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Upscale Minneapolis pizzeria Young Joni to close on Sept. 14 amid financial troubles

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Upscale Minneapolis pizzeria Young Joni to close on Sept. 14 amid financial troubles


Young Joni will close at the end of the summer after an award-winning decade in business, restaurant owner Ann Kim announced on social media.

Its last day is set for Sept. 14.

“All things in life come to an end and this is our moment to make room for the next chapter,” Kim said in an Instagram post. “It has been a privilege to work with our dedicated teams and serve the greater community with heart, creativity and purpose. I’m incredibly proud of what we’ve created and we look forward to serving our beloved guests one last time over the next few months.”

The northeast Minneapolis eatery, known for its inventive wood-fired pizzas, opened in 2014 and won Kim Best Chef Midwest honors at the 2019 James Beard Awards.

Last year, the chef closed another of her restaurants, Kim’s, shortly after her employees voted to unionize with Unite Here! Local 17.

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Kim and Conrad Leifur, her husband and business partner, also run Pizzeria Lola in Minneapolis and Hello Pizza in Edina under the banner of Vestalia Hospitality.

Landlord sues for unpaid rent

Court records indicate some financial trouble was brewing under the surface at Young Joni.

A lawsuit filed by property owner 1300 LLC alleges Young Joni owes more than $140,000 in unpaid rent.

The landlord had leased the restaurant space to Young Joni for a 10-year term that expired in August 2024. When the lease came up for renewal, the two parties discussed the new terms.

1300 LLC, citing comparable market rates, wanted to charge $30-36 per square foot. Young Joni countered with a rate of $18 per square foot.

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In June 2024, when they still hadn’t agreed on a rate, the landlord proposed going through arbitration to resolve the dispute, but Kim declined because she didn’t have “the time and energy to go through such a process” due to a labor dispute at her other restaurant.

When the original lease expired and there was still no renewal agreement for Young Joni, the landlord retained the restaurant as a month-to-month tenant and imposed a higher rent.

The lawsuit claims Young Joni is now in default on its lease, owing more than $100,000 in rent underpayments dating back to Aug. 1.

“Young Joni has not paid the appropriate amount of holdover rent for August 2024 or any subsequent month,” the filing states.

Additionally, in 2020, the landlord had agreed to defer more than $42,000 in rent due to COVID-19, with the condition that it be paid back once Young Joni was operating at full capacity. That rent deferment was still unpaid as of this month.

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Minneapolis, MN

Minneapolis man sentenced to nearly 30 years for murder of Deshaun Hill

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Minneapolis man sentenced to nearly 30 years for murder of Deshaun Hill



A Minneapolis man who pleaded guilty to murdering a high school student in 2022 was sentenced to nearly 30 years in prison on Monday.

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It was the second time Cody Fohrenkam was sentenced for fatally shooting 15-year-old Deshaun Hill. He was convicted and sentenced to more than 38 years in prison in February 2023, but the Minnesota Court of Appeals later reversed the conviction and granted him a retrial based on illegally obtained incriminating statements.

Fohrenkam, 33, agreed to a plea deal as his second trial was set to start, pleading guilty to one count of second-degree intentional murder in exchange for Monday’s 340-month sentence. The judge presiding over the hearing gave him credit for 1,476 days already served.

Fohrenkam shot and killed Hill while Hill was walking to a bus stop just blocks from Minneapolis North High School, where Hill was a star quarterback and honor roll student.

One of Hill’s aunts said in a statement shortly before the judge sentenced Fohrenkam that her nephew was “full of life.”

“When he spoke, you listened. He had a soft spirit and a good heart,” she said. “Deshaun was an artist who, as you all know, he took his education seriously. He had dreams and goals. He worked hard to make his family proud.”

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Man on Conditional Release Now Charged in Minneapolis Murder — MNCRIME.com

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Man on Conditional Release Now Charged in Minneapolis Murder — MNCRIME.com


A man is now charged with murder after prosecutors say a robbery inside a Minneapolis apartment building ended in a fatal shooting.

Prosecutors say the man was on conditional release after being charged with first-degree armed carjacking for an incident in Minneapolis last September.

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The killing happened Feb. 24 inside the Abbott Apartments lounge area on the 100 block of East 18th Street, where police found an adult man dead from gunshot wounds after reports of a shooting.

