Welcome!
Some people collect autographs, some collect antiques, others collect stamps. My hobby is a little different, I collect bars. This site represents my collection, documenting each bar I visit.
This is not a review site, there's plenty of those already. Most posts in this bar diary are slice-of-life recaps of the half hour or so I spent having a beer. I hope you enjoy browsing through my collection!
--ScooterJA Few Random Favorites
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Dive bar Archive
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#169: N E Yacht Club
Posted on August 2006 | No Comments(Nord East, Minneapolis, MN) Scooter’s 169th bar, first visited in 2006. Based on the name I assumed this would be some sort of high brow place but it turned out... -
#168: Scott’s 1029 Bar
Posted on August 2006 | No Comments(Nord East, Minneapolis, MN) Formerly Laura’s Scooter’s 168th bar, first visited in 2006. Originally a sports bar, local police started hanging out so the theme switched to a police bar.... -
#165: NE Palace
Posted on August 2006 | No Comments(Northeast Minneapolis, Minneapolis, MN) Formerly First Chance, Last Chance Revisited 17 years later in 2023, scroll down for more. Scooter’s 165th bar, first visited in 2006. This place used to... -
#164: Sully’s Pub & Restaurant
Posted on August 2006 | No Comments(Nord East, Minneapolis, MN) OUT OF BUSINESS Closed Jan. 31, 2007, due to smoking ban. Scooter’s 164th bar, first visited in 2006. When we planned our road trip to Minneapolis... -
#163: Tony Jaro’s River Garden
Posted on August 2006 | No Comments(Nord East, Minneapolis, MN) Scooter’s 163rd bar, first visited in 2006. This was a rectangular bar with a sticky floor. We selected Iron Range Amber Lager because we liked the... -
#161: Dusty’s Bar
Posted on August 2006 | No Comments(Nord East, Minneapolis, MN) Scooter’s 161st bar, first visited in 2006. The bar was pretty busy so we sat at a table and the smell of Dago Burgers was mouthwatering.... -
#160: Halek’s Bar
Posted on August 2006 | No Comments(Nord East, Minneapolis, MN) There is rumor that the new owner (a long-time bartender there) is being forced by the Halek family to change the name, the proposed name is... -
#159: Stand-Up Frank’s
Posted on August 2006 | No Comments(North Side, Minneapolis, MN) Closed, but a new bar has opened in the same location. Painted lime green, redecorated with a zombie theme, shows horror movies, and now called “Donny... -
#158: Irv’s Bar
Posted on August 2006 | No Comments(North Side, Minneapolis, MN) OUT OF BUSINESS Killed by the smoking ban. All contents auctioned off May 14, 2007, the bar has since been converted into office space. Scooter’s 158th... -
#155: New City
Posted on August 2006 | No Comments(Downtown, Minneapolis, MN) OUT OF BUSINESS Went out of business sometime between 2007-2009. Scooter’s 155th bar, first visited in 2006. This place had several pool tables and we played a... -
#150: Champps Sports Bar & Cafe
Posted on August 2006 | No Comments(Downtown, Minneapolis, MN) Scooter’s 150th bar, first visited in 2006. This was a cool stop — a long outdoor bar in an alley. Mary was our bartender. We then found,... -
#148: The Saloon
Posted on August 2006 | No Comments(Downtown, Minneapolis, MN) Scooter’s 148th bar, first visited in 2006. Facing several artistic wall photos of nude men, we glanced around the room and noticed that this placed sold its... -
#146: Lee’s Liquor Lounge
Posted on August 2006 | No Comments(Downtown, Minneapolis, MN) Scooter’s 146th bar, first visited in 2006. This was a good quality dive, the kind we love. Another place with a rectangular bar. A Spuds Mackenzie lamp... -
#145: Liquor Lyle’s
Posted on August 2006 | No Comments(Uptown, Minneapolis, MN) Scooter’s 145th bar, first visited in 2006. Yep, it was happy hour, so we had no choice but drink two beers. This place had a cool, funky,... -
#142: CC Club
Posted on August 2006 | No Comments(Uptown, Minneapolis, MN) Scooter’s 142nd bar, first visited in 2006. I’m surprised we even stopped considering how hard it was to get here. We had to keep circling around because... -
#140: Roundup Beer Hall
Posted on August 2006 | No Comments(Minneapolis, MN) OUT OF BUSINESS The liquor license expired in March 2010 and was not renewed, I’m presuming this has gone out of business. Scooter’s 140th bar, first visited in... -
#139: Matts Bar
Posted on August 2006 | No Comments(Minneapolis, MN) Scooter’s 139th bar, first visited in 2006. Home of the famous “Jucy Lucy” burger, this place was absolutely packed with a lunchtime crowd. 3500 Cedar Ave S Minneapolis,... -
#138: Sportsmans Lounge
Posted on August 2006 | No Comments(Mason City, IA) Scooter’s 138th bar, first visited in 2006. The bartender was a tall blond-haired guy who talked about Mason City in its night-life heyday (complete with strip clubs)... -
#137: Candy Bar Nite Club
Posted on August 2006 | No Comments(Mason City, IA) Formerly The Poodle Scooter’s 137th bar, first visited in 2006. I don’t remember much about this place other than approximately where it was. 116 N Federal Ave... -
#136: South Federal Reserve
Posted on August 2006 | No Comments(Mason City, IA) Formerly Sallee’s Closed, but a new bar has opened in the same location. Is back to its original name: Sallee’s. Scooter’s 136th bar, first visited in 2006.... -
#135: Saddle Company
Posted on August 2006 | No Comments(Mason City, IA) Formerly Gumps OUT OF BUSINESS Close in 2007. Re-opened as Ghost Riders. That failed in 2008. Re-opened again as Cancun. That failed in 2009. Scooter’s 135th bar,...
