According to this article over at the Star Tribune, Burnsville is planning to take another look at their liquor laws beginning in June. The way that the laws are currently written, Costco would be prohibited from opening a new store in any of the Burnsville locations they have shown an interested in utilizing. This comes on the heels of rumor that Costco was looking to build in Eagan instead.
The news of a possible Costco in Burnsville goes back nearly a year to August of last year when the discount big box store was thinking about taking over the old Menard’s building on MN-13. Even at that time Costco was annoyed with the liquor regulations and complained that there just weren’t any suitable locations in all of Burnsville which did not fall under the mile as the crow flies between liquor store rule that is currently on the books.
Both Burnsville staff and councilmembers were interviewed for the article and Dan Kealey reportedly said that they are looking over the rules, as they should for any regulation, to ensure that it meets what’s going on in the rest of the area. The deputy city manager said that they’re not going to change the rule just because Costco is asking. In other words they’re doing it because Kautz is pulling strings behind closed doors and wants people from all over to come up to “her” store and fund her other failing pet projects. I wonder if Costco requires a drive-through?
Anyway, with Eagan and Rosemount the only other competitors in the area due to the ridiculous city owned liquor stores in the other surrounding communities, Burnsville must feel some serious pressure to get someone in the door that can save their tanking budget.
What do you think about the changes? Should Burnsville consider adopting new liquor laws to remove the one mile radius between liquor stores? Is the Burnsville city staff member fibbing a bit about not making a change to the liquor laws just for Costco? Whatever you feel about Burnsville’s liquor laws, go ahead and comment on and let everyone know what you think!
Related posts:
Lazy Lightning Store
Month's Top 5 Commenters
BPAC Financials Archive
Dakota Criminal Complaints
Loading ...
May 1st, 2009 at 6:14 am
The same ordinance kept Trader Joe’s out of Burnsville. Obviously Rosemount’s law doesn’t include the 1-mile radius provision, as evidenced by the recent Cub Foods liquor store approval.
Maybe it is time for Burnsville to look at their ordinance, and update it. I mean come on, closing liquor stores at 8pm on weekdays? Get real!
May 1st, 2009 at 6:19 am
Greg,
What’s the difference between 8 and 10 PM (as permitted by state statute)? Honestly, the statutes are the problem here. People should be able to buy beer every day of the week all hours of the day.
May 1st, 2009 at 6:34 am
Ugh, I didn’t know Trader Joe’s was considering a Burnsville location. That would have been great. Way to go Burnsville. :)
May 1st, 2009 at 6:41 am
It seems to me that in other cities they normally like businesses to move in; Burnsville apparently does not.
May 1st, 2009 at 7:02 am
Sure – Let Costco in – just make sure that there are NO 5TH GRADERS with-in a mile!
Cheers
Irving
May 1st, 2009 at 7:27 am
They should change the law even if Costco wasn’t considering moving there. It’s a stupid law.
May 1st, 2009 at 7:28 am
good for burnsville!! stick to anyone who wants to bring a tax base to the citys coffers. drive ‘em all to the next door ‘burb!!
bb
May 1st, 2009 at 7:32 am
I’d rather have a Trader Joe’s than a Costco. Why not “re-consider” the law when a retailer like TJ is interested – which is going to build a more aesthetically pleasing store than a big cement box which you just know that Costco is going to look like? Yuck.
May 1st, 2009 at 7:34 am
p.s. I’d drive to HOC if there was a Trader Joe’s there.
May 1st, 2009 at 7:36 am
Whit, and the fact that TJ’s doesn’t charge a membership fee to shop there.
May 1st, 2009 at 7:47 am
Good point Bill. If one wanted to, say, change the shopping habits of a majority of citizens from, oh, hypothetically, a county-road-based-retail scheme into driving and parking in a pre-designed retail community setup, one might (I don’t know…this is just off the top of my head…) take advantage of an interested retailer such as TJs to provide that draw. TJs, like DD, has a national following. Why not cash in on that? Especially if you are going to bend the rules anyway – why not bend them for a non-cement box kind of chain? That’s just me though, I’m a shopper, not a city planner, what would I know about what people want?
