Here is a message from our friends at the Wedge Co-op:
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Trader Joe's a Block South of the Wedge?
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Minneapolis City Council Member Robert Lilligren confirmed that "there is a proposed mixed-use development at 2309 Lyndale Avenue. The first floor anchor tenant would be Trader Joe's." That location is a half block south of the Wedge Co-op (in the Le Parisien apartments).
The Wedge relishes good competition, but in this case, we'll be at a huge disadvantage. In order to open this store, Trader Joe's wants a variance in the state liquor licensing law that would allow them to sell beer and wine. None of the local groceries in our area (Lund's, Kowalski's, the co-ops) can sell spirits, but the City Council thinks its a good idea to let national chain Trader Joe's sell cheap Three Buck Chuck on our doorstep.
It isn't fair.
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We Need Your Help
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This variance is probably going to get rammed through quickly. There's a City Council Meeting this Friday, April 10, at 9:30 a.m. Most likely, it will pass and go to the State Legislature for approval -- according to our Councilman Robert Lilligren, who supports giving unfair advantages to Trader Joe's over dynamic, local businesses.
Please call your council member AS SOON as you get this email! Their contact information is below.
Please forward this email to any contacts who may be willing to act on behalf of fairness to local businesses.
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What to Say or Write
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If you call, please ask to speak to the Council Person, and if they're not available, ask to leave a message with a staff person.
Consider saying the following:
"I think it's unfair that Trader Joe's could be issued a state liquor license variance, when local groceries are banned from selling beer and wine. Please do not support issuing a variance to Trader Joe's."
You could also make some of the following points:
* Changing the rules to favor Trader Joe's, an international company, makes me question the city's dedication to independent and local businesses.
* A store of Trader Joe's size will have a huge impact on south Minneapolis. Local liquor stores, local grocery chains, and independent stores like the Wedge Co-op will all take a hit from allowing Trade Joe's to sell wine and beer.
* Please show your support for local businesses over giant, international companies. Trader Joe's is owned by the same German company that owns and operates Aldi's, the "German Wal-Mart."
* If the Wedge and other co-ops are negatively impacted by a giant conglomerate, local vendors will be hit, too. Trader Joe's simply can't support Peace Coffee, Sno-Pac, Ames Farm, Sweet Cheeks Baby Food, Mischief Maker Chai, Beeler's Pork, Larry Schultz's eggs, or any local cheeses or vegetable and fruit farmers the way local groceries do.
* Trader Joe's will permanently change the local flavor of this area. The Wedge and Whittier neighborhoods are largely free of big chains and this will open the door for more chains to come in.
* A store this size will compound the already terrible traffic issues here. People won't even want to come to the Lyndale/Franklin area because of the added congestion. Biking will become even more difficult than it already is.
Emails can be created from the above talking points, too. Such as:
Dear [NAME],
I'm writing because I think it's unfair that Trader Joe's could be issued a liquor license variance, when local groceries are banned from selling beer and wine. Please do not support issuing a variance to Trader Joe's.
Please show your support for local businesses over giant, international companies. Trader Joe's is owned by the same German company that owns and operates Aldi's, the "German Wal-Mart." If the Wedge and other co-ops are negatively impacted by a giant conglomerate on their doorsteps, local vendors will be hit, too. Trader Joe's simply can't support Peace Coffee, Sno-Pac, Ames Farm, Sweet Cheeks Baby Food, Mischief Maker Chai, Beeler's Pork, Larry Schultz's eggs, or any local cheeses or vegetable and fruit farmers the way local groceries do.
Thank you for your attention, and I hope I can count on you to vote against issuing a liquor license variance to Trader Joe's.
Sincerely,
YOUR NAME
YOUR CONTACT INFORMATION
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Contact Information for City Council Members
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Find out who your Minneapolis Council Person is here:
http://www.ci.minneapolis.mn.
*City Council Members and Contact*
*Paul Ostrow Ward 1*
350 S 5th Street
City Hall, Room 307
Minneapolis, MN 55415
*Phone*
(612) 673-2201
*Fax*
(612) 673-3940
*E-mail*
Paul.Ostrow@
*Cam Gordon Ward 2*
350 S 5th Street
City Hall, Room 307
Minneapolis, MN 55415
*Phone*
(612) 673-2202
*Cell*
(612) 296-0579
*Fax*
(612) 673-3940
*E-mail*
Cam.Gordon@
ci.minneapolis.mn.us
*Diane Hofstede Ward 3*
350 S 5th Street
City Hall, Room 307
Minneapolis, MN 55415
*Phone*
(612) 673-2203
*Fax*
(612) 673-3940
*E-mail*
Ward 3 Email Form <http://www.ci.minneapolis.mn.
*Barbara Johnson Ward 4*
Council President
350 S 5th Street
City Hall, Room 307
Minneapolis, MN 55415
*Phone*
(612) 673-2204
*Fax*
(612) 673-3940
*E-mail*
Contact Form <http://www.ci.minneapolis.mn.
*Don Samuels - Ward 5*
350 S 5th Street
City Hall, Room 307
Minneapolis, MN 55415
*Phone*
(612) 673-2205
*Fax*
(612) 673-3940
*E-mail*
Don.Samuels@
*Robert Lilligren - Ward 6*
Council Vice President
350 S 5th Street
City Hall, Room 307
Minneapolis, MN 55415
*Phone*
(612) 673-2206
*Fax*
(612) 673-3940
*E-mail*
Robert.Lilligren@
ci.minneapolis.mn.us
*Lisa Goodman Ward 7*
350 S 5th Street
City Hall, Room 307
Minneapolis, MN 55415
*Phone*
(612) 673-2207
*Fax*
(612) 673-3940
*E-mail*
Lisa Goodman's Email Form <http://www.ci.minneapolis.mn.
*Elizabeth Glidden Ward 8*
350 S 5th Street
City Hall, Room 307
Minneapolis, MN 55415
*Phone*
(612) 673-2208
*Fax*
(612) 673-3940
*E-mail*
Elizabeth Glidden's Email Form <http://www.ci.minneapolis.mn.
Elizabeth.Glidden@
ci.minneapolis.mn.us
Gary Schiff - Ward 9
350 S 5th Street
City Hall, Room 307
Minneapolis, MN 55415
*Phone*
(612) 673-2209
*Fax*
(612) 673-3940
*E-mail*
Contact Form <http://www.ci.minneapolis.mn.
*Ralph Remington Ward 10*
350 S 5th Street
City Hall, Room 307
Minneapolis, MN 55415
*Phone*
(612) 673-2210
*Fax*
(612) 673-3940
*E-mail*
Ralph.Remington@
ci.minneapolis.mn.us
*Scott Benson Ward 11*
350 S 5th Street
City Hall, Room 307
Minneapolis, MN 55415
*Phone*
(612) 673-2211
*Fax*
(612) 673-3940
*E-mail*
Scott Benson's Email Form <http://www.ci.minneapolis.mn.
*Sandy Colvin Roy - Ward 12*
350 S 5th Street
City Hall, Room 307
Minneapolis, MN 55415
*Phone*
(612) 673-2212
*Fax*
(612) 673-3940
*E-mail*
Sandy Colvin Roy's Email Form <http://www.ci.minneapolis.mn.
*Betsy Hodges - Ward 13*
350 S 5th Street
City Hall, Room 307
Minneapolis, MN 55415
*Phone*
(612) 673-2213
*Fax*
(612) 673-3940
*E-mail*
Ward 13 Email Form <http://www.ci.minneapolis.mn.
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