Court documents state the victim and a friend went to the building to meet 20-year-old Abdirahman Khayre Khayre. A witness stated Khayre left the room several times and appeared to be stalling before three armed men entered and demanded property. The men were described as carrying two Glock-style handguns with extended magazines and an AR-style rifle. During the robbery, the suspects demanded a Louis Vuitton bag belonging to the victim. When the victim resisted, a struggle broke out. The witness stated that two guns were taken from him during the robbery.

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The witness told investigators Khayre was handed one of the stolen guns and then pointed it at him, causing him to flee into the lobby. Moments later, multiple gunshots were heard. The witness returned and found the victim shot. Surveillance footage from other areas of the building reportedly corroborated key parts of the account, and the witness later identified Khayre in a photo lineup, according to the complaint.

PREVIOUSLY: Man Shot and Killed Inside Minneapolis Apartment Building

Authorities say Khayre was on conditional release at the time of the killing in a separate Hennepin County case involving a September 2025 armed carjacking.

READ MORE > Minneapolis coverage

In that earlier case, prosecutors alleged Khayre and others confronted a woman in a garage near 19th Street and Nicollet Avenue, pointed handguns at her and forced her to give up the keys to a Dodge Challenger before fleeing in the stolen vehicle. Officers later located the vehicle and arrested multiple suspects, including Khayre, who was identified as the driver.

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Court records show Khayre posted a $75,000 non-cash bond and was released under conditions requiring him to remain law-abiding, have no possession of firearms or ammunition, avoid alcohol and controlled substances and complete treatment.

Khayre is now charged with second-degree murder without intent while committing a felony and first-degree aggravated robbery. He made an initial court appearance Friday, where a judge set bail at $1 million. If convicted of second-degree felony murder, he faces a maximum sentence of 40 years in prison.

The homicide investigation remains ongoing. Authorities have not yet released the identity of the victim. Anyone with information is asked to contact Minneapolis police by emailing policetips@minneapolismn.gov or calling 612-673-5845. Anonymous tips can also be submitted through CrimeStoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS or online. Information leading to an arrest and conviction may be eligible for a financial reward.

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Man killed over Louie Vuitton bag, suspect was on bond for suspected carjacking, charges say

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Man killed over Louie Vuitton bag, suspect was on bond for suspected carjacking, charges say


Minneapolis police are investigating a homicide on Feb. 24, 2026.  (FOX 9)

A man is dead after a witness said he refused to give up a Louis Vuitton bag while being robbed by multiple men at gunpoint. 

Abdirahman Khayre Khayre, 20, is charged with second-degree murder and first-degree robbery for the incident that happened on the evening of Feb. 24 in Minneapolis. 

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READ MORE: Man fatally shot in south Minneapolis apartment building

Fatal Minneapolis shooting after robbery 

The set-up:

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Minneapolis police responded around 10:42 p.m. on Feb. 24 at the Abbott Apartments, located on the 100 block of East 18th Street in the Stevens Square neighborhood of Minneapolis.

Officers then found a dead man in the lobby who had been shot multiple times. 

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A witness to the shooting said he and the victim arrived at the apartments to “hang out” with Khayre, according to the criminal complaint. 

The witness said he became suspicious when Khayre he left the room multiple times and “appeared to be stalling.”

The robbery:

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The complaint states the witness reported three men then came into the room and yelled “Give me everything.” The men were armed with Glock handguns that had extended magazines as well as an AR-style rifle.

They then stole two guns from the witness, and one of them was handed to Khayre.

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When the men demanded a Louis Vuitton bag from the victim, he refused, leading to a fight between them all.

The shooting:

The witness said when he walked toward them, Khayre pointed the witness’ stolen gun at him and racked it. 

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The witness then got out of the room, ran toward the lobby and heard multiple gunshots. He then saw two of the men flee out the back of the building, but didn’t see what direction they went in.

The victim was then found dead. 

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The aftermath:

Khayre was then identified by the witness in a photo lineup, according to the criminal complaint. 

Police say video footage corroborated much of what the witness reported.

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Khayre was on conditional release for a suspected carjacking at the time of the shooting, according to the complaint. 

The Source: This story uses information gathered from a criminal complaint filed in Hennepin County and previous FOX 9 reporting. 

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