Memories of gritty '70's & '80's downtown Minneapolis (St. Paul: insurance, theater)

[uptown_urbanist]

I wasn't thinking so much fine dining establishments, but more just general destination restaurants, like Cafe di Napoli, the Oak Grill, Peter's Grill, etc.. Places that were nice for a special meal when out shopping, or for a special night out for those who couldn't or wouldn't spring for Murray's. I think you are absolutely correct that there are far more quality restaurants now than ever before.

In more recent years, remember when Aquavit briefly had an outpost here? I remember that being a big deal when it opened, what with the big name chef and the popular NYC restaurant and all. It didn't even last five years. I wonder if it were to open up now if things would be different. It seems like the food scene has changed quite a bit in just the past few years. Maybe Aquavit was just a couple of years ahead of its time here in Minneapolis.

[green_mariner]

Originally Posted by uptown_urbanist

I wasn't thinking so much fine dining establishments, but more just general destination restaurants, like Cafe di Napoli, the Oak Grill, Peter's Grill, etc.. Places that were nice for a special meal when out shopping, or for a special night out for those who couldn't or wouldn't spring for Murray's. I think you are absolutely correct that there are far more quality restaurants now than ever before.

In more recent years, remember when Aquavit briefly had an outpost here? I remember that being a big deal when it opened, what with the big name chef and the popular NYC restaurant and all. It didn't even last five years. I wonder if it were to open up now if things would be different. It seems like the food scene has changed quite a bit in just the past few years. Maybe Aquavit was just a couple of years ahead of its time here in Minneapolis.

Why would Aquavit be considered ahead of its time for Minneapolis?

[uptown_urbanist]

Originally Posted by green_mariner

Why would Aquavit be considered ahead of its time for Minneapolis?

The food scene hadn't fully exploded when it first opened. I remember people grumbling about the high prices, and it never really seemed to take off as a place to eat at for a regular meal. Things seem different these days, with a lot more expensive restaurants becoming places where people (well, those who can afford it) eat at more casually, too, and not just nice nights out. I'm not a food critic or expert, though, so perhaps I'm articulating that wrong, or am completely off-base. It just seems like the food world in Minneapolis in 2011 is very different than in 2001, or whenever it was that Aquavit opened.

[green_mariner]

Originally Posted by uptown_urbanist

The food scene hadn't fully exploded when it first opened. I remember people grumbling about the high prices, and it never really seemed to take off as a place to eat at for a regular meal. Things seem different these days, with a lot more expensive restaurants becoming places where people (well, those who can afford it) eat at more casually, too, and not just nice nights out. I'm not a food critic or expert, though, so perhaps I'm articulating that wrong, or am completely off-base. It just seems like the food world in Minneapolis in 2011 is very different than in 2001, or whenever it was that Aquavit opened.

All I ever heard of Aquavit was that it was a drink in Sweden. Later on I heard about the restaurant being in New York.
I don't know much about the food scene in Minneapolis. The only place I've heard of in the TC area is Bar Abilene.

[warrconn]

Originally Posted by FreeStater

What is the view in Minneapolis about the removal of these historic buildings? The documentary said that 180 buildings were removed. Looking back, do residents consider this to be a good thing or a bad thing for the city that these historic structures were removed? I know about the Lumber Exchange building and City Hall, and I think that those buildings are great examples of historic Minneapolis architecture that has been preserved. Before I knew much about Minneapolis, I thought that the downtown was all modern glass skyscrapers, because that is all you see in the skyline. Now I realize that there are still quite a few older brick buildings on the edges of the downtown area. But is it correct to say that Minneapolis has been quite active in their redevelopment of downtown over the years, and that this has included the demolishing of a lot of the city's historic architecture? What do local residents think about this?

