Paul Lundgren
The Flame Nightclub, Duluth version
The new Flame Nightclub at 26 N. First Ave. W. in Downtown Duluth opens on July 29.
Trampled by Hippies
Bruce Woodman had the fanciest shirt in West Duluth this morning.
Henry Brick
Since the subject of Henry Brick came up in the “Bring back the bricks!” post, I thought I’d offer some background by way of a retrospective article I wrote 15 years ago for the Budgeteer News.
The man who saved downtown
By Paul Lundgren
Budgeteer News
June 1, 1997
The bricking of Downtown Duluth’s First Street in 1984 created traffic problems, parking hassles and unpleasant noise and dust. Retail shoppers took their money elsewhere. Superior Street was next on the bricking list in the summer of ’85, and business owners feared the effect on business would be similarly disastrous.
Then came Mr. Henry R. Brick, clad in overalls, flannel shirt, black bowtie, hard hat and horn-rimmed glasses. He starred in 38 television commercials that summer, encouraging shoppers to “come on down and jaywalk” through torn up Superior Street. They did.
Henry Brick quickly became one of the most highly recognized people in Duluth. When the construction was finally completed and the future of downtown secure, he disappeared – like any superhero would.
(more…)
Duluth National Citizen Survey 2012
The results of the Duluth National Citizen Survey are now available. Click here to open the PDF.
The report provides the opinions of a representative sample of residents about community quality of life, service delivery, civic participation and unique issues of local interest.
- 78 percent of respondents felt the quality of life in Duluth was “excellent” or “good.”
- 56 percent of respondents felt Duluth was headed in the right direction.
- 72 percent rated Duluth’s image or reputation as “excellent” or “good.”
Great Lakes Warriors
[This post originally contained an embedded video that is no longer available at its source. The premiere episode of Great Lakes Warriors can be viewed on Vimeo.]
The new deckhand always gets the worst jobs. At Heritage Marine in Duluth, Captain Mike Ojard gives newbie Brandon one of the more unpleasant assignments — clean up the over-full debris pan from the Incinolet, an electric marine toilet.
This clip is from the History Channel show Great Lakes Warriors, which premieres July 19 at 9 p.m.
The adventures of two of Heritage’s boats — The Nels J. and the Helen — are featured prominently in the show.
Duluth SoundCloud Sampler 2
Spilled Milk — “The Real Jersey Shore (Summertime)” (New Teague Alexy project.)
Jaze with Big Jess and Bliss – “Lazy Afternoon”
While I recharge my speaker batteries, maybe you have some suggested listening you can mention/embed in the comments.
7 West Tap House
Apparently the old Ragstock location at 7 W. Superior St. is going to be transformed into a bar. Consider this a “before” shot.
Another post-flood trails update
Note: Please do not use trails if they are wet from today’s thunderstorm. See the link at the end of the post for info on trail work days.
There are a lot of trails open and ready for use, but some are still badly damaged. Here’s the latest report from Duluth’s Parks and Recreation Dept.:
(more…)
Hang gliding in Duluth
Have you ever seen someone hang glide in Duluth?
I think I did once, but it might just be a weird dream I had back when I was kid. What I remember is that I was at the Little League baseball end-of-season carnival/Olympics, or whatever it was, at Wheeler Fields. It would have been about 1984. I think I saw some guy launch off the hillside where “The Wall” is on Skyline Drive, and then land on one of the baseball fields at Wheeler.
Is hang gliding just a dying sport in general, or is there something about Duluth — maybe the lake winds are too unpredictable and strong or the hills aren’t high enough to produce a good “ridge lift” or whatever — that makes hang gliding here rare or impossible?
And whatever happened to the guy with the hot-air balloon?
Duluth Button Collection
If you have a button to add, upload it to the comments. It’s one of the nice things about the Internet — we can all have a button collection without having to have a button collection. (more…)
Duluth Album Releases in 2006
Cheer Up Poems
Here Not Up There
Wire Heart
Sara Softich
Pipe Dream
Available on CD Baby
Centerville All Stars
Not Dead Yet
Duluth Trail Update
Info from Duluth’s Parks and Recreation Division:
– The COGGS mountain-biking trails are not open due to wet conditions. It is possible the trails will be open next week.
– Kingsbury Trail is closed.
– Western Waterfront Trail is passable. Hikers are asked to use caution.
