Sad, sad news team.
Our friend Craig Schutte has suffered theterrible loss
of his brother Brad. Recall Brad and Craig ran the 510
Restaurant, one of our favorite destinations.
Below is the article from the Strib.
More info here:
http://kstp.com/news/stories/s1061143.shtml
I don't have an address for Craig, but would be
interested in sending a card and/or flowers.
Best,
Jim
Man drowned in hot tub owned bar
The man friends called "Sutterbug" owned and operated Stasiu’s Place in
Northeast Minneapolis.
By ABBY SIMONS, Star Tribune
Last update: August 1, 2009 - 10:21 PM
A man discovered drowned in a Robbinsdale hot tub Friday afternoon was a former chef and
the owner of a popular Northeast Minneapolis bar, said grieving friends Saturday as they
reminisced about the buddy they called “Sutterbug”.
Brad Schutte, 39, who lived in Minneapolis, owned and operated Stasiu’s Place, a
neighborhood bar at the corner of University and Lowry avenues NE that frequently books
live, local music acts that often played for free.
Schutte was found dead after Robbinsdale police and Hennepin County Sheriff’s deputies
were called to a house in the 3800 block of Toledo Avenue at 1:30 p.m. Friday. He appeared
to have drowned, said Inspector Tracey Martin of the sheriff’s office.
A search of the home turned up drugs, and a 32-year-old woman and 30 year-old man were
booked into the Hennepin County Jail for probable cause drug possession and weapons
violations. They have not yet been formally charged.
Schutte’s brother, Craig Schutte, said he was too overwhelmed Saturday to talk about his
brother. He said he is still in constant communication with law enforcement as they wait
for relatives to arrive to Minnesota.
“We’ve just got a lot to deal with,” he said
On Saturday, Martin released no new details of the investigation, and would not discuss
whether authorities suspect foul play. Martin did not know the two were also booked for
possible weapon violations.
The bar remained closed Saturday, and no vigil was planned, though friends flooded
Schutte’s facebook page with tributes from bar regulars and longtime friends who posted
photos, reminisced and shared their shock and heartbreak.
Among them was Johnny Myhers, who met Schutte when he took over Stasiu’s in 2005 after
working as chef and owner of the now-closed 510 restaurant, located near the Walker Art
Center. In addition to supporting local bands, Schutte was known for taking the stage to
strum out a tune by local music heroes such as The Replacements or Soul Asylum. Myhers and
Schutte quickly became close friends, and Schutte dubbed himself “The Love Doctor” after
helping Myhers make up with his girlfriend, Cindy Hatch, following a spat at a wedding
there weeks ago.
“His place was one where you could go to the bar by yourself, but you’d never be alone,”
Myhers said. “He always wanted to have a good time. Stasiu’s itself has its own niche of
close friend and family, and he was like our leader.”
Myhers and Hatch don’t know what happened Friday afternoon, but they suspect what happened
to Schutte was nothing more than a horrible accident. Their friend sometimes lived “a bit
on the wild side.” Myhers said, but also would literally give the shirt off his back to
others, and was an adoring father to his girls, ages 7 and 9.
“He wasn’t just a bartender. He wasn’t just a friend, he wasn’t just a father,” Hatch
said. “He was a chef, a confidante, a text-messaging buddy. He was more than just what
they say.”
Abby Simons • 612-673-4921
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