State Auditor Julie Blaha released the Analysis of Municipal Liquor Store Operations report.  This report is for the year ended Dec. 31, 2018.  At a press conference at St. Anthony Village Wine and Spirits, a municipal liquor store, Blaha discussed trends and underlying financial data provided in the report.

“While the number of liquor stores show decline, the profitability of those remaining stores is increasing,” Blaha said. “That suggests the strong local oversight model for municipal liquor stores is effective.”

During 2018, Minnesota’s municipal liquor operations reported a 23rd consecutive year of record sales, totaling $360.2 million. Total sales generated in 2018 increased by $11.3 million, or 3.2%, over 2017.

The combined net profit of all municipal liquor operations totaled $29.0 million in 2018. This represents an increase of $5.9 million, or 25.%, over the amount generated in 2017. Among on-sale operations, net profits totaled $3.5 million in 2018, which was an increase of $1.2 million, or 50.4%, over 2017. Total net profits for off-sale operations totaled $25.5 million in 2018, which represents an increase of $4.7 million, or 22.8%, over 2017.

During 2018, Minnesota’s municipal liquor operations reported operating expenses totaling $78.7 million. This represents an increase of $463,777, or 0.6%, over the amount reported in 2017.

You can view the full report at www.auditor.state.mn.us/Reports/gid/2018/liquor/liquor_18_report.pdf.