MAP: Minn. Municipal Liquor Store Report | News

State Auditor Rebecca Otto released the 2010 Analysis of Municipal Liquor Store Operations Tuesday. The report provides comparative data on liquor operations owned and operated by Minnesota cities.

Data for municipal liquor stores across the state is shown in the interactive map below. The full report is available below the map.

Minnesota municipalities were originally authorized to own and operate liquor establishments as a means of controlling the sale of alcohol, the auditor's office says.

In greater Minnesota, municipal liquor operations provide access and convenience in areas that may be unable to attract a privately run business.  Additionally, profitable municipal liquor operations have provided another source of revenues to supplement traditional tax and fee revenues.

In 2010, 209 Minnesota cities operated 242 municipal liquor stores, with 116 cities operating both on-sale and off-sale liquor establishments and 93 cities restricting their municipally owned establishments to off-sale liquor stores, according to the auditor's office. While the majority of municipally-owned liquor stores are located in greater Minnesota, 19 cities within the seven-county metro area own and operate liquor establishments.

Minn. 2010 Municipal Liquor Store Report