Almost every nonalcoholic bottle shop in the Twin Cities has closed this year — and the only one remaining is on the brink of shutting down, its owner tells Axios.

The big picture: Nonalcoholic drink sales are booming nationwide as Americans cut back on alcohol.

Yes, but: The popularity of booze-free beverages means more establishments, including liquor stores and restaurants, are now stocking once hard-to-find products.

Driving the news: Three of the Twin Cities' four nonalcoholic bottle shops have already announced plans to shutter in 2026, leaving Marigold in South Minneapolis as the only dedicated storefront.

• Marigold's St. Paul location and Zero Proof in Northeast closed at the end of March.
• Lucille's Bottle Shop in downtown St. Paul announced its final sale earlier this month.

Zoom in: When Marigold owner Erin Flavin opened the city's first NA bottle shop in 2022, she had days with over $20,000 in sales.

• Now, her ability to stay open is determined "week-by-week," she told Axios on Wednesday.

What they're saying: "Big stores can sell things so much cheaper because they have the space and the liquor margins. It kind of makes my little store irrelevant — once people find what they want, they can go to their local neighborhood place," Flavin said.

• At one point, she considered selling alcoholic wine to stay afloat. She's now thinking of pivoting and using the space for a nail salon.

The other side: Flavin saw an increase in foot traffic and support after posting a video to Instagram sharing the business's struggles.

• During Audrey's interview with Flavin, staff from two hot Twin Cities restaurants stopped by to ask about collaborations or to purchase gift cards.

Zoom out: Liquor store industry leaders confirm that changing consumer tastes are changing what they stock and how they sell.

• "Five years ago, we might have had one or two NA options tucked on a shelf — now it's an entire section, and customers are asking for it by name," Minnesota Municipal Beverage Association executive director Paul Kaspszak told Axios.

Keep reading for the state of the shops in Greater Minnesota

Mining on federal land near the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness is back on the table following yesterday's U.S. Senate vote to rescind the Biden administration's 20-year moratorium.

Why it matters: The resolution removes one roadblock to Twin Metals' long-debated bid to build an underground copper-nickel mine near Ely.

• Supporters hailed the vote as a "major victory" for efforts to source critical minerals in the U.S., while critics decried the outcome as a "dark day" for the deeply cherished wilderness area.

Zoom in: The legislation applies to about 350 square miles of the Superior National Forest — land that's south of the BWCA but within its watershed, per MPR News.

Where it stands: The proposal from Twin Metals, a subsidiary of a Chilean mining company, still needs to clear federal and state permitting processes.

• That means a final decision is likely years away.

What we're watching: Conservation advocates pledged to keep fighting and called on Gov. Tim Walz to cancel a state mineral lease.

🍽️ Cardamom restaurant will close in the next 90 days after the Walker Art Center announced a split with operator Daniel del Prado.

• The museum said Del Prado's decision to eliminate servers in favor of QR code ordering didn't align with its vision for the space. (Star Tribune)

⚖️ Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty charged an ICE agent with two counts of assault, alleging he pointed a gun at drivers in traffic in February. (KARE 11)

• The agent told investigators he feared for his safety when a vehicle swerved in front of him. He admitted to pulling a gun, but not pointing it at the passengers.

🍛 Wolves center Rudy Gobert made an investment in Northeast Minneapolis restaurant Parcelle Organics that is helping the company add locations in the North Loop, downtown and Wayzata. (Star Tribune)

🗓️ Mark your calendar with our Event Board.

Art in Bloom at the Minneapolis Institute of Art starting April 23: Mia's beloved festival of flowers returns. This year's floral festivities are blooming with more family events, hands-on workshops, public tours, and a kick off party to usher in the spring.

Yes, it's absurd for the NHL to pit the Wild against the Dallas Stars — by far the No. 2 and 3 teams in their conference — in a first-round playoff series.

Why it matters: After nine straight playoff series losses, the Wild deserve better odds at getting a huge monkey off their backs.

Reality check: Round Two is no longer this team's goal. Since trading for Quinn Hughes, the Wild have insisted their "Stanley Cup window is now" — and any path to the trophy probably goes through Dallas and/or Colorado.

• We're about to find out exactly how well this team measures up against the league's best.

The big picture: On paper, this series is a toss-up between two heavyweights.

• The Wild's star power — Hughes, Kirill Kaprizov and Matt Boldy — is matched by Dallas' Miro Heiskanen, Mikko Rantanen and the red-hot Jason Robertson.

What's next: Game 1 in Dallas starts at 4:30pm tomorrow on ESPN or FanDuel Sports Network.

Go deeper on the matchup

The Timberwolves' quest for a third straight trip to the Western Conference Finals — and maybe more — begins tomorrow against a familiar foe.

Why it matters: This is a pivotal postseason for the Wolves. If they bow out early, it could prompt a shakeup of the roster and put head coach Chris Finch's job in jeopardy.

Flashback: This will be the third recent postseason series between Minnesota and Denver, with the Nuggets winning in 2023 and the Wolves in 2024.

• Denver is once again the heavy favorite.

What we're watching: Anthony Edwards, Jaden McDaniels and Naz Reid have dealt with injuries in the latter part of the season, but some recent rest could have them in better shape.

State of play: The Nuggets are led by three-time MVP Nikola Jokić and boast the NBA's best offensive rating, but rank 21st in defense.

What's next: Tomorrow's Game 1 tipoff is at 2:30pm and you'll need Amazon Prime to watch.

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The Minneapolis Tulip House is blooming again under new ownership.

• Though the display's original creator passed last year, new homeowner Patty and neighbors planted over 5,000 bulbs to honor her memory.

Details and location via Instagram