South Minneapolis Lands a Big Ice Cream Win

Plus: Naz Ranch, a notable sale on West Seventh Street, and more news

Big summer news: Super-popular Minneapolis ice cream shop Sebastian Joe’s is coming to the former Apoy space on Nicollet Avenue. The story comes from Southwest Voices, which, in February, published a handwritten letter to the editor from 21 Kingfield kids asking for an ice cream shop in their neighborhood. “Having an ice cream shop at a walkable distance would be amazing for us because currently there are none near us,” they wrote. “We also had the idea that it could be a Sebastian Joe’s because the factory is right around the corner.”

Southwest Voices reports that though Sebastian Joe’s wasn’t interested in the pitch at the time, Apoy’s closure — and the kids’ persuasion — made the owners change their mind. Keep an eye out for an opening date announcement coming soon.

Ranch is the Wolves’ secret sauce

Of all the infectiously joyful content to emerge from the Wolves’ historic game seven win against the Denver Nuggets on May 19, the top trending post on the Timberwolves subreddit comes from a guy who got splatted with ranch dressing by a Nuggets fan, just before halftime. (While Denver was winning — who does that?) Anyway, the ranch slander seems to have backfired, as it heralded the Wolves’ record-breaking comeback in the third and fourth quarters. The stats are irrefutable. Two words, as Reddit user boboagogo612 put it in the comments: Naz Ranch.

A new pub readies to replace Tavern on Grand

Legendary walleye restaurant Tavern on Grand, which announced in January that 2024 would be its last year, will serve its final meal on June 2. The Pioneer Press reports that a new restaurant will take its place soon after: Russell’s Bar and Grill is set to open sometime in the fall. Owner Todd Russell hasn’t shared many other details so far. “Tavern on Grand has had such an incredible run and done so much for St. Paul and Grand Avenue,” he told the Pioneer Press. “I want to make sure they have their moment and we don’t overshadow it.”

St. Paul’s Schmidt Brewery Rathskeller sells for $2 million

Minneapolis’s Molina Investment Group has purchased the Schmidt Brewery Rathskeller on West Seventh Street for a sum of $2 million, the Minneapolis / St. Paul Business Journal reports, after the building went into foreclosure in 2023. New owner Wilson Molina told the Biz Journal that he’s currently renegotiating leases and seeking tenants — he plans to turn half the building into a Brazilian steakhouse, and says he’s “open” to bringing back Mancini’s Char House as a tenant.

Kickoff to Summer at the Fair returns

The annual “slice of the fair” event is back this weekend, May 26 to 29. Tickets are $13 online and $16 at the gate; a roster of more than 40 vendors — including Sweet Martha’s, Baba’s, Chimborazo, Pronto Pups, Mouth Trap Cheese Curds, and others — will be serving food and beer; and a slate of live music performances is planned. Here are more details.