Mickey’s Diner, the long-lasting dining automotive in downtown St. Paul, has reopened for the primary time because the pandemic in March 2020.
Despite nearly $75,000 raised through a subsequent 2020 GoFundMe campaign, the diner remained closed until Thursday morning, when surprised downtown residents and employees encountered what manager Sam Hashish told the Pioneer Press was a “soft opening.”
The menu stays the identical, with some additions, corresponding to Middle Eastern pastries like baklava and espresso drinks. The complete menu is now kosher and halal as well.
“We would like to serve a various crowd,” Hashish said. “Before, there have been some individuals who wouldn’t go here since it wasn’t kosher.”
The dining automotive at West Seventh and St. Peter streets can have a proper reopening at a date to be announced later, Hashish said.
“For now, we’re open until we run out of food,” he said. “We are going to open at 6 or 7 a.m. day by day until the grand opening. I feel we did a great job today, but we are able to do higher. After we are ready, we’ll have the grand opening.”
The GoFundMe money was well spent, Hashish said, on a brand new hood and air-conditioning system in addition to fresh wraps on the booths, recent tables, a brand new sound system, a brand new grill and a deep fryer.
A collection of baklava and other pastries tempt patrons during a soft opening of the famed Mickey’s Dinning Automobile in downtown in St. Paul on Thursday, Oct. 3. 2024. The landmark restaurant closed its doors in March 2020 due to the COVID pandemic. Sam Hashish, the manager, said the brand new menu will likely be essentially the identical except kosher and can add such items as Italian and other coffees together with fresh pastries. “We’ll stay open in the course of the soft open so long as the food lasts,” said Hashish. A proper opening date will likely be announced at a later date. (John Autey / Pioneer Press)
Cook Ahmed Ashraf keeps an eye fixed on the counter during a soft opening of the famed Mickey’s Dinning Automobile in downtown in St. Paul on Thursday, Oct. 3. 2024. The landmark restaurant closed its doors in March 2020 due to the COVID pandemic. Sam Hashish, the manager, said the brand new menu will likely be essentially the identical except kosher and can add such items as Italian and other coffees together with fresh pastries. “We’ll stay open in the course of the soft open so long as the food lasts,” said Hashish. A proper opening date will likely be announced at a later date. (John Autey / Pioneer Press)
Line cook Mohamed Mustafa dishes up a breakfast platter for a customer during a soft open of the famed Mickey’s Dinning Automobile in downtown in St. Paul on Thursday, Oct., 3. 2024. The landmark restaurant closed its doors in March 2020 due to the COVID pandemic. Sam Hashish, the manager, said the brand new menu will likely be essentially the identical except kosher and can add such items as Italian and other coffees together with fresh pastries. “We’ll stay open in the course of the soft open so long as the food lasts,” said Hashish. A proper opening date will likely be announced at a later date. (John Autey / Pioneer Press)
Brittany Jones, standing, takes care of guests during a soft opening of the famed Mickey’s Dinning Automobile in downtown in St. Paul on Thursday, Oct., 3. 2024. The landmark restaurant closed its doors in March 2020 due to the COVID pandemic. Sam Hashish, the manager, said the brand new menu will likely be essentially the identical except kosher and can add such items as Italian and other coffees together with fresh pastries. “We’ll stay open in the course of the soft open so long as the food lasts,” said Hashish. A proper opening date will likely be announced at a later date. (John Autey / Pioneer Press)
The mini jukebox and condiments still decorate the tables the famed Mickey’s Dinning Automobile in downtown in St. Paul during a soft open on Thursday, Oct. 3. 2024. The landmark restaurant closed its doors in March 2020 due to the COVID pandemic. Sam Hashish, the manager, said the brand new menu will likely be essentially the identical except kosher and can add such items as Italian and other coffees together with fresh pastries. “We’ll stay open in the course of the soft open so long as the food lasts,” said Hashish. A proper opening date will likely be announced at a later date. (John Autey / Pioneer Press)
Manager Sam Hashish mans the money register during a soft opening of the famed Mickey’s Dinning Automobile in downtown in St. Paul on Thursday, Oct. 3. 2024. The landmark restaurant closed its doors in March 2020 due to the COVID pandemic. Sam Hashish, the manager, said the brand new menu will likely be essentially the identical except kosher and can add such items as Italian and other coffees together with fresh pastries. “We’ll stay open in the course of the soft open so long as the food lasts,” said Hashish. A proper opening date will likely be announced at a later date. (John Autey / Pioneer Press)
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A collection of baklava and other pastries tempt patrons during a soft opening of the famed Mickey’s Dinning Automobile in downtown in St. Paul on Thursday, Oct. 3. 2024. The landmark restaurant closed its doors in March 2020 due to the COVID pandemic. Sam Hashish, the manager, said the brand new menu will likely be essentially the identical except kosher and can add such items as Italian and other coffees together with fresh pastries. “We’ll stay open in the course of the soft open so long as the food lasts,” said Hashish. A proper opening date will likely be announced at a later date. (John Autey / Pioneer Press)
Hashish was mum on ownership of the restaurant, which was originally opened in 1939 by Mickey Crimmons and Bert Mattson and was owned by the Mattson family when the pandemic hit.
Until 2020, the prefabricated dining automotive had been in continuous operation. It’s listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is a beloved tradition for a lot of visitors to downtown St. Paul.
It has also appeared in movies corresponding to “The Mighty Geese,” “Jingle All of the Way” and “A Prairie Home Companion.”
Despite reopening, Mickey’s won’t fully return to its pre-pandemic state.
Hashish said that even after the grand opening, the diner will not be humming 24 hours a day, seven days per week prefer it did up to now.
“24/7 is just an excessive amount of. It’s too hard,” he said.
Nevertheless, the individually operated Mickey’s Diner at 1950 W. Seventh St. stays open round the clock.
Mickey’s Diner: 36 W. Seventh St., St. Paul; 651-222-5633.
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