Scores Sports Bar in Minneapolis to change name, location after burning down in 2020

The COVID-19 pandemic and riots last summer put a beloved restaurant owner’s dream on hold. But he’s making a comeback. Now, what was supposed to be Scores Sports Bar will be moved and revamped.

"We are going to be back, stronger than ever before," Korboi Balla said.

A comeback after more than a year of uncertainty.

"I’m still going to live that dream," Balla added.

It’ll just look a little different.

"I haven’t been back here, I’ve only come out here a couple of times," Balla said.

It’s not easy for Balla, who goes by "KB" for short, to revisit his old dream near the intersection of East Lake Street and 27th Avenue South in Minneapolis. After putting in lots of sweat equity, KB and his family got what was supposed to be Scores Sports Bar ready for customers to enjoy.

Balla said his dream was to create "somewhere where you could come and feel welcome."

He explained, "It’s still kind of surreal," about seeing the place where his business burned down during the unrest.

He said the COVID-19 pandemic, a shutdown and the unrest during the summer of 2020 pushed pause on his vision.

"When this stuff was on fire I was standing right there, tears gushing down my eyes, my wife holding my hands asking me, ‘What are we going to do next?’" Balla said. "From seeing the fire, from going back and playing the footage back of George Floyd and everything else, there are a lot of mixed emotions going on through your head. When you come back in and see this, you know, it’s always hard to come back here, always."

A dream shattered momentarily.

"I wanted to stay in this neighborhood, I really wanted to stay in the Longfellow community, because when I started, the community embraced me, you know, everybody was excited, they couldn’t wait for this to open," Balla said.

Now, KB has a new vision. It’s a space that includes a sports bar, family-friendly restaurant and event and kitchen space available for rent. It’ll still be in Minneapolis, 10 minutes away from where Scores Sports Bar would’ve been. For now, he’s keeping the new name a secret.

Balla said, "I’m so grateful that that dream is not completely gone and dead. I’m still going to live that dream."

KB said he’s grateful to everyone who generously contributed to a GoFundMe page that was set up to help him bring back his business.