It’s time to say final goodbyes to the “Famous for walleye” mainstay, Tavern on Grand. After more than 35 years, the St. Paul restaurant will close after Grand Old Day on June 2.
But a new restaurant will rise from first-time restaurateur Todd Russell, who is uniquely suited to run a business at this address — he owns the building.
“We’re going to do something spectacular,” Russell said in an interview last week. But why have the details been kept mum until now?
“We want to honor what Tavern on Grand has meant to the community,” he said. But now he’s ready to share some of the reasons that St. Paul should get excited about the next generation’s plans for 656 Grand Av.
Russell is a commercial real estate developer who boasts some high-profile projects, including a retail complex called the Grove in Los Angeles. But he’s also a St. Paul kid who grew up not far from Tavern on Grand. He remembers gathering with friends for the unofficial bar holiday: The Night Before Thanksgiving at O’Connell’s, the precursor to Tavern on Grand.
When the building that houses Tavern came up for sale in 2022, Russell said, he was excited to buy it for the historic elements and its potential. When the family that owns Tavern on Grand let him know that their era was ending, the wheels began to turn.
While much has been said about the current state of the businesses on Grand Avenue, Russell feels strongly about the neighborhood. “We have such history on the Avenue,” he said. “We’ve gone through all these moments in time, but the backbone has always been all these mom-and-pop businesses that make it so special.”
The next one will be Russell’s Bar and Grill, a restaurant fancy enough for date night, special enough for celebrations, but casual enough to bring the whole family after big events. To bring his concept to fruition, Russell has surrounded himself with an experienced team to build the menu, staff up and design the space.
