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They're two popular items that you can buy at grocery stores in just about every other state, except here in Minnesota. But don't look for that to change anytime soon!

There aren't too many things that are illegal for grocery stores to sell here in North Star State, but there are two popular things that are on the banned list: Wine and beer.

Now, grocery stores in the Bold North *can* sell beer, but as we all know, the beer that grocery stores can legally sell in Minnesota is that strange '3.2' beer, or 'near beer' as it's sometimes called. And the Gopher State is currently the *only* state where that product (which contains less alcohol by volume than regular beer) is still sold.

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Grocery and convenience store owners were hoping that a bill that would allow them to sell regular beer and wine might be forthcoming during this year's legislative session in St. Paul. But it appears that won't be happening.

According to this Minn Post (MP) story, DFL Senator Matt Klein and Representative Zack Stephenson are the leaders of the two commerce committees in charge of liquor laws. And they say they will NOT hear any bills this session that would allow grocery and convenience stores to sell stronger beer and wine. This means, once again, Minnesota will continue on for another year under the strangest and most archaic liquor laws in the country.

SEE ALSO: 5 Most Affordable Places to Live in Minnesota

The MP story notes several reasons WHY Klein and Stephenson say they're once again putting the kibosh on moving Minnesota's outdated liquor laws forward, and it all comes down to the alcohol bill the Legislature passed in 2022. (That was the 'Free The Growler' law which, after being previously stymied, FINALLY passed last year and 'generously' allows craft breweries to sell more of their own beer.)

According to Klein and Stephenson, because that bill passed last year, there's no need to take up another alcohol-related bill this year. Finally passing that long-overdue law in 2022 seems like an incredibly weak and unrelated reason to NOT take up another bill concerning alcohol this year, if you ask me.

So, in the meantime, until those legislators decide to actually *do* their jobs, if you want to get your fix of wine or beer here in the Land of 10,000 Ridiculously Outdated Laws Lakes, you'll still have to hit up your local liquor store (which I love, btw.) At least they're allowed to be open on Sundays.

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