Watch CBS News

Wild Greg's Saloon closes, cites COVID restrictions and crime

Midday headlines from Aug. 23, 2022
Midday headlines from Aug. 23, 2022 02:23

MINNEAPOLIS -- A downtown Minneapolis nightclub announced Tuesday that it is closing its doors due to COVID restrictions and crime.

Wild Greg's Saloon, located at 315 First Avenue North, is closed effective immediately. Its locations in Pensacola, Florida, Lakeland, Florida, and Austin, Texas will remain open.

In a Facebook post, the bar said it closed the location in its best interest after "endless mandates and lockdowns issues by Governor Tim Walz" and "riots and rampant unchecked crime."

Many businesses closed their doors temporarily in March 2020 in an effort to slow the spread of the virus.

Minneapolis ended its mask mandate in June 2021, around a year after it was created. The state of Minnesota lifted its mask mandate in May 2021.

In January, Minneapolis passed a policy requiring people entering food and drink establishments to show proof of COVID-19 vaccination or a negative test. Weeks later, the rule was lifted.

Owner Greg Urban appeared on "Fox & Friends First" on Monday to discuss the closure, calling Minneapolis a "ghost town."

Urban said that the establishment hadn't turned a profit since February 2020.

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.