Bull’s Horn charges ahead with remodel, upgrades, new menu

By JILL BOOGREN

After a few months in a bureaucratic holding pen, the red tape has finally been pulled back, and Bull’s Horn Food and Drink is charging ahead. The new bar/restaurant at 34th and 46th St. (in the building occupied for decades by Sunrise Inn) is beginning to take shape.

The latest venture for Owner-Operators Doug Flicker and Amy Greeley, Bull’s Horn promises to stay true to its roots as a classic neighborhood bar—right down to the jukebox (no music from this millennium), pool table and pull tabs—but with a full kitchen.

First thing’s first: they’ve upgraded their liquor license to allow them to serve strong beer and wine. So goodbye, 3.2 beer! They’ll have a selection of craft beer and quality wine, with some cheaper standbys like Hamm’s and Miller Lite on hand, too. No hard liquor; that would require a zoning change, a process that is long and arduous and one Flicker and Greeley may be open to exploring, but not right out of the gate.

Photo left: Owner-Operators Doug Flicker and Amy Greeley stand outside the former site of Sunrise Inn, which they are renovating into a new bar-eatery, Bull’s Horn Food and Drink. They’re including a commissary kitchen to be used by bakers, and are planning a market-style cafe in the adjacent space. Ripping old vinyl off the outside revealed an additional layer of windows. (Photo by Jill Boogren)

As for food, this ain’t Flicker’s first rodeo (celebrated chef of Sandcastle, Esker Grove, Piccolo… dude knows his way around a kitchen), so he’ll no doubt bring added flair to the standard bar fare. Look for pub grub in the form of burgers and sandwiches, and smoked meat trays at dinner time—meat-and-threes (special side dishes—that will change daily. “Bologna Tuesdays,” like those Flicker enjoyed as a kid at Flicker's Liquors in Pierz, MN, are a distinct possibility.

“It’s a tradition that still happens,” said Greeley. “We’d definitely have ring bologna be one of the specials.”

They also may include a salad bar (no confirmation yet on whether it would include a marshmallow-fruit-gelatin option) and a kids’ menu served TV-dinner style: a little meat, some veggies. And to keep it exceptionally real, they’re going to have Heggies pizzas on hand, too. In fact, Flicker developed two new pizzas Heggies will be debuting that Bull’s Horn will serve at the bar. The first is a Mexican pizza; the other a surprise—”but a good one,” assures Greeley. Food will be available for takeout as well.

Next to the bar, Flicker and Greeley are creating a commissary kitchen that will have a stack oven, stovetop, refrigeration, freezer, prep space, sinks, and storage. Some local bakers will use the commissary, but it will also be made available to others in need of those amenities. In the next unit over, they have designs on creating a coffee and bake shop, to be run like a market. The Freshly Cut barbershop will stay, and the boutique at the far end of the building will be available for rent.

Bull’s Horn will retain some of the same look as the Sunrise Inn. The bar and wood paneling will remain, as will the booths, although they’ll be reupholstered. The drop ceiling was removed, as was some vinyl siding that has uncovered an additional layer of awning-style windows so it will be lighter and more spacious.

They still want to create that feel of going to a dive bar and the world passes while you’re in there, said Greeley, so no new windows are being added. “But it won’t feel dank and weird.”

Plans for adding greenery and outdoor seating out back are being developed.

Eco Dive Bar

Flicker and Greeley are committed to using sustainable building methods and operations. They are working with Novel Energy Solutions (who installed solar on the Birchwood Café) to install solar panels. They also hope to take advantage of Hennepin County grants to use more eco-friendly options for the parking area. Rather than just lay cement, which is faster and cheaper, they’d like to funnel stormwater better, include a rain garden, and maybe use permeable materials.

“We want to keep the theme of making it a very healthy, sustainable space,” said Greeley. “And not make a huge footprint, which restaurants can do.”

They’re going to compost food waste to cut down on what goes into the landfill. According to Greeley, in their six-month season at Sandcastle (the concession on Lake Nokomis), composting results in the equivalent of taking 3.5 cars off the road in terms of reducing greenhouse gas emissions. They’ll also save energy by putting sensors on their hood system, so it’ll be on when they’re using it during lunch and dinner and off when they’re not.

“It costs a little bit more, but it’s usually worth it,” said Greeley.

They plan to open in October, with lunch and dinner menus as well as reduced fare in between and late night. On Sat., Aug. 12, from 9-11am, there will be a “Resume Drop and Chat” (no interviews) in the Bull’s Horn parking lot (4563 34th Ave. S.).