Fred Lee Helps Transform Fridley Liquor Operation
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Municipal Liquor Store PRSRT STD Box 32966 US POSTAGE Minneapolis MN 55432 PAID TWIN CITIES MN CHANGE SERVICE REQUESTED PERMIT NO. 91770 Operation Operation Operation Liquor Liquor Liquor Fridley Fridley Fridley Transform Transform Helps Helps Helps Fred Lee Lee Fred Fred www.municipalbev.com www.municipalbev.com MINNESOTA MUNICIPAL BEVERAGE ASSOCIATION BEVERAGE MUNICIPAL MINNESOTA OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE OF PUBLICATION OFFICIAL Volume 75, Number 5, 2016 5, Number 75, Volume THE BRANDS YOU NEED THE EXPERTISE YOU WANT WE ARE BREAKTHRU FOLLOW US Breakthru Beverage Group BreakthruBevMN BreakthruBev.com MUNICIPAL LIQUOR ON THE COVER STORE From February of 2013 to November of 2014, Fridley Liquor Volume 75, Number 5, 2016 transformed from an antiquated alcohol outlet to the contemporary store Official publication of the Minnesota we know today. Municipal Beverage Association. Published six times annually: September/October, November/December, January/February, From steadily declining revenue to increased competition from March/April, May/June, July/August. For advertising and editorial inquiry conact Total Wine, protecting the business’s vitality became ever-important. Paul Kaspszak, Editor, Box 32966, Fridley, MN 55432. Phone 763-572-0222 or 866-938-3925. Advertising rates available With impeccable timing, the renovation was overwhelmingly successful. upon request. Change of address: List both old and new address. The process included a new mission statement, logo, spokesperson, Fred Lee, and more open communication to community members. DIRECTORS For the complete story, Go to page 6. KARISSA KURTH GARY BUYSSE Buffalo Lake Liquor (President) PO Box 13 Rogers Liquor Buffalo Lake, MN 55314 22350 South Diamond Lake Road 320-833-2321 Rogers, MN 55374 [email protected] 763-428-0163 [email protected] BILL LUDWIG JOHN JACOBI Paynesville Liquor (Vice President) 221 Washburne Avenue Isanti Liquor Paynesville, MN 56326 P.O.Box 428 320-250-3325 Isanti, MN 55040 [email protected] 763-444-5063 [email protected] NANCY RAINES CATHY PLETTA Longville Lakes Bottle Shop (Sec./Treas.) P.O. Box 217 Kasson Liquor Longville, MN 56655 30 West Main Street 218-363-3249 Kasson, MN 55944 thebottle [email protected] 507-634-7618 [email protected] NANETTE SERBUS Olivia Liquor TOM AGNES 802 East Lincoln Avenue BC Liquor Olivia, MN 56277 5625A Xerxes Ave, North 320-523-2730 Brooklyn Center, MN 55430 [email protected] 763-549-3710 BRENDA VISNOVEC [email protected] Lakeville Liquor 20195 Holyoke Ave. CHRIS ARNOLD Lakeville, MN 55044 Bagley Liquor 952-985-4901 P.O. Box 178 [email protected] Bagley, MN 56621 218-694-2542 [email protected] STEVE GRAUSAM Edina Liquor 6755 York Ave. South Edina, MN 55435 952-903-5732 [email protected] MMBA President’s Message I do know this, regardless of what As we move toward this new reality, happens to this market, competitively, whatever it may bring, continue operationally or legislatively, to inspect your business, your market municipal liquor will continue to and most of all look in the mirror. be a strong and consistent voice. GARY BUYSSE Are you seeing the big picture as it President Our managers are some of the best that applies to you? can be assembled and we will strive to find solutions to any issue we face in Are you planning for a future that Our industry is facing many challenges; the near and distant future. includes the revenue your city needs? competitive, legislative and operational. We must continue to work together Only you can answer that question. At times it seems that this liquor with all of our industry peers to seek market as we once knew it is changing new direction in an ever changing Congratulations to Larry Scott, irrevocably due to the inclusion business climate. Columbia Heights, who retired in of new distributors, new competition January! I wish you best of luck in and pressure from consumers. Our unified pursuit of solutions is what your new life. strengthens our individual locations and The beer market may change due to bolsters the entire market. legislative changes in Oklahoma and Utah; an issue completely out There is no longer any room for of our control. division as we move forward! The projected profit margins we once planned for have diminished for many of us as competition from large box stores has forced us to rethink our purchasing and pricing. We’ve got you covered. Many retailers are reevaluating who they support. There are suppliers and distributors Mid Central Ice Perham Lakeshore Ice Duluth area who provide us with lip service regarding their support concerning legislative agendas, but their national Crystal Springs Ice Pine City Precise Ice personas and affiliations are contrary St. Cloud to this gossamer allegiance. Ace Ice Minneapolis At times our legislative and operational Waterville Ice Waterville concerns are met with partisanship and dogma; free market and you don’t want to