Brooklyn Center Approves Closure of Municipal Liquor Store
There are currently two municipal liquor stores in Brooklyn Center — but that won’t be the case for much longer.
In a contentious meeting this week, the city council voted to shutter one of its two stores.
“I’m failing to understand the fight to hold onto something with such a low potential return,” said Council Member Dan Jerzak.
Closure Comes After Losses
One of the city’s municipal liquor stores is in the Shingle Creek Shopping Center.
The other, known as Store Two, is at 6930 Brooklyn Blvd.
Located in a rental building, that store hasn’t turned a profit in several years.
According to unaudited city data, Store Two lost $21,451 in 2024, while the Shingle Creek location brought in $73,376.
There are currently two municipal liquor stores in Brooklyn Center — but that won’t be the case for much longer. In a contentious meeting this week, the city council voted to shutter one of its stores.
City staff members, who proposed keeping the store open, have previously told the council they were taking steps to make the store profitable. Likewise, they said a second store offered increased buying power, allowing both stores to buy in bulk and offer lower shelf prices for popular items.
The lease for Store Two was set to expire this month.
City staff negotiated more favorable terms that would have extended the lease for up to 10 years.
However, the council rejected those terms, giving the business six months to close.
“I wouldn’t consider liquor store two an asset to our community, to have a second municipal,” said Council Member Laurie Ann Moore. “And the numbers don’t add up for us.”
About three full-time and 10 part-time employees will be laid off with the store closure.
“It seems like once again I’m outvoted, so please let the employees that we will no longer be employing know that I tried and I’m sorry,” said Mayor April Graves, who voted against the closure.
City staff members don’t expect to host a flash sale to get rid of product at Store Two. Rather, inventory will either be sold off or transferred to the other store.
