The Nook issues plea, asks people to order from its other restaurant to keep it afloat
One of the Twin Cities' most popular burger joints is hoping people start ordering from its other location to keep it afloat and people employed.
The Nook, which opened in St. Paul in 1938, put out a plea on Facebook Wednesday thanking people for supporting "The Nook Family" during the restaurant shutdowns but asked that people not forget about their second location, Shamrocks Irish Nook, that's about 1.6 miles away.
"During this second round of shutdowns, it is hitting Shamrocks particularly hard. Between the two locations, we employ 100 people. We are desperately seeking to help these people not lose those jobs. At this point, The OG Nook is hanging in there. Shamrocks is not," the post said.
The Nook is requesting that next time people want one of The Nook's famous burgers or other pub food to order takeout from Shamrocks, which was established in 1996.
"Literally the same owners, food distributors, recipes as The Nook," the post said.
The Nook's ooey-gooey cheese-stuffed burgers (think Jucy Lucy but they're called Juicy Nookie at The Nook and Shamrocks) are often ranked among the top on Minnesota's "best burgers" lists. They've been featured on Guy Fieri's Food Network show "Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives" twice, and Barbara Streisand has raved about them.
"If Nook-online ordering is turned off because our tiny grill is full, please order from Shamrocks. Delivery is now only available at shamrocks for this reason," the restaurant added.
Shamrocks website is available here, where orders can be placed online.
Gov. Tim Walz issued an executive order that closed restaurants and bars to in-person dining for four weeks, ending Dec. 18.
The hospitality industry has said the latest order could force many restaurants to close for good if no relief is provided. The state has been encouraging people to order takeout to help businesses bridge the gap and the Legislature is working on a relief package to help workers and businesses stay afloat.
