Small Business Spotlight: Farmers Kitchen + Bar

Article by Becky Fillinger

Minneapolis foodies rejoice – the Farmers Kitchen + Bar officially opens on August 25! Mill City Times dropped by the August 19 preview party to talk with Executive Chef Kris Koch, President of the Minnesota Farmers Union Gary Wertish, and several farmers. Our community has a terrific new spot open for dining – and supporting local food makers – in the former Spoonriver space at 750 South 2nd Street.

Executive Chef Kris Koch

Q:  You have 15 farmers and makers producing for the restaurant – will that number change over time?

A:  Chef Koch:  It probably will change seasonally. Some farmers have a ‘high tunnel’ where they can produce greens longer into the colder weather. I have one producer that grows greens throughout the winter in insulated shipping containers. We’ll definitely have great root vegetables, eggs, beef and pork year-round and we are working with three different artisanal cheese makers. 

Q:  With all of the relationships involved, do you have a farmer relations staff person?

A:  Chef Koch: No, I do all the farmer liaison work. It’s busy, but I do enjoy working directly with the farmers. There’s a lot of coordination but the result is worth it.

Cheers! Enjoy a State Fair Maple Cream NitroQ:  How is staffing going for the restaurant? 

A:  Chef Koch: I’m super blessed and enthusiastic to have the staff we have on board now. We may need a few more, but we have hired some really great people. Pat Weber assisted me in staffing up the restaurant. We think people will want to work here.

Q:  Tell us about the breakfast items you’ll offer.

A:  Chef Koch: Right out of the gate, we’ll have lattes and muffins - breakfast pastries. Over time we’ll add items like beef hash, corn cakes and fava bean toast with poached eggs.

Q:  How long did it take to pull the restaurant together?

A:  Gary Wertish:  Brenda Langton approached us 2018 – it’s been about three years from the time of the original concept to being ready to open our doors now.

Q:  You’ve helped procure a great set of 15 farmers to start. How will you manage the growth of farmers who wish to participate?

A:  Gary Wertish:  You’re right, we’re at 15 farmers right now. Our focus will be on providing a consistent product of excellent quality. We’ll always buy local from Minnesota Farmers Union members. Growth will happen around those parameters.

Q:  Immigrants are the backbone of the farm to table movement. Will your restaurant honor their contributions?

A:  Gary Wertish:  There is no doubt that immigrants perform the hard manual work of farming, especially on larger farms in places like California. We have Hmong community farmers here – they’re excellent farmers. None of us would have the abundance of food on our tables without immigrants to pick the product. At the restaurant and as farmers, we’re mindful of that fact every day.

Q:  What would you like Mill City Times readers to know about your restaurant?

A:  Gary Wertish:  We want them to know that we are here to serve them. The restaurant will be the first and only restaurant wholly-owned and operated by the Minnesota Farmers Union. We want to be a good community member, serving farm fresh food, directly from farmer to your plate. Unless you are growing it yourself, you won’t find fresher food than what we serve. Please come and visit us!

We spoke to several farmers and asked about their farms and what they’ll supply to the restaurant:

Jodi Ohlsen Read of Shepherd’s Way Farms – I’ve been making sheep milk cheese since 1998 in Nerstrand. I’ve been a vendor at the Mill City Farmers Market for many years. It’s exciting to have another way to bring farmers together with consumers. Our products - Big Woods Blue and Friesago will be featured on picnic platters and salads like the Big Woods Wedge Salad.

Todd Churchill of Churchill Reserve Premium Grass Fed Beef - We produce 100% grass fed beef in Cannon Falls. Consumer preferences for food are changing - they are interested in food origins. How was it raised? How were the animals treated? We have all of that information. We are providing beef for the Field Hand burger.

Katie Bonow of the Capra Nera Creamery – We make farmstead goat cheese in small batches in Altura. We say, "From grass to goat to cheese!" I’ve been making cheese at home since I was 15. You’ll find our cheese in the Fern + Dale turkey sandwich and the Porch Platter.

Walleye Tots

Bison Wild Rice Meatballs

By the way, the food and beverages we sampled were exemplary! Bison wild rice meatballs, walleye tots, baby beet salad, Fern + Dale turkey sandwich, wild rice Waldorf salad, combine cookies and State Fair maple cream nitro! Do yourself a favor, visit the restaurant and try as many of these foods as possible. 

The food is definitely the star of the show, but also check out the framed Minnesota Farmers Union memorabilia and the wall sized mosaic made of tiny photos of Minnesota farmers.  I want to be a Singing Farmer or at least hear their performances!

Small Business Spotlight: O’Shaughnessy Distilling Company (Opening August 19!)

Article by Becky Fillinger

The Prospect Park area welcomes another wonderful small business – the O'Shaughnessy Distilling Company! We talked to Halee Peterson, Digital Marketing Manager, about what we can expect when the doors officially open on Thursday, August 19!

Q:  O’Shaughnessy Distilling’s Facebook page states the company is first and foremost the story of family. Can you tell us more about that?

A:  O'Shaughnessy Distilling was started by cousins and lifelong friends, Patrick and Michael O’Shaughnessy, with a vision to make whiskeys worthy of our rich Irish American heritage, that bring people together and create a legacy for future generations. The spirit of family and friends, and our shared experiences together, provide us with deep connection and meaning in our lives.

Q:  What spirits will the distillery produce? 

A:  Our first whiskey release is Keeper's Heart - Irish whiskeys blended with American Rye whiskey. We combine the unique qualities of Irish grain and single pot still whiskeys with American Rye whiskey for a remarkable drinking experience. Please check out more info here.

Coming Fall 2021, we will release a 10 Year Single Malt Irish Whiskey. At the distillery we also produce Tower Hill Vodka and Guard and Gate Gin – they’re only available at the distillery.

