urbanMSP

"Volstead’s Emporium"

Ha! Love it!

It states the entrance will be at the rear of the building...which seems a little off. While it contributes to the speakeasy vibe, how are people going to know it's there?

Sounds like they are trying to do this like Marvel Bar which I love. Doesn't Marvel Bar basically rely on word of mouth and they have no sign? Even walking into the back door it seems like you're going in the wrong place. That's the charm for me. I'm actually very excited for this since I live 1/2 a block away! I hope it's done well.

So many cities have back door bars, that's kind of the point. It's a great sign of a vital city when a bar is confident enough that it can be secretive and not in your face, I think. kitschy unique bars are one thing we're seriously lacking in. There are many storied bars in a lot of cities and we have few on their level.

One thing that I'd like to see more of in Minneapolis is the corner/neighborhood bar now that the liquor laws are going to be more lenient.

That actually brings up a good question... Now that 70/30 is gone, what are the major differences in limitations between a beer/wine license for a restaurant and a beer/wine liquor license for a neighborhood bar like Cedar/Adrians/Matt's/Cardinal?

I wonder if the economics of small local corner bar would work out, if you're starting from scratch. With as big as craft beer is, I feel like you'd need a good number of taps right from the start to get anywhere, and that can't be cheap, can it? Or could a place with cans/bottles and liquor make it without taps?

I wonder if the economics of small local corner bar would work out, if you're starting from scratch. With as big as craft beer is, I feel like you'd need a good number of taps right from the start to get anywhere, and that can't be cheap, can it? Or could a place with cans/bottles and liquor make it without taps?

At the restaurant I work at we have (only) 4 taps, and a few cans/bottles. We have expensive craft cocktails. It's really not hard to please the beer drinkers if you have decent mixed drinks, and everything is curated well.

Yet in many Minneapolis neighborhoods it's nearly impossible to get a bar or restaurant license that allows liquor. South of Lake Street, it seems that the handful of establishments with liquor actually have their addresses in state law allowing liquor sales.

Isn't there some provision in the city code about a certain number of linear feet or acres or something of contiguous commercially-zoned property to get a "full liquor" license? Or was that for liquor stores? If true, that would confine "full liquor" places to larger commercial districts, and keep them out of the smaller, more residential commercial nodes.

You need 7 contiguous acres of commercial zoning for a liquor license. There aren't many areas in south Minneapolis that qualify, but there are a few. 38th and Nicollet is one; I think 60th and Nicollet is another. Probably 54th and Lyndale.

I wonder if the economics of small local corner bar would work out, if you're starting from scratch. With as big as craft beer is, I feel like you'd need a good number of taps right from the start to get anywhere, and that can't be cheap, can it? Or could a place with cans/bottles and liquor make it without taps?

In many cases wholesalers will agree to pay for and install your tap system provided you only sell their beers on tap. If they have a good selection it is not a bad deal. The problem is that if the relationship turns sour they can pull your taps.

You need 7 contiguous acres of commercial zoning for a liquor license. There aren't many areas in south Minneapolis that qualify, but there are a few. 38th and Nicollet is one; I think 60th and Nicollet is another. Probably 54th and Lyndale.

One would hope 54th & Lyndale qualifies. That's a really successful node that is lacking in restaurants. It has the basics down pat, and more: full grocery, pharmacy, coffee, library, liquor store, park access, and more. It is certainly lacking in eateries. Not that they need to sell full liquor, but it wouldn't hurt in attracting one of the well-known restaurateurs in town to do something here (though hopefully as part of a mixed-use developed including underground parking)

You need 7 contiguous acres of commercial zoning for a liquor license. There aren't many areas in south Minneapolis that qualify, but there are a few. 38th and Nicollet is one; I think 60th and Nicollet is another. Probably 54th and Lyndale.

One would hope 54th & Lyndale qualifies. That's a really successful node that is lacking in restaurants. It has the basics down pat, and more: full grocery, pharmacy, coffee, library, liquor store, park access, and more. It is certainly lacking in eateries. Not that they need to sell full liquor, but it wouldn't hurt in attracting one of the well-known restaurateurs in town to do something here (though hopefully as part of a mixed-use developed including underground parking)

Speaking of 54th and Lyndale, the new Walgreens in the old Borton Volvo building opens on Friday. I don't know if anyone has plans for the old building, but a two or three story mixed-use something-or-other on that SE corner would be delightful. If the old Beek's Pizza redevelopment actually happens, this intersection could have some serious momentum. Who wouldn't want to live that close to the Parkway with all those amenities? There are even two schools within walking distance: Annunciation (Catholic, obviously) and Windom (dual immersion).

That's a really successful node that is lacking in restaurants.

It does have Saguaro and Mac's Fish and Chips. Both are good.

That's a really successful node that is lacking in restaurants.

It does have Saguaro and Mac's Fish and Chips. Both are good.

And Subway, Starbucks, Prima, and a yogurt place

There's been discussion on the Windom Facebook group about the rumor of a Chipotle. But the neighborhood is actively working on some other efforts to make it more appealing to land the types of places they want.

That's a really successful node that is lacking in restaurants.

It does have Saguaro and Mac's Fish and Chips. Both are good.

And Subway, Starbucks, Prima, and a yogurt place

Oh, yeah, forgot about Prima. But Starbucks, Subway & Freestyle don't really count as "restaurants" in the sense twincitizen was talking about.

Some Scena on Lake updates, but no opening date set: http://www.southwestjournal.com/news/bi ... na-on-lake

Going by the old Social house it looks as though it has been stripped down to the main support down to the ground floor. With one of the doors open I could see the sky from inside of the building. This has now turned into a near complete rebuilding of this site. Still have not a clue what the finished product will look like or how it will be arranged as far as kitchen and seating.

Did the After Midnight Group buy this building? It seems like too major of a renovation for the building owner to be doing for a tenant. And too much money for a tenant to be doing to a building they don't own.