Blue Earth’s municipal liquor store had a banner year in 2020, despite the COVID-19 pandemic, and possibly because of it.

In fact Blue Earth Wine and Spirits topped the $2 million mark for sales in a single year for the first time ever.

“As far as I know, that is the highest sales in a one year time,” Blue Earth Wine and Spirits manager Dave Olson says. “And I think it can be attributed to COVID. Our monthly sales went up after things were shut down last March.”

City administrator Mary Kennedy praised the staff at the liquor store for all their hard work.

“The staff did a great job and were able to roll with the punches, with all the different hours, new rules and restrictions that came down from the state,” Kennedy says.

The total sales number for 2020 was at $2,008,219. That tops the sales for 2019, which were at $1,670,004, by a large margin.

“We had a big month in December, of $200,050, which put us over the $2 million mark,” Olson says. “It was a good end to a good year for sales.”

The cost of goods was $1,500,641 which put the gross revenues at $507,578. Expenses of operation of the liquor store were at $355,711, which means the store had a net profit of $151,867 in 2020.

There was a transfer out of $50,000 of the liquor store profits which went into the general fund in 2020.

The 2019 year had also been a good one at the liquor store, with a net profit of $96,194.

And, 2021 is starting off on a good pace as well. January’s total sales were at $138,820, up from the $118,165 in January of 2020.

The net profit in January of 2021 was at $4,837, compared to $3,190 in January of 2020.

There was a $50,000 transfer out of the liquor store fund into the general fund, which was then transferred into the wastewater treatment plant fund, which was used to lower a bond payment on the plant, Kennedy explained. Funds are often transferred out of the liquor store fund to help finance other city projects.

“I would like to thank everyone in the community for supporting the local city municipal liquor store,” Kennedy added.

The city-owned liquor stores in Wells and in Kiester also showed profits for the 2020 year.