Hard Times Café

Hard Times Café is a cooperatively-owned restaurant in the Cedar-Riverside neighborhood of Minneapolis, Minnesota. It is known for its punk and hippie ideology, its gritty ambience, and its large selection of vegan and vegetarian food. It is open 22 hours a day, closing only between the hours of 4 am and 6 am.

History

Hard Times was founded as a 24-hour café in 1992 by eight employees of another failing restaurant at that location. Working with the vision of a place where all kinds of people could come together to drink coffee and eat vegetarian food, they transformed the failing restaurant into what is now Hard Times. [ [http://www.mndaily.com/daily/2000/02/21/news/new2/ MDO - Tough Times at Hard Times Cafe - 02/21/2000 ] ] The location is a staple of the West Bank neighborhood, and a popular hang out for local artists, musicians, students, and political activists.

Minneapolis Second Ward City Council Member Cam Gordon holds open office hours in the cafe on the first Tuesday morning of each month. [ [http://secondward.blogspot.com/2007/12/hard-times-to-reopen.html Second Ward, Minneapolis: Hard Times to reopen ] ]

Legal problems

Hard Times faced closing in January 2000, when several arrests were made as a result of a drug sting at the café. The owners closed its doors voluntarily in the aftermath, but faced problems with the city when attempting to reopen. The owners met all of the health and fire codes necessary to reopen, but refused to sign a contract obligating them to close at 2 am and hire a licensed security guard. A compromise was eventually made, with Hard Times closing its doors for two hours each night. [ [http://www.mndaily.com/daily/2000/02/21/news/new2/ MDO - Tough Times at Hard Times Cafe - 02/21/2000 ] ]

Hard Times closed for remodeling in August 2007, after a recommendation from a health inspector that they update their ventilation system. The original plan was to be closed for a matter of weeks, but delays in shipping, unforeseen circumstances, and additional recommendations by the city kept the doors closed for three months beyond the intended opening date. [ [http://www.mndaily.com/articles/2007/10/10/72163764 Frustrating times for West Bank's Hard Times Cafe - Minnesota Daily ] ] Hopeful patrons were informed of each successive delay by handwritten notes posted in the cafe windows. The cafe reopened at midnight December 16 2007 with a new ventilation system, dozens of other recommended improvements, and the tentative blessing of the city. [ [http://readthebridge.info/2420 Hard Times will reopen Saturday, Dec. 15 | The Bridge ] ] [ [http://www.tcdailyplanet.net/article/2007/11/09/falling-hard-times.html Falling on Hard Times | Twin Cities Daily Planet | Minneapolis - St. Paul ] ]

References

External links

* [http://minneapolis.about.com/od/restuarantreviews/qt/ModernTimes.htm Hard Times on About.com]
* [http://www.myspace.com/hardtimesmpls Hard Times on mySpace]