Photo by Amy Zents Co-owner Becky Portner stands behind the bar with kitchen manager Brandon Roiger at 209 Pub & Grill in New Ulm.

NEW ULM — 209 Pub & Grill at 209 N. Minnesota St. has new ownership as of January 1, 2026. Becky Portner and her son Nick Portner purchased the business from Herb Knutson.

Becky Portner has served as general manager since Knutson acquired the predecessor business, the Lamplighter, in 2018. She began working at the Lamplighter 32 years ago under previous owner Gary Landerville. Portner said the transition involved no operational changes, as she continues to handle tasks including waiting tables, payroll, bookkeeping, scheduling, and other responsibilities.

“It’s just a signature on a piece of paper saying that I am now responsible,” she said.

The arrangement evolved from discussions last year when Knutson proposed co-ownership (initially 51% Knutson, 49% Portner). Nick Portner’s interest led to the full transfer. Nick maintains his full-time job in Winthrop while participating in the business.

The restaurant’s history traces back to the Lamplighter at 214 N. Minnesota St. On September 2, 2022, an early-morning kitchen fire caused extensive damage, resulting in the total loss of the kitchen and waitress station, along with smoke and soot throughout the building. No injuries were reported. Knutson was on vacation at the time, and Portner arrived shortly after the 1:30 a.m. call. The business closed temporarily.

Knutson then purchased the former Sozial building across the street. The team reopened as 209 Pub & Grill within a month, in time for Oktoberfest, retaining the staff and most of the menu.

Physical updates at the new location included extending the bar by eight feet with a granite top and adjusting seating. The menu emphasizes scratch-made items such as soups, sauces, chili, 85% lean burgers, and daily lunch specials–including pork commercials on Thursdays, BLTs on pita, Sloppy Joes, and all-you-can-eat Friday fish. Signature offerings include waffle fries with seasoned sour cream.

The pub employs approximately 30 staff members, mostly part-time (including students or those with other jobs). Full-time roles include Portner and kitchen manager Brandon Roiger, who has worked there nearly as long (with a temporary break for a double lung transplant). Staff contribute ideas for monthly featured burgers, such as the Sweet Heat (with pepper jack cheese, jalapeños, bacon, and sweet-heat sauce).

In 2024, the pub was featured in an episode of America’s Best Restaurants, following Portner’s application and response to a questionnaire. The segment highlighted the fire recovery and quick reopening.

The business hosts annual fundraisers supporting the New Ulm fire department, police department, humane society, and scholarships. In 2026, organizers replaced the February Arctic Plunge with an August classic car and motorcycle run, where participants pay an entry fee and ride 50-100 miles with stops.

209 Pub & Grill operates seven days a week, closed on Christmas Day and New Year’s Day, and may offer staff a long weekend around the Fourth of July. Hours are posted on Facebook. The menu includes non-alcoholic options such as Orange Creamsicle.

Portner plans incremental updates, including new bar lighting, matching booths, and repainting. She described the community as supportive, with many customers known to her for decades.

After everything the Lamplighter survived–the fire, the move, the rebuild, and now a new chapter of ownership–Becky sums it up in the way only she can, with the mix of grit, gratitude, and heart that has kept her here for 32 years:

“We never gave up on this place, and this place never gave up on us, because New Ulm has always stood by us, and if you love it, do it.”