The Total Wine store in Bloomington that was supposed to open December 2013 may finally open one year after originally planned.
Since December the Bloomington location of the wine superstore has been held up in wrangling with the Bloomington City Council and objections from the Minnesota Licensed Beverage Association. Total Wine pulled its application in April and refiled it May 21 with the city of Bloomington to smooth the process.
Those self-imposed delays mean that a public hearing won't be held until late September or early October, said Bloomington city attorney Sandra Johnson. After the hearing the license still has to be approved by the city council. "City staff has agreed to do everything we could to shoot for a council decision in early to late November," she wrote in an email.
Once the license is granted Total Wine can stock the store in a matter of days, but no alcohol can be stored on the premises until after a license is granted.
Ed Cooper, vice president of public affairs & community relations for Total Wine wouldn't speculate on a late November or December opening after all of the licensing issues the company has encountered. But he is confident that the Burnsville location in Burnhaven Mall will open in September.
A hearing on the liquor license in Woodbury (7150 Valley Creek Plaza) will be taken up at a city council meeting on Wednesday, June 25. The Woodbury Bulletin reported that the Minnesota Licensed Beverage Association plans to send a representative to object to Total Wine's application.
"We've learned to expect pushback in Minnesota," said Cooper. "It would not surprise us if competitors come to the meeting and ask the city of Woodbury to do their bidding for them. They [liquor store owners] are afraid of competitors."
The Roseville location, which debuted in March in Rosedale Marketplace, is the only location in Minnesota that is open.
