The rather non-descript R & L’s Pit Stop photographed in Hope in 2011.
THE SMALL TOWN liquor store or bar rates as more than simply a place to grab a cold one or wolf down bar food.
New Richland bars, 2011.
Oftentimes, these rural establishments serve as community gathering spots. Locals belly up to trade stories, talk crops, solve the world’s problems. There’s a certain comfort in that, in the familiarity of sharing gossip and opinions and woes within the confines of a dark space, sheltered from reality.
The seemingly popular Cabin Bar in Nicollet, photographed two years ago.
Sometimes these places remain as the sole business along an otherwise vacant Main Street. On a Friday or Saturday night, vehicles line the streets. Folks gather to shoot a little pool, drink a little beer, tell a few jokes.
The Monty Bar anchors a corner in downtown Montgomery and features wonderful vintage signage.
For awhile, troubles vanish, the body rests, a sense of community togetherness prevails.
Creative graphics for a bar in Kilkenny.
All of this I imagine as I photograph the exteriors of small town Minnesota bars and liquor stores. Unique signage, creative names, architecture and more draw me visually to these watering holes.
The Roadhouse Bar & Grill is a hot spot in Wabasso. During the summer, old car enthusiasts and motorcyclists gather here on Tuesday evenings for a “Roll- In” that draws up to 1,000 people. There’s plenty of outdoor seating on a sprawling patio where a hamburger bar is set up for the popular event.
Each holds a story. And if you, a stranger, venture inside, heads will swivel, eyes will bore and the locals will wonder. What is your story?
BONUS BAR PHOTOS:
The Old Town Tavern advertises specials and more during Morristown Dam Days 2013.
A misguided attempt, in my opinion, to update the American Legion in West Concord. Photographed in 2010.
The Pub in Canton, near the Iowa border, photographed in 2012.
CLICK HERE TO READ “Bar hopping, Minnesota blogger style.”
© Copyright 2014 Audrey Kletscher Helbling
Minnesota Prairie Roots 
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