King of Clubs

THE BUILDING

955-961 Central Ave. NE was built in 1891 as a 24 x 60 store and dwelling, according to city permit cards.  In 1900, a 32 x 32 pool room was added.  In 1909 it was a saloon (or maybe it was all along) and in 1937 it was referred to as a cafe.  Not much comes up in an address search.

KING OF CLUBS

Stan Murzyn was the owner from 1967 to 1980.

The bar was not really known as a music venue, but maybe it was?

In June 1974, the owners were identified as Edwin Schonnesen and Roger Nofstad.

 

In 1984 the owner was Dick L. Carlson.  He died in 1994.

 

This otherwise indistinguishable place was made famous in the Coen Brothers movie “Fargo,” described as “the pool bar where financially desperate car salesman Jerry Lundegaard (William H Macy) meets with the two shady characters (Steve Buscemi and Peter Stormare) to arrange the kidnapping of his wife.

 

The bar closed before 2002.  It’s been demolished, replaced by housing.