Lakeville Liquors Sales on Record Pace

Sales for the first six months of 2012 are 7.1 percent higher than the same period last year, says the city’s liquor operations director.

This could be a vintage year for Lakeville’s municipal liquor stores. Combined, sales at the three locations are on a record pace, said Brenda Visnovec, the City of Lakeville’s liquor operations director. Individually, each has seen an increase in business so far this year. “In fact, [Lakeville Liquors] Galaxie and [Lakeville Liquors] Heritage are significantly higher,” said Visnovec, who presented her mid-year report to the Lakeville City Council Monday night. For the first six months of this year, the stores combined for $7 million in sales, up 7.1 percent over the same time last year. “Seven point one percent sounds terrific,” Visnovec said. “But, what this represents is $465,000.” This year’s record sales pace is good news for …

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Lakeville Liquors' Sales Leads State Munis

Star Tribune says the city as lost some liquor business to new stores in Burnsville and Apple Valley.

Lakeville Liquor Stores Get Longer Hours for Summer

City Council approved the move to keep Lakeville's municipal liquor stores open two hours longer from Monday through Thursday to see if it's profitable.

Lakeville is joining its neighbors when it comes to liquor store hours. The City Council approved a measure on March 19 to allow Lakeville's municipal liquor stores to be open one hour later Monday through Thursday, closing at 10 p.m. instead of 9 p.m., joining Burnsville, Farmington and Apple Valley as cities that have the later closing times for liquor stores. The new hours aren't unprecedented. Lakeville's liquor stores used to be open until 10 p.m. until 1999 when city staff determined it simply wasn't profitable to remain open the extra hour. But according to the council documents, a seasonal approach to the extended hours could be different. According to the council documents, if Lakeville's liquor stores manage just 50 percent of …

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Lakeville Liquors More Friend Than Foe, Report Shows

While not making a recommendation, comprehensive liquor analysis highlights financial positives, downplays retail development negatives.

Lakeville's City Council got its first look at a highly anticipated liquor study during a work session on Monday, and the results were pretty clear. Without the municipal liquor stores, property taxes would go up, more private liquor stores would fill the city, in some cases popping up near residential areas, and municipal liquor is not costing the city retail opportunities. Representatives from the Minneapolis-based Shenehon Company were on hand to share the results of the comprehensive liquor study, and Mayor Mark Bellows said he hopes the community can come together and unify on the issue since the liquor operations first came under the microscope last fall. “This is still a contentious issue, but I agree the outcome is pretty clear,” …

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