Tony Bennett

Among 2021 restaurant closures were two of Guy Fieri’s favorites

Television personality Guy Fieri poses outside Shorty’s Pizza and Smoked Meats with members of the restaurant’s staff. Fieri visited four restaurants in the Twin Ports area in 2014 — Shorty’s, Gannucci’s Italian Market, Pak’s Green Corner and the Kounty Quarthouse. All four have since closed.

The effect of COVID-19 on the restaurant industry is tricky to quantify, but in the Duluth area there is one noticeably positive trend. More new eateries are opening than existing ones are closing.

While the ongoing pandemic played a role in pushing some eateries that were in trouble over the edge, in most cases other factors were at play. At the top of the list of closings in 2021 were three family-owned ethnic restaurants. …

Among 2021 restaurant closures were two of Guy Fieri’s favoritesRead more

A look at Duluth-area food and drink spots we lost in 2020

Left: Maggie’s restaurant in Bayfield marked 40 years in business in August and announced its closure in October. Right: The Crooked Spoon Cafe in Grand Marais was destroyed by fire in April. (Photos via Facebook)

The scourge of COVID-19 has challenged restaurant and bar owners at every level. The temporary closures during the pandemic are too long to list, and the industry outlook for 2021 is filled with uncertainty, but surprisingly few businesses announced they were calling it quits in 2020.

Two of the region’s most notable restaurant losses occurred in small towns away from Duluth, and COVID-19 was perhaps only loosely to blame. …

A look at Duluth-area food and drink spots we lost in 2020Read more

Duluth-Area Theater Primer 2019-2020

It’s the Halloween season, which of course means it’s time for witches and ghouls, but it’s also the time of year when the region’s theater companies get down to business. Here again is the PDD Theater Primer, where we hip you to all the haps on local stages for the next year. …

Duluth-Area Theater Primer 2019-2020Read more

Perfect Duluth Day Outdoor Summer Concert Primer 2019

Ky-Mani Marley headlines the 14th annual Bayfront Reggae & World Music Festival in Duluth.

It’s a narrow season — mid June to mid September — but music promoters in the region do their best to fill the open air with tunes while weather permits. This year’s shaping up to be as jam-packed with giggage as ever, with more than 130 outdoor shows in the region. …

Perfect Duluth Day Outdoor Summer Concert Primer 2019Read more

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