BY JASON BITTNER
Buster’s on 28th was established in 2007 on the corner of 42nd Street and 28th Avenue South in Minneapolis’ South Side. It was opened by three family men that wanted to bring the neighborhood a much needed upscaled beer bar focusing on craft brews and great food. They set about transforming the Lake Inn, which had served the neighborhood faithfully since the mid-‘70s into a beer centric gastro-pub. Although they didn’t know it at the time, their vision of what a neighborhood bar should be would influence local Minneapolis and St. Paul restaurants immensely.
In the last seven years the landscape of beer in Minnesota has changed drastically with the explosion of local breweries and the introduction of hard-to-get and hard-to-find regional ones. If you remember only a handful of years ago New Castle was considered a luxury to find at a local watering hole. Those days are long gone; now, walking into a local eatery is like walking into a wonderland of choice for both food and brew. Where once you had the choice of one or two domestics on tap, now there are 20 micro brews to choose from. This is what Buster’s on 28th, and beer pubs like them, helped to foster.
Sadly, on June 21 of 2013, during heavy storms and massive power outages, Buster’s had a fire that shut its doors and left the neighborhood wondering if it would ever return. After months of closure and a massive remodel, Buster’s finally reopened its doors to loyal and beloved patrons on July 10 of this year. To everyone’s relief, Buster’s has been successful in maintaining the same intimacy and cozy feel that they’ve always been known for, while making small changes, such as a bigger and better kitchen and upgraded restroom facilities.
Since the reopening, Buster’s has continued its dedication to bringing beer education and great food to South Minneapolis. It has returned with many of the old faces that made this neighborhood establishment a mainstay in the area for the past seven years and hopefully for many years to come.
Buster’s would like to thank A Baker’s Wife, South Side Shiatsu and Angry Catfish for all of the support through the rebuilding process, and would like to welcome back its customers old and new.
Thank you!
