Month: December 2016
Duluth Nordic Center Stop-motion Workshop Video
A compilation of stop-motion animations done by children at the Nordic Center on Nov. 20. Video by Falyn Oja.
Mystery Photo #48: Superior Street and Lake Avenue circa 1998
Where are you now, Danny Tanner?
This image is from a postcard printed by the College of St. Scholastica featuring photography by student Danny Tanner. Searching the internet to determine if Danny Tanner is still involved in photography is a bit complex; it turns out Danny Tanner is the name of a character on the television sitcom Full House, which had recently wrapped up its eight-season run around the same time the real Danny Tanner was doing his thing on Superior Street.
Although the date the photo was shot and date the postcards were printed are unknown, this one is postmarked Nov. 2, 1998. In the background are the Electric Fetus store, Strand Theater and a Duluth Transit Authority bus headed to New Duluth.
History of Itasca: Part 1
Lilah Crowe, executive director at Itasca County Historical Society, talks about the rich native history of Itasca County in the first of a four-part presentation.
This short-form documentary was produced by A Plus B Productions as part of the Itasca Conversations series.
Dance Attic – “Startin’ a Fire with You”
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Happy holidays! Jimi Cooper and Suzi Ludwig of Dance Attic bring the holiday cheer for this year’s PDD Christmas video. The song is from the band’s first album, tentatively scheduled for release in April.
A big thank you to the Homegrown Music Festival for sponsoring the video. Band registration is happening now, the Homegrown Winter Fiasco is Jan. 13, and the full-on eight-day extravaganza happens April 30 to May 7.
A big tip of the western hat also goes out to Darryn Wallace, who made Dance Attic’s snappy outfits.
Visit the PDD Holiday Video Showcase to view a collection of clips featuring the ghosts of Christmas’ past.
Petitioning to Change Duluth in 2016
What do people want to change about Duluth? Well, according to change.org — as of 9 a.m. on Dec. 6 — 5,471 people want the University of Minnesota Duluth to save the American Indian grad program, 1,100 people want the city to stay the enforcement of parking violations targeting Duluth college students, 313 people want to stop harsh LED street lighting, 140 people want Duluth to pass a Homeless Person’s Bill of Rights, 13 people want a Trader Joe’s franchise to locate here and six people want to bring a Costco store to Duluth. (more…)
The year Joel Hodgson spent in Duluth
On the Halloween episode of The Dana Gould Hour, guest Joel Hodgson briefly mentions his family lived in Duluth for a year. The conversation had steered to small-town television shows and personalities, and Hodgson recalled “picturesque slides of lighthouses” and how it gave a “mood of where you were.”
Hodgson, of course, is best known as the creator of the hit television show Mystery Science Theater 3000. (more…)
ARCO Coffee celebrates 100 years
It’s remarkable for a family-owned business to withstand a century’s worth of cultural and economic changes, not to mention several generations of leaders. But Superior’s ARCO Coffee Company has reached this monumental achievement—100 years in business.
G.A. Andresen and W.J. Ryan founded the business in Duluth in 1916 as Andresen Ryan Coffee Company. Their names were later combined into the acronym ARCO. (more…)
Sarah Krueger – Northern Air 5-track EP
Duluth musician Sarah Krueger “holed up for a couple evenings in St. Paul” in November with her “good homie Jordan Taylor to record some holiday songs.” The result is the five-song EP Northern Air. Listen here for free, or name your price to download from Bandcamp.
Wild West Liquor Mural, 1996
This photo is dated Dec. 5, 1996. It’s a shot of the exterior mural on the parking lot side of the former Wild West Liquor, 318 N. Central Ave. in West Duluth.
At the time it was probably a fairly new mural; the liquor store changed its name from West Duluth Liquor to Wild West Liquor at some point in the mid 1990s. I don’t remember when the mural was painted over, but I’d guess the side of the building has been plain white for at least ten years. The liquor store closed in 2015.
The building is being remodeled to open as Zenith Bookstore in summer 2017.
Thrift Store Finds: Last Ride on the Incline
I’m teaching a class that emphasizes writing about place next semester. So I’ve been scrounging thrift stores for examples. Here’s one to share. Is there a copyright-awesome way to secure these old magazines online?
Video Archive: Le Parkour Duluth
This video, shot in the fall of 2006, was posted on Perfect Duluth Day ten years ago today. It made PDD’s list of Best Videos of 2006 and placed second at UMD’s Frozen Yeti Film Festival in 2007 in the Indie Film category. In the past decade it’s amassed more than 190,000 views. (more…)
Streets of Duluth: 1968-1971
For those who missed the exhibition of D. R. Martin photos on display at the Red Herring Lounge this past summer, or those who want to revisit it, the images are now available online at curator Kip Praslowicz’s website. It’s a collection of street photography shot in the Duluth area between 1968 and 1971. As evidenced by the sample above, these are hot!
