MINNEAPOLIS — Juut Salonspa is closing its location in Minneapolis' Uptown neighborhood, blaming increased violence for the decision.
Owner and founder David Wagner confirmed in a Facebook post Sunday morning that the location at the corner of West Lake Street and Hennepin Avenue would close after being in business in the area since 1986.
"It's a sad day," Wagner wrote. "We decided to close due to the continued escalation of crime and violence in our neighborhood. I would be heartbroken if any of our team or clients got hurt."
Juut has other locations in Edina, Roseville, St. Paul, Wayzata, and Woodbury, in addition to several salons in California and Arizona.
According to its website, Juut also closed its downtown Minneapolis location because of reduced traffic due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
A recent string of crime and closures has plagued Uptown in recent years. Earlier this month, the iconic Uptown Theater closed for good after Landmark Theaters, which operated the space since 1978, was evicted due to unpaid back rent.
In the aftermath of George Floyd's death, the shopping and dining district was impacted by multiple rounds of looting and rioting. Longtime resident Phillip Qualy told KARE 11 recently that the violence in the neighborhood is the worst he's seen in more than 35 years.
"We noticed the late night noise and commercial district impacts on Friday and Saturday nights really getting out of hand in front of our homes, on the streets between 11 p.m. and 3 a.m.," said Qualy, who moved in back in 1983.
"We love living here," Qualy said. "We just kind of watch out for one another."
