Brooklyn Center To Consider Closing One of Its Municipal Liquor Stores
The Brooklyn Center City Council may consider condensing its municipal liquor store operations.
Currently, Brooklyn Center runs two liquor stores and uses revenue to benefit the city.
However, the city council was required by law to review its municipal liquor operations after posting losses in 2022 and 2023.
According to the Minnesota State Auditor, the operation lost $59,236 in 2022 and $42,671 in 2023.
One of the stores is located at 1350 Shingle Creek Crossing in the Shingle Creek Crossing shopping center, while the other is at 6930 Brooklyn Blvd.
The Shingle Creek Crossing location typically makes a profit, but in recent years, the Brooklyn Boulevard location has taken losses. According to unaudited city data, the Brooklyn Boulevard location lost $21,451 in 2024, while the Shingle Creek location brought in $73,376.
The Brooklyn Center City Council may consider condensing its municipal liquor store operations.
As a result, some city council members said they want to see the Brooklyn Boulevard location shuttered.
“In my mind, the volume of people we bring in there, the landlord should pay us to be there,” said Council Member Dan Jerzak.
Meanwhile, Council Member Laurie Ann Moore questioned if the city should continue any of its municipal liquor sales.
Council Member Teneshia Kragness asked her colleagues to remember the human element of the discussion.
“We also need to be careful with our words to say just because there’s a net loss, we don’t keep saying we want to close things,” she said. “It’s not just about the numbers. These are people who have to provide for their families.”
In cities with municipal liquor operations, no other privately-owned liquor stores are allowed to operate.
Mayor April Graves said she supports municipal operations because they keep Brooklyn Center’s neighborhoods from being flooded with private liquor stores.
The council may review the issue during a future work session.
See also: Brooklyn Center’s Municipal Liquor Stores Report Operating Loss
