Midway Saloon is bringing the full moon
by Sabine Benda
Whether you are looking for a beer or a show, this local bar guarantees a unique experience.
The Midway Saloon runs on a loyal customer base, a commitment to trying new things and the energy of an ever-present full moon.
Open for more than seven years, the local haunt found its home in a historic building and pays homage to the space’s history. Alongside two pool tables, darts and a stage for live music hangs a 100-year-old menu board that once offered pickled pigs’ feet for 15 cents.
The bar sits near the corner of University and Snelling avenues, directly across the street from Allianz Field. On game days, the bar is filled with a flock of Loons fans. Owner David Tolchiner acknowledges that being a sports bar is just one of the many hats worn by the saloon.
“What I like best about this place is we’re so many different things to different people,” Tolchiner said. “We’re a neighborhood bar, we’re a music bar, we’re a game bar, [and] we’re a pull tab bar.”
Passersby may know the bar for its large, bright blue sign donned above the entrance that reads, “50 beers 100 whiskeys.” The choice to align itself with beer and whiskey drinkers was intentional, but like the events it hosts, there is something for everyone from the fruity cocktail drinkers to the THC seltzer crowds. Ultimately, their goal is to welcome all who find their way through the door.
“I think that we’ve done a good job of participating in the community and embracing things that people come here for, really being part of something bigger,” Tolchiner said.
The Midway Saloon has capitalized on its wide-ranging appeal with events for the masses ranging from live music and standup comedy to lowering the “world’s largest bobber”—a seven-foot-tall rendition of a red-and-white fishing bobber—in place of Times Square’s crystal ball on New Year’s Eve. On other nights, the bar regularly hosts more niche events like one including male strippers or a watch party for the recent demolition of the nearby CVS.
“I believe that that’s what makes businesses unique: having individual attributes that are creative. Otherwise we’re just a bar selling Jack Daniels,” Tolchiner said. “There are places where that’s their MO, but ours is, ‘It’s always a full moon at the Midway Saloon.’”
Being a part of the Midway is a large part of what informs the culture at the Midway Saloon. Beyond its place in the business’s name, Tolchiner credits the community for the bar’s multifaceted identity.
“I really believe this is the most diverse place that possibly could exist in the Twin Cities because we pull people from all different places—all different parts of society—and it’s just a really welcoming environment,” Tolchiner said. “That’s what we’re building from.”
Tolchiner owns multiple properties in the Midway including Potshotz Cannabis Dispensary just a few steps away on University Avenue. By early fall, his company will have opened a bar next door to the Midway Saloon that will cater to the local college student population.
Tolchiner’s continued investment in the community comes from an optimistic view on the neighborhood’s future.
“Today, I would say that you can look at any area in the Midway, and you’ll see things taking place that are very indicative of an area that’s emerging at a very rapid pace,” Tolchiner said. “I think we’re really lucky to be here right now.”
The Midway Saloon is open from 1 P.M. until 2 A.M. Monday through Friday and from 11 A.M. until 2 A.M. on Saturday and Sunday. Information on upcoming events can be found on their website.