On This Date in Minnesota History: January 11

January 11, 1980 – Hotel Duluth’s 45-day close-out sale of all of its furnishings opened for business this morning. One of the first things to go was the famed black bear from the hotel’s Black Bear Lounge. It was purchased by Andy Borg, vice-president of Grandma’s Saloon and Deli, for $325, and immediately went on display on the deli case at Grandma’s in Canal Park.

The 14-story, 400-room hotel will be converted to senior citizen apartments, except for the bottom three floors which will be retained for commercial use.

Duluth Herald; “Black bear of Hotel Duluth given home at Grandma’s”; January 11, 1980; p. 4A.

http://zenithcity.com/zenith-city-history-archives/myths-notorious-tales/bear-and-drunk-square-off-at-the-hotel-duluth/


Visit my Aug. 18, 2012 blog for the story of the black bear in the Hotel Duluth.