Minnesota Municipal Beverage Association Newsletter
(June 12, 2016 - June 18, 2016)
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for the
MMBA Website
As I See It...

Shift Work, Hard Work

One of my favorite songs is "Shift Work" by Kenney Chesney and George Strait.

The song talks about the struggles and issues of shift workers.

Some of the lyrics came to light on a recent road trip.

Last week 2 of my friends and I made a quick road trip to Ely to see our friends before they move.

They recently sold their home and are moving to the Bahamas. Nice right!

On our way up, our first stop was for fuel.

While paying I asked the grumpy looking cashier "How's it going today?

He grumbled "Just another crappy day at work!"

I replied "Maybe customer service isn't the best place for you."

At our Lunch stop at KFC, my friends orders were taken very quickly.

As I made my way to the counter, the cashier walked away like she didn't even see me (I didn't even have camo on, it was a bright orange shirt).

I watched her fill drive through orders for approximately 10 minutes.

Finally she noticed me and asked "Do you want something?"

I paused and chose my words carefully

"Do you sell chicken? Here's your sign!!"

Our last stop was at a liquor store (not city owned).

My friend and I shopped for several minutes and were never greeted.

Even the employee who walked next to us with a cart of beer ignored us.

When I got to the checkout counter, the cashier without making eye contact or smiling asked "Is that it."

I couldn't resist any longer.

With a big ole smile I slapped the counter and said "How are you doing today!!"

He looked at me like I was crazy, then he started laughing.

I pointed at his smile and said "That's what customers want to see!"

After I left he asked my friend "What's with that guy?"(No comments please!).

He told him" He's been helping customers his whole life, I'd probably listen to his advice."

I was starting to think it was me who was crabby.

I know our shifts and days can get long and tedious.  

Summer is crazy at work for all of us managers and shift workers.

Let's have a visit with our cashiers and remind them how important a friendly "Hello" and a smiling "Thanks for stopping" is for our business.

Remind them how important first impressions are.

We're in the liquor business let's have fun!

Hopefully we all get to take a road trip this summer to have time with family and friends.

It's always refreshing to be on the other side of the counter once in a while!

Safe travels!

Bill Ludwig
Paynesville Liquors
Fred Lee Promotes Community Value in Fridley and More!!
Money Spent at the Kenyon Muni Stays in Kenyon

By Gunnar Olson, Kenyon Leader

Kenyon Muni Manager Matt Bartel is proud of the selection available in his store.

However, perhaps most important to Bartel is the direct connection his establishment has with the city of Kenyon.

"When we make money here, it stays in Kenyon," said Bartel of the city's ownership of the Muni.

 "When you go to Hy-Vee and buy your booze, as soon as you swipe your card, that money is gone from Minnesota and from Kenyon and it doesn't come back."

Represented by a sticker on the front window, the Muni adheres to the KABA and city of Kenyon slogan, "Be loyal, buy local."

The Muni's relationship to the city serves as the perfect example of this slogan.

"Here, all of our dollars stay in town, our employees are from town and all of our profits go right back into town," explained Bartel.

At the end of last year, the Kenyon Muni transferred $20,000 into the city of Kenyon's General Fund.

That money, made locally on liquor, beer and wine sales at the Muni went into funding the public pool and the public library.

For Bartel, the motivation comes from reducing the tax dollars of Kenyon citizens.

Under this motivation, Bartel has managed the Muni since the fall of 2013.

Previously he worked at the Muni starting in 2010.

Besides the fact that the Muni was previously a movie theater, Bartel does not know much about the history of the building.

He does however, have a clear vision for the building's future.

This began last fall when he completed construction on the patio area at the Muni.

Now in its first month of nice weather, Bartel explained that he has seen more people using the space for after work drinks and sometimes even some pizza.

Before the patio renovation, Bartel oversaw the addition of a walk-in cooler, a new bar and other interior renovations.

His hope for the future is a remodel of the building's exterior which he claims, "needs some attention" even though he does not know of a clear timeline for the project.

Until then, the goal of the Muni is to make Kenyon citizens more aware of his selection.

"We have a wider selection than a lot of people realize and I think the wine tastings help get non-regular customers in here," he said of his attempts to branch out the Muni's reputation.

"They are a lot of times surprised at our variety.

Sometimes its just getting people over the shock value of walking into Kenyon Liquor Store."

Concretely, Bartel pointed to wine as a point of emphasis.

While he sells a lot of beer, he claims that wine sales have been, "creeping up over the past few years."

