All of the chairs, tables, stools and even the bar are for sale in a Craigslist ad from the Artists' Quarter.
"BAR AND MUSIC EQUIPMENT MUST GO"
So reads the headline on a Craigslist ad that is sure to pour a little salt in the already wounded hearts of local jazz lovers. It's a listing for all of the bar and music equipment at the newly shuttered Artists' Quarter, the beloved downtown St. Paul jazz club that closed with a final New Year's Eve sendoff.
Click here to see the Craigslist entry.
Not only does the ad put a price tag on the club's seemingly priceless property -- $50,000 – it confirms that owner Kenny Horst really does plan to shut the place down and not reopen with different partners, as has been sought after by Mayor Chris Coleman and other supporters of the AQ.
"Closing for business," the posting reads. "All equipment for sale. 40 plus tables. 100 plus chairs and bar stools. Beer, wine coolers." It sounds like everything and the kitchen sink. However, the listing does specify, "Sorry, no photos, or wall art included."
The AQ owner since 1995, Horst oversaw its final relocation in 2002 to the basement of the Hamm Building, where he got to design and equip the room himself. Hence, most of the innards of the club are going with him as he exits the space.
[Photo: Kyndell Harkness]
