By Andrew Wig, SunCurrent
What began as a discussion about renovating the Richfield municipal liquor store at 66th Street and Cedar Avenue turned into talks over building a new shop altogether.
"I think we're not doing it right. I think we need a new store," Councilmember Tom Fitzhenry said when the proposed renovation came up at the Jan. 26 Richfield City Council meeting.
He had the support of others in the room to take time to consider building a new store.
"I think it makes sense to at least explore that path," City Manager Steve Devich said.
The council agreed to hold the proposal for an $825,000 upgrade to the 30-year-old liquor store in order to do so.
Fitzhenry, whose east side ward includes the liquor store, pointed to impending redevelopment of the area to support his stance.
"My thought is, we have to have the best looking liquor store over there," he said.
More than 500 apartment units in two separate developments are in the works for the area.
That redevelopment is scheduled to begin this year, notes a staff report to the council.
Fitzhenry also brought up the craft beer boom, contending it necessitates more retail space.
"That footprint is just too old," he said, adding that the office building directly to the west is for sale.
"We might look at adding that property or a portion of it."
A fresh build would take the place of a remodeling project that calls for a new roof, new entry and exit doors, numerous interior improvements such ceiling and flooring considerations, new sales counters and new exterior signage, among other improvements.
The renovation would also increase shelf space from 300 linear feet to 340, according to Liquor Operations Director Bill Fillmore.
There would be expanded cooler space, too, due to the proposed relocation of a break room and downsizing of the manager's office, he added.
But gaining even more room would help the store make more bulk purchases that would help it contend with a recently arriving giant in the Twin Cities liquor market, Total Wine.
That chain has a store not far from Richfield on the Edina-Bloomington border.
Still, Fillmore cautioned against going overboard in size as he invoked retailing principles.
The concern with a large store, he said, would be in stocking it with so much inventory that it can't be unloaded efficiently.
A smaller store forces managers to more carefully consider their merchandise selections, Fillmore said.
The Cedar Avenue location, which according to the staff report does the most business out of the city's four municipal liquor outlets, is a "very cost effective store" as it stands now, Devich said.
But aesthetics were on the mind of the council, considering how Richfield's east side is about to change.
"That whole area's gonna redevelop," Mayor Debbie Goettel said. "Putting a showcase store for craft beer sounds like a possibility we should explore."
Councilmember Edwina Garcia pictured the scene of gleaming new apartment buildings and accompanying developments standing next to a dated liquor store.
"It's gonna look kind of shabby in comparison with the other stuff that we do," Garcia said. "I think that's worth going back to the drawing board."
Although he supported exploring the option to build a new store, Councilmember Pat Elliott tempered the conversation.
"I would hesitate to say that $825,000 is gonna result in a shabby-looking building," he said.
Elliott referred to the 2013 renovation of the municipal liquor store at 64th Street and Lyndale Avenue and the impact that project made.
Upgrades there, which included a modernized interior with design features such as an exposed ceiling and polished concrete floor, can be credited for ongoing sales growth at the location, according to the staff report.
