Minneapolis’s Hot Dog Scene Takes a Hit

Chicago’s Taste Authority, a south Minneapolis staple for Chicago dogs, chili dogs, and Italian beef sandwiches, made good on its summertime announcement that it would not renew its lease: The restaurant will officially close September 21, per a post on its Facebook page. In July, owner Rob Dubnecay told Minnesota Monthly that rent increases had driven the business out — when he opened 20 years ago, his rent was $1800, but these days, he’s staring down $6000 per month, he claims. Or, as it was phrased in the Facebook post: “Our rent soared higher than a foul ball at Wrigley Field.” Dubnecay told Minnesota Monthly that the closure he’s actively looking for a new space to rent, so there’s a chance that CTA will rise again. “Our leaving does not have anything to do with South Minneapolis,” he said at the time. “We have enjoyed and grown up here. The neighborhood has always supported the business, just as we have supported the neighborhood.”

Travail schemes up new Northeast plans

Travail Kitchen and Amusements is opening a cocktail bar in Northeast Minneapolis, Mpls.St.Paul Magazine reports, at the same burgeoning intersection that’s home to Young Joni, Vinai, Oro by Nixta, and Anchor Fish & Chips. Stargazer, as the new spot is named, is nestled into the narrow space that was once Dangerous Man’s growler pick-up bar, right next to Vinai — it’ll seat 40, with a horseshoe bar, a handful of booths, and a midnight-black interior, plus a ceiling studded with stars. Travail brought Meteor’s Robb Jones as beverage director: At Stargazer, he’s eschewing batched drinks, emphasizing instead a made-to-order cocktail experience. There will be snacks, too. Look for an opening sometime in October.

Federal labor complaint filed against Kim’s

Unite Here Local 17, the hospitality union that represents former workers at Minneapolis restaurant Kim’s, which closed in August, has filed federal unfair labor practice charges against the restaurant and chef Ann Kim’s restaurant group, Vestalia Hospitality. The charges will be investigated by the National Labor Relations Board. Unite Here alleges that Vestalia failed to give workers the opportunity to bargain about the closure, as businesses are typically required to do according to federal labor law. The union also alleges that it has submitted requests for financial information about the restaurant, given that Vestalia cited “ongoing financial losses” as the reason for the closure, but that the restaurant has not fulfilled those requests. The charges include “issues” during the workers’ election period when Kim and Vestalia management “repeatedly expressed their anti-union position within and outside the workplace,” Unite Here alleges. Vestalia did not respond to a request for comment.

Vellee Deli navigates a new path

Vellee Deli — the food truck-turned-full service restaurant and skyway hit known for its Mexican and Asian fusion tacos, burritos, and banh mi — has had a hell of a week. On September 8, owners Will Xiong and Joyce Truong announced on Instagram that they are facing eviction at their Northeast restaurant, temporarily closing all three Vellee Deli locations (in Northeast, the downtown Minneapolis skyway, and Brooklyn Park), and launching a fundraiser to keep the business open. On September 12, the owners announced that they would reopen the downtown Minneapolis skyway location. “We can either take the easy path — sign the papers, close our Vellee journey, and start fresh — or we can choose the hard road: grind every day and fight until they knock on our door and say it’s over,” they wrote. Per the updates on their fundraiser, however, it seems that negotiations for the Northeast location are not going well. Keep an eye on Instagram for the latest.