Twin Cities Patios To Open This Weekend
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- The warm up has started, and it seems, at long last, spring has arrived. Now many businesses across the Twin Cities aren't wasting any time taking advantage of it.
"I'm ready for it," said Josh Petzel, general manager of The Local in downtown Minneapolis.
Petzel says seeing 60s in the forecast has him excited. The Local plans to setup their patio on the Nicollet Mall on Friday.
"I think it sounds absolutely fantastic, and this is from a guy who loves winter and loves to play hockey outside," he said.
One year ago, The Local and a number of other restaurants on the mall had already been serving food and drinks on their patios for more than a month. Petzel says their sister restaurant, Kieran's Irish Pub on 1st Avenue, is doubly excited since Twins baseball is underway.
"They're dying to get some nice weather over there. Imagine all the fans who want to enjoy a baseball game without a blanket and parka," Petzel said.
South of the downtown Minneapolis in Uptown, a number of roof top decks have tables and chairs setup, but a little bit of snow can be found in the corners of the patios.
"Last year, we opened up the first week in March," said Scott Harken, the manager at Stella's Fish Café on Lake Street.
Now Stella's will open their sky deck the last week in April. The deck offers one of the best 360 degree views of the Twin Cities skyline.
"All we have left to do in the bar is basically open up my waterlines and get my tap lines going," Harken said.
He also said that Stella's has hired extra staff for the summer season, but the restaurant hasn't had any work for them because April snow showers kept postponing the patio's opening.
At the Uptown Cafeteria, which is also on Lake Street, a little more work is needed. But the rooftop bar behind several garage doors is stocked and waiting for Friday's customer rush.
"Uptown is a destination spot, especially here," said Jorge Robertson, Cafeteria's bar manager. "Not opening for lunch really doesn't affect us, because we're not in downtown with other businesses; but come weekends, come nights, people want to be outside, and they want roof tops."
