Longtime Bemidji Bar Slim’s Changing Hands, Local Manager Takes Ownership
Slim’s Bar and Grill, a Bemidji mainstay at 142 Anne St. NW since 1989, will transfer ownership to longtime employee Chris Curb effective Jan. 1, 2026. The sale keeps the business locally owned, preserves continuity for regulars, and highlights an emerging emphasis on succession planning for small businesses in Beltrami County.
Slim’s Bar and Grill, open since 1989 at 142 Anne St. NW, will be sold to longtime employee and manager Chris Curb, the current owners announced on Dec. 4, 2025. The transfer of ownership to Curb and his wife Ashlee will take effect on Jan. 1, 2026, and longtime owner Lisa Friese will remain on staff in a part time role after the sale. The move keeps a locally recognized gathering place under community stewardship and promises minimal change to day to day operations.
The business was built by Larry and Connie Jacobson in 1989 and later run by their son Karl. Lisa and John Friese purchased Slim’s in 2013 and have operated it for more than a decade. Curb has worked at Slim’s for 15 years, advancing from bartender to manager. He is a Bemidji native who played hockey and golf at Bemidji High and attended Bemidji State, and his local roots were a key factor in the purchase. Owners described Slim’s as family oriented and community focused, and Curb indicated he plans no big changes so regulars will continue to find the same atmosphere and service.
The sale was part of a planned succession arrangement that included a handshake right of first refusal. That informal arrangement allowed the current owners to prioritize an internal candidate and helped facilitate a smooth transition. For local businesses, particularly restaurants that anchor downtown foot traffic and social life, this kind of succession can reduce disruption to employees and customers while keeping economic activity in the community.
For Beltrami County residents who rely on Slim’s as a social hub, the transition should mean continuity in staffing and the familiar mix of menu and community events. Maintaining local ownership also preserves tax revenue and employment benefits that smaller businesses provide to the county economy. The transfer underscores broader trends for small business owners nearing retirement who seek ways to keep enterprises within the local community rather than sell to outside investors.
As Slim’s closes one chapter and begins another under Curb’s leadership, the emphasis on continuity and local pride aims to keep the restaurant functioning as a neighborhood institution for years to come.
