Nightlife notebook: The closing of Pi

Wow, this is sad news: Pi, a bar that served a wide cross-section of the GLBT community, will close Nov. 15. Co-owner Tara Yule said she couldn't get the refinancing needed to keep the south Minneapolis bar afloat. Pi opened in February 2007 as the gay bar scene's only place dedicated to women. But it became much more than a lesbian bar, Yule said. "We made an effort to come out as more of a queer bar, one that was inclusive to the entire community," she said. It also was a haven for live music, allying itself with the punk rock and hip-hop scenes. The bar raised thousands of dollars through community fundraisers (including its popular dildo bingo night). Yule and her staff have big party plans for the final weekend, starting with the last dildo bingo Nov. 13. On Nov. 15, they will auction off the bar's elaborate murals, giving bargoers a chance to buy a piece of Pi. "I'm very sad," Yule said. "But I'm very proud of this place. We did a lot of good community work and it was kind of magical."

2532 25th Av. S., Mpls., 612-877-4368. pibarandrestaurant.com

As one bar prepares to close, another one opens. The Bulldog opened its third location in downtown St. Paul this week. The popular beer bar will most likely give the quiet Lowertown area its biggest boost to date. Check back soon for a full report.

237 E. 6th St., St. Paul. 651-221-0750.

Minnesota's most popular stout, Surly Darkness, hit bars this week. In connection, the Blue Nile's Al McCarty will fill his bar with various stouts and porters Saturday for a shindig he's calling "Ale Saints Day." Stouts are famous (and a little feared) for their dark color and rich intensity (flavors include oatmeal, coffee, chocolate, etc.). McCarty will replace his usual 10 taps with stouts from around the country. He'll have a couple of casks, too, which he'll tap at 4 and 5 p.m. He also has a keg of Bell's Expedition Stout, which he's aged for one year. McCarty was at a loss when asked to envision how this beer might taste: "It's tough for me to describe. It just becomes deeper. The flavors develop. It becomes a bigger experience." Drinkers can buy pints or 4-ounce samples in case you want to try a bunch without getting sloshed.

4 p.m. Sat. 2027 E. Franklin Av., Mpls. Free. 612-338-3000. BlueNileMpls.com.

TOM HORGEN