Q:  I recently ate at The Market at Malcolm Yards. The new developments in the Prospect Park area, including O'Shaughnessy Distillery, are transformative. Why did O’Shaughnessy Distillery choose this location? 

A:  We think it’s a growing central area, with a lot of industrial development. The Market at Malcolm Yards, Surly Brewing Co. and lots of new residential buildings were all a draw for us. We're excited to be a part of the Prospect Park community and watch it grow!

Q:  Please tell us more about the company's partnership with local grain farmers. 

A:  We partner with local farmers to source our grain and we mill 100% of our cereal on site.

Q:  How may we follow your news?

A:  First, come and visit us! We’d be so pleased if you would follow O’Shaughnessy Distilling on Instagram, Facebook and subscribe to our newsletter on our website (coming soon!).

Keeper's Heart Whiskey: Follow us on Instagram and subscribe to our newsletter on our website.

Gamut Gallery Announces Annual Call 4 Work exhibition, C4W:2021

Via an August 16 e-announcement from Gamut Gallery:

 September 10 - October 9, 2021

C4W:2021 Elemental - a group exhibition that invites us to drop down from the chaos into the essential foundation of existence as life twists & changes around us.

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C4W:2021 Features: Aidan Dillon, Alexandra Beaumont, Alondra M. Garza, Atzín Rayas, Ayana Figueroa, Ben DiNino, Ben Hering, Benjamin Wuest, Bo Young An, Buddah Jankey, Caryn Ann Bendrick, Christopher Harrison, Christopher Palbicki, CL Martin, Corinne Teed, Daniel Allyn Lee, Derek Meier, Emily Forbes, Helene Woods, Human Shaped Animal, Ilya Natarius, Ivonne Yáñez, Jacob Docksey, Jessica Kitzman, Jes Lee, Jordan Wiebe, Jorie Kosel, Kat Moon, Katie Robinson, Kristine Fretheim, Laurie Borggreve, Liza Ferrari, Lucy Comer, Lynda Mullan, Madison Rubenstein, Maria Quinn, Margaret Vergara, Nate Woodard, Sarah M. Sosa, Tchana Pierre, & Tiffany Lange

Our annual Call-4-Work exhibition is not a show that influences what art should be. Instead, the chosen guest curator brings their unique perspective and interpretation of the submitted works ranging the full “Gamut” of visual media. When Cándida González accepted the invite to curate this year’s C4W:2021, they went in as a blank canvas and let the artwork choose them, empowering the 197 artists to lead the way through all 836 submissions.Through our guest curator’s lens and perspective, this body of work presented the theme Elemental.

“We are living in a portal moment in time, transporting between two worlds, strapped into a rollercoaster ride that we didn’t even know we were in line for. As everything twists and changes arounds us, we reach for the things that stay constant, the things that we know, the building blocks of life.” - Cándida González

This year’s group exhibit will feature 43 artworks that Cándida has chosen to represent one of the foundational blocks of life, from the classical elements and human connections to life and death. The roots of all existing matter – earth, air, water and fire – are essential principles of life, each possessing an energy that when summoned has the power to ground us and heal during times of turmoil. For Cándida, these selected works embody a form of elemental energy that invites us to drop down from the chaos into the essential foundation of existence as life twists & changes around us. These artworks all create roots in the state of being that we return to inorder to help us make sense of the confusion. - Join the FB Event: C4W:2021 - Elemental curated by Cándida González - Visit the exhibit online: GamutGalleryMpls.com

 *  *  *  * PUBLIC OPENING NIGHT: *  *  *  *

Friday, September 10 / 6-9pm • $7, FREE for members
Featuring 42 Artists, Icy Icy Baby Shaved Ice Truck & DJ FNK

• Pre-sales available and recommended
• Entry will be available at the door
• Masks required indoors

Returning this year, there will be two “Best in Show '' awards. One will be selected by the guest curator and the other by opening night attendees. Both winners will be awarded $100 cash and Platinum Memberships to Gamut Gallery ($400 value). You will not want to miss the opportunity to help one of these artists take the best in show.

 *  *  *  * C4W:2021 ELEMENTAL ARTIST TALK *  *  *  * 

Wednesday, September 22nd / 7pm • $5 pre-sales, $7 door, FREE for members
Featured Artists: Alondra M. Garza, Benjamin Wuest, Katie Robinson & Tchana Pierre
• Pre-sales available and recommended
• Entry will be available at the door
• Masks required indoors

C4W guest curator, Cándida González, and Gamut Gallery’s director, Cass Garner, sit down for a conversation with four C4W artists to share about their processes, ideations and perspectives on current events.

 *  *  *  *  ABOUT THE CURATOR  *  *  *  * 

Cándida González is a queer, non-binary Puerto Rican native of South Minneapolis, they studied Latin American Art and History at The Evergreen State College in Olympia, WA, and went on to get their M.Ed. at The University of Minnesota in 2003. In their 15 years of arts education work in Minneapolis they worked on building art programs that focused on equitable arts opportunities, inclusivity of underserved populations, and deeper, culturally relevant arts experiences for youth and communities of color. Through their work they have also focused on providing opportunities and development for emerging artists of color. They approach their work by centering at the intersection of art, activism, healing and personal/community empowerment. They are deeply invested in the concept of using art and community design as tools to wage love and healing. Currently Gonzalez facilitates nationwide the Making it Public workshop series for Forecast Public Art, participates in select local arts and healing initiatives and creates mixed-media jewelry under the name Las Ranas Jewelry.

