Behind The Ballot: 70/30 Law Up To Mpls. Voters

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Minneapolis restaurant owners hope voters will get rid of a law they say is keeping them from moving forward.

The 70/30 Law is affecting restaurant owners like Molly Broder.

"I have Broders' Cucina Italiana, that's our deli, I have Broders' Pasta Bar and Terzo Vino Bar," Broder said.

All businesses are located in the southwest Minneapolis, in area of Penn Avenue and 50th Street.

For the last year, Broder and 70 other neighborhood restaurant owners have been trying to get rid of the law, which they say is outdated.

"There's a provision in the charter which permits neighborhood restaurants to sell liquor and beer if at least 70 percent of their gross receipts are from the sale of food," said Berry Clegg, chair of the Minneapolis Charter Commission.

The rule was added to the charter in 1996 to keep eateries from turning into rowdy watering holes, but they're based on much older laws on the books.

"The liquor laws of Minneapolis date back to late 1800s," Clegg said.

Broder and the owners say with the increasing cost of craft beers and wine, it's become a challenge for restaurants to stay within the law for several years now.

"If you share a bottle of wine with a friend for $30, do you really want to spend $70 on food?" Broder said.

On Tuesday, Minneapolis voters have the chance to get rid of the law all together.