Travail taking over Graze food hall in Minneapolis

The North Loop's largest food hall will become Graze Food Hall by Travail as the inventive chef collective steps into a new era.

Chef/owners Mike Brown, Bob Gerken and James Winberg are bringing their Travailian sensibilities to the project with more events, pop-ups, a strengthened neighborhood focus and some bold-named friends with new restaurant stands.

Oro's Kate and Gustavo Romero will open Tixtli by Nixta, a masa-centric concept that will go back to their takeout-stand roots with tacos and more.

The owners behind thick-crust pizza sensation Wrecktangle will venture into thin-crust, tavern-style territory with Wrad, continuing their brand dedication to wacky spelling.

And Travail will open the fast-casual salad spot Graze on the Greens that will also boast a spritz bar from beverage director Robb Jones of the James Beard-nominated bar Meteor.

Graze Provisions + Libations (520 N. 4th St.) opened in fall 2019, a two-level collection of small food businesses with a spacious rooftop deck and lower-level green space within walking distance of Target Field.

"We were brought in to consult," said Travail's Brown. "We were going through the process of helping Graze re-identify — or come back to life a bit."

But the more the group dug in, the more they saw an opportunity to continue what they began with the early days of Travail. Instead of offering ideas, they offered to take it over.

A creative opportunity

Brown, Gerken and Winberg opened Travail in 2010 as a small restaurant in downtown Robbinsdale with a radical approach to dining. The constantly changing menu was created with equal love for molecular gastronomy technique and a steadfast refusal to color inside the lines. It inspired a new kind of culinary fandom.

Travail's dedication to food and adventure hasn't waned. They started holding pop-ups, inviting others in to share ideas. Collaboration was key, including a growing investment from diners. A massively successful crowdfunding campaign to build a newer, bigger restaurant led to a membership structure that is still in play.

After outgrowing that space, they did it again with the current three-floor operation, still in downtown Robbinsdale. During construction, the crew decamped to a vacant Minneapolis space to host a series of pop-ups with their chef friends. It was there that Minneapolis got its first taste of chef Gustavo Romero's Nixta.

That relationship lured Nixta's owners to the food hall. "I don't think we would have done this if it wasn't for them," said Romero. "We know Travail: They're crazy, but they're hard workers."

"We change concepts as a brand 10 times a year," said Brown. "And then we activate 10 times a year with major events. This is what we've always done. Creatively, as a group, we've always challenged ourselves to do new things."

Travail has grown to include a basement bar with rotating pop-ups, a fine-dining main room, a rooftop, plus Nouvelle, a brewery/pub across the street. Their Minneapolis cocktail bar Stargazer, also with Jones, will open soon.

The idea of running a food hall with rotating vendors appealed to them, but overseeing all the spinning plates requires someone who knows the local food scene, could host both intimate and block-sized events and create lasting neighborhood connections. Enter Molly Herrmann.

"Hiring Molly was the dream," said Brown. "I just didn't know if we could get her."

Herrmann was the chef/owner of Midtown Global Market's Kitchen in the Market, a commercial kitchen space that hosted chef events, led cooking classes and served as a community hub until closing in 2019. Herrmann had been working at another local food hall when Brown and crew reached out.

"I remember the days of Travail fundraising," said Herrmann. "They were serving appetizers on long panels of housing siding. They were doing crazy, inspiring things."

Herrmann will be the director of operations at Graze Food Hall by Travail (they're dropping the Provisions + Libations). In addition to connecting vendors and neighborhood outreach, Herrmann will spearhead event "activations." Think morning boxing classes or yoga on the rooftop patio, or trivia nights mixed with wine classes.

Herrmann had already been making those connections. Wrecktangle's Jeff Rogers and Breanna Evans are vendors at several local food halls and know Herrmann.

"She's a powerhouse," said Evans. "We've seen what Molly's done and implemented. And we know what Travail can do. But Molly's the secret seasoning. If you want to look to anybody to bring the community personality, events and soul — she's the reason for all the seasons."

A new menu

In this change of seasons, the chef who gave us Wrecktangle's thick Detroit-style pizza is ready to dabble in a different style of pie.

"That thick crust, pan, Detroit-style is my favorite pizza," said Rogers. "But what I was raised on is the original Sammy's Pizza in Hibbing, Minn., and Bimbo's Octagon pizza in Side Lake."

Wrad will be Chicago-style tavern pizza that will open later this year alongside the duo's Wrap sandwich stand. Thin, but full of layers, Evans said the pizza reminds her of a skinny, crispy croissant. They're still finalizing the menu with director of operations Nic Wendel, but expect a skinny-crust version of the popular Shredder with pepperoni, jalapeños and hot honey.

"That pizza is fire," Brown enthused.

Travail's Graze on the Greens will offer quick-serve salads and grain bowls. "We wanted something to complement the other vendors," Brown said. Current stands Fabled Rooster barbecue and Two Mixed Up will remain. Brown said to complement the food offerings, Jones will create signature drinks to pair with each vendor.

The changes are already in progress, but Brown says there's likely more excitement coming, if Travail gets its way.

"I'm kind of smitten," Brown mused. "It's a chef's building run by a chef company directed by a chef's collaborative space."

Who's who at Graze Food Hall by Travail

Now open:

Fabled Rooster: Barbecue plates and sandwiches from chef Shaun Holley.

Two Mixed Up: Burgers, crispy fried chicken sandwiches and more from chef Ernest (E.J.) Williams, Katelyn Williams and Sophie and Emilio Estevez.

Viva Taco: Tacos with a Vietnamese twist from chef Quang Pham.

Wrap: A wrap sandwich stand from the owners of Wrecktangle.

Coming soon:

Wrad: Tavern-style thin-crust pizza from the Wrecktangle crew — it will be cut in squares. December 2024

Graze on the Greens: A healthy option with salads and grain bowls by Travail. December 2024

Tixtli by Nixta: A return to some of the dishes of Nixta's early days; tacos, possibly breakfast bites on weekends. Early 2025