 *  *  * *  GALLERY & GIFT SHOP OPEN HOURS  *  *  * * 

FREE open hours: Wednesday - Friday, 11am - 6pm; Saturday 11am - 4pm

Gamut Gallery is open without capacity restrictions for in-person viewing of the exhibition. We are available by appointment, please request an appointment 48 hours in advance.

Milling About: Elaine Evans of the University of Minnesota Bee Lab

Elaine Evans of the University of Minnesota Bee Lab joins Brianna Rose to discuss why bees are struggling, why we should care and what we can do to help them.

Martha Ripley and the Hospital Named in Her Honor

Article by Michael Rainville, Jr.

Martha George Rogers RipleyIn the land of 10,000 lakes, medical field advancements, promoting women’s rights, and helping charitable causes have been ever-present, and Martha George Rogers Ripley lived a full life that encompassed all three. From growing up on the East Coast to establishing one of the best maternity hospitals in the nation, this is a story of how one person positively impacted the lives of many.

Born in 1843 in the small town of Lowell, Vermont, Martha Rogers started her life’s journey as an elementary school teacher. Once she married William Ripley, they moved to Massachusetts where she worked in the textile milling industry. Here, she took note of the subpar working conditions for women in the mills, began a suffrage group in Middleton, MA, and eventually was elected to the executive committee of the Massachusetts Women Suffrage Association. In order to be of better assistance to the women working in the mills, she enrolled in the medical school at Boston University and received her medical doctorate in 1883. Shortly after, her husband was involved in a milling accident and could no longer work. The responsibility of supporting her family was now solely on Martha’s shoulders, so the family moved to a land of more opportunity, Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Martha Ripley was one of the first women to receive their medical license in Minnesota, and she soon became a top obstetrician. That same year, 1883, she was elected president of the Minnesota Woman Suffrage Association and brought the yearly national convention of the American Woman Suffrage Association to Minneapolis just two years later. During her time as president, she worked to bring more attention to public health issues such as clean water, food availability for all, and proper city sanitation. She also unsuccessfully petitioned the state to grant women the right to vote and to raise the age of consent from ten to eighteen years old. The state would later raise the age to fourteen in 1891. Quite shocking to think this was only 130 years ago.

1909 photo of the Maternity Hospital

Martha Ripley opened her own hospital in 1886 for pregnant women and children at 316 East 15th Street, near the present-day Convention Center. They quickly outgrew their first location and moved to 2529 4th Avenue South, and even then, that location was too small. Ten years after Maternity Hospital opened their doors, they moved to five acres of land on the corner of Penn Avenue North and Western Avenue, now known as Glenwood Avenue. Martha employed an all-women staff and gave care to any woman, regardless of their marital and financial status. There was also room for unwed mothers and abandoned children to live and get back on their feet, similar to the services provided by Sharing & Caring Hands at Mary’s Place.

The new building, 1916

Nurses with babies, 1925

1925 photo of babies playing with a wheelbarrow - and a pitchfork (!?!) - at the hospital.

The first new building for the hospital on this site was the Marshall Stacy Nursery, completed in 1909. In 1910, an intensive care and isolation unit for infants was built, known as the Babies’ Bungalow. That same year, the Emily Paddock Cottage opened, a residential home for nurses. Maternity Hospital was a huge success, but it wasn’t expanding quick enough for the demand it had, so in 1911, Martha asked the State for funding in order to erect a proper hospital building. Unfortunately, Martha succumbed to a respiratory infection and heart failure in 1912. However, her new two-story hospital building was completed four years later and was renamed as the Ripley Memorial Hospital.

The hospital operated until 1957, and during its time, it had one of the best infant mortality rates in the United States. Their maternal death rate was also something to be proud of. During the 1930s when the state of Minnesota saw 4.5 maternal deaths for every 1,000 births, the Ripley Memorial Hospital had 1.35.

Martha's plaque in the MN State Capitol rotunda.The memory of Martha Ripley and the hospital named in her honor still remains, however. In 1939, twenty-seven years after her passing, a bronze plaque depicting her was installed in the Minnesota State Capitol rotunda. The hospital campus was sold to the Children’s Hospital of Minneapolis, and its remaining funds were used to start the Ripley Memorial Foundation. The hospital was included in the National Register of Historic Places in 1980 and was redeveloped into Ripley Gardens affordable housing in 2007 by Aeon, a Twin Cities organization dedicated to making quality housing available for those who may not be able to afford it otherwise. Martha Ripley may have left us over 100 years ago, but her passion to help those who need it the most continues to live on through her foundation and the housing that now occupies the old Ripley Memorial Hospital.

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About Michael Rainville, Jr.

A 6th generation Minneapolitan, Michael Rainville, Jr. received his B.A. in History, Graduate Certificate in Museum Studies, and M.A. in Art History from the University of St. Thomas.

Michael is also a lead guide at Mobile Entertainment, LLC, giving Segway, biking, and walking tours of the riverfront for 9+ years.

He can be reached at mrainvillejr@comcast.net.

Vote for the Northrup King Building!

Congratulations to the Northrup King Building on being nominated for a Reader's Choice Award for Best Art Gallery by Minnesota Monthly.

If you love the building and the artists, cast a vote by clicking this link to go to the survey. 

NOTE: Votes must be cast by August 16.

Stone Arch Reflections by Ric Rosow

Submitted by Mill District resident Ric Rosow

I stepped outside onto our patio in the morning just as the rain ended. I saw a wonderful reflection of the arches of the Stone Arch Bridge in the calm waters of the Mississippi River. Not trusting that the calm would last long, I took my camera just as it was set up on my tripod with a telephoto lens. I thought a wide angle lens might be better, but did not want to take the time to change lenses. As it turned out the telephoto lens delivered exactly what I wanted to capture.

