Tracker Pixel for Entry

​HoDo Lifted the Landscape of Downtown Fargo and Local Food Scene

All About Food | May 18th, 2022

By Rick Gion

rickgion@gmail.com

Photo by Rick Gion

As you may have read, the Hotel Donaldson and the Hodo Lounge are transitioning to the ownership group that runs the Blarney Stone Irish Pubs in North Dakota. Although feelings seem to be mixed about this move, it’ll be good to see the iconic Downtown Fargo building alive again.

I’m not going to share any overly strong opinions in this column regarding the sale. I’m just going to write about some history, reflect on personal experiences and how the HoDo revolutionized Downtown Fargo.

I first entered the Hotel Donaldson in the late 1990s, due to some projects I had to do for an employer. Back then, it was a low-income, extended-stay hotel in need of much repair just like many old structures in Downtown at the time.

Historically speaking, the building was constructed in 1894 as a meeting hall for the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. A third-floor addition in 1915 first housed a hotel. Look up Hotel Donaldson online at library.ndsu.edu/fargo-history for more interesting information.

When first checking out the building, I thought it was unique and could be turned into something quite spectacular. When the much-improved Hotel Donaldson opened in 2003, it was just that.

Before then, back in 2001, the lovely Karen Stoker funded a renovation of the Hotel Donaldson and set out to construct a vision. It was a huge undertaking, which wasn’t cheap. It was a brave venture for this area that proved successful. The remodeled building included a boutique hotel, a fine-dining restaurant and a hip cocktail bar.

The hotel rooms each featured creations from a regional artist and were furnished with up-scale items. Some of those artists are North Dakota’s most famous, including painter Walter Piehl, photographer Leo Kim and glassblower Jon Offutt, not to mention one of Minnesota’s finest, woodcut master Charles Beck. The rooms were first of their kind in North Dakota. That’s why the hotel was frequently filled for nearly 20 years.

Furthering the emphasis on local, the restaurant was the first in the area to utilize a farm to table concept. The philosophy was that the more local the ingredients, the better. Head chef Andrea Baumgardner was the primary director to lead the kitchen and design the menu. The food was some of the most unique in North Dakota,featuring items like bison, freshly made bread, and artful desserts.

Baumgardner now owns Bernbaum’s restaurant in Downtown Fargo, which has received national attention from the James Beard Foundation, Cooking Channel and Travel Channel. Needless to say, the HoDo housed talent on many levels.

I spent a lot of time at the HoDo Lounge when I was younger. I don’t drink that much anymore, but back then I was a regular. When the Lounge first opened, it featured a lot of good wines. Eventually, the booze selection grew to emphasize craft beers and specialty cocktails.

Well-known bar manager Jason Laub was the first in Fargo to feature craft whiskey drinks such as Manhattans and Old fashioneds. He could often be seen “smoking” the whiskey drinks with lit wood chips, which would make them taste unique and leave a great aroma in the bar. The talented bartenders at HoDo Lounge were usually the first in town to start local drink trends.

During warmer months, I spent a lot of time at “Sky Prairie,” the HoDo’s rooftop bar. Many sunsets were watched there with friends while sipping a cool gin and tonic.

Additionally, live music was a big part of the HoDo Lounge, especially on Thursday nights. The vibe in that place on those nights was irreplaceable. The room was alive. Many of you know what I’m talking about.

I also really enjoyed the live music during “Dale Days,” which was an ode to the late Dale Powers, the HoDo’s well-known manager. Bands used to play outside on Broadway for Dale Days, but rains often came so there was always a rush to bring the gear into the bar and finish the night there.

The Hotel Donaldson’s slogan, “Eat. Drink. Meet. Sleep. Art,” describes the place well, especially the word “meet.” I met some of the best people in my life at that establishment. And the HoDo always had a phenomenal staff. Many of those employees are great friends.

The HoDo was a special place that will surely be missed. It pushed Fargo to be better. I’m hoping the new ownership group continues that unique legacy for the building. The name may change, but a strong attempt should be made to keep a similar vibe.


















Recently in:

By Alicia Underlee Nelsonalicia@hpr1.com Ten North Dakota communities will participate in the nationwide No Kings Day of Peaceful Action on October 18. The grassroots movement is a nonviolent protest against President Trump’s…

By Michael M. Millermichael.miller@ndsu.edu I would like to recognize some of the scholarly Germans from Russia from Canada and USA shared on the GRHC website. There are additional names not included here. If you have suggestions…

Friday, October 31, doors 8 p.m. show starts at 8:30 p.m.The Aquarium above Dempey’s, 226 N. Broadway, FargoThe annual Aquarium Halloween Cover Show is back and it is stacked. And this time there are a limited amount of presale…

By Sabrina Hornungsabrina@hpr1.com At the end of September, downtown Fargo said goodbye to another old friend; the Spirit Room closed its doors, marking the end of an era. The Spirit Room room has been a fixture downtown for the…

By Ed Raymondfargogadfly@gmail.comAnother public health crisis besides guns: lack of empathyThe Sisters of Charity have finally had enough of their Trumper boss, Roman Catholic Cardinal Timothy Dolan of New York. One of the most…

By Rick Gionrickgion@gmail.com Holiday wine shopping shouldn’t have to be complicated. But unfortunately it can cause unneeded anxiety due to an overabundance of choices. Don’t fret my friends, we once again have you covered…

By Rick Gion and Nichole Hensenrickgion@gmail.com The wait is finally over. Those who have visited Nichole’s Fine Pastry & Cafe lately know about the recent major additions and renovations that have taken place over the past…

By Sabrina Hornungsabrina@hpr1.com Dakotah Faye is a hip-hop artist from Minot, North Dakota, and he’s had a busy year. He’s released two albums. This summer he opened for Tech N9ne in Sturgis and will be opening for Bone…

By Greg Carlsongregcarlson1@gmail.comNoémie Merlant, working from a script she wrote with Pauline Munier and her “Portrait of a Lady on Fire” collaborator Celine Sciamma, directs herself in “The Balconettes” (the…

By Sabrina Hornungsabrina@hpr1.com Gallery 4 downtown recently celebrated its 50 year anniversary, making it one of the longest consecutively running galleries in the country. With different membership tiers, there are 17 primary…

Press release“Shakespeare with a sharpened edge.” To launch its 2025 – 2026 season, Theatre NDSU is thrilled to team up with Moorhead-based organization Theatre B to perform a co-production of Shakespeare’s “Romeo and…

By Annie Prafckeannieprafcke@gmail.com AUSTIN, Texas – As a Chinese-American, connecting to my culture through food is essential, and no dish brings me back to my mother’s kitchen quite like hotdish. Yes, you heard me right –…

By Sabrina Hornungsabrina@hpr1.comNew Jamestown Brewery Serves up Local FlavorThere’s something delicious brewing out here on the prairie and it just so happens to be the newest brewery west of the Red River and east of the…

By Ellie Liveranieli.liverani.ra@gmail.com When we are sick, all we want is a cure. You go to the doctor, they give you a pill, you take it for a bit, then you are cured. It happens. But unfortunately, it is not always the case. …

By Alicia Underlee NelsonProtests against President Trump’s policies and the cuts made by Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) are planned across North Dakota and western Minnesota Friday, April 4 and…

By Vern Thompsonvern.thompson@rocketmail.comMoral accountability and the crisis of leadership  As a recovering person living one day at a time for the last 35 years, I have learned not to judge others because I have not walked in…