Chicago’s Taste Authority has announced it will close its doors on Sept. 21 after 20 years in south Minneapolis, blaming a significant rent hike by its landlord.
The eatery at 3101 E. 42nd St., known for its Chicago-style hot dogs and Italian beef sandwiches, had revealed its impending closure to Minnesota Monthly in July, and has now confirmed its final date on its Facebook page.
“Yep, it’s true. Our rent soared higher than a foul ball at Wrigley Field!” The post reads. “It’s no longer sustainable for us as an independently owned small business, so, unfortunately, we gotta go.”
Brothers Chris and Rob Dubnecay opened the restaurant near 42nd and Hiawatha in South Minneapolis in 2004, with Rob Dubnecay telling Minnesota Monthly at the time that rent was $1,800 a month.
“Now they want over $6,000,” he added, a more than 300% increase in 20 years. SmartAsset says that national cumulative inflation since 2004 is about 66%.
While the restaurant is closing by next week, the Facebook post notes they are hopeful to be able to serve customers “somewhere again soon!”