The calm waters reflected well. When I processed the photograph I saw that there were several people on the bridge who I had not noticed. In particular there was a man and a women in the middle of the bridge with their backs to me as they stood at the railing on the falls side of the bridge. Each had an arm around the other. I thought it would be a nice touch to keep them in the picture. But that was not what attracted me to the scene in the first place. More important than that however, is that beyond them there were too many distracting elements on the other side of the bridge. Wires, fences, a road, electric transmission towers, as well as other people on the bridge would take the viewers eye away from the arches and the reflection in the water. I decided to crop the image to just the bridge arches and their reflection. In anticipation of printing the image I placed a 1/4 inch white border around the image and a black border around that. Both will be covered up when the image is displayed in mat inside a frame.  

I hope you enjoy viewing the image. See more of my work at www.ricrosowphotography.com.

The Cowles Center and the McKnight Fellowships for Dancers Announce SOLO: Six World-Premiere Dance Films

Via an August 12 e-announcement:

Yeniel ‘Chini’ Perez Domenech

 SOLO: Six World-Premiere Dance Films, presented by The Cowles Center and the McKnight Fellowships for Dancers

September 18, 7:30p; September 19-25 on demand

The McKnight Fellowships for Dancers’ biannual showcase event, SOLO, pairs six Minnesota dancers with renowned local, national, and international choreographers. This year, the pairings result in the creation of six new dance films, interspersed with artist interviews. The films will premiere with an on-site screening in the Cowles’ Goodale Theater on September 18. A livestream of the premiere (which includes a Meet the Artist Q&A) will be available, and SOLO will be available on demand from September 19 – 25. Tickets are $20 - $25; purchase at thecowlescenter.org/solo21.  SOLO will include some captioning in Spanish and English. Masks will be required in the theater.

The six dancers are Renée Copeland, Sharon Mansur, Yeniel "Chini" Perez Domenech, Erin Thompson, Joseph "MN Joe" Tran, and Elayna Waxse. Each are recipients of a McKnight Dancer Fellowship, an annual award given to three mid-career Minnesota dancers whose work demonstrates artistic excellence. In addition to a $25,000 unrestricted cash award, fellows received additional support and the commission of a new solo from a choreographer of their choosing. The 2021 collaborations range from innovative Hip Hop to contemporary Arab imaginings, to intimate site-specific explorations and more.

Dana K. Kassel, Program Director, shares: “The McKnight Fellowship for Dancers is awarded to applaud and support exceptional Minnesota-based dancers. While we have always had a national audience, including support from nationally known dance artists who have served on our application panel, this year’s performance is special because we’re able to offer a version of SOLO that’s readily available to our audience around the globe.”

The Cowles Center for Dance & the Performing Arts, 528 Hennepin Avenue

Kolman & Pryor Gallery Announces "Absence" - A Performance Art, Painting, and Technology Installation by James Holmberg

Via an August 11 e-announcement from Kolman & Pryor Gallery:

 Absence runs September 11 though October 30, 2021

Artist Reception Saturday, September 18, 7:00pm – 9:00pm

Kolman & Pryor Gallery is thrilled to present a performance art, painting, and technology installation by its first Project Space grant recipient, James Holmberg. The Project Space initiative provides Minnesota visual artists with the funds, time, and exhibition space to create a project that significantly advances their careers. Holmberg’s project, Absence, investigates loss, memory, and transformation through a painting process of  accumulation and erasure captured with video and experienced via QR codes.

The exhibition begins Saturday, September 11, 2021. An artist reception will be held on September 18, from 7:00 - 9:00 p.m., during Northrup King Nights, the Northrup King Building’s quarterly open studio evening. The exhibition closes October 30, 2021.

“The Project Space has given us a new way to be of service to Minnesota artists,” says gallery co-founder Anita Sue Kolman, who launched the program this year with gallery co-founder Patrick Pryor. Adds Pryor, “With his grant, James has sent his artistic practice in a new direction and taken the next step in his artistic evolution.”

Holmberg is well-known as a painter. A long-time artist with Circa Gallery, he also frequently exhibits at the Minneapolis Institute of Art (MIA). “The grant has completely given me the freedom to explore some of the conceptual ideas I’ve been grappling with for a long time,” he says.

Absence includes six canvases that Holmberg painted, scraped off, washed with mineral spirits, and painted again 12 times, while he was recording the process on video. Each canvas is accompanied by a QR code, allowing viewers to use their smartphones to access a time-lapse video of the painting process. By doing so, the process retrieves the images attached to each painting that now only exist in the cloud.

“In my day job, I co-founded a company to develop digital spaces focused on memory preservation; how can we bridge the analogue and the digital in a dignified way?” Holmberg explains, “This project gave me the opportunity to dovetail my two interests - technology and art.” While the canvases retain the ghostly memories of previous paintings, generating a sense of loss and impermanence with each iteration, they’re also digital assets through which memories remain intact.

In part, Holmberg says, “I’m questioning the importance of an image, of a painting, at a time when we’re mostly sharing images via cell phones, which in turn brings up questions about the numbing abundance of imagery.” The work also investigates feelings of creative loss, “which is uncomfortable and challenging for me,” he adds. “The real core of the show is about absence and presence and transition, and the ability to let go.”

The exhibition also includes a pedestal on which Holmberg troweled all of the paint or “content” from the canvases. “The pedestal is a collective of all the canvases and paint that was used. It’s a sculpture.” 

“That’s the Pandora’s box that Project Space allowed me to open up,” he adds. The program awards artists $10,000 and exhibition space to show their projects. “I was able to focus on larger, more conceptual questions such as the importance of the artist’s hand and the changing value of an image.” As Kolman explains: “One reason we decided to give the grants is so the artists don’t have to worry about commercial value, but rather could explore artistically to advance the scale, scope, and aesthetic character of new work.”

