Surdyk’s Settlement Reached, Minimizing Impact On Employees

MINNEAPOLIS, MN — The city of Minneapolis and Surdyk’s Liquor and Cheese Shop have reached a settlement on sanctions for the store selling liquor on Sunday, March 12. That settlement would impose a $6,000 fine (up from the $2,000 fine initially proposed) and a 10-day suspension on the store (a decrease from the 30-day license suspension).

These changes were made following discussions in which Jim Surdyk expressed contrition and took full responsibility for the violations, according to the city. They were also made based on a desire to minimize the potential impact on store employees.

The suspension would take place on the first nine Sundays once legal Sunday liquor sales begin in Minnesota July 2, plus a one-day suspension on a Saturday of the store's choosing, the city told Patch in an email.

The proposed sanctions are tentatively scheduled to be considered by the Community Development and Regulatory Services committee April 18. Any settlement must be approved by the Minneapolis City Council.

The backstory

In March, Gov. Mark Dayton signed a bipartisan bill to officially give liquor stores in Minnesota the option to open on Sundays beginning on July 2, 2017.

However, Surdyk's, located in Northeast Minneapolis, apparently didn't want to wait that long. The store said on Twitter March 12 that the it was selling alcohol Sunday.

In response to Surdyk's Liquor and Cheese Shop "knowingly and intentionally violating the law by selling liquor on a Sunday," Minneapolis city officials initially said a $2,000 civil penalty was being imposed on the business, and the city would suspend the store’s off-sale liquor license for 30 days, beginning July 2, 2017.

If the propose settlement is approved by the city council, the penalty would be altered to a 10-day suspension with a $6,000 fine.

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