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Questions concerning the second liquor store in North Branch

TO THE EDITOR:
Last January, I visited several times with the current owner of Tower Liquor Store, with respect to the purchase of the building and the business.
I should say that we never had anything in writing, however we did discuss an amount, as I needed to know if this was worth pursuing or not. My wife and I can say without a doubt, we never discussed more than 1.3 million as a purchase price for the building and the business of Tower Liquor Store.
The next step was to see if the liquor store could be sold as a liquor store or not. I needed the City of North Branchís approval. The owners of Tower Liquor Store informed me that their understanding was that if they ever sold it could not be as a liquor store due to the Minnesota State Law. The business could not be sold, however the building could. A building purchase is one thing. A building and a business have much more value and the price was far more if the business and building where to stay in tack.
The state of Minnesota has a law that says where there is city municipal liquor, there cannot be another liquor store in the same city. Why then do we have one? Tower Liquor Store was ìgrandfatheredî in, so to speak, when Branch, Minnesota, merged with North Branch, Minnesota. The City of North Branch has allowed the second liquor store and has created the current situation as it exists today.
Tower Liquor use to operate in Branch, Minnesota. The Tower Liquor store operates each year hoping that the City of North Branch will renew its license to operate as a liquor store. At any time the city may vote to no longer have two liquor stores in North Branch per state law.
I asked the City of North Branch to take up the issue at one of their meetings. On February 11, 2002 the council voted to allow the sale of the liquor store, as a liquor store and would renew the operating license provided the new owners under-went the proper background check and other requirements with respect to the laws that regulate this industry.
I am shocked that I now see that the City of North Branch is entertaining the notion of purchasing the business for 2.2 million. I would be shocked if it where 1 million. If the city wants to be the only liquor store in North Branch, they can do it without spending 1 or worse yet 2.2 million dollars. They donít need to spend anything!
I believer that the city has been fair in allowing the current owner to operate the business as they have been, I donít think anyone of us would want the rug pulled out from under our feet. That being said, I believe that the City of North Branch would be making a huge mistake if they purchase the business when they do not need to spend the money at all.
If Tower Liquor sells, it would be irresponsible of the City of North Branch to reissue another license for the new owners to operate as a liquor store. The City can simply say, if you sell your business, we will not reissue another license to operate as a liquor store, hence mission accomplished. The city gets all the business, more projects, etc.
In closing, the City of North Branch has a liquor store. Does the city want another location? The city already had the approval to operate as a liquor store, why buy another business? The building that Tower Liquor store is in is not worth millions. What did the city pay for the current building they are in now? Not $2.2 million.
I understand the current owner wants out. It should not be on the backs of the citizens of North Branch. I was informed that $1.3 million was too much to pay. We never got any further with the process. If the city pays ten cents for this business then they are not acting in the best interest of itís citizens. Vote to discontinue allowing a second liquor store, should Tower decided to sell, that is the responsible thing to do. If the city wants another location, that is an entirely separate issue and they sure donít need to spend millions to do it!
Michael Cleveland
North Branch

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