Municipal Liquor Store Increasing Sales, Profits for Sauk Rapids
SAUK RAPIDS - The Sauk Rapids Municipal Liquor Store made nearly $147,000 last year for the city coffers. State Auditor Rebecca Otto has released her annual "Analysis of Municipal Liquor Store Operations".
Sauk Rapids Finance Director Jack Kahlhammer says the liquor store's net income of $146,765 in 2014 was up from the $132,500 profit it made in 2013. He says they've turned a corner after smaller profit margins of $97,000 in 2011 and just $62,400 in 2012. Kahlhammer says it's always turned a profit.
The money earned by the liquor store is spent on maintenance on the building, they also used some of the money to buy land east of Highway 10 for a possible second liquor store location, and they're planning a major interior renovation this spring. Some of the money is also spent on capital equipment for public safety and public works.
Otto's report says 200 Minnesota cities operate 233 municipal liquor stores.