The Next New Thing

jessige May 12, 2012 16 Comments

Am I the only one who has this feeling that Duluth might be the next new thing?

First we have Trampled on Letterman, and then on CNN. Now Tycoons is making the NYT’s restaurant section. We’re slowly getting bigger and better quirky acts to Bayfront (oh, Steve Martin, how I love thee). And I feel like I’m missing some other stuff.

Are we really on the road to becoming TwinPortlandia?

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16 Comments

Herzog

about 9 years ago 

You got Telly Savalas, that reference in City Slickers, why, it's so popular, nobody comes here anymore.  Two words, public bathing. No aspiring city worth its bath salts, is without a public bathing facility.  Then if you vented in a slightly sulfuric odor, say from the sewer, where folks could purchase a real whiff of that authentic feeling of what poverty must be like, you'd be onto something huge.

brian

about 9 years ago 

[img]http://www.perfectduluthday.com/wp-content/uploads/comments/mike-scholtz-wild-bills-run.jpg[/img]

Last night Duluthian Mike Scholtz won the Best Documentary award at the Seattle True Independent Film Festival for Wild Bill's Run.
And yes, that award is called a STIFFY.

Claire

about 9 years ago 

Used to be, when I told people --especially people in NYC -- that I live in Duluth, they'd respond, "Duluth? Why do you live **there**?" Now, people respond by telling me how it sounds like a really great city and how they'd love to visit. So, you might be onto something, Jessige.

emmadogs

about 9 years ago 

Restaurant Report: Tycoons in Duluth, Minn.

36 Hours in Duluth, Minn.

llinmpls

about 9 years ago 

Duluth has always had a "thing" going on. It was cool to come through here. Duluth was always getting name-dropped on Johnny Carson by guests that performed here.  Recently, Low obviously helped bring a certain "thing" to Duluth.  Seems to me The Edge name-dropped Duluth in a interview some time ago.  Duluth has been referenced in a lot of movies, everytime it happened we'd talk about it in school the next day.  Now with the Turtles wading into "hugedom", no doubt Duluth is on the radar.  The music business is cyclical in the 80's Boston, MA was "the scene", then came Mpls., then Seattle, of course Nashville is always around and Austin jumped in feet first about 20 years back, even Duluth in the early 80's had a lot bands come through, I've kind of lost track of where the real music hot-spot is currently - maybe it is Duluth's turn.

adam

about 9 years ago 

Don't worry about that nonsense, just keep doing.

De man

about 9 years ago 

I agree with adam. If you're worried about being the next "thing," you're doing it wrong.

emmadogs

about 9 years ago 

Jessige's not worried, she's celebrating!  Me, too.  It's great to see our city get its due.

jessige

about 9 years ago 

Exactly.  I'm not saying we need to have like "We're Trying Too Hard" t-shirts made.  I'm just enjoying this feeling of being on the verge of opening up our secret awesomeness to a whole lot of people.

However, Adam & De man make a good point:  Part of why Duluth is cool is its authenticity.  Forcing it would be uncool.

in.dog.neato

about 9 years ago 

The easiest way to be it is to do it like you don't need to be it, don't care if you make it, and don't care what anyone else thinks.

(Of course Duluth is the shit, that's why we live here.)

We're doing okay. The folks that come in will figure it out, and the ones that don't will be gone before the snow flies.

Claire

about 9 years ago 

I just worry that my bosses in New York will now realize I don't live in Minneapolis and that might be a problem for them.

adam

about 9 years ago 

Tell them it's a suburb and light rail is coming any day now.

Swan

about 9 years ago 

Duluth is a great place, do not tell anyone...

wildgoose

about 9 years ago 

Nobody here is trying too hard, believe me.  

In my current field of early childhood there is actually some important work going on that could end up being nation-leading. Sure it's niche stuff, but it is important in the grand scheme of things.

I don't think anyone mentioned it, but Duluth is already considered a global leader in Domestic Violence prevention and intervention with the Duluth Model which dates back about 30 years.

I was just wondering if maybe it is time for Duluth to do some destiny fulfilling.  Reading through quotes at the excellent new ZenithCity.com I am reminded of just how convinced many were that Duluth was the next big thing.

Also, I know I toot my horn a lot about this, but in the 2005 NYT Travel Piece I talked to the reporter and even had a camera crew come out and shoot some pics of Boku Frequency lighting up the mezzanine at the NorShor.  I am proud of what we were able to do there to showcase the eclectic beauty of Duluth.  The same day that story came out the Fire Marshall closed the building (and we all know how that turned out).  Try not to draw too much symbolism from this, and take my words with a grain of salt naturally I've got my own perspective and I could only pretend to be unbiased, but sometimes Duluthians are Duluth's own worst enemy.  

I'm enjoying what's happening now, though.

Claire

about 9 years ago 

"Sometimes Duluthians are Duluth's own worst enemy."

WildGoose, you have a point there, indeed. I think more so in the past than now, though.

Thomas

about 9 years ago 

I'm still the new guy in town.  But from the outside, Duluth is very much poised on the edge.  However the evolutionary clock runs faster these days in all manner of subjects.  It's just me, but I would advocate to 'push it' so as to not get lost in what may be a real maelstrom of change that I think is coming along.  Be cool now, and practice making it sustainable for the future.  

Happy to be here, trying to contribute.

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