Bar owners in area mixed on 2 a.m. closing

Police chief

says 1 a.m.

is late enough

By FRITZ BUSCH

Journal Staff Writer

BROWN COUNTY -- A good share of bar owners and law officers said they are not in favor of a bill in the Minnesota Legislature that would extend bar hours from 1 a.m. to 2 a.m., among other things.

House File 1493 was introduced and read for the first time on the House floor April 7. It would eliminate municipal liquor store competition geographic restrictions, remove the number of liquor licenses issued by a municipality and provide for uniform off-sale hours in the state.

Iowa, South Dakota and Wisconsin all use the 2 a.m. closing time. Supporters say the law would eliminate the last-minute rush across the border. Opponents fear the bill would increase alcohol consumption and traffic deaths.

After passage by a House Committee, the bill moves to the House Rules Committee. A similar bill is moving through the Senate.

Brown County Sheriff Tim Brennan said a 2 a.m. closing would increase his staffing hours and anxiety level.

"The state talks about budget cutting and we don't have many places to cut outside of patrol hours," Brennan said. "Bars are open long enough. Closing at 2 a.m. would add to our workload. I'd have to explain to county commissioners that we need people out later. It would be fine if the state gave us an extra $20,000."

New Ulm Police Chief Erv Weinkauf said closing at 2 a.m. would make more people drink and drive impaired.

"God only knows there are too many of those people already," Weinkauf said. "I don't think the idea behind it has any credibility or basis. I have nothing against people drinking socially. Extending bar hours will just prolong the aftermath of people leaving establishments."

New Ulm Police Commander Harvey Grunst said the 2 a.m. closing will only move peak bar and police activity back to that time and would not provide for more even dispersal of revelers.

Denise Borson, owner of the Schnitzelbank Stube in downtown New Ulm said she'd move the bar closing time back to 2 a.m. if she could, even though it would mean getting less sleep at night, which she said she would miss.

Otto's Feierhaus (Holiday Inn) bartender Adam Pringle, who hails from Wisconsin, said he finds it "weird" that Minnesota never went to a 2 a.m. closing time sooner.

Sleepy Eye Police Chief Don MIckelson said the bill could create the potential for more law enforcement problems around area watering holes.

"It's bad enough now (closing bars at 1 a.m.)," Mickelson said. "Some people out socializing don't want to settle down until 1 or 2 in the morning. It's different in the seven-county, Twin City metro area or maybe Mankato, but our streets should be quiet early in the morning."

Mickelson said if the City of Sleepy Eye would approve an ordinance, he felt it could be rescinded if the number of accidents, domestic police calls and complaints of spouses coming home late increased dramatically.

"It's the driving afterwards that the biggest issue," Mickelson said. "I don't mean to take business away from bar owners. Later hours would be ideal for conventions at motels in bigger cities where people don't have to drive home."

A Sleepy Eye police officer who wished to remain anonymous said the bill "stinks and is designed for the Twin Cities so it can host more conventions."

Sleepy Eye Off-Sale Liquor Store Manager Dean Meinert agreed that the bill is designed for larger cities.

"In big-city motels, some people may want some pop and don't want to go to bed yet," Meinert said. "I don't think it will be approved out here."

Sleepy Eye's City Limit Lounge owner Dale Schottle said a 2 a.m. closing is unlikely at his establishment.

"I think 1 a.m. (closing) is late enough," Schottle said. "Closing at 2 a.m. would be fine in the metro, since they're competing with Wisconsin bars that are open until 2 a.m."

Ole Hengel of Sleepy Eye answered the phone at Meyer's Bar. He said the bill wouldn't affect him at all.

"I don't care if they (bars) run 24 hours a day," Hengel said.

Meyer's Bar owner Scott Meyer was one of the few bar owners that favored the bill. He thought a later closing time would be good for people that work until 11 p.m. or midnight.

At the Sleepy Eye Servicemen's Club, Aut Seidl said the club wouldn't stay open later even if everybody else did.

"It's too much trouble. People can leave here and go someplace else," Seidl said. "Sometimes we close at 10 p.m. or 11 p.m. on weekdays if nobody is here."

Dave Eckstein, part-owner of Jerry's Bar in Sleepy Eye said the 2 a.m. closing might be a good idea on weekends but could be a problem, since he sometimes has trouble getting people out of the bar at 1:30 a.m.

Ziyi Zhou of New China Restaurant in Sleepy Eye said 2 a.m. would be ok since some customers like to stay late.

Courtland Crow Bar owner Keith Eckstein said he would like to see a 2 a.m. closing time.

"We could use the revenue. It's getting tougher and tougher to make it in this business," Eckstein said. "Insurance is killing me and they're talking about lowering the driving under the influence level to .08 blood alcohol content."

Searles Bar & Grille owner Steve Farasyn said it wouldn't make much difference to him but he felt it was unlikely he would change hours even if he had the choice.

Customers just began drinking later when the midnight closing time was moved to 1 a.m., according to Charlie Ahlbrecht, owner of Charlie's Bar in Gibbon.

"One a.m. is late enough," Ahlbrecht said. "I probably wouldn't change hours unless other bars in town did."

Carl's Corner in Essig owner Pat Berg said he won't close at 2 a.m.

"We're often pretty well empty by midnight," Berg said. "If some bars want to stay open until 2 a.m., more power to them."

Front Street Bar & Grill owner Bill Vollmer in Morgan said he hopes the bill doesn't pass.

"I don't like it," Vollmer said. "There's no reason to stay open later. It's a long enough night. It wouldn't make much of a difference out here. It might in the Twin Cities."