Minneapolis' 19 Bar reopens, nearly 1 year after devastating fire
One of the country's oldest gay bars reopened on Thursday, nearly a year after a devastating fire severely damaged the building.
Minneapolis' 19 Bar originally planned to reopen on New Year's Eve, but construction took longer than expected. Right before the new year, a burglar struck the historic Loring Park bar, taking some tools, a backpack and batteries with chargers.
The bar closed on March 23, 2024, after a garbage truck owned by Lakeshore Recycling Systems hit a power pole that landed on the building, sparking flames. No injuries were reported, but the building was deemed a total loss.
In August, Gary Lee Hallberg, the longtime owner of the 19 Bar, sued Lakeshore Recycling Systems for $2.8 million for the fire. In the lawsuit, he says he entered into a contract with Jarvin, LLC on March 12, 2024, in which he agreed to sell the property for $1.46 million. At the time, the bar was valued at $2.8 million.
The sale was set to close on April 15, 2024, but the fire caused the sale of the property and assets of the bar to be canceled, according to the lawsuit.
The 19 Bar opened in the 1950s and is the oldest gay bar in the state and one of the oldest still operating in the United States.