History of the Cambridge Bar & Grill

The Cambridge Bar & Grill is located in one of the oldest buildings remaining in Cambridge. Throughout its history, the building was extensively remodeled and moved from its original site. It has accommodated a variety of owners and businesses.

After the fire of July 1901, The Presley Drug store moved here until December when the brick block was finished. The P.O. Peterson store moved in during January of 1902 with their supply of groceries, dry goods and shoes. In 1910, Dr. O.W. Sterner moved his office here from the Gouldberg-Anderson building. Then in February 1912, Mrs. J. C. Duval opened her millinery store. The shoe repair shop of E.S. Heglund opened in 1914.

In August of 1915, Andrew Frans opened a photo studio in the building, and then in 1916, he was selling Waltham pianos. The second floor was used as the Nelson Dressmaking School in 1917.

In 1922, a basement was dug on the lot to the south, and the building was moved onto it. The offices of B.E. Sorenson DC were located here in 1923, and E.O. Thorell was selling Wear-U-Well shoes in 1924 at his "shoe hospital". The Bjork Millinery shop occupied the building in 1925.

Herman Morast bought the 25 x 60' building in January 1927. Herman's Recreation Parlor offered pool and billiards on the main floor and living quarters upstairs. After the Gouldberg-Anderson fire, Dr. Carl E. Johnson moved into the building. Dr. J. R. Anderson moved his practice here in June 1934, and Fran's Beauty Shop moved upstairs in 1939.

In March 1939, Andrew Skoog joined business with Herman Morast, but in 1940, Morast passed away. Andrew Skoog continued as Skoog's Tavern. Skoog then sold to J.J. Savsten in April 1957.

Dick and Audrey Nelson purchased the building in the early 1960s from J.J. Savsten, and it was named Dick's Tavern. In 1986, Stan and Burneita Anderson purchased it from the Nelson's. It was renovated and re-opened in 1987 as The Cambridge Bar & Grill.

Later in 1987, it was sold to Jim and lla Kunshier who owned it until 1999. Loren and Peggy Davis owned and operated The Cambridge Bar & Grill from 1999 to 2015. On July 27, 2015 it was purchased by Sean and Jody Okerlund, and today it continues as The Cambridge Bar & Grill at 216 South Main Street.

Pictures and history courtesy of the Isanti County Historical Society. previous ownership and Cambridge Businesses, The First Hundred Years 1860-1960 by Willard Larson.