Bunny’s
4730 Excelsior Blvd.
St. Louis Park
Henry Aretz (pronounced “Arts”) established one of the legendary bars in the Park in 1933, just as Prohibition came to and end. Henry was a builder, and had constructed the building on spec, hoping to sell it. Income from renters didn’t materialize due to the Depression, and they decided to open the restaurant themselves, despite having no experience in the field.
The story goes that the place was intended to be named Aretz’s Place and went to a signmaker to get a sign. The signmaker had a sign he had made, possibly for a diaper service, with “Bunny’s” on it, and since he could get it cheap, Henry bought it.
This just discovered! Deep in a photo of the gas station across Excelsior we found the unmistakable shape of a bunny.
Read more at the St. Louis Park Historical Society.