Pita Pit opens Monday in Downtown Duluth
Monday marks the grand opening of Duluth’s first Pita Pit at 425 W. Superior St. in the new Maurices building. A ribbon cutting ceremony will take place at 11 a.m. The restaurant will be giving away samples and coupons during the grand opening from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Pita Pit’s tagline is “Fresh thinking. Healthy eating.” Company spokesperson Monica Hendrickson says the franchise offers a fresh and healthy alternative to fast food. She calls it “faster food” since pitas are made to order, similar to Subway sandwich shops. (more…)
All Star Wrestling – Duluth Auditorium – Dec. 4, 1986
The American Wrestling Association brought some of its finest grapplers to Duluth 30 years ago, as the newspaper ad above attests. It was six months before the World Wrestling Federation juggernaut brought a series of shows to the Duluth Arena. The AWA, of course, was a smaller promotion and held its card in the Duluth Auditorium, with the ring placed on the stage the Duluth Superior Symphony Orchestra typically occupies. (more…)
Amsoil Championship Snocross – Duluth 2016
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Emily Haavik – “New Beginning Girl”
Duluth native Emily Haavik returns home from the Twin Cities next weekend to release her debut album You Were the City. The CD release party is Dec. 11 at Beaner’s Central.
The album was recorded last winter by Jason Wussow in the basement recording studio at Beaner’s. According to Haavik, the song “New Beginning Girl” is the “catchy” one.
Historical Trauma and Standing Rock
When I was young and more exciting than I am now, I started teaching Art Spiegelman’s graphic novel Maus. One of the reasons Maus made its way into classrooms was that it was an immensely accessible introduction to the Holocaust.
But about halfway through the second time I taught the book, I realized that its special genius is not the way it tells the story of Vladek, a Holocaust survivor, but the way it tells the story of Artie, the son of a Holocaust survivor.
Perhaps this is clearest in the scene where Artie and his wife, Francoise, take Vladek to the grocery store so that Vladek can return a half-eaten box of cereal. (more…)
Mni Wiconi: The Stand at Standing Rock
“Mni Wiconi” is the Sioux term for “water is life.” This documentary was created by Lucian Read with support from the WK Kellogg Foundation.
Duluth’s Hamilton Hotel
While doing some family research I found a 1927 directory listing for my great grandmother. It showed she worked as a maid at the Hamilton Hotel in Duluth. I can’t find any info regarding this hotel. Every time and everywhere I search it comes up with Hampton Inns or Hamilton Hotels (modern). I’m curious if anyone has any information regarding the history and location.
The Little Black Books – “Barstool Christmas”
Directed by Kirk Kjenaas.
Selective Focus: Brian Barber
This week’s Selective Focus subject is … me. You may be thinking, gee whiz, PDD must have run out of Selective Focus subject ideas. Far from it. We still have a long list of artists we want to include, but we’re also open to more suggestions. If you know someone doing interesting work in the visual arts, or if you would like to be featured, send us a note. [email protected] I’ve jammed myself in the schedule here because I’ve got a show of new work opening at Beaner’s next Thursday.
B.B.: Graphic Artist is probably the best way to describe what I do. I work as an illustrator, designer, animator, and videographer. In college I studied pretty equal parts design, illustration and photography, so I guess this mix of work makes sense, and I feel lucky to have the variety every day. I’ve done children’s books, logos, brochures, TV ads, training videos, package design, interactive design, character design, prints for sale, music videos, and more. (more…)
Low – “Some Hearts (at Christmas Time)”
Duluth band Low released a new Christmas song today. The band is touring the United Kingdom during the first half of December.
To friends who have moved away and friends who have passed on this year. To one and all, especially those who are alone, we wish you a Merry Christmas and new hope for the new year. May we all find ways to lift each other. — With love, Mimi, Alan and Steve
The digital single is available from Sub Pop Records.
Planners take another look at West Duluth’s Memorial Park
The overhaul of a neglected West Duluth park honoring local war veterans has been delayed and downsized as city officials develop new plans without a multi-million dollar community center anchoring the project.
Duluth city officials said a two-year-old plan calling for more than $7 million in Memorial Park improvements failed to receive federal funding and a needed community center business partnership. The setback means planning will be reopened to public discussion early in 2017. (more…)
Gold Star Men of West Duluth: An Inventory of Memorial Park Veterans Markers
As noted in the Perfect Duluth Day story “Planners take another look at West Duluth’s Memorial Park,” a majority of the bronze plates memorializing West Duluth servicemen who died in World War I are either missing or damaged. Above are images of some of the more deteriorated and/or vandalized markers. Of the original 22, just seven remain in place and in good condition.
The markers were planted under trees in 1928 and read: “This tree planted in memory of (name) killed (date) for God and country.” (more…)