Nov. 13—ROCHESTER — The possibility of an earlier last call for liquor sales at some bars and other venues in Rochester did not land on receptive ears Wednesday.
“I don’t feel comfortable being involved in any changes before my term is over,” Rochester City Council President Brooke Carlson said during a discussion of city options as she and three other council members are expected to leave office to leave.
The state is setting 1 a.m. as the standard time for ending liquor sales, with the potential for cities to offer a 2 a.m. option in licensing.
Rochester has eight businesses with permission to serve alcohol until 2 a.m. They are:
* Rochester Galaxy 14 Cinema, 4340 Maine Ave. S.E
* Workshop Food Hall and Bar, 1232 Third Ave. S.E
* LC’s location, 316 S. Broadway Ave.
* Crave Restaurant, 220 S. Broadway Ave.
* North Star Bar, 503 N. Broadway Ave.
*Kathy’s Pub, 307 S. Broadway Ave.
* OBG Hospitality (Mayo Civic Center), 30 Civic Center Drive SE
* Corona’s Tacos, 1641 N. Broadway Ave.
Deputy City Clerk Christiaan Cartwright said the businesses don’t all serve alcohol until 2 a.m. on a regular basis, but the expanded license allows for special events.
For bars and venues that routinely stay open until 2 a.m., he says the extra hour will impact business.
“In the period between 11:30 p.m. and 2 a.m. they make a significant amount of money, especially in the summer,” he said, adding that one company has reported that 25% of their liquor sales occur between 1 a.m. and 2 a.m. Overnight, another company reported that one hour represents almost 30% of total annual turnover.
“If this were to be removed, we are talking about a significant impact on their revenue streams,” he said.
At the same time, he said the locations could also add additional costs to the city from police calls for disorderly conduct and similar violations.
He said data shows officers are heavily deployed early Sunday morning to respond to bars.
Rochester Police Chief Jim Franklin said some of the calls would continue after hours even if downtown bars don’t reopen at 1 a.m.
“That could – perhaps – have a small impact on the amount of activity,” he said of the changing closing times, adding that the main issue is the density of people leaving bars and other venues at the same time.
Franklin and Cartwright said the primary decision relates to the type of activity the city wants to see downtown.
Councilor Patrick Keane said Mayor Kim Norton had raised the policy issue, but he sees no reason to change anything at this time as it could impact the city’s hospitality industry.
“You could make the policy move that we are the health city and we should do everything we can, but I think that really goes against doing business in Rochester and trying to attract business to Rochester,” he said.
Cartwright said Rochester competes with other communities for conventions and other events, so eliminating the extra hour of liquor sales could drive sales elsewhere.
His report highlighted Saint Paul, Minneapolis, Duluth, Lakeville, Bloomington, Roseville and Saint Cloud as cities offering 2 a.m. liquor licenses.
In southeastern Minnesota, Austin and Winona have chosen not to offer this option.
Councilman Mark Bransford said a change would not make sense without specific concerns, especially if it could potentially hinder economic activity in the city.
Cartwright said his office receives periodic calls from companies looking to locate in Rochester, and some have stated that the 2 a.m. permits have been a factor in the decisions.
“It’s an important financial decision for these companies,” he said.
None of the council members have expressed a desire to move forward with a change at this time.
Any change would take time, as changing the city ordinance governing liquor licenses would require a public hearing before a final decision from the council.
