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I hid a speakeasy in a gas station and now the business brings in about $5 million a year

Cnbc · · 86 words · By Tasia Jensen
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What to know about I hid a speakeasy in a gas station and now the business brings in about $5 million a year

I hid a speakeasy in a gas station and now the business brings in about $5 million a year Tony Donatell, 46, took over an failing gas station and convenience store in 2024.

Claims checked 3
Techniques found 0
Topics 0

Coverage spectrum

Coverage gap: Low Left coverage
Left0%
Center83%
Right17%

6 sources compared across this story cluster. This is an eFinder estimate from indexed source coverage, not an editorial rating.

What happened

I hid a speakeasy in a gas station and now the business brings in about $5 million a year Tony Donatell, 46, took over an failing gas station and convenience store in 2024.

Why it matters

Since Donatell opened a hidden bar in the space in May 2025 called The Farmer's Cellar, the business — which includes the speakeasy, the convenience store and the gas station itself — has brought in almost $5 million in revenue in one year and is profitable.

Common ground

The clearest point to anchor on is this: the business — which includes the speakeasy, the convenience store and the gas station itself — has brought in almost $5 million in revenue in one year and is profitable.

Perspective signals

No major persuasion pattern has been attached yet, so the source, headline, and evidence should carry most of the weight for readers.

open_in_new Read the original article: https://www.cnbc.com/video/2026/08/19/hidden-bar-in-gas-station-business-brings-…

fact_checkClaims Checked

eFinder analyzed this article and checked 3 claims against available evidence, cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia. Here is what the fact-checking layer found.

info Single Source 2
help Insufficient Evidence 1
info
Claim 1: “the business — which includes the speakeasy, the convenience store and the gas station itself — has brought in almost $5 million in revenue in one year and is profitable.”
SINGLE SOURCE
Only one web search snippet mentions that the business (speakeasy, convenience store, and gas station) has brought in almost $5 million in revenue in one year and is profitable. No other independent sources corroborate this specific financial figure.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — A root cellar (American and Canadian English), fruit cellar (Mid-Western American English) or earth cellar (British English) is a structure, usually underground or partially underground, used for stor…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Root_cellar
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Cottage is a 2008 British black comedy horror film, written and directed by Paul Andrew Williams.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Cottage_(film)
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — "The Wolf and the Fox" is a German fairy tale collected by the Brothers Grimm. The story involves a greedy, gluttonous wolf living with a fox. The wolf makes the fox do all his work and threatens to …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Wolf_and_the_Fox
+ 3 more evidence sources
help
Claim 2: “Donatell opened a hidden bar in the space in May 2025 called The Farmer's Cellar”
INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE
The claim states he opened a speakeasy called 'The Farmer's Cellar' in May 2025. However, evidence from 'Twin Cities Business' explicitly states that Donatell built a speakeasy in the back known as 'Volstead House'. While one search snippet mentions 'The Farmer's Cellar', the more detailed business profile identifies the speakeasy as Volstead House, contradicting the name provided in the claim.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — A renovated dining room at Dangerfield's Restaurant in Shakopee. The restaurant's new owners plan to complete renovations and rename the establishment Shakopee House in mid-November. Courtesy of Tony …
https://bringmethenews.com/minnesota-lifestyle/shakopees-ico…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Shop from real local farms near you. Meet the farmers, buy fresh meat, dairy, and produce direct. Pickup or delivery.
https://fromthefarm.org/
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Taking it up a notch, Donatell built a speakeasy in the back, known as Volstead House, which became the whiskey den that Eagan had been pining for.But he’s not coming past 494/694. Look for the Farmer…
https://tcbmag.com/tcb-100-people/tony-donatell/
info
Claim 3: “Tony Donatell, 46, took over an failing gas station and convenience store in 2024.”
SINGLE SOURCE
One web search result mentions Donatell opening a hidden bar in a space and the business bringing in $5 million, and another mentions him buying a gas station in Eagan, Minn. However, there is no specific confirmation of his age (46) or that the station was 'failing' at the time of acquisition in 2024 across multiple independent sources.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The 2017 season was the Seattle Seahawks' 42nd in the National Football League (NFL) and their eighth under head coach Pete Carroll. The Seahawks tried to improve their 10–5–1 record from 2016. Howeve…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2017_Seattle_Seahawks_season
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The 2022 season was the Minnesota Vikings' 62nd in the National Football League (NFL), their seventh playing home games at U.S. Bank Stadium and their first under new general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensa…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2022_Minnesota_Vikings_season
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The 2025 season was the Tennessee Titans' 56th in the National Football League (NFL), their 66th overall, their 29th in the state of Tennessee, their first under the leadership of a new general manage…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2025_Tennessee_Titans_season
+ 3 more evidence sources
info Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI and should be used as a starting point for critical thinking, not as definitive truth. Claims are verified against publicly available sources. Always consult the original article and additional sources for complete context.