Looks like you won't be able to order a beer inside one of the most iconic and idiosyncratic homes in Minneapolis after all.
But you can buy the downtown dwelling — known as the "Harry Potter" house — for $2.995 million.
Last year, Brass Foundry Brewing Co. began the process of seeking a license for a brewery and taproom at the offbeat urban castle in the shadow of U.S. Bank Stadium. But the brewery has scrapped that plan and is now seeking a permit in Minnetonka.
The house, meanwhile, is back on the market. Its owner, musician and restaurateur Jeff Arundel, moved out of his one-of-a-kind home last May after signing a purchase agreement. But the deal fell through, so he relisted the house early this year.
The 4,500-square-foot brick house comes with its own courtyard and rooftop deck. It was built in 1911 as a blacksmith shop. Arundel bought it in 2002 and transformed it into a fantasy home and recording studio, full of hand-wrought metal architectural details, a massive stone fireplace and a copper-clad "twisty troll roof." The home's ruggedly fanciful aesthetic has been described as "Tim Burton meets Lord of the Rings."
Zoned for residential, the house could remain a private home, but prospective buyers have also considered it for a variety of commercial uses. Arundel thinks it's uniquely suited to become an event center, private club or possibly a restaurant.
"If I was smart, I would do that," said Arundel, who owns the Aster Cafe and Jefe, both at St. Anthony Main. But he's currently immersed in another project, transforming the former Tugg's Tavern into a new venue that will reopen next month as the Hideaway. "I would prefer to pass the baton."
Brass Foundry originally planned to preserve Arundel's quirky house as the setting for a "destination brewery."
