Sports memorabilia is styled to make General Sports Bar look more like a country club than a sports bar. Photos: Chris Emeott
General Sports Bar is a gathering place built for overtime.
General Sports Bar (GSB) brings game-day energy and homegrown hospitality to the table. Co-owners Brett Johnson and Marty Collins are experienced restaurateurs and fixtures of the Edina community. Johnson, an Edina resident, operates The Hilltop restaurant with his father and teamed up with Collins to bring Nolo’s Kitchen to the North Loop nine years ago. “We have a great working relationship,” Johnson says. “We’re buddies, but we also work really well together.” Their shared passion for quality customer service is fundamental. “It’s about genuine hospitality over everything—building real relationships, not transactional service,” Johnson says.
A garage door serves as a divider that can close off the room to create a private space for gatherings and special events.
For this new venture, the duo’s community ties give them a unique perspective. They have a keen understanding of the neighborhood, because it’s their neighborhood. Collins grew up in Edina, getting his skates sharpened at General Sports when he was a kid. “That’s where the name comes in,” Collins explains. The businesses are separate, but friendly. They recognize the naming as a nod to shared history and community, not competition.
There are many options for settling in and enjoying the game, including classic booths, couches, plush chairs and traditional tables.
While the atmosphere at GSB is softer and more elevated than a typical sports bar, “We still expect you to yell at the TV. The way you would at home,” Collins says. Speaking of that, GSB has plenty of TVs, including a centerpiece 130-inch screen, centrally mounted, “So no matter where you’re seated, you won’t miss the game,” he says. The viewing screens speak to the function of GSB as a place to gather and watch sporting events, rather than being a bar and restaurant planned around a kitschy sports theme. There are no neon signs here, no autographed jerseys or tchotchkes cluttering up the space. The sports memorabilia is curated and intentional—a vintage catcher’s mitt, tastefully mounted golf clubs and playful details, including the use of a tennis net to divide the patio from the sidewalk. According to Collins, “It doesn’t look like a sports bar. It acts like a sports bar.”
The GSB Double Cheeseburger has American cheese, grilled onions and seasoning.
The menu is another area where GSB makes a departure from expectation. “We want our menu to reflect what people actually eat, so the menu is more diverse than everything deep fried,” Johnson says. “We thought about what we love to eat. What our friends and families love to eat. That drove a lot of the menu choices.” The menu includes bowls, salads, wraps and a burger for around $15.
The Sticky Ribs appetizer is made with a Thai basil soy glaze and garnished with green onions and sesame seeds.
In addition to the main dining room, which seats 140, the restaurant is thoughtfully configured to include options for small and large group rentals. “It’s gotta be big enough for the whole team,” Collins says. Having room to host a celebration or banquet for local youth sports teams was a key consideration during the renovation. “We installed a garage door-style divider, so we can create a private gathering space when we need to,” Johnson says. Their attention to customer needs is evident at every turn. A game room off to the side offers a mini arcade experience and photo booth to entertain the kids. There is a golf simulator, a foldout stage for live music and a great set up for trivia night. GSB even has plans to install an onsite skate sharpener.
“I want everyone to walk in and be like, ‘This is my joint,’” Collins says. He’s been waiting for a place like this, and the vision for GSB is to be the type of hangout space he and Johnson would want for themselves. “I want to relax in a nice environment. Get some pull-tabs, have some great food, hit some balls in the basement, go have a martini with my gal in the lounge,” he says. What Collins and Johnson have created could be described as a country club of sorts.
Speaking to this, the finishing details are high quality but unpretentious. It’s a comfortable place to be. Johnson echoes this sentiment, describing it as a family-friendly, elevated sports bar. “It’s very come-as-you-are, come hang out and watch the game, come with your family. It’s a neighborhood spot.”
Beyond watching sports on General Sports Bar’s many TVs, customers can step up and take a swing in the golf simulator.
Johnson’s father Ken taught him to lead with appreciation for guests. “They chose to come here instead of any other place,” he says. “Treat them as if they were visiting your home.” That gratitude is authentic. “We want a place where the staff aren’t just friendly, they remember your favorite drink and what you do for work,” he says.
Whether patrons are there for date night, family dinner, happy hour, skate sharpening, Sunday brunch or youth sports, GSB is positioned to be the community hub the neighborhood has been missing.
General Sports Bar
Instagram: @generalsportsbar
