Stillwater Development News

[mamundsen]

https://www.gomn.com/life/stillwater-bb ... be-closing

Smalley's BBQ could be closing as soon as this Saturday. The article says the building was bought and they are being forced out. Seems like there is more to the story.

[cnelson]

https://www.twincities.com/2018/01/02/s ... ns-on-tap/

Lift Bridge will likely stay in the city’s industrial area; they plan to announce the location of their new five-acre site within a few weeks, he said.

“The site needs to be five acres to accommodate visitors and truck traffic, so (staying) in the industrial area would make the most sense,” he said.

[Silophant]

Not enough rolleyes emojis in the world.

[MNdible]

As nice as a downtown Stillwater location might be for taproom reasons, this is mostly a production facility that is best suited for an industrial area. If they proposed a downtown location, everybody would complain about all of the blank walls and big loading docks. And yes, the parking.

[bubzki2]

On the other hand, they keep finding places for MASSIVE parking ramps, e.g., into the hill on 2nd St. S & Olive. That would have been a great place for this facility. There's a fair bit of space in Stillwater, actually, for a large facility near downtown. Tons of surface lots and poorly utilized space around if you look, but they'd have to build a multi-level facility, which might not be realistic.

[SurlyLHT]

They could put a taproom downtown like Fulton did in Mpls maybe?

[MNdible]

Yes, that would seem to be the logical option for them, if they felt that having a downtown presence was important. Which, apparently they don't. [shrugs]

[HiawathaGuy]

Lift Bridge Brewing lands a Stillwater site for $10 million expansion
*UNLOCKED*

They've selected the corner of Orleans St & Washington Ave (not far from their current location) for the new facility.

[bubzki2]

https://www.twincities.com/2018/08/02/n ... -business/

"When the Lift Bridge reopens after renovations are completed next year, it will connect with the new bridge in a unique two-state loop trail.

In Wisconsin, the trail will run along Main Street of 386-population Houlton, bringing a steady stream of bikers, hikers and sightseers.

That won’t help B&L Liquors, said owner Severson. “Bikers don’t buy anything. They are not going to strap a six-pack across their handlebars and ride across the bridge,” he said.

He predicted that a nearby trail rest stop would be a magnet for crime."

[Multimodal]

That won’t help B&L Liquors, said owner Severson. “Bikers don’t buy anything. They are not going to strap a six-pack across their handlebars and ride across the bridge,” he said.

I’ll start looking for Instagram photos of cargo bikes loading up at B&L Liquors soon.

At new bike/ped/transit meetings, it would be good to find old quotes along with controverting evidence to show people how these old diatribes won’t come true in this new project.

[Multimodal]

P.S. I have a nice bike bag that holds a couple bottles of wine or a six pack or two. I go grocery shopping with it all the time. You don’t even need a cargo bike to go to a liquor store.

Hell, a Lime Bike with a basket will work.

[bubzki2]

On one hand, I want to go across the river and show up in obnoxious bike garb to prove him wrong, but on the other hand I don't plan to give him any business.

[EOst]

The guy sounds obnoxious, but he isn't wrong. Houlton existed mostly to serve traffic across the Lift Bridge, so it's pretty clear that the bypass would hurt their business significantly. I don't know if they would be any better off if the Lift Bridge were maintained for cars, but bikes aren't going to save them.

[trafficeng985]

No he isn't wrong, but it is not like the new bridge popped out of nowhere within the blink of an eye. This guy should have known for the last 10 to 15 years this was going to happen. To sit back and complain when he knew damn well what was going to happen to traffic around his place is pathetic.

[Tiller]

https://www.twincities.com/2018/08/02/n ... -business/
"When the Lift Bridge reopens after renovations are completed next year, it will connect with the new bridge in a unique two-state loop trail.

In Wisconsin, the trail will run along Main Street of 386-population Houlton, bringing a steady stream of bikers, hikers and sightseers.

That won’t help B&L Liquors, said owner Severson. “Bikers don’t buy anything. They are not going to strap a six-pack across their handlebars and ride across the bridge,” he said.

So when should we have a group bike ride to try out the new trail and prove him wrong?

While not giving him money would be satisfying, it would be even more satisfying to demonstrate the value of bike/ped infrastructure.

And hey, people living in Stillwater are now only a short bike ride away from Wisconsin's more lenient liquor laws. That's unironically pretty convenient.