Video Archive: Charlie’s Club Fire of 2006

On the evening of May 22 and into the morning of May 23, 2006 — Charlie’s Club in West Duluth was destroyed by fire.

Above: WDIO-TV Eyewitness News footage from the day after. Below: Fire footage from PACT-TV‘s The Average Guys.

Here’s a photo of the aftermath:

Although co-owners Vickie and Guy Ross planned to rebuild after the fire, it wasn’t long before the lot was up for sale. The Edmunds Realty sign on the modern-day image below indicates it remains for sale, with an asking price of $39,900.

The building at 5527 Grand Avenue first took the name Charlie’s in the early 1970s, then known as Charlie’s Bar & Grill, with Charles Lemon serving as president. In the late ’70s, Arley and Helen Haugland took ownership. Arley died in 1981; Helen died in 2003.

Prior to it’s days as Charlie’s, it was the Modern Bar & Grill, with Ernest & Ellen Johnson listed as proprietors. The image at left is from 1961. There were also a hotel and cafe that operated there. Enger O. Johnson was listed as manager in earlier years, going back to at least 1930.