Judy’s Tavern has seen visits from the Stanley Cup, countless pints of beer and steady ownership from Gary Rogalla and his wife for nearly 30 years.
But soon, it’ll be time for Rogalla to hand over the keys.
Mike Opp, owner of Oxford Realty, plans to take over northside bar. Rogalla, in his mid-60s and ready to retire, confirmed the upcoming sale, which takes effect on Jan. 1. The tavern is expected to stay open, though it will likely see some improvements.
“(Opp) told me he’s going to leave it exactly the way it is -- maybe add an outdoor deck or something like that,” Rogalla said. “We both kind of agreed on it, that he would keep it open. We both wanted to do it that way, and he wants to keep it.”
Opp said that he’d like to make the 1221 N. 20th St. bar look more inviting, perhaps with the addition of trees, greenery or a patio. Additionally, Opp said the beer menu may expand, and that the bar will begin taking multiple forms of payment -- not just cash.
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“We have an (office) investment over there on the north end, and we care about our neighborhood,” Opp said.
Judy’s Tavern was the site of multiple visits from the Stanley Cup , as well as a 2007 incident in which former UND hockey players and current NHL stars Jonathan Toews and T.J. Oshie were arrested for appearing in the bar while underage.
“We got a lot of good memories -- some not so good, but that comes with the territory, I guess,” Rogalla said. “I’ll probably be missing it when I don’t have it.”
