Liquor Lyle’s, the 57-year-old iconic dive bar on Hennepin and Franklin, permanently closed its doors in the early days of the pandemic. The space has remained unoccupied since, and the neighborhood has surely felt the bar’s absence.
I grew up with countless stories from my parents and neighbors about messy, unforgettable nights at Liquor Lyle’s. Once I was old enough to patronize the bar, I delighted in their three-for-one, informal drink policy and often brought friends visiting from out of state to what I considered the quintessential Minneapolis dive bar.
Sometime last summer, word got out that LITT Pinball Bar, formerly named TILT and currently located in the Whittier neighborhood, would be taking over the old Liquor Lyle’s space. As someone who often bemoans this kind of change, I assumed that the newfangled bar would dishonor the Liquor Lyle’s legacy.
After I connected with John Galvin, one of the owners of LITT, my mind was decidedly changed. I now look forward to seeing the pinball community and former Liquor Lyle’s regulars alike mix, mingle and create new memories in the remodeled space.
How did you get involved with LITT pinball bar?
My involvement goes back to the beginning when we opened in our existing space. I’m the pinball guy, so I take care of sourcing both new and used machines, refurbishing them, rotating the lineup and a whole host of other day-to-day activities.
How did you become the pinball guy?
I grew up around pinball. My dad operated machines in bars, hotels, bowling alleys, etc. for his 40- year career. For as long as I can remember, I’d drive around town with him taking care of the route or hang back at the shop while he worked on machines. I started shopping machines for him on the weekends and as a summer job when I was 13. I’ve always loved working on pinball machines. There’s something very rewarding about taking a machine apart, fixing and cleaning it, putting it back together and ultimately playing a game in its refurbished state.
What is LITT’s origin story?
For me, the LITT origin story is simple: I wanted a dedicated pinball location, where I could cultivate an ever-changing lineup of cool machines in a welcoming space, where people could hang out, enjoy food and beverage and compete with one another (if they want to). Maybe that’s not so simple, but it’s how I approached this project then and still do now.
What made you decide to move to a new space?
We knew early on that our current space was limiting our potential. It’s an awesome spot, but we ultimately felt that we could serve our players and customers better with room for more machines, seating and people in general.
Why did you choose the old Liquor Lyle’s space?
When we found out that there was a deal available to get into the old Liquor Lyle’s space, we thought it would be a great opportunity for us to grow. Having a standalone building in a great location certainly has its appeal. There’s also a lot to be said for the history and heritage of the Liquor Lyle’s space that we felt we could honor, while still making it our own.
When do you expect to move into the new space?
The timeline for our move has been a bit of a moving target. The scope of work has also expanded as we’ve continued along. The project has been progressing steadily, though, and we anticipate its being complete sometime in July or August, assuming we don’t hit any major bumps (potholes) in the road.
How will the new space come together? Will it incorporate the same design elements and branding of your current space?
The vibe of the new space will be both familiar to patrons of our current location and somewhat fresh! Many of our design elements are carrying over, but we also have the room and flexibility to incorporate some fun new stuff. Our branding is very much staying the same. It’s still us, just a new name and a bigger space.
Were you once a patron of Liquor Lyle’s? Will you pay any homage to Liquor Lyle’s in the new space?
I certainly visited Lyle’s a handful of times over the years. What I remember best from those occasions was the three-for-one drinks and an awesome mix of people! There are a couple of design elements that will certainly be familiar to Liquor Lyle’s fans. They aren’t totally sorted out yet, so you’ll have to wait and see for yourself….
What are you most excited about regarding this new venture?
We’re most excited for everything! Haha! Seriously, I’m stoked to have more pinball machines for the community to experience, more space for people to hang out in when not playing pinball, more draft beer and storage! It will be such an upgrade to have space on site to store supplies, spare pinball machines and parts. We’ll also have a workshop on site, which will be hugely beneficial to everyone.
