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Minneapolis' Butcher And The Boar Leaves Brides-To-Be With Big Tabs After Closing Without Warning

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Some Minnesota couples are out thousands of dollars after a popular downtown Minneapolis restaurant closed its doors without warning.

WCCO dug into why the Butcher and the Boar left two brides-to-be with such a big tab and why they've waited weeks for answers.

Kelsey Mathisen and Adam Weber decided on an October 2020 wedding back then.

"We started planning our wedding May 2019 so way before COVID hit," Mathisen said.

A recent crowd-size cancellation at another venue lead them to book their rehearsal dinner at the Butcher and the Boar's Beer Garden.

"Living downtown ourselves we want to support local business and we were super excited to support that," Mathisen said.

They paid to hold the date on Aug. 7.

"We had to give them 50% of the deposit which was $3,750 upon signing," she added.

A few weeks later, Mathisen heard on the news that the 12th and Hennepin staple blamed COVID-19 and Minneapolis unrest for closing permanently.

Emily Bruss and Ian Lindell paid The Butcher and Boar more than $4,200 to hold their wedding reception date next summer.

"We actually went there had dinner, toured the space on the Friday before they closed," Bruss said. "We had no suspicions at all."

Four days after that menu tasting they also learned those plans were no longer.

"Once I found out they were closing I called and emailed every contact that I possibly had and nobody got back to me at all," Bruss said.

For two weeks Mathisen and Bruss have waited for answers.  The same owner behind a new restaurant location in South Carolina replied to us today to say "they're working with their attorneys to come up with a resolution."

"Kind of feeling like at this point that we've been taken advantage of and it's just disappointing," Mathisen said.

Both have disputed the charges with their credit card companies and reported the restaurant to the Attorney General's Office.

"They notified their staff the night before that would mean they had time to notify us," Bruss said.

As they look for new locations. Yet again.

To file a consumer complaint with MN Attorney General's Office click here.

For venue contract tips from wedding planners click here.

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