R.I.P. Irving Recreation Center
Demolition of the Irving Recreation Center has been taking place this week. Above is a photo of the rubble. Below is a shot from February 2013.
Demolition of the Irving Recreation Center has been taking place this week. Above is a photo of the rubble. Below is a shot from February 2013.
A rash of new coffee joints have opened up in Duluth in recent years, but an old favorite was the clear winner in Perfect Duluth Day’s poll to name the best coffee shop. Beaner’s Central Concert Coffeehouse has been as much known for its live music and friendly vibe over the past 15 years as it has for the Alakef-roasted java blends served there daily. Not to mention the baked goods, soups, sandwiches, pizzas, random experimental breakfasts, beers, wines, art exhibitions, basement recording studio and whatever else the affable and eccentric owner and founder Jason Wussow decides to offer next. It’s no wonder Beaner’s dominated with 50 percent of the vote in the three-way race for Duluth’s coffee-shop crown.
Jefferson People’s House, which opened just three months before our poll, gave a strong second place performance with 28 percent of the vote. The not-quite-two-year-old Duluth Coffee Co. cafe and roasterie also performed well, pulling in 22 percent of the vote.
In our elimination round poll we pitted 11 coffee shops against each other. The top three now do battle in this contest to answer the question …
What is the best coffee shop in the Duluth area?
This poll is now closed. There results were:
Beaner’s Central Concert Coffeehouse – 50.4 percent
Jefferson People’s House – 27.8 percent
Duluth Coffee Co. – 21.8
Amity Coffee opened on Sept. 6 at 4429 E. Superior St., serving up java from Duluth Coffee Co. The owners are Adam Swank and Patti Chuang.
The artwork on the walls is a selection of landscape paintings by Aaron Kloss.
Hours are 6:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Thursdays, 6:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Fridays and 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays.
Through our usual highly scientific means, a list of nominees for best Duluth-area coffee shop has been developed. Now it’s time to narrow down the choices with a round of voting.
What is the best coffee shop in the Duluth area?
This poll is now closed. The top three, advancing to the final ballot are:
Beaner’s Central Concert Coffeehouse
Duluth Coffee Co.
Jefferson People’s House
It’s been a few months since we’ve done a poll on PDD, but we trust that with all the “Vote Duluth the best outdoor city in the galaxy or whatever” hype that most of you thought a break was for the better. Now it’s time to return to our quest to decide what the best city’s best things are.
Before we launch our poll to name the best coffee shop, we have to establish a list of nominees by asking you to rant in the comments. The ground rules are fairly simple:
That’s about it. Make your thoughts known and we’ll launch the poll on Friday.
Help name these Denfeld Hunters. The image above is one of three dated Nov. 29, 1951 that were listed for sale on eBay. The description read: “These three photos were of the football players from Denfeld High School in Duluth, Minnesota. The sign in the background says Public Schools Stadium. The photos are from 1951. Two of the boys are identified: Eli Miletich and Richard Wilson. Eli Miletich gained some local celebrity later in life on the Duluth Police force.”
So, who can name the other two gridiron greats from West Duluth?
Above is a photo from the old Ripsaw magazine showing the famous “Beat it” tag underneath the Ninth Street Bridge over Chester Creek. The tag is dated Oct. 1, 1992, and was reportedly painted over when the bridge was renovated in 2003.
Below is the updated tag, as it appears today. I don’t know how long it’s been there like this.
The age-old question is: How did you do that? You are the one who did it, right? Why is the new tag backward?
From the assistant fire chief’s office:
At 00:52 this morning, the Duluth Fire Department responded to a structure fire at 1511 E. Superior St. The first vehicle on scene reported a working fire, with heavy fire showing from a first-floor window of a three-story building. The fire had extended to the second floor via a pipe chase.
There are less than three months to study up; the General Election will be held on Nov. 4. Below are the races that will appear on ballots in Duluth, with links to the websites of candidates who have them.
FEDERAL OFFICES
United States Senator
Steve Carlson (Independence)
Mike McFadden (Republican)
Al Franken (Democratic-Farmer-Labor)
Heather Johnson (Libertarian)
United States Representative, Minnesota District 8
Ray “Skip” Sandman (Green)
Stewart Mills (Republican)
Rick Nolan (Democratic-Farmer-Labor)
This photo from the mid-1940s raises a few questions, and the Internet provides fast answers to many of them.