The curly-headed kid at the paint desk at the Menard's in West Duluth. Big Box paint mixers are notoriously surly but this guy gets it right and smiles while he's doing it.

The night guy at the Central Entrance Taco John's.  I think his quirkiness is rubbing off on his co-workers as they are all pretty quirky now, I recently noticed.

Pete, who works the cash register at the Central Entrance Taco Bell at lunch on the weekends. He really seems to enjoy interactions with the customers and also has the quirky trait. Probably the only fast food cashier who circulates through the restaurant asking customers how their food is when nobody is there to place an order.

Oh - and my service award goes to all the employees at the Shelton Milk House in Gary  New Duluth.  Mostly they are kids, but they are kind, smiling, quick, helpful, complimentary,  and aren't playing on their cell phones when you walk up for check-out.

That UMD lady rules, but she just retired.  :(

+1 Gary Milk House, its just a food/gas station but they can make you feel like a welcome valued customer.

jessige, the UMD parking lady I was talking about was there this morning, so I'm not sure if we're talking about the same one.

There was also a woman who worked at Zhong Hua, the Chinese restaurant in West Duluth, that I liked a lot.  Very sweet and friendly.  She had a baby and I haven't seen her there since, but I also haven't been there recently.

Nancy rocks! (She's our neighbor, too.)

Mary has been working there forever, and knows all three of my kids.

The box might be big, but the people that work there are your neighbors.

Deb at Cub is the bomb. 
I've only experienced the Taco Bell dude once, but he was pretty enjoyable.