The Return of Schumacher’s?
I periodically dial the long-neglected phone of Schumacher’s, the Czech-German restaurant and hotel in New Prague, just to see what will happen. Schumacher’s had a 30-something year run as the best German-Czech restaurant in the state, and probably the nation. It was located in a precious, stage-coach hotel with a bar that I consider one of the most charming of all Minnesota landmarks. It was tiny, a postage stamp of a bar, but every nook and cranny was carved, embellished, polished—as fancy as a nineteenth century woodworker could make it. It’s a jaw-dropping place to get a beer. But the place closed a few years ago, and the news back then was that it would reopen in May 2008, but, ah, here we are.
So I dial. I leave messages. Nothing ever happens.
Except, this week something happened. The voice-mail on the other end of the phone picked up and relayed the message that the restaurant and hotel will be opening in August. This seems real because they’re having a job fair the weekend of July 11!
“We are not yet accepting reservations for the hotel or restaurant, but if you’d like to leave your name and phone number, we can contact you as soon as we are ready to move forward with that.”
Progress!
So, need a job in New Prague? Now’s your chance! Need a good place to drive in September for fall-color rubber-necking, kolachy, and wild game? Cross your fingers. Things are looking up.
Schumacher’s
212 Main St W., New Prague
952-758-2133
Posted on Wednesday, July 1, 2009 in Permalink
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Reader Comments:
Dara: you are intrepid to keep pursuing the Schumacher's mystery. I live in New Prague and the riddle which is wrapped in that enigma which is smothered inside of the Schumacher's mystery has been hard for us locals to decipher. It's surprising that New Prague let Schumacher's die with barely a whimper a few years ago (no stimulus money, no low-interest loans, not a word from city hall . . . even though it was a flagship business for the town). Out-of-towners *still* want to talk [brag] to me about their Schumacher's visit, and it hasn't even been in operation for 4 or 5 years. If the resurrection of Schumacher's does nothing else other than magnetically draw Dara MG back into little ole New Prague, it will have been worth all the wait and effort. Please let us know when you're coming though, because the name Moskowitz Grumdahl sounds suspiciously non-Czech and, well, you never can be too careful about such outside, non-Czech influences waltzing willy nilly in to town.
Dara,
You are showing your Carl colors with your devotion to New Prague and the hand-carved barstools