(UPDATED) Judge Denies Bars' Shutdown Request

As many as 700 bars and restaurants that failed to renew liquor licenses before the July 1 government shutdown could find themselves unable to sell alcohol after Aug. 1, a judge ruled Monday.  

Ramsey County District Court Judge Kathleen Gearin ruled against a petition filed by the Minnesota Licensed Beverage Association (MLBA) to allow the Minnesota’s Department of Public Safety to issue “buyer’s cards” to licensed alcoholic beverage retailers.

Buyer’s cards would allow the retailers to continue purchasing and selling alcoholic beverages “necessary to the ongoing viability of their businesses” through the duration of the shutdown.

Without buyer’s cards, however, the retailers cannot purchase beverages with more than 3.2 percent alcohol by weight.

More than 6,000 retailers require buyer’s cards to purchase alcohol, according to the MLBA petition. The cards are renewed annually.

“Currently there are over 300 retailers statewide who are unable to receive a Buyer’s Card necessary to purchase liquor,” read the petition. “If the shutdown persists 400 additional retailers will lose their authorization to purchase alcoholic beverage by Aug. 1, 2011.”

None of the roughly 300 retailers with currently expired buyer's cards are in St. Louis Park, according to state documents, but a number of nearby businesses are on the list, including nine in Golden Valley. (See the attached PDFs above and to the right for the complete list)

Judge Gearin’s advice to members of the MLBA: “The Court urges the Association members to make the compelling arguments regarding the impact of the shutdown on hundreds of small liquor establishments to the Governor and their local legislators.”

Gearin said that if the shutdown continues past July 24, the MLBA should contact Ramsey County District Court to schedule a hearing.

The Star Tribune reports that MillerCoors, which is also dealing with , will keep distributing—technically a violation of state law.