work Sundays, when national evidence overwhelmingly supports our claims of increased cost and the lack of sales increases associated with Sunday legislation in other states. We want to work hard and preserve the revenue streams our communities desperately need! miima-ice.org MUNICIPAL LIQUOR STORE 4 MORE TASTE, FEWER CALORIES AND HALF THE CARBS OF BUD LIGHT. ©2017 MILLER BREWING CO., MILWAUKEE, WI Av. analysis (12 fl. oz.): 96 cals, 3.2g carbs, <1g protein, 0g fat. Per 12 fl. oz., Bud Light has 110 cals, 6.6g carbs. Taste testing performed by Institute for Perception, May 2015. Fridley Liquor Renovation is Overwhelmingly Successful By Amy Felegy new again. You drive by… [and] you exterior of Fridley Liquor, many wouldn’t realize this building has been community members believed the From February of 2013 to November here since [the 1960s].” business was closed. 18 months of of 2014, Fridley Liquor transformed construction traffic and only two days from an antiquated alcohol outlet to Also new to the establishment is a of closed doors were significant the contemporary store we know today. mission statement, logo, spokesperson, obstacles, but when remodeling ended Wally Wysopal, Fridley city manager, Fred Lee, and more open communica- the customer base saw an extreme explained the desperate need for the tion to community members. “We’ve upsurge. recent facelift. From steadily declining been more articulate in our budgeting revenue to increased competition from to show exactly what the money is “People used to just come in, grab what Total Wine, protecting the business’s going into,” such as park and capital they want, and leave. Now, people vitality became ever-important. With equipment funds, said Wysopal. “[We want to shop for liquor. They’ll spend impeccable timing, the renovation was have been] more specific about how the 20 minutes to an hour in here looking overwhelmingly successful. liquor operation benefits the city.” This at all of the different craft beers,” said helped publicize benefits of shopping at Birkholz. Kicking off the transformation meant Fridley Liquor. speaking with neighboring city man- Aiming to curb competition, increase agers and finance directors to achieve Fridley finance director Shelly Peter- financial revenue, and include Fridley the results Fridley Liquor sought after. son explained how new informational Liquor employees in the municipal Delaney Consulting helped strategize a posters highlighted where “their dollars process, it can be agreed that the customer service model to differentiate are going… Back into the community.” overall renovation was triumphant. them from other liquor stores. Creating Peterson described changes within the The company has already seen a 30 to a new logo and brand for the operation employee sector as well. New supervisor 40% increase in the number of was a new process for both the store and training, employee engagement customers coming through the doors. the city, and such change did not come strategies, and team collaboration without its concerns. software tools all emerged from the “It’s tough when you’re going through transformation. the construction and remodel,” said The city significantly relies on the liquor Birkholz. “You think going into it, ‘is it industry to financially stabilize the “The liquor operation really had to feel going to be worth it?’” With the results community. “[I] quickly realized how like it was a part of the city operation,” as evidence, the answer remains an important the revenues from our liquor said Wysopal. We want [employees] undeniable ‘yes’. operation were to the city’s operation,” to… sense that what they are doing is said Wysopal. In addition to boosting every bit as important as what police... Fridley’s financial health, emerging fire, and public works are doing.” competition also ignited the transfor- mational fire. “We knew we didn’t have The success of the operation can be MMBA the ability to take on Total Wine in attributed to the timing of nearby pricing… [but] we need[ed]... to keep development. The Fridley Market was the livelihood of the operation,” said gaining prominence through Duluth Annual Wysopal. This new rivalry was certain Trading, Teppanyaki Grill, and Cub to alter the competitive atmosphere, Foods, which increased the area’s retail and Fridley Liquor managers knew environment and helped Fridley Liquor they could not afford this continually grow financially. Conference decreasing revenue. At the same time, the surrounding Kyle Birkholz, Fridley Liquor opertions circumstances proved to be difficult for April 29 - manager, described how drastically the the business as well. It was challenging building changed during the overhaul. to understand the condition of Fridley “The whole building was run-down. The Liquor among their own building’s May 2, 2017 interior of the store had been the same renovation, in addition to the shopping for 16 years… Now, everything looks center’s. Without the identifiable MUNICIPAL LIQUOR STORE 6 One Call. BEVERAGE.