Contact Trinchero Family Estates 
Ste. Michelle Logo

Contact Ste. Michelle Wine Estates


Contact Shamrock Group


Contact Oven Baked Eats
NABCA
Contact the National Alcohol Beverage Control Association
MillerCoors

Contact MillerCoors


Contact Beam Suntory

AB Logo

Contact Anheuser-Busch