He thinks that the tides are turning in Kenyon and that alcohol drinkers in town are starting to skip the Haskell's-type stores in favor of his eclectic selection.

Increasing his wine sales is important to him, but Bartel knows that people will always buy his beer.

"Right now, everybody wants to be outside.

Town festivals, weddings, camping, everyone is kind of out and about," he began.

"But they'll always grab some beer to go do what they are doing."

He noted that the winter time drives more bar traffic when people are stuck in town, but during the summer the off-sale picks up and bar traffic slows down.

Also integral to Bartel's year is the Rose Fest Street Dance that he hosts each year during Kenyon's Rose Fest festivities.

In fact, due to last year's near wash out, Bartel has already secured his tent for the event.

The lineup will be Mountain Ash opening for Lost Highway.
How True!! (Part Two)

Truisms, for those of us who are mature:
 
16.  Every time someone comes up with a foolproof solution, along comes a more-talented fool.
 
17.  I'll bet you $4,567 you can't guess how much I owe my bookie.
 
18.  Behind every great man is a woman rolling her eyes.
 
19.  If you keep your feet firmly on the ground, you'll have trouble putting on your pants.
 
20.  A computer once beat me at chess, but it was no match for me at kick boxing.
 
21.  Ever stop to think and forget to start again?
 
22.  When I married Ms. Right, I had no idea her first name was Always.
 
23.  There may be no excuse for laziness, but I'm still looking.
 
24.  Women spend more time wondering what men are thinking than men spend thinking.
 
25.  Give me ambiguity or give me something else.
 
26.  He who laughs last thinks slowest.
 
27.  Is it wrong that only one company makes the game Monopoly?
 
28.  Women sometimes make fools of men, but most guys are the do-it-yourself type.
 
29.   I was going to give him a nasty look, but he already had one.
 
30.  Change is inevitable, except from a vending machine.
 
31.  The grass may be greener on the other side but at least you don't have to mow it.
 
32.  I like long walks, especially when they're taken by people who annoy me.
 
33.  I was going to wear my camouflage shirt today, but I couldn't find it.
 
34.  If at first you don't succeed, skydiving is not for you.
 
35.   Sometimes I wake up grumpy; other times I let her sleep.
 
36.  If tomatoes are technically a fruit, is ketchup a smoothie?
 
37.  Money is the root of all wealth.
 
38.  No matter how much you push the envelope, it'll still be stationery
Future Dates to Remember


2017 MMBA
Annual Conference

April 29 - May 2, 2017
Ask A Director

Gary Buysse
Rogers
763-428-0163

Cathy Pletta
Kasson
507-634-7618
  
Bill Ludwig
Paynesville
320-250-3325
  
Nancy Raines
Longville
218-363-3249 
  
John Jacobi
Isanti
763-444-5063

Nanette Serbus
Olivia
320-523-2730

Steve Grausam
Edina
952-903-5732

Chris Arnold
Bagley
218-694-2542
E-Mail Me

Tom Agnes
Brooklyn Center
763-549-3710
Brenda Visnovec
Lakeville 
952-985-4901
 
Bridgitte Konrad
North Branch
651-674-8113

 Karissa Kurth
Buffalo Lake
320-833-2321
 
Paul Kaspszak
MMBA
763-572-0222
1-866-938-3925
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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
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Contact Gary Buysse at:

763-428-0164

Cabbioke Offers Free Rides Home
The Nova Scotia Liquor Corporation (The Canadian province that controls alcohol) has a campaign to promote responsible drinking and planning ahead.

After a night out, a very different (and very flashy) "cab" takes people to their destination.

But there is a catch: in order to score a free ride home, passengers have to sing their hearts out to some classic karaoke songs.

Disco balls, karaoke monitors, microphones, custom seating, a fresh paint job and all the classic props transformed an ordinary van into a rolling karaoke stage.

Cameras caught all the action, and best of all, every single person ended their night on a great note and got home safely.

Click Here to See Cabbioke in Action

This Scientist Makes Ears Out of Apples
Andrew Pelling is a biohacker, and nature is his hardware.

His favorite materials are the simplest ones (and oftentimes he finds them in the garbage).

Building on the cellulose structure that gives an apple its shape, he "grows" lifelike human ears, pioneering a process that might someday be used to repair body parts safely and cheaply.

And he has some even wilder ideas to share ...
 
"What I'm really curious about is if one day it will be possible to repair, rebuild and augment our own bodies with stuff we make in the kitchen," he says.

Click Here


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