On April 4, 2022, Cheba Hut announced that it would be opening that summer at 1125 Lagoon Ave., in the Asher apartment complex across the street from the Moxy hotel. The timing seemed perfect. Gov. Tim Walz was mere weeks away from signing off on a bill that would legalize THC; the Colorado-based franchise specialized in toasted subs made with potheads in mind.
But there would be no stoner-themed subs in Minneapolis that summer. And, a year and a half later, the sub shop remains unopened. Cheba Hut’s Uptown Instagram, however, has been active, posting pics of sandwiches, drinks, and merch on a regular basis. While the account has remained upbeat, promising to open “soon,” excited followers have been turning into haters.
“You are cruel,” writes one commenter on a recent post. “For the love of baby wooks everywhere when are you finally opening??”
“Y’all ain’t ever gonna open are you?” writes another. “And it ain’t city planning or permits either. A lot of other restaurants opened up faster than y’all. #StopBeingCheap.”
“i eat subway because you guys won’t open /: (i do think subway is gas),” writes one especially eloquent commenter.
So, what gives, Cheba?
“It has been a frustrating project. We ran into some issues with construction and that was of our own doing,” says Seth Larson, chief relationship officer at Cheba Hut. “I just, first and foremost, want to say it's not the city or the neighborhood or the state. It really has been tied up in construction.”
Larson says the shop is scheduled to open sometime in “early 2024”—still a pretty vague timeframe. A recent stroll by the restaurant shows that a lot of work is being done to the space, with permits for plumbing, concrete, HVAC, structural, electrical, sewage, and a ton of other services taped to the papered windows.
But time is ticking, goodwill is dwindling, and, now that weed is pretty much legal, the smell of pot is in the air. (No, really: When I was taking the above pics for this story, a guy walked by me and commented that it ”smells dank here” and knowingly winked at me.)
“We hear the frustrations loud and clear,” Larsen says of the angry commenters. “We certainly want those folks' voices to be heard. But I think it's also an opportunity to win some people back and everyone likes a comeback story.”
Larsen says that “comeback” might include some freebies or special deals for some of the most upset of commenters. So if you’re mad, keep firing away.
And what will be at this Cheba spot should it ever open? Subs. A lot of different subs. While the food is drug-free and there’s no plans to sell THC products at this location, Larsen says there will be a full bar and perhaps some team ups with local breweries. There will also be a walk-up window to expedite Door Dashing and perhaps entice any munchies-seekers on the go.
“Look, we want this door open as much as you guys do,” Larsen says. "We will get there and we will have a kick-ass pre-open party... we do see some light at the end of the tunnel here.”
