History Sad news for the Twin Cities MN. car scene.

I have heard that this saturday the 2nd is the last day they will be open? Does anyone know if thats true or not? If so I bet there will be a big showing down there if the weather is at all nice...

 

Damn...I will miss their shakes when I am up that way. I used to go there often when I was at the UofM.

 

Between St Paul PD problems and light rail going in on University Avenue, it was only a matter of time before Porky's would get squeezed out. Cruisin' Uniiversity back in the day was sure a lot of fun, I'm gonna miss it...

I have pics from Porky's 50th Anniversary party around here somewhere, if I can find them I'll post up a few.

 

Not sure where everybodys gonna go, from what I've heard, you can't even get into the parking lot, and the street parking is all gone.

Really sucks that it has to go out this way, rather than one last warm summer night when everybody could bring out there cars, and take one last lap through.

I hope to be able to take my kids there on Saturday, as I fondly remember last day passes at Porky's when it closed the first time, as well as the SUN when it closed.....RIP

This should make the Minnetonka drive in a busier spot this summer!

 

such a shame

 

We knew it would go someday. The pork cutlet was my favorite. I tried to get over there a couple times a summer.... once the light rail goes in, University Ave. is going to be a goddamn zoo anyway.....shortly after that it'll be Minnesota's biggest tumbleweed farm....

With this sad news I'd invite y'all up to Wagner's in Brooklyn Park. On mondays we cruize up and have eats and BS...not too many cars yet, you can still get a spot under the canopy most nights. It's a nice place and there's not a bad thing on the menu....chili cheese fries....mmmmmmm. It doesn't get as crazy as Porky's used to cuz it's in a residential area, but it's very nice. See ya there! Look for the Willys or the primer gray Firebird.

 

Big doings at Porky's this Sat night. The last hurrah.
The Minnetonka Drive-in is a good back spot on Hot Rod Thursdays though.

 

On a side note... You can still get "Porky's onion rings" at Tryg's on W Lake Street. Tryg is the son of Ray and Nora Truelson, who owned Porky's and Nora's.

 

Sad. My condolences to the Minnesota cruisers...

 

Last day is this Sunday. A bunch of guys are going Saturday at 5 P.M. for a last meal.

http://www.kare11.com/news/article/916970/391/Porkys-in-St-Paul-closing-its-doors-Sunday

Porky's in St. Paul closing its doors Sunday

ST. PAUL, Minn. -- A staple of old style St. Paul food and entertainment is closing its doors, effective Sunday.

Porky's, the burger joint and nightly hot spot during the summer, will have its final day of business on Sunday. The restaurant is located in the 1800 block of University Avenue in the midway area of St. Paul.

Founder Nora Truelson and her son Tryg confirmed the news with KARE 11 on Wednesday. They said they are talking about selling the property to Episcopal Homes, a developer of senior housing, based next door.

The sale would officially mean the end of the city's oldest family-run restaurants.

Nora Truelson also said the restaurant's contents to interested buyers April 4-6 from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Porky's was a 1950's style drive-in diner that was old fashioned in every sence of the word.

It became a long-time tradiiton years ago to take your hot rod or classic car down to Porky's, find a vacant lot near the restaurant, grab a burger and fries and spend the night watching cars up and down the street.

That won't be happening this summer though, and nobody is more upset about it than Truelson.

 

dont understand how she could be upset. she chose to sell it off.

 

They're putting in light rail down the middle of the road Porky's is located on. It took ALL the on street parking away. It's killing a lot of businesses on University ave. There are for sale and for rent signs all along University now.

 

in the article it said she sold it to housing development. still sad. maybe they can open it elsewhere in town and make new memories. i hope our local drive in burger joint never parishes. they hit their 95th anniversary this year!

 

Man, I feel for you guys out in MN.... Always sad to hear about kool places being torn down for no good reason. As someone already said, its like a loved one passing away unexpectedly.

Similar thing is probably gonna happen to Hansen's truck stop/diner where I live since they built a wall and over pass for "safety". Now you can't pull of the highway into their lot, and they already stopped being 24hrs a few years ago. Heard lots of kool stories from old timers about getting shakes and burgers there before drag racing on old Drake Hill Rd in the wee hours of the morning...

I've never been to Porky's, but I will miss you just the same!!

 

Yeayyyy!!! Nora's had some great food.

 

Hate to see some of the old flavor of University and the "old twin" cities fade. I moved here in 1973 from Kansas and have seen so many things change and grow. Kind of sad even for someone is not a native. Same things are going on in Wichita. I guess it's just a natural thing

Episcopal Homes is like a development cancer. They are creeping all over the place. Changing the fabric of traditional Wayzata haunts too.

 

Any chance some one may reopen it at another location?

 

Glad to hear that Trygs does the onion rings. They are the best.

Will check out Wagners.

There's a nice little drive in up in Taylors Falls that has great food too.

 

My hometown area. I have a sister that live across the street form the drive in. I lived in the same house when i was a wee lad.

 

There is a great painting of that place here at the automotive school I work at, all the way out here in sea town.

 

Ya, I know because I've been there with you.

 

Me and my shitty memory.

 

No, that would be you and your Mom.

 

Damn, I just now found this thread, I had a lot of fun even if I didnt have a car , it was still fun just parking, ordering a cruiser combo and watchen the show. It will surely be missed. Wagners is a nice place, good food too and the Owner can make any shake/malt you can think of.

 

lol

 

Tim, You going on Saturday? If the weather holds out I will roll down but it will not be till after 10, I have prior comitments that keep me from rolling down before that.

 

I'm going, but the guys i'm meeting will be there at 5 P.M. I doubt i'll still be there at 10. Maybe, but doubtful.

 

I just found out that they will be having an auction on Monday, April 4th. Dammit i wish i had some money.

 

Article in this morning's Mpls. paper

http://www.startribune.com/local/stpaul/119000504.html

 

I used to drive my t touring hot Rod or 56 Dodge almost every weekend (in the mid-90's) and brought my camcorder,I shot video of Porky's and all the cars cruisin by,At least I have some of those memories on tape. I'm defininatly bring my camcorder down Saturday night.