– The Lakewalk is repaired and open to the public.
– Chester Trail is closed
– Lester Ski Trail is currently being surveyed for damage. Use with caution.
– Hartley Trail is open.
– Lincoln Trail is closed.
– Superior Hiking Trail can only be summed up section-by-section …
(more…)
Happy ninth birthday to us
Perfect Duluth Day is nine years old today – Friday, June 29, 2012. We’ll be celebrating tonight at Tycoons Alehouse and Eatery (in the board room upstairs) starting at 8 p.m. There will be cake and an array of door prizes. Come on out and share in the merriment.
PDD Calendar entry | Facebook invite
What started as a fun little experiment for Barrett Chase and Scott “Starfire” Lunt in 2003 has grown into a hideous beast containing well over 10,000 posts about everything from wood ticks to roller derby. Thanks for all the support, whether you are a PDD user, lurker or just someone searching Google for karaoke photos.
Grand Cliffs Salon
The “Grand Cliffs Salon” lettering was hung last night. I didn’t have time to stop and ask questions, but apparently the Clifford Johnson legacy will continue in some form.
Duluth vs. Superior
On almost every point, Superior suffers by comparison. Duluth has 90,000 inhabitants; Superior has 30,000. Duluth has some of the most impressive nineteenth-century architecture in the Midwest; Superior is famous for asphalt shingles and insulbrick. Duluth is known for first-rate medical facilities; Superior has an oil refinery. Duluth has Spirit Mountain and a ski jump; Superior is flat as a turkey platter. Superior is clearly inferior to Duluth, but if you like an underdog, you have to love that town across the harbor. I sure do.
–Barton Sutter, from “Sister City,” an essay in his book Cold Comfort: Life at the Top of the Map
Watch out for trail-head thieves
I noticed a lot of broken glass last summer at trail-head parking lots, and last Friday I arrived at the parking lot at 123rd Ave. W. (Ely’s Peak, Munger Trail, Superior Hiking Trail) to meet a few folks who just had their car robbed.
So here’s your reminder to hide your valuables before leaving your vehicle and hitting the trails, unless you’re on a stakeout and plan to finally nab this punk (or these punks) in the act.
Lost Fedora in the Garden of the Plaza
Below is the text from an interesting Craiglist ad posted today.
You left me… – w4m (Downtown Duluth)
Date: 2012-06-05, 2:49PMMe: Fedora laying in the garden of the Plaza on the corner of 5th Avenue West and Superior Street.
You: Wandering around with an outfit that is probably a mess without me. YOU HEARD ME. You’re a MESS without me.
(more…)
Blue Laws are Stupid, post #6
According to the latest poll by Public Policy Polling, Minnesotans continue to be in strong support of allowing liquor stores to open on Sundays.
Do you support or oppose allowing Sunday liquor sales?
Support …… 59%
Oppose ……. 27%
Not sure ….. 14%
There’s a bipartisan consensus on the issue with Democrats supporting it 61/22, Republicans 46/38, and independents 68/23. The only group that doesn’t support it is elected officials.
Duluth’s Mayor Ness: Cooler by the lake
“Duluth’s youthful chief executive is bringing fresh energy and, yes, a sense of hipness to the port city.”
Minneapolis Star Tribune: “Duluth’s Mayor Ness: Cooler by the lake“
Truck crashing into Gordie’s Place
Gordie’s Place is in Little Canada, a suburb of the Twin Cities. This happened last night; the driver wasn’t drunk, but apparently had a “diabetic reaction” and lost control of his truck. Two patrons were injured.
Duluth Album Releases in 2005
Low
The Great Destroyer
Sub Pop Records (Jan. 24)
Available at Sub Pop’s Mega Mart
Boy Girl Boy Girl
Sugar Skull Maker
(March 28)
Available on Amazon
Trampled by Turtles
Blue Sky and the Devil
(April 20)
Available on Amazon
The Hobo Nephews of Uncle Frank
Self titled
Consider it Correspondence (July 1)
Available on Amazon
“It’s going to be a great year for swimming”
Jay Austin, a lake researcher at the University of Minnesota Duluth, says Lake Superior is running warm this spring after a warm winter and lack of ice cover. The lake’s summer “turnover,” in which the warm water from below replaces cooler surface water, may occur in early June instead of the customary early July.
Star Tribune: “Warmup could bring Superior swimming“
