Times Bar and Café closes suddenly

The Times Bar and Café’s website still includes a full entertainment calendar for February: Latin Night tonight with Davina and the Vagabonds, Cajun Style with Daddy Squeeze on Friday, Jazz Brunch with Arne Fogel on Sunday, the Wolverines Jazz Trio with Judi Donaghy next Wednesday, Vic Volare and the Volare Lounge Orchestra next Friday, and more.

But the venerable northeast Minneapolis club has shut its doors. Shortly after noon on Tuesday, an email went out to its newsletter list with the subject line “Temporarily closed.” The email reads in full:

We are in the process of “retooling” our establishment but will be closed until further notice.

We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause and look forward to serving you in the future.

Sincerely,

The Times Bar and Cafe

Owner Daniel Lessard did not return MinnPost’s calls on Wednesday.

The closing — or retooling — is sad news for many local performers. The Times made a point of showcasing area musicians and vocalists, featuring live music six nights a week with no cover charge. It had a dance floor and people used it, stomping to the Wolverines or swinging to the Twin Cities Hot Club.

CDs were recorded there: “Davina & the Vagabonds Live @ The Times,” the Wolverines’ “Voracious: Live at the Times.” So was a DVD, “Twin Cities Hot Club Live at the Times.” Countless radio shows were broadcast from the Times over KLBB AM and KBEM FM.

Vocalist Arne Fogel was a Times regular; he performed at last Sunday’s jazz brunch, where no clue was given that the club would soon close. He’s bummed but hopeful. “The place is like home to so many performers and so many customers,” Fogel told MinnPost earlier today. “The drag of it is, it’s not only the loss of a venue and great music, but [owner Lessard] is the coolest guy to work for. He cares about the music and the musicians. I’m just hoping he gets it back together.”