Beloved Minnesota Pizza Place Now Closing For Good

It's been a popular pizza place for over a decade, but this Minnesota restaurant just announced that it will soon be closing its doors permanently.

It's a sad but true fact: It seems like you almost need a scorecard to keep up with the number of restaurants that have either recently closed or have said they're closing permanently here in the Land of 10,000 Lakes.

It was just earlier this year that the Dark Horse Bar & Eatery in St. Paul announced it was closing for good on Valentine's Day. Before that, diners in Woodbury and Lake Elmo were shocked when The Machine Shed, the longtime restaurant that had been open for over 20 years just off I-94, posted a sign on its doors saying it was now closed.

SEE ALSO: Cub Foods Says It's Closing Another Minnesota Location

Back in May, Brian Ingram, founder of Purpose Restaurants, made headlines in Minnesota when he announced that he would be permanently closing Apostle Supper Club, saying the city of St. Paul's downtown core was 'in crisis.'

Of course, these closings aren't just limited to restaurants, either. It was just earlier this spring as well that news broke of another business that's closing its Minnesota location. Outdoor retailer The Sportsman's Guide announced back in early April that it was closing its warehouse and distribution facility in South St. Paul and moving out of state.

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Now, we have word that Big River Pizza, the long-time popular restaurant famous for wood-fired pizzas, located at 280 5th Street East in St. Paul, is closing up shop and will soon be cooking its last pie.

The now-defunct City Pages once noted that Big River Pizza got its start during appearances at several area farmers markets, but is now located in a brick-and-mortar directly across from 'one of the best markets in town: the St. Paul Farmers’ Market.'

But sadly, its time there will apparently be limited. According to a post on the Big Rivers Pizza Facebook page, the restaurant said it'll be closing for good through June 29th (or possibly beyond) due to 'the current political and policy landscape in St. Paul (which) has made it increasingly difficult to ensure the safety of our employees.' the post said.

This was not a decision we made lightly. We held out hope until the very last moment. This is not a reflection on the dedication of our police force—we’ve received outstanding support from the SPPD and city departments like DSI. Rather, it reflects broader policy challenges that have impacted our ability to operate.

There wasn't any word on whether the team might open a new restaurant in a different location, or if this is really the end for Big Rivers Pizza. You can read the whole post below.

And while they may seem to be more prevalent recently, business closings aren't a new phenomenon. Keep scrolling to check out 50 beloved retail chains that also closed their doors and aren't around anymore.

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