Groups disagree over sales of stronger beer in convenience stores

Convenience store representatives are urging the legislature to remove state restrictions preventing them from selling strong beer. After two other states, Kansas and Utah, lifted the lower-alcohol law last year, Minnesota is now the only state in the nation restricting businesses including grocery stores, convenience stores and gas stations to selling only 3.2 percent beer.

Steve Anderson, of the Twin Cities-based Bobby and Steve's Auto World, said allowing those businesses to sell regular, local beer would help them offset damage from other recent law changes.

“Policymakers have changed our business models with increasing wages and benefits and limiting the products that we can sell. We tried to weather the increase in costs but it has been difficult, and I know many small, independent stores have been forced to close or sell out,” Anderson said. “[Removing the 3.2 restriction] would help make these businesses viable again."

But the Minnesota Licensed Beverage Association opposes changes to the law, saying there is increased public interest in low-alcohol beverages in the state.

The association’s president Jennifer Schoenzeit, who owns Zipps Liquors in Minneapolis, said lawmakers should continue to limit convenience stores to selling 3.2 beer.

"The system is working. It is available and there are plenty of choices. And if they want beer it is available. And there are craft, Minnesota beers are 4 percent, 3.2 by volume. So, they could carry them if they chose to pick them," Schoenzeit said.

The 3.2 law was passed in 1933 during the waning days of Prohibition.

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