The Bluestone Co. Canal Park – Adopt a Highway
Great store too early for it’s time, but the signs are still on Central Entrance many years later. I’ve wondered why. Then, a week or so ago there he was, Erik Nelson (yes, that Erik) founder of the long gone-enterprise, reflective vest and trash bag in hand doing the duty of Adopters, but unlike so many, alone … I like to imagine in contemplation or the joy of being alone.
Collecting Stories for a Community Forum on Police at UMD
I’m unofficially writing to ask for stories to share for the “Hands Up: Police/Community Relations in Duluth” on Election night, Tuesday, Nov. 8.
This event is a forum for conversation about police and community interactions in the city of Duluth. Duluth Mayor Emily Larson, Duluth Police Chief Mike Tusken, Jeremy Nevilles-Sorrell (Mending the Sacred Hoop), and Civil Rights Activist Kym Young will kick off the event with brief statements. We invite UMD students, faculty and staff to share their experiences about police encounters with our guests. Our goal is to generate action steps to keep police/community relations healthy and proactive. (more…)
Mystery Photo #45: Dr. Jern
Well, there he is, Dr. Jern, standing on a porch in Duluth way back in 1910. Who is Dr. Jern? Is that house still standing? These are the mysteries we hope to unravel. (more…)
History of the University of Wisconsin-Superior
Though Perfect Duluth Day generally avoids publishing promotional propaganda on its blog, this UWS-produced video on the school’s history is a compelling look at 120 years of educational evolution in Soup Town.
Jon and Erin Otis: Barrel Brokers
Duluth Barrel Works owners Jon and Erin Otis are the subjects of a new profile story in The Growler magazine. The story details how Duluth Barrel Works buys, sells and repurposes solid oak barrels from wineries in California and bourbon distilleries in Kentucky. Jon converts some into rain barrels and breaks others down to create unique tables, benches, stools, candle holders and more.
You are not a robot
Perfect Duluth Day blog administrators have noticed an increase recently in the number of users changing their passwords, and we’ve also had a few people write to us indicating their login process is being thwarted with the phrase: “Error: You have entered an incorrect reCAPTCHA value.”
So heads up if you are having trouble logging in: As annoying as it is, you have to remember to check the box that reads “I am not a robot.”
This extra step was implemented a month or so ago to keep out the robots that create accounts on PDD, log in, and attempt to post spam. Until we create good robots to kill the evil robots, the reCAPTCHA box will be necessary. You don’t have to enter any words or pass any picture box test in most cases, unless maybe you log in from a place you don’t usually log in. But you must check the box.
Video Archive: Bruzonsky Family Duluth Film Circa 1956
Mark Bruzonsky, a 1965 Duluth East High School graduate who has gone on to become a journalist, author and consultant in Washington D.C. specializing in international affairs and the Middle East, has uploaded several of his family’s old films to Vimeo. The video above is a collection of films from roughly 1956, and includes footage of some familiar locations in and around Duluth. (more…)
PDD Quiz: October 2016
October 2016 is almost over so let’s see what you remember about what happened in and around Duluth. Ready? Let’s do it.
Got ideas for future quizzes? Send your theme or question ideas to lawrence @ perfectduluthday.com.
Bagels, coffee and pizza coming to Endion
A co-branded Caribou Coffee and Einstein Bros. Bagels will open in a new luxury apartment complex that’s been quickly taking shape in Duluth’s Endion neighborhood. (more…)
Sixteen Years on the Superior Hiking Trail: Nonchalance
After hoofing more than 90 miles of the northernmost sections of the Superior Hiking Trail in 2000 and 2001, I failed to hike a single SHT mile over the next five years. What went wrong?
Little tiny things, that’s what. In 2002 I was a freelance writer barely making rent. It was hard to turn down work to free up time to go on a hike. One weekend I planned a short trip, but the weather forecast indicated rain and I sissied out.
By 2003 I had made the mistake of accepting a fulltime position in the field of advertising, with no vacation time until after the first year — although I did manage to sneak off for a three-day weekend on Isle Royale.
Frustrated with my inability to get out of town for a good hike, and inspired by a discussion about how Duluth is a geographically wide city, I decided to organize a roughly 26-mile single-day walk from the Wabegon Supper Club in the Superior Township to the Lakeview Castle in Duluth Township. This complete traverse of Duluth was called the Nonchalant Jaunt.
