Know Your Local Dive Bar – Otter’s Saloon
Tuesday, October 15, 2024 at 2:17AMArticle by Becky Fillinger, photos provided
A Discussion with Otter’s Saloon Owner Lynn Vashro
Otter's Saloon has karaoke 7 nights a week, 365 days a year, 8PM to 2AM. There’s even an earlier start on Saturdays - 4PM! If you feel like singing, or just being with a happy crowd, head on over to 617 Central Avenue SE. I asked Scott Parkin of Old Town Minneapolis if he has a favorite memory of Otter’s Saloon. Turns out he does – keep reading...
Lynn Vashro
We talked to Lynn Vashro, Owner/ Manager about the history of the bar, the karaoke program and the perfection that is Otter's Saloon.
Q: Can you give us the history of Otter's Saloon. How long has it been around?
A: This building has a long history. Designed by renowned architects, Joseph & Ernest Haley, it was built in 1898 for Henry Thompson and operated as Thompson & Olson Saloon. It was a “tied house” connected to the Gluek Brewing Company selling Gluek products exclusively. It converted to a soft drink parlor during prohibition despite being cited multiple times for bootlegging. Despite Prohibition and ownership changes, the building has operated as a saloon its entire existence. It went through many changes of ownership. In 1997, Denise Freeman and Dell Hederman purchased the building and renamed it U Otter Stop Inn. In 2010, Bobby Vashro, my husband, and I purchased and renamed the business Otter’s Saloon. Bobby was a bartender here before we purchased the business. Bobby passed in 2022 – he truly loved the business and all our customers. See more extensive history here, thanks to Old Town Minneapolis.
Q: Otter's must have the longest happy hours in the state. Please talk about your happy hour times and offerings.
A: We do have a lengthy Happy Hour - 8AM-7PM Monday-Friday, 8AM-6PM Saturday and Sunday. The happy hour specials are $3 Rail Drinks and $3 Domestic Beer.
Q: I read that you have the best karaoke in Minnesota. Please tell us about your karaoke program. What's the most requested song?
A: We love our karaoke program. We use the songbooksonline.com app and paper slips and pencils. We have a nice crowd of regulars on the weekdays singing karaoke, the weekends bring in the big crowds to sing karaoke. The most popular song is Journey’s Don't Stop Believing. Scott Parkin of Old Town Minneapolis, has a favorite memory of Otter’s Saloon: “I watched a stunning woman with an entourage walk in, do an amazing rendition of Salt-N-Pepa’s Shoop, and walk right back out the door without batting an eyelash. The room was speechless.”
Belt out your favorite tunes at Otter's!
Q: I also saw a post about cribbage tournaments. Please tell us more about that and other sponsored activities.
A: Our Cribbage tournaments are the second Saturday and last Saturday of each month at 1:00PM. Cribbage is $21 to play and all monies are paid out to the winners. We have 1st, 2nd and 3rd place winners, depending on how many players we have on any certain day. The largest jackpot you can win is $120.
We have pull-tabs and e-tabs daily. For pull-tabs, we have two $2 boxes and one $1 box. You can win up to $500 in the $2 boxes and up to $300 in the $1 box. The boxes are changed out frequently.
Our customers can win up to $899 on e-tabs, with 77 games available.
Q: Do you have plans for expanding or renovating Otter's Saloon? Or is it best to 'don't change anything'?
A: We don't have plans for expanding Otter's. It's kinda perfect the way it is. We are a staple in Northeast.
Q: How do we follow your news?
A: Come by and visit us at 617 Central Avenue SE. We’ll be here. We’re also on Facebook.
Here's to good times and good friends at Otter's!