For a preview of the show, please contact Anita Sue Kolman at anita@kolmanpryorgallery.com or 612-385-4239 or Patrick Pryor at patrick@kolmanpryorgallery.com or 612-280-7812.

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Kolman & Pryor Gallery is located in Studio 395, Northrup King Building at 1500 Jackson Street NE, Minneapolis. For more information, please call: 612-385-4239 or 612-280-7812, or email: anita@kolmanpryorgallery.com or patrick@kolmanpryorgallery.com or visit: kolmanpryorgallery.com.

New Superintendent of Mississippi National River and Recreation Area Announced

Via an August 10 e-announcement:

Matthew Tucker BlytheNational Park Service (NPS) Regional Director Bert Frost announced the selection of Matthew Tucker Blythe as superintendent of Mississippi National River and Recreation Area in Minnesota. Blythe is currently the Superintendent of Ulysses S. Grant National Historic Site in Missouri. He assumes his new role September 12. 

“I am pleased to announce Tucker as the superintendent of Mississippi National River,” said Frost. “He has an extensive and successful background working with park gateway communities, partner organizations and tourism partners, and he is a strong leader. His collaborative style and excellent communication skills will serve the park well.” 

“I am honored to be selected as the superintendent of Mississippi National River and Recreation Area,” Blythe said. “I look forward to working closely with park staff, partners and engaging with community members to protect the incredible resources and tell the many stories the park offers. I am excited to join the team and work with the many partners who are passionate stewards of this majestic river. My family and I are looking forward to exploring the Twin Cities and getting to know the surrounding area." 

Blythe has served 24 years in the National Park Service. He has held leadership roles in several parks throughout his career including as acting deputy superintendent at Gateway Arch National Park; superintendent at Washita Battlefield National Historic Site; acting superintendent at Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve; historian in the NPS Historic Architecture Division; supervisory ranger at Oklahoma City National Memorial; and chief of interpretation at Frederick Law Olmsted and John F. Kennedy National Historic Site. Outside of the NPS, he spent nine years as a business owner in Newton, Kansas. 

Blythe earned a Bachelor of Arts in Historic Preservation from Mary Washington College, Virginia, and a Master of Arts in Communication from Wichita State University, Kansas. 

He enjoys photography, architecture, reading, hiking, walking the dog, traveling and trying different foods and beers. Tucker will move to the area with his wife Sandy, whose family is from the area. They are both looking forward to exploring all that the Twin Cities area has to offer. 

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Editor's Note: Matthew is taking over for John Anfinson, who retired at the end of 2020. Those are some big shoes to fill!

Dogs Meet Art at the Guthrie Theater

Thank you to Tina Wahlstrom for submitting this photo of her pets Ruben and Sven immersing themselves in one of the interactive art pieces currently displayed on the 2nd Street South side of the Guthrie Theater. (Is that a collective "aww!" I hear?)

If you've taken fun pictures in front of the graphics currently on display at the Guthrie, please feel free to email them to kim@millcitymedia.org - we'd love to share them!

July 2021 by the Numbers from Cynthia Froid Group

Downtown real estate market update from Cynthia Froid Group:

Resources for Free COVID-19 Vaccine Clinics and Testing, City and County Rewards, Other Resources

The strongest defense against the delta variant is through vaccination. Get a free COVID-19 vaccine at a Minneapolis Health Department clinic. Walk-ins are welcome, and the vaccinations are free. You don’t need insurance, you don’t need an appointment and you don’t need an ID. Questions about the vaccines? Watch and share this video for 11 things you should know about COVID-19 vaccines.

Upcoming clinics

• 24th Street Somali Mall, 912 E. 24th St. 2-5 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 7 Pfizer (12 and older)
• Lincoln International Charter School, 2520 Minnehaha Ave. 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 26 Pfizer (12 and older)
• Steven’s Square Park, 1801 Stevens Ave. 4-7 p.m. Friday, Aug. 27 Pfizer (12 and older)
• Park Avenue United Methodist Church, 3400 Park Ave. 9 a.m. to noon, every Saturday Pfizer (12 and older)

Find more information, updates and new free community vaccinations on the City website.

Other ways to get a vaccine

Vaccines work. If you haven’t been vaccinated yet, get a free vaccine as soon as you can. COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations have plummeted as more Minnesotans receive their vaccine. About nine out of 10 Americans live within 5 miles of a COVID-19 vaccination site.

• Free vaccine at the barber shop. Watch and share this video about free vaccines at Wilson’s Image, 2124 ½ W. Broadway Ave. 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays through Aug. 21.
• To find the site closest to you, visit vaccines.gov, text your ZIP code to 438829 (GETVAX); or call 1-800-232-0233.
• Find COVID-19 vaccine appointments at the CDC’s VaccineFinder. You can filter by location and search for Pfizer only for 12-17-year-olds.
• Find vaccine locations and providers near you using the State’s interactive map.
• Sign up for the Minnesota COVID-19 vaccine connector in English, Spanish, Somali or Hmong to get contacted about vaccine in your area.
• Contact your primary health care provider or a local pharmacy.

Unvaccinated children at greater risk for COVID-19

Unvaccinated children are at risk for COVID-19 infection much more now because of the new variants. With children returning to school in person this fall and online learning likely not available, it’s important that all children over 12 get the COVID-19 vaccine to be safe throughout the school year.

Children would need their first dose of the Pfizer vaccine by Aug. 2 and the second dose by Aug. 23 to be fully vaccinated by the first day of school.

