"Band Box Diner — the red-and-white, old-school diner at the corner of 10th and 14th streets in Minneapolis’s Elliot Park neighborhood — announced its reopening via Facebook on Thursday, September 14, Bring Me The News first reports. The diner shut down in March of 2020 with a slate of other Twin Cities restaurants affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The closure wasn’t permanent, but there had been no solid news of reopening until today’s post: a photo of an “Open” sign and the words “Yep. For real.” Band Box, which first opened in 1939, is beloved for its greasy spoon fare: burgers and shoestring fries; omelets; buttermilk pancakes; English muffins dripping butter. Owners Brad and Heather Ptacek shut the diner down in the early months of the pandemic, but, according to Bring Me The News, weren’t able to resume operations when dining restrictions loosened — the diner was too small for effective social distancing. Heather was also fighting breast cancer at the time. In 2021, neighbors and supporters rallied around Band Box and raised more than $26,000 — the Ptaceks have had a reopening plan in the works since then. Comments from excited customers poured in on the diner’s Facebook page. Hours are Wednesday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m." - Justine Jones