Pretty much grew up downtown in a way. Went to grade school at St. Mary's Basilica in the 60s and worked at Loop Parking lots while in high school and college...plus my dad worked downtown for decades and I'd go to work with him sometimes when I was a kid. Anyway, I left Mpls in '79. I came back for a visit in '87....I didn't recognize downtown at all. And now, it's a totally foreign city to me. All glass sky scrapers, etc. About the only thing I still recognize is the Basilica...although the neighborhood around it has been 100 percent eradicated

[green_mariner]

Originally Posted by warrconn

Pretty much grew up downtown in a way. Went to grade school at St. Mary's Basilica in the 60s and worked at Loop Parking lots while in high school and college...plus my dad worked downtown for decades and I'd go to work with him sometimes when I was a kid. Anyway, I left Mpls in '79. I came back for a visit in '87....I didn't recognize downtown at all. And now, it's a totally foreign city to me. All glass sky scrapers, etc. About the only thing I still recognize is the Basilica...although the neighborhood around it has been 100 percent eradicated

Speaking of Basilica, what was the Cathedral of St. Paul like? I ask because I'm a Christian of Roman Catholic denomination. That and th Cathedral of St. Paul is the Cathedral for the Archdiocese of St.Paul-Minneapolis.

[Mason3000]

Some of fondest memories are as a kid dropping the .10c to jump on the #4 bus and cruise downtown with my buddies. We were only 9-12 years old but we'd spend the whole day down there bumming around. We'd hit the Skyway theater for a cheap matinee, then over to Shinders to gaze comic books, maybe buy .50c worth of candy in the basement of Daytons, browse at the Footlocker, walk the skyways, play a few video games at Pop's if we had change, go to the top of the IDS center, hit the army surplus stores, walk around in Donaldson's/Dayton's/Penny's, loiter in the old Walgreens (had an old-fashioned soda fountain in it), hit the record store on the corner of 7th/Hennepin to see what the teenagers/20 somethings we admired so much were buying & hope we had .10c left to take the bus home when we were done.

Growing up in S Mpls we had no car so when it was Christmas or birthday shopping time there were really only two options 1) take the #4 downtown to Dayton's or 2) take the #21 down E Lake to Sears. I fondly recall the warmth of the basement in Daytons as we'd come in from the cold & the pungent smell of cinnamon/apple candles and soaps they sold in one of those gift shops.

[Blue Earth]

Originally Posted by Mason3000

Some of fondest memories are as a kid dropping the .10c to jump on the #4 bus and cruise downtown with my buddies. We were only 9-12 years old but we'd spend the whole day down there bumming around. We'd hit the Skyway theater for a cheap matinee, then over to Shinders to gaze comic books, maybe buy .50c worth of candy in the basement of Daytons, browse at the Footlocker, walk the skyways, play a few video games at Pop's if we had change, go to the top of the IDS center, hit the army surplus stores, walk around in Donaldson's/Dayton's/Penny's, loiter in the old Walgreens (had an old-fashioned soda fountain in it), hit the record store on the corner of 7th/Hennepin to see what the teenagers/20 somethings we admired so much were buying & hope we had .10c left to take the bus home when we were done.

Growing up in S Mpls we had no car so when it was Christmas or birthday shopping time there were really only two options 1) take the #4 downtown to Dayton's or 2) take the #21 down E Lake to Sears. I fondly recall the warmth of the basement in Daytons as we'd come in from the cold & the pungent smell of cinnamon/apple candles and soaps they sold in one of those gift shops.

Great memories.

[Ghengis]

YouTube - Tom Waits - 9th & Hennepin

Well it's Ninth and Hennepin
All the doughnuts have names that sound like prostitutes
And the moon's teeth marks are on the sky
Like a tarp thrown all over this
And the broken umbrellas like dead birds
And the steam comes out of the grill
Like the whole goddamn town's ready to blow...

9th & Hennepin Lyrics by Tom Waits

[kimertt]

[url=http://veehd.com/video/4601534_Down-on-Skid-Row]Down on Skid Row on Veehd[/url]

Great Documentary