May 1st, 2009 at 9:22 am
Bill,
The difference is Burnsville’s ordinance makes liquor stores close at 8pm. Neighboring cities like Apple Valley, Lakeville and Rosemount DO NOT have such an ordinance, so the poor suckers who run liquor stores in Burnsville have to close earlier than the competition. It’s unfair, and drives customers away to neighboring cities to make their purchases after 8pm.
When I lived in Burnsville, that was one of the things that drove me nuts! It’s time for Burnsville to re-examine their ordinance.
May 1st, 2009 at 12:08 pm
I think they are full of shat if they say that the Costco thing isn’t pushing the issue. I was told by an employee of the Eden Prairie Costco that they were now looking at sites in Lakeville. That was about a month ago. My guess is that Costco trying to put the screws to Burnsville. That would be a lot of lost tax revenue.
Change the ordinance!!
May 1st, 2009 at 1:29 pm
I don’t see why Costco would want to build in Lakeville when all of the liquor stores there are city-owned, though. I suspect that employee was misinformed.
May 1st, 2009 at 1:35 pm
Tim, the commenter I link to above said, “They won’t get a license in Lakeville either, but they must have decided that it’s a better place to be. Burnsville must not need the tax revenue.”
Whether or not that’s really the case, I dunno but it certainly would put some pressure on Burnsville to make a decision in their favor.
May 1st, 2009 at 9:38 pm
Tim–I’m not sure how legit that was either, but it would be an odd thing for that employee to make up. I would think that they would want to locate near the interstate, and Lakeville is the next option south after Burnsville. Lakeville has plenty of available retail spots. I’m sure the developer of that new Target and Best Buy would love to see Costco build out there.
May 3rd, 2009 at 1:24 pm
Am a Burnsville resident that shops at Cub, Valley Natural, Sam’s Club and drive to St Louis Park from time to time to go to Trader Joes. It is a travesty that TJ’s was looking at Bville and could not get in.
Costco is a great store, good company too, from what I have seen it stocks higher quality goods than Sam’s Club.
Bville should dump the regulation, which is either the product of some inane planning from 40 years ago or more likely another remnant of the “blue laws” (Sunday closings) that should go the way of the dinosaur.
May 3rd, 2009 at 6:19 pm
1) Apple Valley Liquor stres #1, #2 and the infamous #3 close at 8 on weeknights. Stupid.
2) The state of Minnesota needs to update it’s liquor laws. For the fucking life of me I can’t figure out who we think we’re protecting when we don’t allow booze to be sold in a liquor store on Sunday, but every bar is open? Even stupider, why aren’t we selling booze at a grocery store, more example of the stinking nanny state here in Minnie.
May 3rd, 2009 at 10:56 pm
If Costco built in Lakeville it would be just like the Eden Priarie Costco, they don’t have beer wine or liquor either. Costco has a following just as TJ, its just not as strong in the MW yet. $72 billion in sales last yr says pretty big following to me. Yes I am a huge Costco Fan great quality products with happy well paid employees, its a fun place to shop.
May 4th, 2009 at 10:05 am
Costco could only come to Lakeville if they did not sell liquor. Lakeville’s municipal liquor stores are the only ones allowed to sell liquor in the city.
May 4th, 2009 at 2:55 pm
b,
if costo brought booze to lakeville, would you have to swipe your license through the reader?
bb
June 23rd, 2009 at 8:41 pm
[...] Burnsville’s current liquor regulation has been an issue for Costco as the company was mildly interested in coming to Burnsville to expand their reach in this area. After being advised that there were no viable building options available due to the one mile liquor store radius rule Burnsville currently has on the books, there has been rumor that they are looking elsewhere to open up shop instead, something that Burnsville probably wants to avoid due to their other failed development attempts in the Heart of the City. [...]