Saturday, August 30, 2014

What Has Become Of Good Sports Bar And Grill? "Temporary Bar Closing" And "See You Soon" Was Five Months Ago...

Photos, blog post by John Hoff

Good Sports Bar and Grill has been a place close to my batter-dipped, chicken-fried heart since it opened. I wrote in July of 2012 how my journey to Afghanistan began and ended at Good Sports Bar and Grill, with a basket of their amazing wings. Many a key community event, from Jim Wentzell Day to victory parties and strategy meetings has taken place at Good Sports, which long ago was the old Johnny A's. 

OK, so what happened? A sign on the door says the place closed April 14 of this year, which coincides with the account of a North Minneapolis citizen who posted something on...

...North Vent on April 19, something along the lines of, "Geez, I went there for my $4.99 breakfast special and the place wasn't open."

Rumor (on Facebook) has it the place was closed down for a remodel around the time a sale of the business fell through. Well, that was a while ago and paper slapped on the door by the City of Minneapolis in June cites the location as an unlicensed business. 

So what's the deal? Is the remodel continuing? Is Good Sports coming back? Or has our neighborhood lost a popular business with nothing in sight to replace it? 

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Perhaps if you actually lived in Minneapolis, rather then relying on North Vent for your info, you'd have some idea what's going on in Minneapolis.
They were closed for not paying license fees. They do have a current liquor license, but I suspect that like many establishments they are waiting for Minneapolis to rewrite the ordinance that does away with food to liquor ratios which will make it easier fore these local eateries to make a profit.

Johnny Northside! said...

I am rejecting a bizarre comment that goes on about an alleged "Chicago element."

Anonymous said...

Chicago, Chicago ,Chicago you yellow ass white boy!!!

Anonymous said...

The owners were brothers and mutually decided to close the business. After Champions closed on the Southside, that clientele began to come over this way and they decided to end the business on a high note rather than combat that element. Although I was saddened about their closing, I respect that decision. The business was doing very well right up until closing. The building had only been leased and the building's owner, Swami Palanisami, is soon to reopen with the best of the Good Sports staff returning. The location has only gotten better since GS first opened with Donny Dirk's at the end of the block and the new Boom Island Tap Room just behind that. I hope the food is still as good as Good Sports was. It was the best on the Northside.