For information about vaccines, visit the City of Minneapolis website. To find Pfizer vaccinations (approved for ages 12 and older), contact your health care provider or find details for the Mall of America community vaccination site

Vaccination Incentives

Minnesotans can now submit their requests for the $100 vaccination rewards program at mn.gov/covid19/100.

Minnesotans 12 years of age and older who have received their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine since July 30 can submit a request for a $100 Visa gift card. The form will remain open for submissions for Minnesotans who get their first dose until Aug. 15.

Reward requests must be submitted to the Minnesota Department of Health by 11:59 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 15. Vaccine information will be subject to verification by the Department of Health.

This rewards program is limited to the first 24,330 eligible submissions, but the governor will work with the state Legislature on a public-private partnership to provide Minnesotans, especially those in vulnerable and underserved communities, real-time incentives to get their shot.

As fall approaches and kids go back to school, getting vaccinated can help slow the spread of the highly transmissible delta variant and keep our communities safer. This is your chance to do your part – and earn $100 for it.

Hennepin County $50 Visa gift cards

Hennepin County hopes to raise the overall vaccination rate in our county and state while closing the vaccination gap within communities and neighborhoods hardest hit by COVID-19. In doing so, we can limit where the virus – especially the variants of concern – circulates and makes people sick.

Hennepin County is offering vaccine incentives to people 12 and older who receive their first or second shot of the COVID-19 vaccine.

Instant vaccine incentives

Until Aug. 15 (or as long as supplies last), everyone 12 and older is eligible to get a $50 Visa gift card when they receive a first or a second COVID-19 vaccine dose at any Hennepin County vaccine event. (People who receive both doses will get two $50 Visa gift cards.)

Find a list of upcoming County vaccine events open to the public on the Hennepin County website.

For questions, call the COVID-19 navigator line at 612-348-8900, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. After hours, you can leave a voicemail. Help is available is English, Spanish, Somali and Hmong.

Free COVID-19 Tests

COVID-19 testing is free. Do not eat, drink or use tobacco products for 30 minutes before taking a COVID-19 saliva test.

• Native American Community Clinic, 1213 E. Franklin Ave. 2 p.m. Tuesdays Appointments required: Call 612-872-8086 to schedule an appointment.
• Southside Community Health Services, 324 E. 35th St. 3 p.m. Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays Appointments required: Call 612-827-7181 to schedule an appointment. You can expect to get your test results in about two-three business days. Same day testing can be done for health care workers, first responders and essential workers.

Find a current list of free COVID-19 tests on the City website.

If you can’t attend one of these testing events, you can use this directory to find a testing location near you.

Resources

The COVID-19 test is free, and you do not need insurance for the test. If you need medical care but don’t have health insurance, the Minnesota Department of Health offers resources to find low-cost health care or health insurance.

CDC, Minnesota officials update COVID-19 recommendations

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has updated its recommendations for COVID-19 safety including wearing a mask indoors in public if you’re in an area of substantial or high transmission. Minneapolis is in an area of substantial transmission, and masks are required indoors in City of Minneapolis, Hennepin County, Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board, Minneapolis Public Schools, Ramsey County, and Saint Paul owned or controlled properties. Face coverings also continue to be required by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on public transportation, including school buses.

State K-12 recommendations

With students, families and K-12 educators preparing for the start of the 2021-22 school year, and given the delta variant’s alarming ability to spread more easily, Minnesota health and education officials recommend that schools follow the CDC’s new guidance for COVID-19 prevention in K-12 schools this fall. The recommendations reflect the current state of the pandemic along with the importance of in-person learning.

State health officials stress that vaccination, masking and physical distancing remain our best public health strategies for slowing the spread of COVID-19. With the uptick in COVID-19 cases driven by the delta variant, it’s more important than ever that anyone eligible for vaccination get that protection as soon as possible.

Among the specific points covered in the State guidance:

• Everyone 12 and older should get vaccinated for COVID-19 before returning to school, sports or other activities in person to protect themselves and to protect the people around them who cannot get vaccinated.
  • Becoming fully vaccinated lessens the chance of getting COVID-19 and becoming seriously ill from it. Getting vaccinated slows down transmission and helps keep everyone at school and in the community safe. Vaccines are safe and effective, and vaccinations are an important step in keeping schools and activities open for all students.
  • Children need their first dose of the Pfizer vaccine as soon as possible to be fully vaccinated early in the school year. For information about vaccines, visit the City of Minneapolis website. To find Pfizer vaccinations (approved for ages 12 and older), contact your health care provider or find details for the Mall of America community vaccination site. The City of Minneapolis is also currently offering free Pfizer vaccinations.
• State officials also recommend all students, teachers, staff and visitors in school buildings wear masks indoors regardless of vaccination status to protect those who cannot yet be vaccinated or who remain at higher risk because of immune-compromised status or other conditions.

For more information on how to get vaccinated, visit Vaccines.gov or contact your health care provider. You can use the map on State of Minnesota: Find Vaccine Locations to search for providers who are offering COVID-19 vaccine.

Mill City Commons Announces Fall 2021 Trial Membership

Via a recent e-announcement from Mill City Commons

If you're seeking fresh attitudes, meaningful connections and creative options to enhance your quality of life, Mill City Commons is for you!

Join MCC’s 3-Month Trial Membership for $100 from September-November and enjoy:

• A wide array of stimulating programs (in-person and virtual) each month making it easy to

engage with others and have fun as we learn.

• Opportunities to be a part of lively social gatherings and develop lasting networks.

• Trusted resources and one-on-one staff support ready to help you.

• Options to participate in active affinity groups.

• Valuable connections to welcoming friends who embrace the concept of a vibrant

neighborhood community.

• One-on-one technical assistance when needed.

• Weekly communications with recommendations and member news.

• So much more!

