Voyageur Bottle Shop

The City of Pine City Municipal Liquor Store, Voyageur Bottle Shop, is located at 205 Main Street S, Pine City, MN 55063. The municipal liquor store is owned by the City of Pine City which operates to help offset general expenses with liquor store revenues. Over the past 20 years, over 2 million dollars of the profits generated at the liquor store have transferred into city funds to help reduce property taxes for the business owners and residents of Pine City. Profits have also helped fund projects, such as Hilltop Recreation Area and the purchase of fire trucks.

Voyageur Bottle Shop has been in business for nearly 75 years. When it first opened it was an on/off sale operation called "The Muni", in the late 1980's the bar was removed and it became off sale only. At that time there was a contest to name the store and that's when we became Voyageur Bottle Shop.

ln October of 2024, we ventured into the market of low-dose THC products. We currently have over 150 products in stock, including drinks and gummies. These products became legal in Minnesota in 2023.

Our staff will require proof of age for anyone looking 40 or younger when buying alcohol and for all customers buying THC products. The forms of lD that are accepted are: state issued driver's license or state identification card, Passport, or Military lD.

We enjoy serving our customers and benefitting our community. We are involved with many community events and do annual fund raisers for the food shelf, Fire Department, Freedom Fest, etc. The staff of Voyageur Bottle Shop are here to serve and welcomes our customers!

Cheers!

 

 

• Municipal liquor stores started after Prohibition as a means for cities to control the distribution of alcohol in their communities. Later, cities found their municipal liquor store could be a method of generating needed non-tax revenue. Today, the purpose of municipal liquor stores is to "control the distribution of alcohol - while simultaneously generating income for the community."
• "Controlling the sale of alcohol" is different than "responsible service." All alcohol sellers should serve responsibly - don't sell to underage or intoxicated individuals. Controlling the sale of alcohol means reflecting a community attitude - often resulting in a strategic and publicly supported reduction in liquor operation revenue.
• Off-sale municipal liquor operations have geographic exclusivity but not competitive exclusivity.
• There are over 225 cities with off-sale or on-sale / off-sale combination municipal liquor operations, operating approximately 260 facilities. Sales range from approximately $100,000 to over $15 million per year. Total annual sales are approximately $250 million with total annual profits of approximately $20 million. Profits are used by cities for general fund activities or special projects including recreation programs, elderly transportation and public safety equipment.
• Sales have increased over the past decade and the trend is continuing.
• The strong trend in large cities and small towns is to remodel and / or expand existing facilities and build new facilities.
• Municipal liquor operations can advertise, promote, price etc. like independently owned operators. However, because of the "alcohol control" element, municipal liquor operators may choose not to engage in certain, otherwise legal, activities.