Gage Schoenheider, right, the grandson of the founder of Red's Savoy Pizza, and Vince Cockriel, Red's son-in-law, empty items from a truck to the restaurant as they get ready for an auction to be held April 12 at Red's Savoy Pizza on East Seventh Street in St. Paul Wednesday, April 4, 2018. (Jean Pieri / Pioneer Press)

Rory Schoenheider, left, the son of the founder of Red's Savoy Pizza, and his son Gage move an old 1950's sign for the restaurant that will be auctioned off as they get ready for an auction to be held April 12 at Red's Savoy Pizza on East Seventh Street in St. Paul Wednesday, April 4, 2018. (Jean Pieri / Pioneer Press)

Rory Schoenheider, the son of Earl "Red" Schoenheider, the founder of Red's Savoy Pizza, talks on his cell phone as he gets ready for an auction to be held April 12 at the restaurant on East Seventh Street in St. Paul Wednesday, April 4, 2018. (Jean Pieri / Pioneer Press)

"This will be the last time we step foot in this building. I started here 40 years ago," said Rory Schoenheider, as he gets ready for an auction to be held April 12 at Red's Savoy Pizza on East Seventh Street in St. Paul Wednesday, April 4, 2018. (Jean Pieri / Pioneer Press)

Kettles and bowls are among the items to be auctioned on April 12 from Red's Savoy Pizza on East Seventh Street in St. Paul Wednesday, April 4, 2018. (Jean Pieri / Pioneer Press)



Rory Schoenheider talks about two eight-quart Hobart mixers which have been in the basement "a million years." "They are war horses, like battleships." They were used for sausage, pizza dough, and mozzarella cheese, he said. He is preparing for an auction to be held April 12 at Red's Savoy Pizza on East Seventh Street in St. Paul Wednesday, April 4, 2018. (Jean Pieri / Pioneer Press)

Rory Schoenheider is fond of the "Blah Blah Blah" art he gave his dad which adorned his dad's office door and so takes it down. He is preparing for an auction to be held April 12 at Red's Savoy Pizza on East Seventh Street in St. Paul Wednesday, April 4, 2018. (Jean Pieri / Pioneer Press)

Old photos of Italy will be among the items auctioned off on April 12 at Red's Savoy Pizza on East Seventh Street in St. Paul Wednesday, April 4, 2018. (Jean Pieri / Pioneer Press)

Rory Schoenheider looks at the sign behind Red’s bar. “Blah Blah Blah,” it says in big bold letters.

“I might have to take that one,” Schoenheider says. Several times he belts out the words, “End of an era!” as he walks the space of the original Red’s Savoy Pizza on St. Paul’s East Seventh Street this week, from the bar to the kitchen to the century-and-a-half-old basement.

A half-hour later, after hauling around a few more signs and lights, he glances at the sign again. Then tells his brother-in-law to grab his tools from his pickup.

“Yeah, definitely. That was Red,” he says as he unscrews the sign. You see, when his dad, Red’s Savoy founder Earl “Red” Schoenheider, got too impatient to explain something, he’d just say, “Blah blah blah,” with a wave of his hand. Usually after a few schnitts of beer and shots of Polish blackberry brandy.

“This damn near might be the last time I’m in here,” Schoenheider says once the sign is loose, looking at the space smack in front of the bar’s center, where his dad would sit most evenings.

The big “Savoy Inn” sign, from the 1950s, is on the floor there now. That’s the first generation of signage, back when the place was just a bar. Several other generations — some plastic, some hand-painted on wood, some den-sized, some big enough for a marquee — lie nearby. Eventually, the word “pizza” got worked in.

They’ll all be sold at an open auction on April 12, alongside the restaurant’s four-panel mural, glasses and plates, pots and pans, clocks and call bells, massive sausage mixers and broken-in pizza ovens. Even Red’s old Pinnacle golf clubs.

“I am not nostalgic. My back hurts,” Schoenheider says when asked. “We’ve been so busy, haven’t even had a chance to mourn him.”

Later, while taking a last walk through the basement, apart from everyone, he shakes his head and mutters something, a bit under his breath: “Yep, it’s OK with me. End of an era.”

Those wanting a slice of Red’s history can bid on one of dozens of items — many bundled into larger lots, but some, like the signs, sold individually — to be auctioned later this month.

The auction, run by Grafe, will be simulcast at 10 a.m. April 12, both online and on-site at the old restaurant at 421 E. Seventh St. Those interested can preview items at the restaurant between 3 and 6 p.m. April 11.

In late August, a week after the death of Earl “Red” Schoenheider, his children announced the closing of the Seventh Street location, though the restaurant now has roughly 20 other locations.