From Andrew Schmitt of MN Beer Activists.
MN Beer Activists <http://mnbeeractivists.com/> are putting out a call to
action for beer lovers across the state of Minnesota to help finally legalize
the sale of liquor, wine, and beer <http://sundaysalesmn.org/> on Sundays.
38 states allow Sunday liquor sales <http://sundaysalesmn.org/>, including
every state that surrounds Minnesota. It is time to give Minnesota
consumers and retailers the choice. Let's stop sending our hard earned
money over the borders. Politicians can stop pretending they are worried
about the impact on "Mom & Pop liquor stores." The fact is there plenty of
small independent stores in states where Sunday liquor sales are legal.
Just follow one of the hundreds of MN license plates over to Superior, or
Hudson, and take a look. Mom & Pop are going to be just fine.
"Commerce is well enough established as seven days and nights a week now, "
Dayton said. "For us to say it doesn't apply to this or doesn't apply to
that really doesn't make much sense. There are an increasing number of
Minnesotans for which Sunday isn't a religious
holiday."<http://www.startribune.com/politics/statelocal/237733421.html>
Opponents <http://www.startribune.com/politics/116537693.html> and
prohibitionists <http://www.municipalbev.com/magazines/mag_2012_0708.pdf> will
stand by old arguments, claiming that Sundays won't add any more sales, or
that stores will be forced to open. In reality, Sunday is the second
busiest shopping day of the week, and any store that doesn't want to open
won't have to. Plenty of banks and barbers make these choices every week
without a government mandate. When Colorado passed Sunday beer
sales<http://www.nightclub.com/legislative/news/discus-growth-colorado-alcohol-ta…>
the
increased revenue was credited with bringing liquor stores through tough
economic conditions. How's that for 6 days of sales across 7 days?
On @DailyCircuit <https://twitter.com/DailyCircuit>, Daudt says 'this could
be the yr' for Sunday liquor sales. Thissen & Daudt both say burden is on
those wanting to keep ban
-- Tom Weber (@webertom1) February 20,
2014<https://twitter.com/webertom1/statuses/436525166621769728>
For probably the first time ever Sunday liquor
sales<http://sundaysalesmn.org/> has
a real chance of passing this year. Governor Dayton has said he will sign a
Sunday sales bill, and House leaders Thissen & Daudt have said 2014 could
be the year. <https://twitter.com/webertom1/status/436525166621769728> However,
with all the bipartisan support the Sunday sales bill still faces
opposition from leadership. The Sunday liquor bill will need to be heard
and passed in the House and Senate Commerce Committees. Committee Chairs
Representative Joe Atkins (D) and Senator Jim Metzen (D) are may not give
the bill fair committee hearings without receiving a large amount of public
pressure. This is how you can help.
Visit SundaySalesMN.Org<http://sundaysalesmn.org/support-sunday-sales/#petition>
30
seconds and 1-click is all it takes. Then, share it with your
friends<https://www.facebook.com/>
and social media <https://twitter.com/> using the hashtag
#SundaySalesMN<https://twitter.com/search?q=%23SundaySalesMN>
The most effective thing you can do is call!
Find your own legislators here <http://www.gis.leg.mn/OpenLayers/districts/>,
but be sure to call and email these leaders below.