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Sign up at millcitycommons.org or email info@millcitycommons.org to learn more.

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Mill City Commons is a “village” community within the city unlike any other, bringing together neighbors 55+ who reside along or near the downtown riverfront.

Mill City Commons Village

We learn. We share. We engage. We give.

Awaiting the Return of Blue Skies (after a soaking rain, that is...)

Mill District resident Rick Kittock recently captured this shot from his balcony. You can monitor the current air quality via the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency website. 

Community, Canoeing and Cookies: Share the River Nordeast 2021

Via an August 4 e-announcement from Mississippi Watershed Management Organization:

Share the River Nordeast on Wednesday, August 18!

Join us for an evening of community, canoeing, and cookies! Stop by anytime between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. on August 18 for a free introductory canoe ride on the Mississippi River, then grab a cookie and enjoy a variety of fun and educational activities at our Stormwater Park and Learning Center. This family-friendly event is great for kids and adults of all ages. (Please note that you must weigh at least 30 lbs. in order to fit the provided life jackets.)

In addition to learning to paddle on the river, participants will also have opportunities to learn about the Mississippi River’s history, water quality, plants, animals and more. You’ll also be able to connect with other local organizations about their work in the community for the environment.

Canoe rides will be led by guides from Wilderness Inquiry, with support from National Park Service rangers from the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area and Mississippi Park Connection staff.

Parking and Transportation

Attendees are advised to use on-street parking, as the MWMO’s parking lot will be unavailable during the event. Bike parking, a Nice Ride station, and bus transit options are also available in the area.

Learn more!

Hello, We're EaTo: New Concept Debuts in Minneapolis' Mill District on August 6th

EaTo is located at 305 Washington Avenue S in the former Eastside space.

An Italian-inspired, fast-casual restaurant with a big family of amenities will be taking over 305 Washington Avenue South in the Mill District neighborhood of Minneapolis, bordered by the Guthrie Theater, US Bank Stadium and downtown, starting with its newly installed stroll-up window and patio opening Friday, August 6.

And speaking of a big family, the group behind the innovative new EaTo concept is Monroe Enterprises, a consortium of hospitality talent headed up by Dennis Monroe and his son, Matthew Monroe, along with the creative contributions of Chef Jamie Malone of Grand Café and Marco Zappia of 3Leche. EaTo is a new hospitality style and the first in a series of collaborations between Monroe Enterprises and various high-powered friends, from fellow restaurateurs to multifaceted creatives to cutting-edge provocateurs. 

Pizza PuffEaTo is on its way to becoming the neighborhood restaurant, bar, specialty market, rustic Italian espresso source, intimate space for ticketed dinners and inventive takeaway meals for East Town. The concept was designed to be a welcoming beacon for the neighborhood - a cheerful oasis where a single, couple or group can grab a glass of wine and retreat from the world on the expanded patio, score a unique snack like Pizza Puffs (a flavorful pocket of spill-proof pizza) or a cup of enticingly flavored ices and “cream,” or take away a meal. Whether you enjoy it on the patio, at a nearby park or in your apartment is up to you.

Also on tap is a bottle shop featuring a carefully curated list of intriguing Italian wines by sommelier Scarlett Carrasco. Libations continue with an impressive menu crafted by beverage innovator Marco Zappia of espresso drinks, aperitifs, digestifs and familiar drinks with upgrades, such as a mandarin negroni, a nonalcoholic bitter rosso or an espresso granita.

What’s unique about this new-style eatery is that each component is designed to build upon all the other ones: For instance, a superb bottle of wine can be quickly nabbed for a night at home, a hostess gift or to compliment a hand-cut steak from the meat counter or a takeaway meal. The steaks, accompanied by cooking instructions, will elevate not only the meal, but the home cook.

The knowledgeable and cheerful (don’t we all need that right now?) staff can offer tips on how to combine market items, and how to prepare them once they leave the shop. In addition, simple recipes will be available for the previously hard-to source items from Italy. Sounds elementary, but it’s got the Jamie Malone magic to creating elegant, complex food in a fun, easy-to-master style.

Panzanella Salad

The carefully crafted intent behind the concept is to engage the East Town neighborhood in a compelling dining experience, without the commitment of a full sit-down meal. “When we open up the inside, we want people to stop and chat with us and each other, but to also be able to take away ingredients for meals with no more than five ingredients that they can prepare at home,” Malone said.

In other words, the food meets you where you’re at - deliciously. EaTo will offer hospitality, meaningful interactions and a choice of how you want to spend your time dining.

On the menu are simply prepared pizzas with complex profiles (Taleggio with Rosemary Honey), fried meats (Steak Culotte with Mushroom Cream and Smoked Button Mushrooms), Sandwiches (Mortadella & Fried Chicken with Gruyere), salads and Little Things (side dishes). In addition, Chef Matt Hendrickson will be bringing his culinary flair to house-made sausages and ricotta.

EaTo will open in three phases:

The patio and walk-up window will open for dining August 6.

Indoor dining room and market to roll out during phase II in October.

The meat counter and bottle shop is scheduled for a November timeframe.

Milling About: Mill City Farmers Market Harvest Social

Martha Archer, Executive Director of the Mill City Farmers Market, joins Brianna Rose to discuss the upcoming Harvest Social benefit, the main source of funding for the market.

Early Years of the Minneapolis Fire Department and Its Repair Shop

Article by Michael Rainville, Jr.

