BY DEBRA KEEFER RAMAGE
Adrian’s Tavern, beloved institution of Chicago Avenue in South Minneapolis, closes forever on Jan.10. Adrian’s was tucked into a small slot between the Parkway Theatre and, most recently, Town Hall Tap. There has been a business in that space since the 1930s, and a place called Adrian’s Tavern since the 1950s. In the 1930s, the location was a steakhouse, which was almost destroyed in a fire and stood closed for many years. After Prohibition ended, it was renovated and opened as a 3.2 beer bar. Then Adrian came along and changed it to a full-service bar and grill. After Adrian, the tavern has been owned by four men named Jim, and not one of them wanted to change the name. Why mess with success?
Southside Pride went to talk to the current and last owner, Jim Pratt. It was less than a week before Christmas, and both the tavern and Jim were dressed for the occasion. He was wearing a dashing (through the non-existent snow) Santa hat, and was looking pretty cheerful about his impending retirement. Linda, his oldest daughter, was also in the house and dropped by for a quick introduction before vanishing to do mysterious tavern-running things. Jim’s retirement will actually be his second, because the Pratt family’s tenure of the tavern was kicked off by Jim’s first (early) retirement in 1993, from American Linen. His wife Karen (they were high school sweethearts) was working for Northwest Airlines, and was not retiring, and Jim says she didn’t like the idea of him sitting around all day while she had to go to work. They knew Adrian’s well— as nearly lifelong South Minneapolitans, and because a couple of their kids had worked there—and knew it was for sale. Karen urged him to buy the bar and run it. After Karen retired from NWA, they ran it together until she passed away in 2010.
What kind of a place was Adrian’s Tavern? It was a neighborhood place, a family place, a place to get inexpensive beer and burgers and watch the tube and talk with your neighbors. That kind of a place. The newer business model is to have a separate play area for kids, or live music, or tastings, or a few gourmet featured items, and of course, artisanal beers. Adrian’s was never going to be that place. But they catered events for neighborhood parks and schools (all four of the Pratt kids graduated from Washburn) and in the tavern they served what people want—a Juicy Lucy or a Lurtse-burger, bacon and cheese burger named in honor of “Benchwarmer” Bob Lurtsema, the former Vikings player. Bars like Adrian’s Tavern are becoming scarcer.
The new owners are the next-door neighbors, Town Hall Tap. They bought the space only, and plan to use it to expand. So it really is the end of an era for a friendly neighborhood tavern called Adrian’s, but owned by Jim. The last Jim is looking forward to his real retirement, and has plans to travel and spend more time with his 20 grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.
Photo caption: Jim serving his famous burgers at our 48th and Chicago Antique Car Show. We will miss his contributions on the corner! Photo by Joyce Tesarek
