The Nest Cafe was located at 731 Sixth Ave. No.

After some comings and goings of previous buildings, the 60′ by 67′ brick building at 729 – 735 Sixth Ave. No. was built in the summer of 1913.  According to the addresses, there were apparently four storefronts on the first floor and apartments up above.  Among the early stores were a barber shop and a drug store.

The Nest Cafe opened on August 30, 1930, as a jazz venue.  The address was usually given as 729, although one ad was given as 731.

Minneapolis Tribune, 1930

On October 9, 1930, Robert Johnson applied for a dance hall license, but there was suspicion that he was not the real proprietor of the place and the real owner was an alleged north side racketeer behind the scenes.  In addition, people complained that the place was too close to Sumner School.  (Minneapolis Tribune, October 9, 1930).

Minneapolis Tribune, October 31, 1930

Minneapolis Tribune, November 21, 1930

In December 1930, Robert Johnson was denied a license to resume operation of his dance hall.  We know it was open on November 26, 1930, but it was closed in early April 1931, on reports that Chinese cook John Wong had a considerable amount of opium on his person.  There were also charges that patrons were allowed to dance although the place had no dance hall license.  It was found that there were paid entertainers, but no public dancing was allowed. (Minneapolis Star, April 18, 1931)

But on April 24, 1931, its three licenses were revoked.

THE BUILDING

The storefronts were used by a variety of businesses through the years, including a grocery store, a dress shop, a furniture store, a drug store, a department store, and Lucky’s Place, where you could rent a bicycle.

The building was demolished in about 1957 for the construction of Highway 55 and public housing.