Closure of Anti-Capitalist Cafe in Minneapolis

A cafe in South Minneapolis, known for its anti-capitalist stance, made headlines in January when it announced it would refuse service to federal agents and instead operate as a free, donation-based establishment until the end of what it called the “occupation” by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

However, the idea of providing free meals to leftist patrons while turning away potential customers didn’t quite pan out as a sustainable business approach.

Owner Dylan Alverson stated, “We are done making money for the fascists that occupy our city.” He revealed on Saturday that Modern Times, located at 3200 Chicago Avenue, would be closing permanently after briefly reinstating food charges, which he referred to as “a fascist economy.”

In a heartfelt Facebook post, Alverson expressed his struggle to keep the cafe running over the past six years, saying, “I’ve exhausted every option without compromising the core fundamentals that make Modern Times what it is.” He disclosed the painful decision to shut down by the end of the year, emphasizing its difficulty.

In a lengthy farewell tribute, Alverson described the cafe, which had rebranded as Post Modern Times, as a “glorious and radical experiment” prioritizing people over profits and emphasizing quality over margins.

Despite acknowledging the challenge posed by a world he described as “not making sense,” he pointed out that the cafe had operated for over six months as a completely free restaurant, providing around 30,000 meals while depleting its original donations.

According to Alverson, the cafe suffered a loss of about $10,000 weekly. He had previously admitted that his business model was deeply flawed but framed the food giveaway as a form of protest against the deaths of anti-ICE activists Alex Pretti and Renee Good.

On January 26, he declared, “I am sick of generating money for the soldiers in our streets and for a government that won’t protect us.” He stated that the cafe would halt profits to stop supporting what he viewed as a harmful government.

The cafe’s defiance against ICE garnered attention from liberals across the country, leading to donations and media coverage, including a piece by the New York Times that initially portrayed the initiative as somewhat of a success, claiming an increase in profits.

However, symptoms of strain became evident shortly after, with the cafe announcing that “PRICES ARE RETURNING TO THE CAFE.” A subsequent podcast episode touched on Alverson’s venture, acknowledging that while the cafe wasn’t profitable, there seemed to be potential for similar models in the future.

In his announcement of closure, Alverson stated that for places like Modern Times to thrive, they needed to confront the systemic issues preventing their survival.

This closure isn’t an isolated incident; similar establishments have faced difficulties. A Toronto cafe known as The Anarchist, which promoted anti-capitalism and anti-colonialism, shut its doors in 2023, citing a lack of financial sustainability.

Despite charging for food, its owner pointed to insufficient resources to weather seasonal downturns.