City to Toby Keith's: Show Us More

Since being given a in February, in St. Louis Park has made strides toward hitting the city’s required 50-50 split between alcohol and food sales.

On Monday, however, the City Council deemed that they want to see more progress, extending the establishment’s probation until next February, when Toby Keith’s liquor license again comes up for renewal. If the bar and grill isn’t selling as much food as booze by then, the city could impose stricter penalties, ranging from fines to revoking the license altogether.

“Anything this council wants done, we will do it,” Barry Birks, a traveling general manager with the company, told council on Monday. “We want to be a part of the community.”

Since 2000, St. Louis Park has required a 50-50 split, which is similar to ordinances in nearby Hopkins, Minnetonka and Edina, the latter of which actually requires establishments earn at least 60 percent of their revenue from food. Council members have said the provision keeps St. Louis Park from having unruly “bar districts.”

When the issue first arose earlier this year, Toby Keith’s was selling 32 percent food and 68 percent liquor. Toby Keith’s is currently the only local establishment on probation for not meeting the standard.

The bar and grill has gotten close to hitting the mark. In July, food sales hit 44 percent. In August—the most recent month of records available—that number grew to 49 percent.

Birks said a number of factors went into the increased food sales, including heavy marketing to the local business lunch crowd and a revamping of management. Council members applauded the effort, but said they want to see more than a few months worth of improvement before they’re convinced.

“I’m not sure if it’s a long enough trend,” councilwoman Sue Sanger said.

Council members said they don’t want to run a good business out of town, though, and are willing to work with Toby Keith’s management while staying true to the city’s ordinances.

“We either have a 50-50 rule and enforce it, or we don’t have it (at all),” councilman Phil Finkelstein said.

Birks said he thinks the city is treating he and his colleagues fairly.

“I’m glad that we’re located in a city that cares enough” about people’s alcohol consumption, he said. “The rules and regulations are ours to comply with.”