Long before the Minneapolis Fire Department was established in 1879, volunteer firefighters were in charge of quelling fires. St. Anthony established their volunteer force in 1847, and the west side of the river did the same in 1851. Six years after St. Anthony merged with Minneapolis, the Washburn-Crosby Company A-Mill exploded in 1878, leveling the surrounding area. With the rise of lumber and flour milling and the dangerous consequences of both, the volunteer firefighters on both sides of the river joined forces. Just a year later, the volunteers requested that the City of Minneapolis replace them with paid professionals, and the Minneapolis Fire Department was created, led by Chief Winslow Brackett.

Starting as an on-call force with two horse-drawn steamers, one ladder truck, six hose companies, and seven stations, the new department grew quickly. In the 1880s, Minneapolis expanded by over twenty-two square miles, and the lack of construction standards meant that the fire department had a lot of work on their hands. Mayor Ames and the City Council approved Minneapolis’ first building codes in 1884, which required new buildings to have non-combustible walls, cornices and roofs, and the position of building inspector was also created to ensure compliance.

1925 photo of the shop interior.

Photo taken in 1979 of the 1922 addition.

Throughout the 1880s, the department added ten more stations, twenty-nine more vehicles of various uses, and their own water tower. With all of this equipment, the need for a dedicated space for repairs was obvious. The first shop opened in 1890, was located behind Station 1 in downtown, and consisted of a machine room, blacksmith, woodworking shop, harness shop and hose storage. Even though the city continued to expand and grow in population, the fire department never saw an increase in their funding. An external report completed by the National Board of Fire Underwriters lambasted the City Council for their unacceptable administrative role and recommended the city invest in new stations and facilities.

In 1909, as the City Council worked to provide more funding, Chief James Canterbury paid a $100 down payment on a $6,000 property along First Avenue NE between University and Second Street. As the city began looking for potential sites for a new, much larger repair shop, Chief Canterbury gave his cousin Sarah Guile $200 to offer his newly acquired property to the city for $9,000, or over $260,000 after inflation. This was a problem. Not only did Chief Canterbury expect to make a profit of $8,700, which would have led to firefighters not receiving pay in November and December, but other people of power were also well aware. Many council members, the city attorney, and the chief were all implicated.

Chief Canterbury apologized and resigned. Shortly after, the investigation was complete and found that he took $3,000 from the City of Minneapolis. The City Council told the public the truth about why there was a possibility of no pay for two months, and the firefighters of Minneapolis and the citizens they served were not happy. Once this land speculation scandal had cleared, construction of the new repair shop at 24 University Avenue NE began and was completed in late 1909.

Photo of the shop along University taken in 1936.

The new shop was designed by the local architect firm Downs & Eads and employed twenty-five men permanently assigned to the shop. A year later, another external survey was done and found even more problems with equipment, buildings and staffing than before. The chief at the time, Charles Ringer, ushered in a new era for the fire department, improving and expanding every aspect of the force. The most impactful change was the switch from horse-drawn vehicles to motorized. By 1916, over one-third of the department’s vehicles were now motorized, which saved an estimated $4,600 per rig a year, or over $70,000 after inflation.

1979 photo of a used car business that occupied the former repair shop site.

The repair shop expanded in 1922 to include a designated building to construct motorized vehicles at 222 First Avenue NE. In total, the shop converted forty-eight vehicles from 1910 to 1926. Once Chief Ringer retired in 1933, the shop stopped converting vehicles and was mainly used for repairs until it was closed down in 1960. The site has had various uses since, from a workout gym and used car business, to an event center and restaurants. It was also placed in the National Register for Historic Places in 2005 for its civil architecture and for the role it played in updating and advancing the Minneapolis Fire Department.

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About Michael Rainville, Jr.

A 6th generation Minneapolitan, Michael Rainville, Jr. received his B.A. in History, Graduate Certificate in Museum Studies, and M.A. in Art History from the University of St. Thomas.

Michael is also a lead guide at Mobile Entertainment, LLC, giving Segway, biking, and walking tours of the riverfront for 9+ years.

He can be reached at mrainvillejr@comcast.net.

The MCBA is Reopening Saturdays, Starting September 18

Via a recent e-announcement from the Minnesota Center for Book Arts:

Open Saturdays

September 18 – October 30

10am–5pm

After being physically closed to the public for a year and a half, we are ready (so ready) to welcome you back! Join us for a special series of pop-up events starting September 18!

Discounts!

• Visit the Shop at MCBA and mention the code OPENDOORS for a 10% discount on retail cards, books on creativity, journals, art supplies, children’s items, gifts, and more! (Excludes artist consignment items)
• Members receive a 20% discount

Activities! 

• Make your own commemorative print on our nifty new mini press!
• Fold a zine to combat climate change
• Each Saturday will feature a special guest-led activity. Click below to see our rotating cast of artists!

Click here for a list of all free Saturday activities!

See this moving exhibition in person.

Solastalgia features work by 20 artists responding to climate change with grief and hope.

Drop in at 11am and 2pm for free guided gallery tours!

From papermaking and marbling to letterpress printing and bookbinding, find your creative groove again! In-person workshops and Studio Labs begin Saturdays in October. Scroll down to see what's cooking! 

Our work is powered by YOU! Whether you are near or far, you can power the next phase of our reopening as we bring our community back to experience hands-on creativity through the book arts.

We have been working behind the scenes to build a special “welcome back” team with a goal to raise $25,000 for our reopening. We’re at 87% of our goal! 

Join us! Sponsor levels start at $100 and include special perks and recognition for your generosity. Thank you!

In Motion: Using Text & Image in Artist’s Books 

Mini Modeled Books 

Flags and Tunnel Books 

* * * See all Workshops * * * 

Minnesota Center for Book Arts is a community-supported, (501c3) non-profit organization that ignites creativity and community through the book arts. Your support keeps our pulse going and enables our creative community to thrive. Join our family of supporters by becoming a member or making a donation today! Learn more at www.mnbookarts.org.