The Gnome Craft Pub on St. Paul's Selby Avenue closes after 6 years
Another break-in at The Gnome
The owner of The Gnome on Selby is speaking out after another break-in, this time while staff were still inside the building. FOX 9 reporter Emily Pofahl joins us to explain what happened, why the owner says businesses are frustrated, and where the investigation stands.
ST. PAUL, Minn. (FOX 9) - The Gnome Craft Pub on St. Paul's Selby Avenue is closed for good, with the owner saying "significant building problems" led to the decision to shut its doors after six years in business.
A burglary earlier in the week was the latest of about a dozen reported by the owner, Brian Ingram, who says that is not the reason for the closing.
READ MORE: Gnome on Selby broken into, $1,300 stolen: Owner says staff was inside during crime
The Gnome Craft Pub says goodbye
What they're saying:
The Gnome Craft Pub shared the following statement on their social media:
"Today, we have to share the difficult news that The Gnome will be closing, effective today.
"The hardest part is our people: our team, their families, our guests, and our neighbors. They carried this place through COVID, celebrations, hard days, and everything in between. They made The Gnome what it is.
"To everyone who spent time with us, thank you. You trusted us with life’s biggest moments, and we will never forget that.
"The Gnome opened during COVID by taking care of people. We turned our parking lot into a drive-in movie theater, our patio into a community grocery store, and donated thousands of pounds of food. If you are a struggling restaurant or nonprofit in need of food, supplies, or beverages, please message us. We want to donate everything we have.
"This closing is due to significant building problems we cannot overcome as tenants-not the recent burglary.
"Our time at this old firehouse has ended, but our belief in Saint Paul has not. We will continue serving our community through Hope and other initiatives.
"Thank you for six unforgettable years. These are our people."
Burglary suspect arrested
Local perspective:
Ingram says restaurant staff were inside during the burglary.
"They pulled an entire window out of the building. While our cleaning crew was downstairs working, these criminals were inside breaking into our liquor rooms and offices—sawing open our safes," Ingram said.
Jason Lionel Wayne Gatrell, 29, of St. Paul, is charged with burglarizing The Gnome Craft Pub on Aug. 16, and attempting to burglarize The Lexington at 1096 Grand Avenue on Aug. 17, according to the St. Paul Police Department.
READ MORE: Suspect arrested, charged in alleged Gnome, Lexington burglaries in St. Paul
Police say that on Aug. 16, officers responded to The Gnome Craft Pub following a report of a burglary, with the owner stating the business had been broken into around 4 a.m., resulting in approximately $1,300 in cash stolen and thousands of dollars worth of damage.
The following morning, on Aug. 17, St. Paul police officers responded to an alarm call at The Lexington, where police say that officers arrived on scene to find Gatrell attempting to break into the business.
As officers attempted to take him into custody, they report that Gatrell sprayed one in the face with pepper spray and attempted to disarm the officer of their taser.
Following the incident, Ingram urged the community and leaders to pay attention to the ongoing break-ins, saying in part, "I’m done being quiet. Politicians tell us crime is down. Maybe reported crime is down. Maybe business owners are just exhausted… I’m mad as hell. My team could have been hurt. Someone could have been killed. This is not normal. This is not acceptable. And silence is not making St. Paul safer."
Past business trouble
St. Paul's Apostle Supper Club set to close
The Apostle Supper Club in St. Paul announce it's closing it's doors, citing a "crisis" happening in the city's downtown.
The backstory:
This recent closing follows another venture that failed within a few years of its launch.
The Apostle Supper Club opened to widespread fanfare in downtown St. Paul back in Oct. 2022 before closing less than three years later on June 1, 2025.
Owners blamed crime and office vacancy rates as challenges to running a business in the city.
READ MORE: Apostle Supper Club closing in St. Paul at the end of the month
Ingram said the project was "a dream two decades in the making" and thanked guests for bringing it to life.
Dig deeper:
Following the COVID-19 pandemic, the nonprofit, Give Hope, was ordered by Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison to dissolve after state officials said it failed to follow legal requirements. Those requirements reportedly included maintaining tax-exempt status and registration with the Minnesota Attorney General's Office, which prevented donors and regulators from getting insight into Give Hope's finances.
READ MORE: Hope Breakfast Bar owners reach settlement to dissolve Give Hope nonprofit
The settlement, also known as an assurance of discontinuance, was filed in Ramsey County after state investigators found evidence of conflicting transactions with businesses affiliated with Brian and Sarah Ingram, who own multiple restaurants under the Purpose Driven Restaurants umbrella. These transactions, according to the attorney general's office, include reimbursements made to Purpose Driven Restaurants for food, groceries, and toiletries provided by Give Hope during the COVID-19 pandemic.
This was reportedly done without following the conflicting transaction requirements under the Minnesota Nonprofit Act, according to the attorney general's office. State officials add that Give Hope's board of directors met infrequently, failed to maintain adequate books and did not have a designated treasurer.
The Source: This story uses information shared by The Gnome Craft Pub on social media and past FOX 9 reporting.