Eli’s turns 13 on the 13th
On the 13th of January, Eli’s East, 815 E. Hennepin, celebrated its 13th year in business. The original Eli’s, on 12th and Hennepin, was shut down last year.
Residents in the Holland neighborhood told the Minneapolis City Council Business, Housing and Zoning Committee that they’re tired of the disruptions caused by late-night patrons of the Handy Stop, 700 Lowry Ave. NE. (Davis Steen)
Neighbors seek to curtail Handy Stop’s hours
Residents near the Handy Stop, 700 Lowry Ave. NE, were surprised recently to learn that the gas station/convenience store had applied for a 24-hour operating license. The store has been open 24/7 since its 2007 purchase by A & R Fuel, Inc.; a recent city inspection revealed it was only authorized to be open 6 a.m-10 p.m. Sunday-Thursday and 6 a.m.-11 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Inspector Beth Dominguez recommended extending the hours to conform with the business’ practices.
Neighbors notified of a Feb. 7 public hearing showed up at the Minneapolis City Council’s Business, Housing and Zoning Committee meeting to speak against the license extension.
The store has been the site of numerous calls to 911 — one homeowner said 90 — concerning gunshots, fights and trash. One woman said she and a friend’s nephew had to hide behind the former Dairy Queen building until a police standoff was over. Another said a bullet had landed in her bedroom at 3 a.m. Others mentioned finding empty nitrous oxide canisters in their yards, tossed by “huffers” during the night.
Council Member Jeremiah Ellison suggested Holland neighborhood residents meet with the property owner to iron out their differences and moved to delay committee discussion of the license extension to Jan. 21; it has since been moved to Feb. 4.
Minneapolis Council approves bus storage facility
The Minneapolis City Council approved an interim use permit Thursday, Jan. 16, that allows Metropolitan Transportation Network (MTN) to create an interim bus storage lot at 3130 California St. NE. MTN would start out with 69 buses on the site, and expand to 80. MTN CEO Tashitaa Tupaa said the buses serve Minneapolis Public Schools students. He said the first morning bus would leave the facility at 4:42 a.m.; the last between 6:45 and 7 a.m. Buses would return between 4:45 and 8:15 p.m. The permit would last until Jan. 7, 2030.
HeadFlyer Brewing on Food Network show
HeadFlyer Brewing, 861 E Hennepin Ave., will be featured on the Food Network’s “Diners, Drive-ins and Dives” on Friday, Feb. 7. The OG ZaZa Pizza Trailer, HeadFlyer’s resident food truck, will also be on the program. Headflyer will host a watch party that night. The show airs at 8 pm.
Niron Magnetics awarded $52M in federal aid for Sartell plant
Niron Magnetics Inc., headquartered in Northeast, has been awarded over $52 million in federal tax credit dollars to construct its rare-earth-free magnet manufacturing facility in Sartell. The tax credit is part of the Department of Energy and Treasury’s Advanced Energy Project program, which was created under the Inflation Reduction Act. The company is the first to develop automotive-grade magnets made from a locally available material, iron nitride, rather than expensive rare-earth materials typically sourced in China. Niron wants to manufacture 1,500 tons of these rare-earth-free magnets per year. The technology could be be used in electric-vehicle motors, consumer electronics and wind turbines. Niron moved its headquarters to 650 Taft St. last year.
NE chefs are Beard semifinalists
Two Northeast chefs have been named James Beard Award semifinalists. In the running for best new restaurant is Yia Vang’s Vinai. Diane Moua of Diane’s Place is up for Best Chef Midwest. The Restaurant and Chef Award nominees will be announced early April and winners will be celebrated at the James Beard Restaurant and Chef Awards ceremony in mid-June at the Lyric Opera of Chicago. Last year, Christina Nguyen of Hai Hai won Best Chef Midwest.
ALTBuRGEr closes
ALTBuRGEr, 337 13th Ave. NE, closed abruptly at the beginning of the year. According to a report in the Star Tribune, a liquidation sale was held Saturday, Jan. 4. ALTBuRGEr opened in 2023 with a plant-based menu. It gradually added meat dishes to its offerings.