A sports bar institution in Minneapolis is serving customers for the last time on Sunday. The Corner Bar is closing after 22 years of operation in the West Bank of downtown.
“Twenty two years and I was here almost every day,” said William Murray, the owner. “Yeah, it’s sad.”
A bittersweet Sunday for Murray, seeing the place bustling with customers one last time has him holding back tears.
“I kind of have to wrap my head around not being at The Corner Bar anymore,” said Murray.
The Corner Bar was well known for the Vikings tailgates.
“I do very, very well during the Vikings season, so to not make through the Vikings season is kind of heart breaking,” said Murray.
Beyond football, this spot held the tradition of the annual Minneapolis Fire Department holiday party for the last 18 years. Colm Black treasured the way Murray and his staff treated his crew.
“He always gave us discounts and looked out for the people who served the community and made that a priority,” said Black, a Minneapolis firefighter.
When the 35W bridge collapsed in 2007, Murray served the construction crew daily.
“It became ‘The Bridge Bar’ and I had 60 to 100 bridge workers here for a year,” said Murray.
This place, located near parts of the University of Minnesota campus and Augsburg University, drew in a consistent college crowd as well.
“Once I moved to Minneapolis, one of my buddies was going to Carlson School of Management and he had happy hours here 10 years ago, and we’ve been coming ever since,” said John Gidon, a local customer.
Godin and his wife, Tara, came to closing day to have The Corner Bar’s famous Joey Wings one last time.
“I have to tell [my wife] a lot that I need wings, and I’m going to The Corner Bar, so that’s kind of the marriage dynamic I guess,” said Gidon.
“A little piece of me is gone now,” said Black.
Earlier this year, a Muslim nonprofit called Human Development Fund, bought the building The Corner Bar is in. The new owners did not renew Murray’s lease and have plans to turn the bar into a Muslim community center.
Murray says he hopes to open a new restaurant in the future, so stay tuned on The Corner Bar’s social media pages.
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