Sportsmen’s Barbers, a once beloved barbershop located in the heart of Columbia Heights, MN, was sadly evicted last month after a new owner purchased the building they were leasing.
Sportsmen’s Barbers, founded by Dennis Manning, got their start 22 years ago. The local institution provided haircuts, beard trims, massages and hot towels to their clientele, several of which were regulars, daily. It is touted as an old-timey barbershop decorated with merchandise of every major sport, as its name suggests. For some, the barbershop was like a second home where customers could relax and talk about whatever was happening in their lives, in the world of sports and beyond. It was also very generous, donating to charity whenever possible, giving free haircuts to those in need and offering discounts for active military personnel.
However, a new owner has purchased the building Sportsmen’s is located in at the corner of 40th Avenue NE and Central Avenue NE after the previous owner sold it. The new owner is a drums and percussion store called Klash Drums, which, like Sportsmen’s, was also recently evicted from their location in Northeast Minneapolis. The store requires the whole building, including the space used by the barbershop.
“We are not trying to put this guy out of business,” Klash Drums owner Jeremy Krueth said in an interview with the Star Tribune. “I’ve been kicked out of three locations in the past 20 years.”
Consequently, Sportsmen’s Barbershop lost its lease in the sale and must vacate its space to make way for the new owner.
“Despite a flawless 22-year record of paying our dues on time, I was handed a 45-day eviction notice,” Manning said in a statement on Facebook. “It’s a real kicker, not just for me but for the entire community.”
All the sports artifacts, flags and towels are gone from the walls and shelving as Manning prepares to vacate the space. The last day of operation was Wednesday, November 23.
“I went to Sportsmen’s Barber around one year ago,” Columbia Heights High School student Brant Bueno Farjado (12) said. “It was cool [and] very different from my usual Hispanic barbershop and I guess the Vikings sign [made it feel] very American. It was surprising to hear them close down.”
After Manning closed the shop, things took a dark and unexpected turn. On November 29, Manning allegedly started a fire at Pauly Ray’s Sports Barbershop in Shoreview. He was arrested that night and charged with two counts of arson. A complaint stated that Manning lit a tablecloth string on fire. He allegedly said to law enforcement that arrived on the scene, after initially denying involvement, that he was exhausted and wanted to quickly get rid of the string. The owner of the Shoreview shop stated that he believed Manning was attempting to force him to move his operations to Columbia Heights. As of The Heights Herald’s print deadline on December 11, Manning remains in custody.
