Knollwood Target to open liquor store on Wednesday

Target is opening its second liquor store in the Twin Cities metro area this week.

The Minneapolis-based retailer will open the store inside the Knollwood SuperTarget in St. Louis Park on Wednesday. And it is working through the application process to add at least three more liquor stores next to its big-box stores in St. Paul (Midway), Minnetonka, and Chaska.

The flurry of activity is a sign that Target is pleased with the results from its inital foray into alcohol sales in Minnesota. In October, Target opened its first liquor store in the state in Otsego, about 35 miles northwest of Minneapolis. The company said that was a pilot program and would decide whether to roll it out to other stores on a case-by-case basis.

"We had an overwhelmingly positive response from our guests to our first location in Otsego," Erica Julkowski, a Target spokeswoman, said in an email. "Sales have been strong and our guests tell us they love the ease and convenience of shopping for everything on their list in one place."

Target already sells liquor in 37 states, including Wisconsin. But it has not done so in Minnesota until recently because of the state's strict liquor laws that include banning Sunday sales as well the requirement that stores have separate entrances for liquor stores.

A number of grocery stores such as Cub, Rainbow, Lunds/Byerly's, Sam's Club and Costco sell liquor in stores with separate entrances. But Wal-Mart and Target have not done so.