Well there goes one of my dreams I'll never get to go there

this article was in the Mpls paper on 10/28. It gives some hope that this may be a temporary situation, but we'll see....


Ex-managers may be returning to First Avenue

First Avenue nightclub's ongoing ownership battle moved to court Thursday and came out like a Who song: Meet the new bosses, same as the old bosses.

Former club managers Steve McClellan and Jack Meyer could once again take over Minneapolis' most legendary music venue by next weekend, even though they were fired in June by the club's founder, Allan Fingerhut.

Fingerhut owns the business that runs the club, but not the building that houses it. He was threatened with eviction by the building's primary owner, Byron Frank, as well as McClellan and Meyer, who each have a 10 percent stake in the property.

Fingerhut is behind in paying real-estate taxes and rent totaling more than $200,000.

At a Hennepin County housing court Thursday, the parties settled on a plan to have Fingerhut's company out of the building by next Thursday. They expect to meet early next week to negotiate the transition.

McClellan and Meyer plan to start a new company to run the club, with Frank's blessings. Frank owns 60 percent of the building, at 701 1st Av. N., while the remaining 20 percent belongs to a trust fund for Fingerhut's family.

Sean Shiff, an attorney for Frank, McClellan and Meyer, described the eviction action as a way of protecting their investment.

"This [case] is not about wanting to take back the club; it's about dealing with Allan's defaults," he said.

Neither Fingerhut nor his lawyer could be reached for comment Thursday. Conceivably, Fingerhut could negotiate a plan to continue operating the club, but the other business partners would have to agree. Thursday's settlement suggested he would not do so.

"Both sides earnestly want to resolve this as quickly as possible," Shiff said.

The club's staff was mostly left in the dark about Thursday's proceedings. On the night before the big day in court, the club was packed for a three-hour set by Alabama's Drive-by Truckers that went on until 1:30 a.m. Employees there expressed concern about whether they would be working next week.

Staffing issues likely will be part of next week's negotiations, along with the rights to the First Avenue name, which Fingerhut owns. Much of the property he owns inside the club could be left there as a trade for the overdue taxes and rent.

Upcoming concerts are expected to go on as planned, including Saturday's show with local metal heroes American Head Charge and gigs next week with Jonathan Richman and Robyn Hitchcock, the Blues Explosion and Matthew Sweet.

TheJourney4all7 said:

That's a very good idea. And no... he shouldn't buy it. If P bought 1st Avenue, only acts that he saw appropriate would perform there (namely himself and others who do not curse or

talk about

things. But giving money (which P definately has plenty of) to get it out of bankruptcy is a great idea.

Wow...that's really weird...My band played the 7th street entry a while ago...I guess we'll never make it to First ave...unless they reopen...which I hope and pray they do...

Oh crap! I just remembered...I was gonna go see GWAR there in a few weeks!!!No! That was going to be the funniest night of my life!!! Dang...

Lets just hope something is figured out soon...or the MPLS music scene will suffer a major loss...

omg, please let this be so!


holy flaming hohners...

they just now added a closing message on their website.

man...i've only lived here in mpls for 3 years now, and first ave. was the place where i cut my mpls nightlife tooth--my very first time setting foot in the joint was at their halloween party about 2 years ago.

update: article from today's star tribune:

First Avenue closes indefinitely
Chris Riemenschneider, Star Tribune
November 3, 2004 AVENUE1103

First Avenue nightclub was closed indefinitely Tuesday after its operator filed for bankruptcy.

Allan Fingerhut, the founder of Minneapolis' most legendary music venue, filed bankruptcy at 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, two days before his company was supposed to vacate the premises. Fingerhut was given an eviction notice by the club's landlords, two of whom are former managers who plan to start a new company to run the club.

It was unclear how long will take those managers -- Steve McClellan and Jack Meyer -- to take over the operations.

Fingerhut said he doesn't plan to give them the liquor license necessary to operate the club. Liquor licenses can often take two months or more to obtain. He also doesn't plan to hand over the name of the club, which he owns.

"It might pop up again someplace else in the city," Fingerhut said.

McClellan and Meyer sued Fingerhut for terminating their contracts, and Fingerhut said that ongoing lawsuit forced the bankruptcy filing.

There was no word what will happen to the shows currently on the concert calendar, including Wednesday's performance by Jonathan Richman and Robyn Hitchcock and Thursday's with the Blues Explosion. Some concerts could be moved to other venues around the Twin Cities.

Chris Riemenschneider is at chrisr@startribune.com.

I am so sad right now.

This just seems surreal to me.

I will hope and pray that somehow something will be worked out and that First Ave. will be back.

Oh well, at least, we still have The Glam Slam. Oh wait.....

maybe prince will buy it...

ya know. . .Fingerhut owes *that* much $$ and he's being all petty aboutthe liquor license. Dude give up! And..

LIKE ANOTHER BUILDING COULD EVER *EVER* BE FIRST AVE

EskomoKisses said:

RIGHT?!

I mean, COME ON dude!

Just in case I haveta get downtown soon to snap some pictures. What if they paint over the stars???

AW MAN!
There goes another one of my dreams down the hole
and just when I was almost the right age!

Darin, that's just plain awful. And it sucks that I never got to go. I think I was too late Celebration 2002 to make it. Let's hope someone does something to get this club back on its feet. Cities need to be careful to preserve the culture that gives identity. Very sad indeed.

times they are a changin..

endorphin74 said:

How the hell can a joint called 'First Avenue and Seventh Street Entry' pop up in another part of the city, anyway???

Shit, I wonder if McLellan could use some volunteers to help get this ball rolling again...

I really couldn't give one of those things that you find under a rats tail.

bkw said:

an asshole?

sag10 said:

Man, I was thinking the same thing. How many org members are there? Let's pass the collection plate and purchase this club.


I went there for the first time this summer, during the concerts in Minneapolis.

It was GREAT!

It's a shame to have it disappear...

bkw said:

butt rabies?

I don't get it, 'Clapz, why wouldn't you want Prince to buy it?

Anxiety said:

dingleberries?

Taureau said:

Prince is too much of a control freak to take over First Avenue.

To me, over the years first avenue has been about openness, creativity and freedom. That is the vibe that helped inspire Prince and countless others. That is the vibe that has caused a number of bands to refuse to play any venue in Mpls BUT First Ave.

With all of Prince's rules these days (which are fine for HIM, mind you) he would kill all of that.

For example, Peaches rocked that club earlier this year. It was honestly one of the most electric shows I've ever seen at first ave. She owned that club with all of her sassy swearing and in-your-face sexuality. Prince would NEVER allow something like that anymore.

And, besides, we ALL know the way Prince (mis)runs business and if he DID buy it we'd just be dealing with closing in a year or 2 anyways

endorphin74 said:

Wow, that is sad.

I went in 1988 and it was nothing special and I barely remember it, but I guess I'm glad I did go.

Y am I not surprised?

endorphin74 said:

that's a whole buncha good points.

i'm amazed at the people who have played at 1st Ave over the years - just about every single artist or band i like has played there. that's a lot of history getting locked up.

eyewishuheaven said:[quote]

endorphin74 said:

How the hell can a joint called 'First Avenue and Seventh Street Entry' pop up in another part of the city, anyway???


The 9:30 Club, named after it's first address, 930 F ST, in D.C., is now located at 815 V ST, so it COULD happen....