The short run is over for Local Rumor, the neighborhood New American restaurant on St. Paul’s Selby Avenue. The spot that took over the original Blue Door Pub space in 2024 will close this Saturday, Feb. 7, according to its owner.
Owner Scott Cochran announced the shutdown on the restaurant’s social channels, writing that he was unable to “reach a sustainable agreement” with the landlord and setting final service for Saturday, as reported by the Pioneer Press. In the post, he invited neighbors and regulars to swing through one more time and thanked staff for their work at the small Selby Avenue spot.
How Local Rumor opened
Local Rumor debuted in the summer of 2024 at 1811 Selby Ave., moving into the original Blue Door Pub location with a compact menu built around burgers, wings and roasted vegetables. Cochran brightened the former pub interior with murals, plants and open seating as he tried to carve out a true neighborhood bar-restaurant in Merriam Park. Bring Me The News covered the opening and noted the history of the space.
Neighborhood response and menu
Early coverage zeroed in on the $12 smash burger and the colorful, plant-filled room. Reviewers also pointed out that Local Rumor operated with a limited beverage lineup while it waited on a full liquor license. Local outlet Racket MN highlighted the restaurant’s opening and early buzz in 2024.
Another turnover on the avenue
Local Rumor’s exit is the latest shuffle on Selby Avenue, which has seen a steady churn of openings, revivals and tenant changes in recent years as longtime favorites give way to new concepts. Business press coverage has tracked that rapid turnover in restaurant real estate up and down the corridor. The Minneapolis / St. Paul Business Journal recently detailed several of the avenue’s new arrivals and reopenings…