HomeMy WebLinkAbout1980 10-08 MGM liquor store planned near Mall THE REVIEW MGM liquor
a store planned
'near Mall
An MGM Liquor Warehouse Inter-
national franchise is being proposed near
Maplewood Mall.
A liquor license application for the
warehouse liquor store has been sub-
mitted to the city for the former Burger
Chef building,located at the intersection
of County Road D and White Bear
Avenue.
At the Oct.2 Maplewood City Council
meeting,Police Chief Richard Schaller
asked the council members to begin
"thinking about the license application."
Schaller said an individual is applying
for the license and plans to enter a
franchise agreement with MGM Liquor
Warehouse International,which is owned
by Patrick and Terry Maglich. The
license application will operate with the
MGM name and receive business coun-
seling and training, purchasing power
and similar things in exchange for a four
percent of the gross sales fee.
This is a new approach to"off-sale"
liquor operations,not only to Maplewood
but to the industry,Schaller said.
Gary Gandrud,attorney for MGM,said
the company is planning to expand and
remodel the former restaurant. The
estimated$500,000 renovation project will
begin when it appears the liquor license
will be approved by the city.The com-
pany hopes to have the remodeling done I
before winter,he continued.
The building is owned by the Minnesota
Teachers'Retirement Association.
Gandrud explained the Magliches are
planning to turn all six of their MGM
Liquor Warehouses in the metro area into
franchises.
Mayor John Greavu toldthe attorney,
"I feel guilty.I've sat here longer than
any other person. We've told our own
people (Maplewood residents) they
couldn't have off sale liquor licenses like
this."
A local liquor store operator told the
council,"If they(MGM)come in here,I'll
guarantee you two or three small liquor
stores will go out of business.
"When they sell liquor for a Si a bottle
less than the guy down the street,you can
bet where the people are going to go to •
buy their liquor.
"It's like putting a Country Club Market
next to the two little grocery stores by city
hall.The Country Club would force both of
the small stores to close up their doom,"
the businessman said.