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Early morning fire changes landscape of downtown St. Cloud

“Fifth Avenue in St. Cloud is an icon itself. The Press Bar is an icon. And people just can’t believe it’s gone.”

ST. CLOUD, Minn. — An overnight fire at The Press Bar early Monday wrecked a Central Minnesota institution and broke the hearts of at least three generations of patrons dating back seven decades.

It also changed the entire landscape of downtown St. Cloud, forever altering one of the city’s most historic intersections at Fifth and St. Germaine streets.

“It’s a gaping hole,” downtown resident Peg Haws said as she stared at the smoldering rubble. “It will never be the same.”

In the short-term, adjacent businesses may feel the effects – including Granite City Comics and Games, which closed Monday due to smoke damage and lost electricity. Co-owner Tim Schulte hopes to re-open on Wednesday but described “disbelief” as he watched The Press Bar burn to the ground. Cowboy Jack’s, a recent addition to the neighborhood, will also remained closed temporarily due to some residual damage, according to St. Cloud Area Chamber of Commerce President Teresa Bohnen.

But the long-term implications of The Press Bar may be even more consequential.

“This is really a devastating blow for our downtown,” Bohnen said. “Fifth Avenue in St. Cloud is an icon itself. The Press Bar is an icon. And people just can’t believe it’s gone.”

Despite the loss of Herberger’s on the same block, Bohnen and the Chamber of Commerce have worked hard in recent years to revitalize downtown St. Cloud, a Central Minnesota hub and the region’s largest city. The efforts have paid off, in the form of festivals, convention center events and millions of dollars of investments into many historic buildings.

For that reason, Bohnen chooses to focus not just on the loss – but rather the opportunity that now presents itself at the corner of Fifth and St. Germaine.

“We are really sorry to see the owners in this position,” she said, “but hopefully insurance will take over, and something really good will come out of it.”

As she watched the crews finish demolition, Peg Haws likened the plight of St. Cloud to “one step forward, two steps back.”

But she remains hopeful.

“You can’t end here,” Haws said. “We just go forward.”

RELATED: The Press Bar in St. Cloud a 'total loss' after fire

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