Closing Time: Saloons, Taverns, Dives, and Watering Holes of the Twin Cities

by Bill Lindeke, Andy Sturdevant

In 1838, a rum trader named "Pig's Eye" Parrant built a small shack in a Mississippi bluff that became the first business in the city of St. Paul: a saloon. Since then, bars, taverns, saloons, and speakeasies have been part of the cultural, social, and physical landscape of St. Paul and Minneapolis. Serving as neighborhood landmarks, sites of political engagement, welcoming centers for immigrants, hotbeds of criminal activity, targets of ire from church and state alike, and, of course, a place to get a drink, the story of the taverns and saloons of the Twin Cities is the story of the cities themselves. 

In Closing Time, Bill Lindeke and Andy Sturdevant dive into tales from famous and infamous drinking establishments from throughout Twin Cities history. Readers are led on a multigenerational pub crawl through speakeasies, tied houses, rathskellers, cocktail lounges, gin mills, fern bars, social clubs, singles bars, gastropubs, and dives. Featuring beloved bars like Matt's, Palmer's, the Payne Reliever, and Moby Dick's, the book also resurrects memories of long-forgotten establishments cherished in their day. Lindeke and Sturdevant highlight neighborhood dives, downtown nightspots, and out-of-the-way hideaways, many of which continue to thrive today. Closing Time brings together stories of these spaces and the people who frequented them.

Genres: History, Nonfiction

240 pages, Hardcover

First published October 15, 2019

Reviews

[Kelsey Noah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Clearly a labor of love for these gentlemen. I enjoyed reading about the rich history of taverns, 3.2 bars, and saloons in the older MSP days. Loved all the old Saint Paul history. Who knew Cuzzy’s had a ghost???

[Jay Gabler · Rating 5 out of 5]

Did you know that Cuzzy's has a ghost? She's named Betsy, believed to be the earthly echo of Elizabeth Maurer — a member of the family that ran Maurer's Bar before it was renamed in 1995. Bashed nearly into oblivion, with parts of the building being physically hacked away to cut down on maintenance and give cars more room to park, it's one of the Twin Cities' oldest bars in continuous operation, with a history dating to the 1880s.

Closing Time pays tribute to centuries of Betsys: those sturdy proprietors, sometimes sharing a bar's name and sometimes not, who keep the good ship Cutty Sark sailing into the lowballs of thirsty locals. I reviewed Closing Time for The Current.

[Darrel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wasn't sure what I'd get out of this book when I began reading it. The subject matter was of initial interest to me from a historical view, but I also had a personal vested interest in seeing what the authors had to tell about some of the locations I'd been to and still have great memories of. Matt's Bar, Palmer's, Payne Reliever, Moby Dick's, First Avenue, Johnny's, Nye's Polonaise....they're all here - and much more.

The material here is presented in chronological order, from past to present day, with some of the bars even coming into being before Minnesota statehood. It was enjoyable and often eye-opening to read about these places from the mid to late 19th century and learn about the proprietors and some of the patrons (both famous and infamous) who frequented them. As you read through the book, you also discover interesting background on how the temperance movement of the early part of the 20th century, and later Prohibition, recreated the landscape of bars in the Twin Cities region. Some truly fascinating stories and tales (a few tall tales among them to add to the entertainment) as well as relating incidents of many legendary locals who were these destinations top denizens, makes the reading compulsive and even compelling.

While I did find this book an excellent history on the subject and truly appreciated the discovery of many a place I otherwise likely wouldn't have, I was a bit disappointed by the exclusion of some of the more well-known locations here in the Twin Cities that are justly famous. For instance, there's no mention of Mayslack's (!!!) - a Northeast Minneapolis landmark and institution and (arguably) most legendary bar - which I would have considered a lock for inclusion here. Other widely known and notable locations not mentioned include both O'Gara's in St. Paul and Williams Pub in uptown Minneapolis....oh, and lest I forget to mention the Uptown Bar itself. Each of these locations were immensely popular destinations - actually, more than that, they were a must for the bar crowd - throughout the 70s, 80s, 90s and into this century. Sadly, only Williams Pub has had the fortune to still have it's doors remaining open.

The authors do note in their Introduction to the book that readers would, of course, notice such omissions when paging through it, offering the common sense explanation that while most every bar that has sprung up in the Twin Cities will have it's own stories, tall tales, legends and famous & infamous barflys to brag about, there simply wasn't enough room to be able to add all of the locations. That's understandable to be sure...but seriously, to have left out a few of those places I've mentioned seems like an oversight. I'd like to see a followup book or a second edition published to be able to include these - and others that I'm sure more readers will notice have been neglected to be named here too.

[C.E. G · Rating 4 out of 5]

I put this on hold at the library quite a while ago - possibly pre-pandemic - and when I un-suspended my holds I could not remember why exactly I was interested in this. I don't really drink these days, and I wouldn't say I have frequented too many bars in the Twin Cities. So when I brought this home, I figured I would just read the chapters of the places I'd been to (like the 19, CC Club, Palmer's...). But I started skimming the beginning just to see what kinds of bars they chose for selection, and I ended up getting very into it and reading the thing cover to cover! Bars are a very fun lens to look at things like the history of city councils, police forces, social issues, etc. The short chapters made it very hard to put down.

[Bethany · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is an incredibly fun book to read that gives you info on some of your favorite bars (especially right now when you can't go to them!) But with no source list, it's impossible to use for any historical work.

[Mark · Rating 2 out of 5]

A catalog of SWPL imaginings that tell more about the writers than the subjects. If you're looking for history (and accuracy), the book is a repetitive disappointment. For an aging slice of smug Twin Cities scenesters, it's a glorious and nostalgic reminiscence. If you know, you know.

[Andy Harvey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Must read for MSP history buffs.

[Greg Giles · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun, solid review of bars past and present in the Twin Cities.

[Jay Hyvare · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great coffee table read. Nice look into the city’s history of bars & neighborhoods

[Jonathan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Clearly a labor of love. Essential reading for anyone in the Twin Cities.

[Geenyas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting local history of the Twin Cities bar scene. Well-researched and includes amusing tidbits about the places and people.