Manning’s Bar and Cafe turns 75
Photos from three-quarters of a century at Manning’s Bar and Cafe were displayed at the June 2 celebration.
Nearly 800 people of all ages turned out for the 75th anniversary of Manning’s Bar and Café, a well-loved hangout at the corner of 22nd Street and Como Avenue, on a warm Saturday afternoon in early June.
Manning’s is a family-owned and -operated establishment renowned for its tasty American fare and a friendly, comfortable atmosphere.
For the longtime neighborhood residents and steady stream of University of Minnesota students — many of whom attended the reunion party, — Manning’s is much more than a good place to eat and drink,; it’s a Southeast Como constant, its wood-paneled interior – dating back to 1957 – and old-fashioned cherry-red booths full of fond memories and lifelong friends.
Owner Larry Manning himself can be found bussing tables at the restaurant where his grandfather, Ralph, first opened a hamburger and malt joint in 1932. Soon after, in the wake of prohibition, Manning added 3.2 beer and an extended menu. (A strong beer and wine license was obtained in 1987.)
Manning’s has stayed in family hands ever since; Larry’s oldest son Michael is a bartender while his other son, Bradley, serves as kitchen manager.
The Manning clan’s ties to Southeast extend even further down the road. Just a couple blocks away, Manning’s Service Shop — a full-service auto garage run by Larry’s cousin Jerry — closed its doors this spring after six decades of business.
Larry said he still enjoys his seven-day-a-week job, 44 years later, thanks in part to loyal, hardworking employees. He praised Helen LeVasseur, especially, who started working at Manning’s close to the same time he did. She is surely the “best general manager in the state,” he said.
Other core staff members have been around for many years, underscoring that to be successful, “You need dedication and a family that wants to work hard,” said Larry.
At the anniversary gathering in the parking lot behind the bar, former Manning’s employees came from all over to fill in as honorary bartenders serving 75-cent beers and hot dogs in hour-long shifts.
One honorary bartender, attorney Jerry Hess, traveled all the way from North Carolina on his motorcycle — an 18-hour trip — to attend the event.
Among Manning’s flashier guests were members of Vulcanus Rex, a royal family of the St. Paul-based Winter Carnival group, clad in Ketchup-red bodysuits, which arrived at the June 2 event in an old-fashioned fire engine. They were an instant hit with the children in the crowd. Manning’s, some vulcans said, has been a regular pit stop for them en route to the carnival for as long as they can remember.
Some of the youngest Manning’s-goers were current U of M students. Ryan Olson, who sat alongside his roommates from a house within walking distance, said his dad frequented Manning’s at one time. “It’s not loud, but more quiet,” said Olson. “It’s a good place to come watch a basketball game.”
Manning’s has been a family affair for Hess, the former employee, as well — one that extends beyond blood relatives.
“If you were a member of the Manning family, you could get a job or a meal,” said Hess. “[Larry’s] heart is as big as the corner building.”
last revised: June 7, 2007