------------------------------
Senate Majority Leader Thomas M. Bakk (03, DFL) 651-296-8881
Email: Use Mail
Form<http://www.senate.mn/members/member_emailform.php?mem_id=1003&ls=>
Senate Minority Leader David W. Hann (48, R) 651-296-1749
Email: Use Mail
Form<http://www.senate.mn/members/member_emailform.php?mem_id=1016&ls=>
Senate Commerce Chair James P. Metzen (52, DFL) 651-296-4370
Email: sen.jim.metzen(a)senate.mn
Speaker of the House Paul Thissen (DFL, 61B) 651-296-5375
Email: rep.paul.thissen(a)house.mn
House Majority Leader Erin Murphy (DFL, 64A) 651-296-8799
Email: rep.erin.murphy(a)house.mn <rep.erin.murphy(a)house.mn>
House Minority Leader Kurt Daudt (R, 31A) 651-296-5364
Email: rep.kurt.daudt(a)house.mn
House Deputy Minority Leader Jenifer Loon (R, 48B) 651-296-7449
Email: rep.jenifer.loon(a)house.mn
House Commerce Chair Joe Atkins (D, 52B) 51-296-4192
Email: Use Mail
Form<http://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/sendmail/mailtomember.aspx?id=10753>
http://youtu.be/-UE6spQG-P4
[image: sunday liquor sales minnesota #sundaysalesmn]
//Mike Behrendt
Begin forwarded message:
> From: Steve Fletty <sfletty(a)gmail.com>
> Date: February 26, 2014 at 12:45:30 PM CST
> To: "sphbc(a)googlegroups.com" <sphbc(a)googlegroups.com>, mba(a)thebarn.com
> Subject: [mba] Summit Brewery Private Tour Auction
>
> This is the last call to bid on a private tour of Summit with founder Mark Stutrud or head brewer Damien McConn. The tour includes beer and snacks.
>
> These tours happen only a few times each year and you likely won't get another shot at this.
>
> Bids will close at 5 PM on Friday 2/28.
>
> All proceeds from the auction will go to benefit Kathy Stock who is battling brain cancer.
>
> Go here to bid: mashout.org/auction.html
> _______________________________________________
> mba mailing list
> mba(a)thebarn.com
> http://www.thebarn.com/mailman/listinfo/mba
FYI
//Mike Behrendt
From: mba-bounces(a)thebarn.com [mailto:mba-bounces@thebarn.com] On Behalf Of
Brett Glenna
Sent: Tuesday, February 25, 2014 9:08 AM
To: mba(a)thebarn.com
Subject: [mba] Fwd: Home brewers
Here's a potential opportunity if anyone is interested.
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: jeff paridon <jparidon(a)eot.com>
Date: Sat, Feb 22, 2014 at 4:32 PM
Subject: Home brewers
To: brettglenna(a)gmail.com
Hi Brett,
I wasn't quite sure who to contact so I thought I would begin with you
and perhaps you could steer me in the right direction or pass this email
along.
My name is Jeff Paridon. My wife, Robbie and I own the Station House
Restaurant in Preham, MN. It is in the heart of the Lakes country and very
popular with the tourists. We are currently remodeling the restaurant and
updating our theme to casual fine dining. Attached to the restaurant is a
small bar/lounge that we don't care to operate. We do serve a fairly large
amount of alcoholic beverages in the restaurant, but to operate a bar
requires more time than either of us can afford to dedicate.
My thoughts have been turning more and more to a Brew pup or
Microbrewery instead of just the same old "bar" attached to the restaurant.
But once again, we don't have the time (or knowledge) to undertake this sort
of project. So, we are looking for some home brewer that wants to try their
hand at operating a Brew Pup. We would be willing to sit down and discuss
any proposals any of your members may have. I truly believe that this could
be a very profitable and rewarding venture for all involved. Following is a
link to our facebook page so anyone interested can view the restaurant. It
is very nice and has an ideal location (1st and Main) in downtown Perham.
https://www.facebook.com/perham.stationhouse Our web page is currently
under construction as well and will launch prior to our re-opening in late
April.
If you have any interested parties, please pass this email along and
tell them to feel free to contact me.
Thanks for your time,
Jeff Paridon
Thanks to our new secretary, Anna Finnesgard, we again have a quality
newsletter.
It's available on the web site.
http://www.jackofallbrews.org
Thanks Anna!!!
//Mike Behrendt
VP Jack of All Brews
OK JABbers,
Trying one more time to make an organized trip to the Minnesota History Center for the Prohibition exhibit. This is going to be on the final day of the exhibit--Sunday March 16th. We are going to meet up at Great Waters for lunch at 11:30 (I'll see if I can swing a tour) and then meet up at the Center (about 13 minute walk from GW) at 1:30. If you can't make this date, I suggest you find another day to get out there before it is gone!
Just so I have an idea of how many people are showing up, please respond here or on FB so we can get a rough head-count. That might influence whether we can get a tour. I hate to set something up and have the brewer come out for only 4-5 people...
