Republic Minneapolis Closed Permanently?

Very sad news, brother.

From what I can tell, Stub and Herb’s is in a similar position.

 

I used to go to Stub & Herbs back in the 70's when I was in grad school. Sad. Covid is not just a killer of people but of businesses too.

 

No!

 

Closed up shop? Damnit. Guess that corner is going to be redeveloped faster than they had planned. Hopefully the owners follow through with the supposed plan to reopen in whatever replaces that building

 

We’re surprised?

 

I may be “bad at Twitter”, but I am an expert at spotting lazy journalism, as exemplified by that City Pages pull-quote.

As I understand it, Stub and Herb’s was to remain operational for at least seven years (and presumably longer) under the new contract with the U of M’s property management and development subdivision.

After Covid hit last March, Stub’s closed (as did most bars and restaurants) per statewide mandate, and this in turn was extended after internal, structural issue was disclosed, in June (they made a Facebook post at the time, but did not go into detail.)

The last Facebook post they made (late June) mentioned that they’d hoped to be open by August, but they haven’t updated since then, even though they are very, very active on Twitter.

Even inasmuch as Covid has had a devastating effect on retail, it is prime retail space, and the U of M (and it’s for-profit subsidiaries) I would not let such a property languish for very long.

I have reached out to Stub’s via email (I am not sure whether or not they even check their email anymore), and will post an update if I hear back. Failing that, I took a few photos. The place looks abandoned.

 

Weird, I just tried calling Stub and Herbs and their phone number is disconnected.

 

This would certainly suggest that they are not actually open for business.

I had to do some banking at the US Bank location just kitty-corner from Stub’s, both last month and again this month (yesterday).

Seeing as how they had not updated their Facebook page in quite some time, I took a chance with a Google search (you’ll see their regular hours listed — and no online review sites indicate that they are closed), and tried stopping in, both times.

What I saw on both occasions:

- A “free newspaper” (circular) box pushed in front of their Oak Street door.

- Their Washington Avenue door (which adjoins the entrance to what was once “Sheffield’s Floral”) has become an impromptu encampment for transients —evidence for this includes discarded clothing and all manner of garbage.

- One of their large windowpanes is badly damaged (cracked).

- Chairs are up on the tables in their sunroom (they were seldom in that state back in the days when the place was open, and busy.)

- The doors to each entry/exit (including their patio) have the following notice posted:



I can’t imagine that they actually did re-open last August, but I can imagine that it is downright depressing for an old, longtime regular to see all of this. I know that to be true for me.

 

Hopefully whoever reopens in that location they dont destroy the classic decor.

 

Aw. Republic was so good.

 

Came across this today:

@StubAndHerbs: Also the day we are shooting for reopening..... https://twitter.com/boatwagon1/status/1375070639044853763

Good news, maybe?

 

??

Looks like a link to the Gophers game? No mention of Stubs? Or am I slow again?

 

Best I can do is a screenshot (because I suck at using social media):

 

Ah, thanks, I was looking for some info on Stubs in the article or tweet linked. This one is pretty clear!

 

If they do re-open, I will be VERY happily surprised. They are the nearest beer bar to me, and I don’t go out much anymore (too old and tired, and too-damned busy working to get out the way that I used to).

 

An unrelated development in the nearby, West Bank neighborhood: The building housing the bar formerly known as the Nomad (now called Part Wolf, and open for business as I tap this onto my screen) is once again for sale in the cool
million dollar range.

My apologies for going off-topic (it ain’t a dive bar, and there are no Midwest forum threads covering non-brewery, on-premise developments. AND, seeing as all of the local business journals are subscriber-only, and we no longer have CITY PAGES to easily link-to, this sort of news gets easily missed and/or lost in the shuffle).