Golden Leaf Bar
901 Cedar Ave. So. was the site of two music venues:
- The Golden Leaf Bar
- Whiskey Junction
THE BUILDING
The two story brick building was built by Paul Scherving in 1894 as a saloon, presumably run by Jens Rice.
With the advent of Prohibition in 1920, the building became a factory and rooming house, according to the permit cards. The Whiskey Junction website offers:
At one time the second story was divided in to several small rooms and was rumored to have been a brothel, but this rumor has never been confirmed. However, the rooms were rented to railroad employees from the rail yards that were across Cedar Avenue, where the Light Rail Station now is. This rail yard was the end of the line for trains coming from North Dakota and the employees would spend the night in the rooms and re-board the trains in the morning for the return trip home.
The establishment had moonshine problems and even its soft drink license was revoked in September 1921. That didn’t stop Charles Edman, proprietor, and he got caught again in 1923, operating without a license.
In 1925 it had a food license, issued to Frank Nelson. In 1926, Mayor Leach himself revoked Nelson’s license on recommendation of the police. In May 1927 a license was awarded to Bert Thompson.
NEW STYLE BARBEQUE
In December 1928 the cafe was called New Style Barbeque. In May 1933, at the very end of Prohibition, a soft drink and restaurant license was awarded to Mrs. Elizabeth Shropshire, and in December 1933 it was the New Style Southern Barbeque. A liquor license was awarded to Thure B. Backman in February 1934.
GOLDEN LEAF BAR
By May 1934, the establishment was called the Golden Leaf Cafe. By January 1935, and perhaps from the start, the bar was owned by Albin E. Gillquist, as evidenced by an item about a liquor license violation.
On November 8, 1935, a column purporting to be written by Walter Winchell read:
Mr. and Mrs. Minneapolis have the habit of tepeeing at the Golden Leaf – where out-of-towners stop too. The band here provides some torrid tootlings – and if you like hot hoofing, you’ll take the gal there soon.
By November 1947, Oscar G. Pearson was listed as the “operator.” In October 1949 the liquor license was transferred from Oscar Pearson to Elmer “Al” Halvorson and Ervin J. Holland. Halvorson was Pearson’s brother-in-law, according to the Whiskey Junction website. In June 1952 the liquor license was transferred to Silas Holland and Elmer H. Halvorson. Elmer Halvorson was cited as the owner in 1961 and 1967.
Elmer Halvorson died in September 1973 at the age of 61. In his obituary he was described as the former owner of the Golden Leaf. In April 1976, Craig E. Pearson took over the bar. The Whiskey Junction website says that at the age of 21, he was the youngest bar owner in Minnesota.
Musician Al Foran remembers the Golden Leaf as a neighborhood bar, where on the weekends you could hear the strains of the accordion, concertina, or a fiddle.
WHISKEY JUNCTION
In August 1984 Gary MacKenzie and Peter Tayalo purchased the bar for $225,000.
Music began to be advertised at Whiskey Junction in August 1985.
