Photograph by Caitlin Abrams
Bachelor Farmer
Bachelor Farmer
This is a hard one.
Eric Dayton has announced that they will NOT be bringing The Bachelor Farmer and Marvel Bar back to life when the pandemic restrictions loosen. This is a permanent closure of the basement bar, street cafe, and formal dining area that has helped define the North Loop neighborhood and the city's dining scene for nearly a decade.
Their full statement is posted below, and while I spoke with Dayton earlier today, he wanted to let this statement stand as record, and I respect the work he put into crafting those words.
Personally, I thought this was one we'd see on the other side. But when you look at the timeline, and the reality that we won't be back up and chugging like a real restaurant town for many, many, more months, it's more understandable. TBF's food isn't really suited to a meaningful takeout program, and Marvel is just handcuffed. You have to remember that the events business that helped fill those upper rooms is not popping back either. No out-of-towners from conferences, tightened expense budgets, that's the foreseeable future. Fine dining is going to have a rougher re-entry.
So I want to pour one out for the endeavor that said Nordic wallpaper and ham + split pea soup can be cool again, popovers and roof gardens should be part of our eating landscape, and a righteous cocktail may take time to make, but it will be damn worth it. It's good to mourn this place. And it's a huge loss. But I have to remain so happy that we had it in our towns. It changed us.
And yet ... let's not count out the Daytons. This is a forward-looking and innovative crew, and they own that building. I wouldn't be me if I didn't have an optimistic eye to what could possibly be next. Can I hope? Could we see some re-invention that turns the space into an Askov for food? A corner store of MN Makers and their products, maybe using the kitchen as an incubator for helping food brands of the North? Throw in a charitable way to keep their work with Minnesota Central Kitchen going, and I feel a bit better.
That's just how I get through these things.
Dear Friends,
Six weeks ago, we closed the doors to The Bachelor Farmer, Marvel Bar, and our cafe to protect the health of our team, and the community. And today, I have reached the very difficult decision that we will not reopen.
As you know, the future of hospitality is incredibly uncertain and over the past month, we have tried our best to navigate this uncharted territory. We have explored the option of takeout, most likely evolving into a hybrid model of takeout and reduced-capacity dining room service in the months ahead, but there’s just no way for that level of business to support the financial weight of our company and the building we call home. We were already walking a fine line before COVID-19, and given that no one knows how long the impacts of this pandemic will last, or what the new normal will be, I do not see a viable path forward.
The loss fills me with sadness, but I am also overwhelmed with gratitude. We had the privilege of serving you for almost nine years. We celebrated important milestones right alongside you, hosting countless birthdays, weddings, and anniversaries. We welcomed a president, a vice president, and a first lady. And we were fortunate to be able to go out on a high note, having recently received another four stars from the Star Tribune and reimagining a bar as a space where everyone feels comfortable. We helped to create a vibrant neighborhood and I hope we contributed something of lasting value to the fabric of our community. I’m proud of that legacy and can’t thank you enough for making it possible.
We have tried to provide support for our team through this incredibly difficult time, and this decision doesn’t change that. Every employee received six weeks of pay while furloughed and we will continue to provide full health benefits through May 31. And for our guests, if you have an unused gift card we will transfer the balance into a credit at Askov Finlayson. Any outstanding event deposits will be refunded in full. There is no easy way to do this, but we’re committed to doing it right.
I want to thank Mayor Frey and Governor Walz for their steady leadership through this crisis. I strongly support the decisive steps they’ve taken to protect our collective wellbeing and this decision is not a result of their actions, which have been commensurate with the crisis we face.
Lastly, to our friends in the Minneapolis restaurant community: It has been an honor to be in your company and I believe in your ability to overcome these unprecedented challenges. Hospitality will be more important than ever as we heal from the shared trauma of this experience and I know you will continue to raise the bar for many years to come.
Thank you again, everyone, for your incredible support. We will miss welcoming you through our doors, but hope to see you again soon.
Until then, please take good care of yourselves, and each other.
My best,
Eric Dayton
