The Keg and Case Market building in St. Paul could soon see new life as the home of Fort Road Social, a proposed restaurant and entertainment spot from nearby St. Paul Tap owner Mike Tupa.

Mike Tupa, owner of St. Paul Tap, May 23, 2019. (Courtesy of St. Paul Tap)

Tupa — who also owns bar-arcade Full Tilt Tavern in Bloomington, local sports bar chain Wild Bill’s Sports Saloon and other restaurants in Lakeville and Hudson — is in talks with current building owner MidWestOne Bank to purchase the building, he confirmed Wednesday.

A deal to close on the property is expected in the “near future” pending the approval of several licensing applications Tupa has submitted to the city, he said.

The one-time West Seventh Street food hall, which opened in 2018 with 22,000 square feet of commercial space, currently hosts one tenant — the retro arcade Starcade, which has also filled the space with pinball machines under its Bad Penny brand and operates a snack kitchen.

Iowa-based MidWestOne took ownership of the building in late 2023 after developer Craig Cohen, who poured millions of dollars into revitalizing the 168-year-old former brewery keg house, defaulted on several sizable loans. Cohen filed for personal bankruptcy protection last year, too.

“I think it’s a very special building,” Tupa said. “I think it’s got lots of potential. It just needs to have a new vision put in place, and that’s what I’m working towards doing, presuming we can complete a deal with the bank.”

That vision, he said, is for “a community gathering place; a fun, vibrant, inclusive space with food vendors and games inside and out.”

City records show he has applied for a liquor license that would cover late-night hours inside and on a patio, plus authorization to be a “gambling location,” which frequently refers to pull-tabs.

As a longtime hospitality operator, Tupa said, he would plan to remain involved in the day-to-day operation of the space to ensure it remains vibrant and relevant.

“I think I’ll be highly in tune with how to deliver a product the community will not only love in the beginning but for the long term, too,” he said. “Because that’s the trick: It’s got to be relevant for years, not just for the start.”

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