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The iconic Grand Forks restaurant the Kegs has been put up for sale, but fans of the establishment have no need to fear its disappearance.
Co-owner Laura Hanson confirmed the property has been listed by Berkshire Hathaway, as per the sign in front of the building, but she said the mainstay restaurant is not going anywhere any time soon.
“If it doesn’t sell, we will reopen it,” Hanson said.
Hanson said there are no pressing issues that require the building to be sold within a certain period of time. She has co-owned the iconic restaurant for more than 20 years with her brother, Rick, and her sister, Becky. However, Laura Hanson said there have been a few bites already.
“We’ve had about three of them that have seriously, seriously looked at it,” Hanson said. “If we don’t sell it right away, we won’t sell it right away. We’ll just hang onto it.”
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So, why sell it, and why now?
“Number one, we have not put as much initiative into it,” Hanson said. “We haven’t worked it like The Kegs should be worked. When we first bought it 20 years ago, we had a lot of fun with it.”
The Hansons have decided to devote their time and money toward the Northside Cafe, another restaurant they own in Grand Forks. In preparation, they renovated the Kegs inside and out early this year as part of the plan to eventually sell it.
“That was our goal — to fix it up so we could sell it,” Hanson said. “New wiring, new plumbing and new equipment.”
Hanson said she only wants to sell the restaurant to a buyer who is “going to treat it like The Kegs should be treated.”
“I’d like somebody to buy it that knows what the Kegs is all about and knows its history,” Hanson said. “I don’t want to see a development company come around and buy it and tear it down. I mean, the Kegs has been in Grand Forks since 1935, you know?”