Perfect Duluth Day was launched just three months prior to the 2003 jaunt, so there are a few posts about it in the archives. A group of seven hearty individuals completed the trek, which for the most part followed Highway 23, Superior Street and Highway 61. (more…)
Hoops Brewing will launch in spring 2017
Former Fitger’s Brewhouse master brewer and current Bev-Craft lead consultant Dave Hoops will open a beer hall in the Waterfront Plaza building in Duluth’s Canal Park business district. Hoops Brewing will occupy the former Timber Lodge Steakhouse space at 325 S. Lake Ave., opening in spring 2017.
“I’ve always wanted to build a boutique brewery and I’m doing this the way I dreamed of doing it,” Hoops told The Growler magazine, which broke the story before Hoops Brewing issued a news release. “I don’t have any aspirations of being real large. I want to be a destination beer hall, really servicing local, very limited distribution.”
The news release from Hoops Brewing notes the brewery will operate a small system geared toward serving the on-site 250-seat beer hall. In total, Hoops will occupy a 9,000-square-foot space inside a historic brick-and-exposed-timber space on the water’s edge of the Duluth Harbor.
The Waterfront Plaza, also known as the Meierhoff Building, was designed in two sections and constructed in 1900 as headquarters for the Marshall-Wells Hardware Company, one of the world’s largest hardware wholesalers. In its prime, Marshall-Wells produced 40,000 products and had annual sales of nearly $100 million. The company liquidated in 1958 and the building sat vacant until the Meierhoff family bought it in 1966.
Hoops Brewing will share the first floor with Suites Hotel, which also occupies the second, third and fourth floors. The sixth floor and part of the seventh floor are condominiums. The Duluth branch of Barr Engineering occupies the fifth floor and parts of the seventh floor. (more…)
Selective Focus: Eric Helland
Eric Helland makes things from natural materials. His work shows off the beauty in the texture and grain, and also in the imperfections and missing chunks.
E.H.: I’ve always dabbled in art starting with drawing as a kid, experimenting with glass in my family’s glass shop in Southern Minnesota, and photography after moving to Duluth. Eight years ago I made my wife a free form wooden bowl and a sofa table and have been working with wood ever since. Being self taught my technique is always changing and I’m forever seeing what I can do differently. Many people prize exotic woods but I think we have beautiful prime woods right here in the Northland. I like finding my own wood and seeing it in its original form, allowing the individual piece of wood to determine what the end product will be instead of having a preconceived idea when I start. Seeing what hidden grains and patterns I can reveal in the wood is my favorite aspect of this work. My style is always changing but I’m probably best known for my free form pieces, leaving live edges or bark on my lathe pieces, incorporating antler into my pens, and working with burls.
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Beer finally flowing in Duluth Lakeside at Amity Coffee
Prohibition has finally ended. Amity Coffee became the Lakeside neighborhood’s first seller of over-the-counter alcohol today. In June the Duluth City Council repealed a more than 125-year-old neighborhood liquor ban.
At left, barista Nate Pykkonen pours a Bent Hop Golden IPA, one of two Paddle Paddle Brewing tap beers at Amity. Bottled and canned beers are also available, as well as wine.
Reader publisher buys former West Theater
A repurposed West Duluth movie theater has been sold to the publisher of an alternative weekly newspaper. The historic West Theater building at 317-319 N. Central Avenue was purchased earlier this month by Duluth Reader founder and publisher Robert Boone, operating as Paladin Properties LLC. The building was previously owned by David Orman, whose now-defunct promotional products business Raven & Associates headquartered there from 2012 to 2014. (more…)
Hermantown Zen House moving to former Sala Thai location
The Duluth News Tribune reports the Hermantown Zen House restaurant in the ICO convenience store at Maple Grove and Haines roads is moving to Duluth’s Woodland neighborhood. Zen House manager Joe Shortino told the paper ICO sold the property and the rumored buyer is Kwik Trip. An ICO official told the News Tribune a sale is pending, but would not disclose the buyer.
Zen House’s new location will be 4023 Woodland Ave. Sala Thai occupied that building before moving to 114 W. First St. in 2015.
