Keg and Case: St. Paul Tap owner in talks to buy the former West Seventh food hall, open Fort Road Social
The Keg and Case Market building in St. Paul could soon see new life as the home of Fort Road Social, a proposed restaurant and entertainment spot from nearby St. Paul Tap owner Mike Tupa.
Tupa — who also owns bar-arcade Full Tilt Tavern in Bloomington, local sports bar chain Wild Bill's Sports Saloon and other restaurants in Lakeville and Hudson — is in talks with current building owner MidWestOne Bank to purchase the building, he confirmed Wednesday.
A deal to close on the property is expected in the 'near future' pending the approval of several licensing applications Tupa has submitted to the city, he said.
The one-time West Seventh Street food hall, which opened in 2018 with 22,000 square feet of commercial space, currently hosts one tenant — the retro arcade Starcade, which has also filled the space with pinball machines under its Bad Penny brand and operates a snack kitchen.
Iowa-based MidWestOne took ownership of the building in late 2023 after developer Craig Cohen, who poured millions of dollars into revitalizing the 168-year-old former brewery keg house, defaulted on several sizable loans. Cohen filed for personal bankruptcy protection last year, too.
'I think it's a very special building,' Tupa said. 'I think it's got lots of potential. It just needs to have a new vision put in place, and that's what I'm working towards doing, presuming we can complete a deal with the bank.'
That vision, he said, is for 'a community gathering place; a fun, vibrant, inclusive space with food vendors and games inside and out.'
City records show he has applied for a liquor license that would cover late-night hours inside and on a patio, plus authorization to be a 'gambling location,' which frequently refers to pull-tabs.
As a longtime hospitality operator, Tupa said, he would plan to remain involved in the day-to-day operation of the space to ensure it remains vibrant and relevant.
'I think I'll be highly in tune with how to deliver a product the community will not only love in the beginning but for the long term, too,' he said. 'Because that's the trick: It's got to be relevant for years, not just for the start.'
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