Hallock Council approves off-sale liquor license for Miller’s Farmers Store

By Anna Jauhola

The Hallock City Council approved a liquor license request during its recent meeting, which didn’t sit well with one council member. During the regular meeting on Monday, Feb. 2, Miller’s Fresh Foods Farmers Store representatives requested to obtain the available off-sale liquor license.

Jerilyn Braaten, operations manager for Miller’s Fresh Foods, said the company would like to build on to the existing store to include a liquor store, including wine, beer and liquor.

“We want to expand in the community and keep people in town,” Braaten said. “We have them in a couple other of our grocery stores in North Dakota and we’re going to hopefully be adding a few more.”

Braaten said the plan is to renovate the enclosed outdoor picnic area on the southeast corner of the Farmers Store building. There are different rules for liquor stores in Minnesota, including that a separate entrance is required to keep the liquor store separate from the rest of the business.

“If we need to come back and show you our plans for it, we’d be more than happy to,” Braaten said.

“You don’t care about the existing liquor store?” asked Councilor Mike Totleben, who owns Red Barn Liquors in Hallock.

“We do,” Braaten said. “We’re just trying to expand and look at some different ways that we can have offerings to the community.” She added the liquor store portion would be open during regular store hours. State statute states liquor stores can’t open until 8 a.m., and the Farmers Store closes at 7 p.m. each day.

“That’ll kill me,” Totleben said.

“Not necessarily,” said Mayor Dave Treumer.

“Yeah, it will,” Totleben said. “You should have told me.”

“I didn’t get a chance to do it today, Mikey,” Treumer said.

“Yeah, but you heard about it,” Totleben said.

The city of Hallock has three off-sale liquor licenses, which are issued to Red Barn Liquors, Last Chance Trading Post and now, Miller’s Fresh Foods Farmers Store.

“Historically, if we’ve had three, I don’t know why we can’t have three again,” said Councilor Jen Peterson.

“The thing is, our reasoning if we were to say no, is not a good reason. And we all know what that reason would be. To me it’s like, how do you say no?” said Councilor Naomi Larson.

As Peterson made the motion, and Larson seconded, to issue an off-sale liquor license to Miller’s Fresh Foods, Totleben gathered his things and exited the meeting. The door noticeably banged on the way out.

To read the whole story, see the Feb. 11, 2026, edition of the Kittson County Enterprise