Hander is new manager at B.E. liquor store
Begins job after working in corporate office for McDonalds

Stacy Hander is the new manager at Blue Earth Wine and Spirits municipal liquor store. The first official day on the job for the St. James native was on July 29.
The Blue Earth Wine and Spirits municipal liquor store has a new manager who started just two weeks ago.
“My first official day was Monday, July 29,” new manager Stacy Hander says. “I did come over here a few days before my actual first day to start training.”
Although Hander has not had liquor store management experience, she has plenty of background in managing food service restaurant businesses.
“I have worked for 14 years in the McDonald’s corporate office in Albert Lea,” Hander says. “I was in upper management and in charge of two McDonald stores all of the time, but I could be working on things for as many as 19 stores at one time or another.”
It was time to make a change, Hander says, explaining that she has three kids and they are getting to an age when they are getting into more activities.
“When you are climbing the corporate ladder and working for a large corporation, there are going to be a lot of hours involved,” she says. “There are a lot of demands on your time.”
She says managing the liquor store in Blue Earth is still a job in a business environment, but on a smaller scale.
Hander grew up in St. James and went to college in Winona. She and her husband, Josh, live on an acreage south of Wells.
The couple has three children – Lincoln, 9, Eleanor 6 and Oliver 3. All three will be in school at United South Central this fall.
“We have enough space on our place for the kids to run and play,” Hander says. “We have a big garden and some animals, too.”
That includes chickens. The kids are in charge of tending to the chickens and the garden, and they get to sell the eggs and the produce.
“It all goes into their ‘vacation fund,'” Hander explains. “They are saving up for a family trip.”
One trip the family will be taking soon is later this month when Hander’s sister gets married in Washington state.
Hander’s husband, Josh, works at Country Corner Service in Wells, which is owned by Andy Yokiel.
“My husband and I have tried to find time to take a trip somewhere new, around the time of our anniversary, too,” Hander says. “But we have nothing planned.”
One reason for that is her new job as the liquor store manager in Blue Earth.
“There are some challenges,” Hander says. “My not having a background in liquor stores is one, but I can overcome many obstacles with my business management experience.”
She adds she has experience in ordering, customer service, employee issues and more.
“It is just a different and new clientele,” she adds. “But I do love talking to people and meeting people.”
She has gotten to know a lot of people in Albert Lea and she is very excited to meet new folks in the Blue Earth area.
“I live in Faribault County but I worked in Freeborn County for many years,” Hander says. “Now I am excited to be working in my home county of Faribault.”
She says her main goal is to see the Blue Earth Wine and Spirits store grow. And to do that she wants to get familiar with the trends in liquor sales. She also wants to get some community engagement with the liquor store.
“I do have some ideas for promotions but first I just have to learn the business as quickly as I can,” she concludes.