Dylan Alverson has run Modern Times Cafe in South Minneapolis for 15 years, serving eggs Benedict and coffee to the neighborhood that's watched too much tragedy unfold nearby—George Floyd's murder in 2020, Renee Good's killing weeks ago, Alex Pretti's death in January. When ICE intensified enforcement across Minnesota, Alverson decided his cafe couldn't stay neutral.
On January 26, he announced Modern Times would operate free, donation-based, until what Minnesota officials call "the occupation" ends. No exceptions—except ICE agents themselves.
"We are done making money for the fascists that occupy our city," Alverson said. The move meant a limited menu and total reliance on community donations. His daughter Dakota, who works as a server there, told MPR News something unexpected happened: 90% of customers donated more than the old menu prices. They knew what they were funding.
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Start Your News DetoxCustomers are welcome to eat for free or pay it forward, as the restaurant runs solely on donations. Photo courtesy of Modern Times Cafe/Facebook
This wasn't impulsive. Alverson had visited the sites where his neighbors died. He'd watched his community fracture under pressure. "If the world is in chaos, then business owners have to adapt to that chaos," he told MPR News. The cafe's move came alongside a statewide "ICE Out" general strike and signals something quieter but equally significant: when institutions decide their role is care, not profit, the ground shifts.
The effort will continue until ICE agents leave the state. Photo courtesy of Modern Times Cafe/Instagram
Alverson framed it plainly: "Post Modern Times is a small stance amidst a gigantic fight that may shape the future of this country." Small, maybe. But a cafe that feeds people for free is also a statement that survival and dignity aren't commodities—they're community obligations. The question now is whether other businesses in Minneapolis and beyond see it the same way.
