Anoka’s open carry alcohol district ‘created a buzz.’ Now the idea is spreading across Minnesota.

Some business owners were hesitant when they heard downtown Anoka would become a “social district,” where residents can walk around outside and go into shops with a boozy drink in hand.

Picturing Bourbon Street in New Orleans or Beale Street in Memphis, some worried boisterous crowds could take over the downtown or cause a ruckus in their stores.

“It was a lot to digest at first, picturing how it would work,” said Gloria Nelson, owner of 201 Tavern. “But we haven’t seen any of the problems I pictured in my worst nightmare.”

Anoka was the first city in Minnesota to create a drinking district, allowing residents to enjoy relaxed open container laws in a designated zone. City officials describe it as a “sip and stroll” area, with enough regulations to ensure it remains a low-key and novel addition to downtown.

Now as Anoka kicks off the district’s second full season in May, the idea is catching on. Stillwater and Shakopee are following the north metro city’s lead and will launch their own social districts this year. Blaine is seeking legislative approval to start one as well.

And as other cities show interest, state lawmakers are considering legislation that could eventually expand the concept statewide, allowing municipalities to more easily establish their own districts.

“I think we’re all a little bit challenged with this economy,” said Becky Althoff, owner of the SWAG etc boutique in downtown Anoka. “So having the option of a social district that can bring out more groups of people who might be interested in walking around downtown, I love it.”

More states in recent years have enabled communities to ease up on alcohol laws and allow open drinking in restricted areas, hoping to re-energize downtowns and boost business as shopping habits change.

Anoka Mayor Erik Skogquist said the city largely modeled its rules after those in Michigan and North Carolina. The idea has become increasingly popular since the COVID-19 pandemic, when workers left offices and more social gatherings moved outdoors.

Some people have been skeptical, worried the districts could promote public intoxication and lead to more criminal activity and drunken driving. Organizers in Anoka say those concerns haven’t been realized.

“It has generated a lot of interest in our city as far as people coming downtown and checking it out,” Skogquist said. “We’ve had business inquiries as well. It’s not just because of the social district, but it is one of the reasons they have thought about Anoka. It’s been helpful and created a buzz.”

Many feel historic downtown Anoka was built for the social district concept.

It’s walkable. Some bars and restaurants are already connected, sharing walkways and bathrooms. Patios flow into one another as the city shuts off part of Jackson Street to expand outdoor seating in the warmer months. Live music carries throughout.

Several events, concerts and a farmers market bring thousands of people to the area, with visitors flooding downtown and Riverfront Memorial Park along the Rum River.

“It’s a good location for it,” Mandy Turner, bartender at the Irish pub MaGillycuddy’s said, as she poured three “Gilly Grenade” shots on a Wednesday afternoon. “I don’t know that it would work everywhere. But here, it’s been really fun.”

Anoka won state approval to pilot the state’s first social district, starting with a monthlong trial in 2023. People can purchase beer, wine and cocktails in special cups from participating businesses and then carry them as they walk to the park or mosey around stores.

City leaders have been fine-tuning the concept since. During the first full season last year, officials expanded the district to essentially cover the entire downtown, and several more businesses signed on.

Althoff said the district has been a positive addition for her store, especially as more people learn about the option to bring in a drink. She said it hasn’t caused any issues other than an occasional sweating glass set down on furniture.

“I haven’t seen people walking around completely annihilated or any troublemakers or anything like that,” she said. “People have been respectful.”

Several business owners said the concept has worked especially well during events. The Anoka Lions Club has started selling beer and seltzers during concerts in the park on Wednesdays. Club member Vicki Violet said she’s watched more people order takeout and a drink from nearby restaurants to bring to the park.

“We kind of underestimated some of the crowds,” Violet said. “It’s become huge.”

Brandon Altenweg, owner of Amoré Antiques, puts on Anoka Vintage Fest each year during the first week of October. He said the festival brings as many as 20,000 people to shop downtown.

“I saw a lot of people last year walking down the sidewalk with a drink,” he said. “It just adds to the event.”

Organizers believe clear rules have helped make the social district work.

The season runs from May 1 to Oct. 5, from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. each day. Skogquist said the city decided to end the district before Anoka, the “Halloween Capital of the World,” welcomes major crowds during the spooky season, to better manage it.

Signs mark the district’s boundaries and where residents can carry beverages. Each business posts a window cling showing whether they participate in the district.

The city sells the special cups to businesses, with an extra 25-cent fee per cup to help Anoka pay for cleanup and other costs. The city has so far sold more than 39,000 cups for $18,000, more than half going to the social district fund.

Anoka Community Development Director Doug Borglund said as the social district fund grows, the city might buy a stage for concerts.

City officials say they haven’t dealt with added public safety issues. They’ve mostly focused on educating customers.

Residents can’t bring their own alcohol to the district. A drink from one establishment can’t be brought into a different bar. Turner, the bartender, said she hasn’t run into any issues, but has had to inform customers of that rule as some have hopped from one bar’s patio to another.

This season, Skogquist said the city is opening up more shared outdoor spaces for people to sit, drink and play cornhole. The city also is launching a busker program, granting musicians and entertainers licenses to put on a show in dedicated areas.

Anoka is preparing a report on how the pilot program has gone to present to state lawmakers later this year. Borglund said several cities have reached out to hear about the effort and see if it might work for their communities as well.

Stillwater and Shakopee are setting rules for their social districts to open this summer. In Blaine, city spokesman Ben Hayle said officials are working with legislators to get approval for a district in its 105th Avenue development, a new downtown underway near the National Sports Center.

And state lawmakers are debating broadening the liquor law so cities could establish districts on their own. Rep. Zack Stephenson, a DFLer who represents Anoka, recommended finding a way to limit how many social districts are allowed in Minnesota.

He said at a recent hearing that with the right rules, expanding the concept should not take away from the social district being a draw to Anoka.

“I know some folks were skeptical in the beginning, but it’s been a really positive thing,” Borglund said. “A lot of people have rediscovered Anoka or have found us for the first time.”