Downtown Minneapolis Restaurant News

[seanrichardryan]

The 3 businesses currently there. I hope they move into another unique spot. Laurie Booksellers is especially going to be missed:

http://www.lauriebooks.com/shop/lauriebooks/index.html

http://jeromeo.com/ ( i forgot that space changed from O'Day, it looks nearly the same).

http://www.jeanstephengalleries.com/about.html

[John]

Those three businesses would fit well in Lynn-Lake.

[Jfuss]

I heard about the brewery concept on the radio yesterday too. There's really no way a Blue Plate brewery-concept restaurant in the North Loop won't be a huge success. Plus, getting more normally-priced restaurants in the area will be a boon in general.

Some more info on the new restaurant...Courtesy of the 2020 Partners.
Blue Plate recently signed a lease for the annex space formerly occupied by HGA at 701 Washington Avenue North. They plan to open a 220-plus seat breakfast-lunch-dinner-brewpub, with a party room and an outdoor patio shaded by the honey locus trees planted by HGA. They have hired a brewer, and are waiting for brewing equipment. They are planning a late September-early October opening, and will be hiring 100 employees. The restaurant is still unnamed, and there are no drawings. Ms. Shimp send she would give a detailed presentation at the next meeting.

[dingo]

Looks like two new restaurants planned

One in the former Lone Tree Space. I think it was only a matter of time that this space was filled with all of the Twins traffic.
http://www.journalmpls.com/news-feed/ma ... -bar-space

The other i believe is in a vacant building in the northloop?
http://www.journalmpls.com/news-feed/pu ... restaurant

[SixOneTwo]

I heard about the brewery concept on the radio yesterday too. There's really no way a Blue Plate brewery-concept restaurant in the North Loop won't be a huge success. Plus, getting more normally-priced restaurants in the area will be a boon in general.

Some more info on the new restaurant...Courtesy of the 2020 Partners.
Blue Plate recently signed a lease for the annex space formerly occupied by HGA at 701 Washington Avenue North. They plan to open a 220-plus seat breakfast-lunch-dinner-brewpub, with a party room and an outdoor patio shaded by the honey locus trees planted by HGA. They have hired a brewer, and are waiting for brewing equipment. They are planning a late September-early October opening, and will be hiring 100 employees. The restaurant is still unnamed, and there are no drawings. Ms. Shimp send she would give a detailed presentation at the next meeting.

I thought this was discussed last month, but can't seem to find the discussion. Anyway, here is some more information about Blue Plate's new brewpub. http://blogs.citypages.com/food/2013/03 ... pening.php

[sushisimo]

The Tangiers proposal seems like it will be in the Aria/Jeune Lune building. Hmm. I haven't been in that building, but I'm guessing there's enough room to keep the Aria event space while carving out restaurant space that fronts 1st Ave? I initially thought maybe this restaurant would be going into one of those cool, vacant storefronts just a bit down 1st Ave on this block, going toward 2nd St. A digital marketing place called "FWRD" moved into one. With the Velo, this upper stretch of 1st Ave is looking more engaging.

Edit (via the application info)
Owner/Interest
Baggio Entertainment, LLC 51%
Aria Brothers, LLC 49%

[woofner]

The report states that Tangiers will be at 116 1st Ave N, which would refer to the second building south of Aria.

http://goo.gl/maps/VL0r5

[sushisimo]

Aha, true. Much more logical for a restaurant. Although, the idea of a restaurant called The Tangier in the Moorish looking Aria building seemed intriguing. Also, it's odd to me that the building numbers go from 120 to 116 as they get closer to 2nd St.

[woofner]

Funny that they labeled them backwards. Both of the buildings across the alley from Aria are on one parcel, which the county defines as 116 1st Ave N

[twincitizen]

Did we already know about this one: http://www.journalmpls.com/news-feed/ne ... ollet-mall ?

French Corner Bistro & Bakery to open at 1200 Nicollet Mall

[twincitizen]

http://www.journalmpls.com/news-feed/ne ... to-deja-vu

A sports bar called "The Office" could locate between JD Hoyt's and Deja Vu.

http://goo.gl/maps/gWJPn

[mamundsen]

I had no idea there was space between these two. This would be a nice addition. Hopefully it means some of the building is reprinted and no longer pink.

EDIT: I just thought about this some more and looked at the street view. There is not obvious vacant space here. I will be very interested to see where exactly this is going. I guess 2,200 sq ft is only 22x100.

I would have guessed the old IPR space across the street would be more desirable.

[Elsinore]

I think they're talking about the 3 story building that's still painted pink and green, but has no Deja Vu branding on it at all. There was a story about turning this same building in to a sports bar back when Target Field opened, but that obviously fell through.

[mamundsen]

^^^ But if you have ever been into Deja Vu you know that the main area is in that building.

Entering from the street you go down a long hall. A small non-used Vu logo merchandise area is on the right. Then you turn left and the main stage/large area is in that 3 story building. Then there are the 2nd and 3rd floors. I shouldn't need to explain those.

The only thing I can figure is that there is a small pocket space right on the street that will be carved out and essentially "under" Deja Vu.

Again I am really hoping that the whole building it repainted.

[Elsinore]

Aye, I've never actually been in Deja Vu, so the way you explain it (that they'd use the front of the 3 story building for the sports bar) makes sense. 2200 Sq Ft isn't that big for a bar, is it?

[gpete]

Millennium Hotel reboot will have a new restaurant, North 45*. Sounds like it's aiming to be a high-end, trendy, tasting menu-type operation: http://heavytable.com/the-tap-in-season ... -and-more/

[Nathan]

Being I've never been... is there anything in the top two floors? If they cleaned up the Storefronts in the front of the three story section, they could easily put some office space above there no?

[mamundsen]

Yes, they use the upper two floors. 1st floor is the main room. 2nd floor is a price increase. 3rd floor is private rooms. As far as I can tell they use the entire space.

***Why do I know so much? I swear I only go for friend's bachelor parties.

[swmpls]

Presentation on Loose Wiles Freehouse:

http://the2020partners.com/wordpress/wp ... 521131.pdf

Weird name, but seems like an awesome concept

[swmpls]

Plans for the Office which shares the building with the Vu:

http://www.ci.minneapolis.mn.us/www/gro ... 109068.pdf

Seems like it will be an improvement, but could be so much more - it would be nice to see them add back big windows in the upper floors where they boarded over parts of it. The city "encouraged" that they paint the whole thing.