MN border town losing business to WI over shutdown rules

 

While Minnesota’s bar and restaurant restrictions continue, Wisconsin has been open for weeks. Minnesotans have had enough and are crossing the border to get a taste of pre-COVID-19 life.

Stillwater, Minnesota is just across the St. Croix River from Hudson, Wisconsin. In Hudson, good luck finding a dinner table without a reservation, you’ll be waiting up to 2 hours. This is normally the busiest time of the year for Stillwater, but with hefty limitations on their bars and restaurants, fewer people visit the town. Joseph’s Restaurant in Stillwater is right off of MN-36 that goes right into Wisconsin. Every day, they watch Minnesotans travel to WI, while their restaurant remains empty. Kenzington Boutique in downtown Stillwater has seen much less foot traffic with no one dining out.

Governor Walz has announced that beginning June 10, restaurants and bars can operate at 50% indoors. This is a start, but these restaurants and businesses were expecting a slow opening to begin on June 1st. They have suffered enough and are ready to open and welcome Minnesotans back through their doors.