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Hastings American League closes abruptly on Christmas Eve

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Published  December 25, 2025 2:46pm CST
Business
FOX 9

The Brief

    • The Hastings American Legion Post 47 closed abruptly on Christmas Eve without any notice to patrons or staff.
    • As recently as Dec. 22, the Legion was set to have kitchen and bar hours on Christmas Eve, and bar hours on Christmas Day.
    • Officials with the Legion say the closure is not permanent.

HASTINGS, Minn. (FOX 9) - The American Legion is typically a place where war veterans, their families and community members gather for drinks, bingo, meat raffles and fun.

The Hastings American Legion closed abruptly on Christmas Eve, leaving a community without a watering hole, employees without jobs and a Facebook message board enraged.

Hastings American Legion closes

What we know:

According to its Facebook page, the Hastings American Legion closed at 4 p.m. on Christmas Eve without any notice. On Dec. 22, they posted their kitchen would be open from 8-11 a.m., and the bar would be open from "10 a.m. – Slow Down."

They also had been scheduled to have the bar open from "10 a.m. – Slow Down" on Christmas Day. The kitchen would be closed, with pretzels and pizza available at the bar.

Officials with Hastings American Legion say the closure is not permanent. They did not say why they are closing, or for how long.

Hastings American Legion Post Commander reacts

What they're saying:

The Commander of American Legion Post No. 47 issued a statement via social media:

"We want to address recent concerns and rumors regarding the Hastings Legion. The Legion is NOT permanently closing.

The Executive Committee made the difficult but responsible decision to temporarily shut down operations in order to take a step back, evaluate our current situation, and develop a strategic plan to reshape how the Club does business moving forward. The goal is simple: to generate sustainable revenue and ensure the long-term future of the Hastings Legion.

It’s important to understand that permanent closure involves many formal steps, and we are nowhere near that point. This temporary shutdown is actually a preventative measure — a cost-saving action taken to avoid permanent closure, not move toward it.

We know change can create uncertainty, but please know this decision was made with the best interests of the Club, our members, and our community in mind. We will continue to provide updates as information becomes available.

Once again, this is a temporary measure designed to protect the future of the Hastings Legion and keep it serving veterans and the community for years to come.

Thank you for your patience, understanding, and continued support."

Timeline:

The Legion Commander says updates will be provided as they become available from the Executive Committee. They did not say when they plan to reopen.

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