Hacienda del Sol building eyed by Lake Avenue Restaurant group
The Hacienda del Sol restaurant on East Superior Street closed in 2011. Lake Avenue Restaurant and Bar owners are in the process of buying the property.
Owners of a popular Canal Park restaurant have been working for more than a year to secure the former Hacienda del Sol building in the newly rebranded Downtown Duluth Historic Arts and Theatre Distict.
Lake Avenue Restaurant and Bar owner Mark Swenson said last week his partnership group is working to purchase the long vacant Mexican restaurant at 319 E. Superior St. The group would like to remodel and reopen the building with a kitchen serving Central American inspired cuisine. (more…)
Experienced piano teacher bouncing with new ideas looking for students
I’m a piano teacher with more than 20 years experience teaching students of all ages and all abilities on the hunt for students! I spent last year getting an MA in Community Music in Ireland, and while that was happening I lost a lot of students (which makes me sad).
That MA is changing so much about the way that I approach my teaching and music making, I decided that I might as well present myself to the world as a brand new teacher, and to do that, I made a brand new website: emilymoepianostudio.com. (more…)
Duluth screen printer puts focus on craft, quality
The term “craft goods” has been slowly working its way into the Duluth lexicon. It’s been applied to micro breweries, manufacturers of outdoors gear, bakeries and on down to individual blacksmiths and jewelry makers. A new screen-printing business recently joined the ranks of those embracing this “craft” philosophy.
Proctor native Ian Scherber launched Duluth Screen Printing in May 2015 with a focus on creating sustainable products for those in need of a quality, customized T-shirt. In an odd twist, the popularity of the craft trend quickly led him into partnerships with large corporations like Target, Patagonia and Ernst & Young, putting out small-batch custom apparel for three behemoth brands.
“Industry is changing,” Scherber said. “There (are) a lot of really awesome options out there. We sell that opportunity and we wanted to be a nitty-gritty, hardworking brand based right in Downtown Duluth that’s making awesome stuff right out of our shop.” (more…)
Celtic Thunder on the St. Louis River
The Irish singing group Celtic Thunder was in Duluth on Sept. 27 for a performance at the Duluth Entertainment Convention Center‘s Symphony Hall. While in town, members of the ensemble spent a little time on the St. Louis River with help from Swiftwaters Adventures, which offers guided rafting and kayaking trips.
Rich Mattson and the Northstars – “Trip to a Flame”
Video by Reggie Pype from the Northstars new album, Starmaps.
Mystery Photo #44: A Handsome Home
Next to nothing is known about this photo, other than the claim it was shot in Duluth. Does this handsome home still exist? Does anyone recognize it? Who are these people and what are they doing?
Disfluency
All names in this story have been changed, because this is the internet. But not because of you. You’re wonderful.
If you had told me five years ago that a life could be forever altered by a toddler’s stutter, I would have rolled my eyes deep enough to dislocate my optic nerve. Maybe that’s a little melodramatic. My point is, I wouldn’t have understood. Like so many things, there’s often a pretty good delta between experience and imagination. I know a little better now, because of my own experience, and while this isn’t the worst thing that ever happened to me, it actually did change my whole life. This one little thing. A stutter.
I remember how, a week before my second daughter, Lilly, was born, I was thinking about how, in the new Pooh movie, Piglet lost his stutter. I had a little internal dialogue about the ridiculous, reactionary nature of helicopter parents, so sensitive to anything that might hurt … someone … that we couldn’t even joke around anymore. They had probably driven the change in Piglet’s fluency. Except I didn’t know to use the phrase, “change in Piglet’s fluency,” yet. (more…)
Selective Focus: Carolyn Olson
Carolyn Olson takes extremely ordinary daily events and turns them into big, colorful studies of life and relationships. (more…)
Farmhouse brewery under construction near Duluth
A distinctive brewery is under construction a few miles southeast of Duluth in Midway Township. Oakhold Farmhouse Brewery specializes in mixed fermentation, a method of brewing that yields a class of beers commonly referred to as “sours.” (more…)
Duluth Works Steel Mill Presentation
Sammy Maida produced this documentary about U.S. Steel’s Duluth Works operation. Maida built a 20-by-6-foot model diorama of the mill that was on display at Saint George Serbian Orthodox Church in June.