--Eric
Hey all just a reminder that the Feb meeting is on Feb 15 (Saturday!!) at Rahr, meeting at 2 PM at the bierstube (800 W. First Ave in Shakopee). We almost certainly will have a tour and then the usual trying of homebrews and shooting the breeze. Some of us may meet for lunch at Turtles.
--Eric
This is from the Speaker of the House………………please let him know how you feel.
//Mike
From: Paul Thissen [mailto:rep.paul.thissen@house.mn]
Sent: Monday, February 03, 2014 9:09 AM
To: Michael Behrendt
Subject: Re: Legalize Sunday liquor sales
Thank you for taking the time to contact me in support of legalizing liquor sales on Sunday. I appreciated hearing from you.
The consumer freedom offered by eliminating the prohibition on Sunday liquor sales is appealing. And if such a change could help to continue the tremendous and welcome growth in craft brewing and distilling in Minnesota, there is even more reason to make a change. I agree with you that those who desire to keep the ban in place bear the burden of proving why the law remains necessary, especially since Minnesota is among a small group of states that still prohibit certain liquor sales on Sunday.
I also believe convenience is not the sole and overriding factor as I consider this issue. We are increasingly becoming a country where the expectation of immediate gratification has become the norm – and not without costs to us as individuals or as a society.
That said, the economics of this issue are most relevant. As you likely know, liquor store owners are split on the issue. Those who object argue that the cost of staying open an additional day outweighs the revenues to be gained. The information I’ve seen backs that up. The projected increase in sales is anywhere from .5% to 3% since people will mostly spread their purchases rather than purchasing more alcohol. When you compare a 3% increase in revenues to a 15% increase in operating (not fixed) costs that would be required to stay open an extra day, the economic challenge for the small business owners becomes more clear.
Certainly, government policy should not be driven solely by the economic viability of individual businesses, but it remains a relevant issue since the magnitude of the economic impact varies among liquor store owners. In particular, some smaller liquor stores worry that they would be at a competitive disadvantage with their larger competitors if they had to be open seven days a week since the margins are slimmer. While some would argue that these stores could choose to remain closed on Sundays, the fear is that smaller stores would lose customers to larger and better funded chains that could afford to be open all week, exacerbating the competitive disadvantage. Perhaps there is nothing wrong with a market increasingly dominated by big chains but I feel we all benefit from smaller businesses that offer consumers choice and strengthen communities. Again, not a reason by itself to prohibit Sunday sales, but perhaps in your conversations with opponents of Sunday sales you could identify a way to assist the small business owners while moving toward your goal of greater consumer convenience.
There also tends to be a fair amount of support (understandably) for permitting Sunday sales from liquor stores in communities that are near borders with other states (such as Duluth). However, support for liquor sales on Sundays in these regions is not universal. Rep. Greg Davids, who has served on the Commerce Committee and whose district borders two states that allow Sunday sales – Iowa and Wisconsin – has stated that no liquor store owner in his district has ever told him he or she wanted to be open on Sunday.
At the end of the day, I encourage you to reach out to liquor store owners and others in the industry and craft an agreeable and practical compromise solution. I do so with the knowledge that a Sunday sales proposal failed by a vote of 21 to 106 last year. As Speaker of the House, I will bring a bill to the floor, but it only makes sense if there is support to pass it.
Again, thank you very much for your input. I hope that you’ll continue to let me know your views on the issues facing our community and our state.
Paul Thissen
State Representative
>>> Michael Behrendt <Mike.Behrendt(a)comcast.net> 2/1/2014 10:41 AM >>>
Dear MN State Legislator,
My name is Michael Behrendt. I am writing to urge you support Sunday Liquor sales in Minnesota. Polls show that over 60% of Minnesota voters believe that small businesswomen and men should have the liberty to choose whether they are open to consumers on Sundays or not. Governor Dayton has committed to signing a bill supporting consumers. We have an opportunity to expand consumer choice, increase private economic business activity and increase revenue for business and important government programs all at the same time. Plus we can utilize the concept of the "un-session" to repeal an outdated law that consumers overwhelmingly oppose. Support Sunday liquor sales.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Thank you.
Sincerely,
Michael Behrendt
9060 Douglas Drive, Eden Prairie, MN 55347
