Why a Municipal Liquor Store?
On February 10, 1948, St. Anthony Village City Council passed an ordinance to form a municipal liquor store operation. To this day, the profits from the liquor operations provide a much needed revenue source for our community. The November 27, 1947, edition of the Minneapolis Star newspaper reported that nine metro-area communities were operating municipal liquor stores with glowing results. Profits from these stores paid for fire trucks, the development of city parks and public works equipment. The Village of Excelsior reported that "one-third of the cost of operating the Village is paid with profits from the municipal liquor store." Two months later, the Village of St. Anthony passed a ordinance to open their own municipal liquor store and the rest is history.