Bemidji State News Reporting S'11

More bars may be open until 2 a.m.

Corner Bar is currently the only bar that stays open later

By Kara Smyth and Nicole Solum

Ever since the City of Bemidji voted on the issue in January, bars have been allowed to stay open until 2 a.m. The Corner Bar is currently the only business that has taken advantage of the situation. However, other bars in the area are now considering applying for the license after seeing Corner Bar stay open later. “There is a little more action going on here,” said Steve Carter, Owner of The Corner Bar, when describing the effects of the new closing time.

In 2003, the Minnesota legislature allowed bars to close as late as 2 a.m. instead of 1 a.m. Each city could determine on their own if they wanted to allow bars to stay open until 2 a.m. The City of Bemidji decided to keep the 1 a.m. closing time mandatory. The topic resurfaced in 2010 when Zorbaz, a pizza restaurant, wanted to locate on the south shore of Lake Bemidji. Zorbaz’s business plan required a 2 a.m. closing time. In the end, the Bemidji City Council decided to allow a 2 a.m. closing time if each bar applied for a new license.

The Corner Bar made their 2 a.m. closing time debut on March 3^rd, the weekend of the BSU men’s hockey series with the Gophers. “The first weekend went off without a hitch,” said Corner Bar owner Steve Carter. He has yet to see any major setbacks to having his bar open until 2 a.m. “As long as it’s worth it I’ll keep it open,” said Carter. Corner Bar stays open until 2 a.m. mainly on Thursday through Saturdays; however, Carter leaves the decision up to the bar- tenders on a nightly basis.

One drawback that Carter thought would occur was an increase in drunk driving. However, that has not seemed to be the case thus far. Carter said he notices “. . . a lot of people are getting rides to my bar and not driving themselves.” He also noticed that there has not been an increase in fights breaking out, which is something else he thought might result due to a later closing time. Having the closing time one hour later there is not a huge rush of people trying to leave at one time. People are now gradually leaving the bar before the 2 a.m. closing time. “I make the money back that I spent on the license, so as of now it’s worth it to stay open,” Carter said.

Toasty Beaver is another popular bar in Bemidji, but the owner has not yet decided to apply for the 2 a.m. license. Several months ago Toasty Beaver’s manager Chris Hunt said, “Were not going to go against the grain, and be the only one who is open until 2 a.m.” He felt that downtown needed to make a decision together. However, Hunt now acknowledges that the patrons of Toasty Beaver’s want them to stay open until 2 a.m. Hunt said that they are listening and that there will be a change in the near feature to accommodate these patrons. “I don’t think that Corner is going to be the only bar open until 2 a.m.,” he concluded.

The management of Keg n’ Cork has not changed their opinion. They stand firmly against the 2 a.m. closing time. “I’m hoping we never have to do it,” said Keg n’ Cork owner Mitch Rautio. The only way that Keg n’ Cork would even consider changing the closing time to 2 a.m. is if they get a strong push from their customers, “. . . and we’re not getting that right now,” said Rautio. Since they have stayed with the 1 a.m. closing time, Keg n’ Cork has not noticed any direct effects from the 2 a.m. closing time.

One crowd who appreciates the 2 a.m. closing time is students who work at bars. Most bar- tenders have enough time once they are done with work, at a 1 a.m. closing bar, to go to Corner Bar and meet up with friends. “It’s nice to catch a drink before I head home,” said Chris Parrish, a BSU student and bar- tender at Toasty Beaver’s and Blue Ox. He acknowledges that if Toasty Beaver’s or Blue Ox does stay open until 2 a.m. he would not be able to go out after work. “I know that’s what people want,” Parrish said.

The 2 a.m. closing time is still an issue among Bemidji residents; however, as the owner of Keg n’ Cork, said “What’s done is done, and we can’t change it.” Now bars are trying to accommodate their customers. It remains the case some bars are much more open to the idea of a 2 a.m. bar closing than others.