Miracle was originally started in 2014 in New York City when a bar called Mace converted into a Christmas bar during the holidays. The concept has grown in recent years, with around 150 Miracle locations cropping up around the world. Miracle was brought to Minot through a partnership between local entrepreneurs Dustin Stredwick of Off Menu Hospitality and Jon Lakoduk, the owner of the bars Saul’s and Dad’s.

“Dustin and I have been friends for years now, and we both have the same philosophy about serving guests and being in the hospitality business,” Lakoduk said. “I had helped him do a Christmas party at 10 North Main a couple years ago, and he’s like, ‘We should do that on a bigger scale.'”

The pair ruminated until they were approached by mall management to do a small pop-up bar in the food court during the holidays. It goes without saying, they had something more in mind. Taking over the old Grizzly’s location, Miracle will be providing Minot not only with bespoke cocktails, delicious hot dogs and mini donuts, but enough smells and decor to grow the heart of any Grinch being dragged along for a holiday shopping trip.

“There are handcrafted spirits that people maybe have never heard of, hand-ground and pan-crushed spices and all kinds of fun in there,” said Stredwick. “This has never been done before in North Dakota. We wanted to bring some holiday cheer before the holiday rush. We have a great team to do it as well.”

Charles Crane/MDN Mircle on 10th’s managers and partners Kimberly Carlson, Dustin Stredwick and Jon Lakoduk are shown at the ribbon cutting at Dakota Square Mall on Nov. 21.

The process of converting the old Grizzly’s into this safe space of merriment took three weeks of around-the-clock work from all involved. Every wall, surface and space are adorned with garlands, lights, wrapping paper, with Christmas trees everywhere you look. There’s a hint of bawdiness in some decoration choices, but ultimately the experience remains firmly rooted in the kind of holiday wholesomeness that only a “major award” leg lamp can provide.

“We were pretty much a 24-hour operation from day one. There’s no way I could have done this alone — a huge undertaking like this where you decorate a 6,500-square-foot restaurant that’s been closed for years in three weeks. It’s just not something that happens every day,” Lakoduk said.

Lakoduk said Miracle would be partnering with a number of charities and nonprofits and holding events such as the Ugly Christmas Sweater Party on Dec. 3, which will benefit Prairie Grit. In addition, 10% of all profits from the sale of holiday mugs will be donated to the Seva Foundation, which focuses on treating and preventing blindness.

Miracle will remain open only until New Year’s Eve, so members of the public will have to get their fill while they can. Though, Lakoduk feels it’s likely it will make a return in the future.