Twin Light Tavern
Much of the information below comes from Jim Sazevich, The House Detective.
The Twin Light Tavern was at 13 Leech Street at West 7th Street in St. Paul.
In 1898, the building was occupied by a widow lady, but four men were registered there for the census; part of the wild fight between Minneapolis and St. Paul to pad their numbers to be the top dog.
In 1901 it was Clarkin Brothers Grocery Store. Men excavating for a storehouse found a cache of coins amounting to about $10. Jim Sazevich says it was also an artificial limb store.
TWIN LIGHT TAVERN
The Twin Light Tavern was started in 1939 by Ralph M. Marrone and James P. Delmedico. The tavern had several different proprietors under that name until 1967.
In April 1944 there was a fire that spread so fast that the fire station next door had to call for additional apparatus. 70 patrons had to evacuate. The proprietor was still Ralph Marrone, who lived upstairs.
Image courtesy Adrian Aguirre
On February 3, 1952, the tavern got held up for a whopping $4,850 by “three rough-talking teen-agers” who shot the operator/co-proprietor of the bar, Elmer E. Rechtzigel, in the leg. Shortly afterwards, a gang of 12 males and 2 females were arrested for this and other stickups in the area. James Valentine, 17, was the shooter, who claimed he built up his courage by drinking at the Flame nightclub on Wabasha Street.
Twin Light Tavern Matches, courtesy Bob Jackson
On July 2, 1959, it was announced that E.J. Weaver, formerly with the Twin Light Tavern in St. Paul, was hired by the Roseville Municipal Liquor Store staff.
On March 20, 1960, an explosion caused a two-alarm fire that burned out the bar and caused $25,000 damage, forcing the lady who lived upstairs to vacate. She saved her dog Sparky.
They must have built back quickly; Augie Garcia had an extended engagement here in the summer of 1963.
Image from Insider
Three men robbed the bar of $800 on December 17, 1963, but the law caught up with them in Miami after they returned from a trip to Hawaii.
A woman stabbed a man in the gut in a “cloakroom” in June 1967.
The last proprietor to use the “Twin Light” name was Edward E. Kelly until 1967.
TWIN LIGHT NO MORE
In 1968, the bar became “Brennan’s Liquors,” operated by Larry Brennan.
Later it became “Doug’s Place,” with Doug Laub as proprietor.
Finally, “Leahy’s Pub,” operated by Kevin E. Leahy, who was the last owner in 1977.
The building was razed in about 1981, and according to Lyfmap, the site is now a parking lot. Such is life…