Restaurants/Bars permanently closed due to COVID-19 (Minneapolis, St. Paul: for sale, leases)

[Cruz Azul Guy]

I thought I would create a thread dedicated to the food and drink establishments that didn’t survive the epidemic and shutdown. I’ll start by naming a couple of our favorites that are gone and it brings a tear to my eye as we frequented both these places...

El Burrito Minneapolis - 4820 Chicago Ave S
Bar Luchador - 825 SE Washington Ave

Anyone else care to share a few of their favorites that didn’t make it?

[Glenfield]

A few others come to mind:

Mission American Kitchen
Cheese Louise
Sleepy V’s
Egg & I
Izzy’s St. Paul
4 Bells
Bachelor Farmer
NE Arcade
Muddy Waters
Betty Danger’s
Pazzaluna

There will be many, many more before this is over. All because of shoddy modeling by amateurs.

[Citykid3785]

Seeing similar stuff down here in Atlanta.

I've talked to a few of the owners, and in most cases, it's a combination of the following factors:

- many are getting reprieve to break leases, so if they were already underperforming, now is the time to jump ship
- some couldn't swallow the costs of being closed for a quarter of the year
- a majority aren't projecting being profitable after factoring in some of the new rules they have to abide by; less people in the restaurant, sanitizing more often, safety measures like installing plexi-glass, etc.

[Glenfield]

Originally Posted by Citykid3785

Seeing similar stuff down here in Atlanta.

I've talked to a few of the owners, and in most cases, it's a combination of the following factors:

- many are getting reprieve to break leases, so if they were already underperforming, now is the time to jump ship
- some couldn't swallow the costs of being closed for a quarter of the year
- a majority aren't projecting being profitable after factoring in some of the new rules they have to abide by; less people in the restaurant, sanitizing more often, safety measures like installing plexi-glass, etc.

It’s a difficult business in the best of times. I read today that employee-owned Hell’s Kitchen is going to stay completely closed until July, when they hope to begin offering take out. The article said the when they are completely shut down, their fixed costs still run $41,000 a month!

https://www.fox9.com/news/hells-kitc...lling-it-quits

[Citykid3785]

Originally Posted by Glenfield

It’s a difficult business in the best of times. I read today that employee-owned Hell’s Kitchen is going to stay completely closed until July, when they hope to begin offering take out. The article said the when they are completely shut down, their fixed costs still run $41,000 a month!

https://www.fox9.com/news/hells-kitc...lling-it-quits

I can't imagine the pressure to need to clear $41K after costs just to break even!

I work for Coca Cola headquarters, and seeing our sales is loosely a reflection of the general economy.....

Sodas +5% to LY
Juice/Milk +20% to LY
Water/Powerade -10% to LY
Foodservice (fountain sodas, etc.) is still down about 35% to Last Year, at its worst in early April it was down 75%.

For what it's worth, beer sales are up 35%!

I say that to highlight that the restaurant business is still probably down more than 35% to a normal year when you factor in all the mom and pop sit down restaurants that probably don't sell that much soda. I've heard as many as 15% will never reopen, which I can easily believe.

[MnMomma]

Betty Danger's doesn't appear to be closing permanently: https://bettydangers.com/

[Glenfield]

Originally Posted by MnMomma

Betty Danger's doesn't appear to be closing permanently: https://bettydangers.com/

Not officially yet, but it’s for sale and the owner says it can’t be profitable. No official closing announcement but no plans to open either.
Wanna buy Betty Danger's AND its giant Ferris wheel in Minneapolis? | City Pages

[Ghengis]

Most of these restaurants were old and/or in poor health anyways

...see how that works?

[Cruz Azul Guy]

Burger Jones in uptown is gone. I never got a chance to eat there but heard that it was quite good. Didn’t a guy once illegally land his plane on one of the lakes so he could get lunch there? RIP.

Update - I found the article: http://www.citypages.com/news/pilots...urgers-6549539

[gweilo845]

Originally Posted by acrobat612

I live across the street and it was a decent place. Nothing great, but a decent local standby. I feel for the staff - the bartender was always real cool with me.

I never went to the Uptown one - but the one in Burnsville is awful IMO. Went a couple of times, one time the server was extremely rude, the other the food was undercooked. Not good, especially considering their prices.