The SouthSide Vintage shop cat, Miss Luna
BY DEBRA KEEFER RAMAGE
There are lots of fun things to do, see, eat, drink and buy in the area around 28th Avenue South and East 42nd Street. Some are new, while others have been around forever, and we are just now getting around to highlighting them. One fairly new thing – a little over a year ago we at Southside Pride relocated our office from above Modern Times to above A Baker’s Wife. Fewer hash browns and more donuts, I guess. I work from home anyway, but my home is now even closer to the office.
In the spotlight on Cedar Avenue a few months ago, we mentioned how businesses at Cedar and 42nd Street had joined in with neighbors to protest the outcome of the intersection redesign there. It must have worked, because they are re-doing it to correct some of the confusing striping and restore some of the street parking for businesses. As I write this, the Cedar and 42nd Street intersection is closed to through traffic for a few days, but the businesses are posting that they’re glad to sacrifice a few days’ inconvenience for a long-term solution.
One of the businesses in that area that I have yet to patronize (although a lot of my friends do) is Cedar Inn, an iconic local tavern and hangout. Cedar Inn has a VIP program called Friends of Cedar Inn. The bar sponsors numerous sports teams, and has a packed calendar of trivia, karaoke, and all the traditional Minnesota bar events. And they are famous for their wings and their patio.
The website Streets.mn published this in August:
Northern Coffeeworks’ new interior
“Jim Landvick bought the Cedar Inn Bar and Grill during the pandemic. He has continuously grown the business since then. The Cedar Inn is an iconic Minneapolis bar that has been around since the 1940s. Jim has been vocal (reaching out to media and elected officials) about wanting the city and county to come back and change the intersection again to bring back more parking spaces.
The newly remodeled Northern Coffeeworks, still with lots of bikes
“So how do we create a situation where everyone can thrive? That’s where you come in. You with your love of bikes. With your love of pedestrian safety. You with your love of public transit. With your love of climate change mitigation. Bring your enthusiasm for improvements and creative solutions to our Group Ride to Help Businesses Thrive at Cedar and 42nd. Join us on Thursday, August 31 at 5:30 p.m. We will meet at Powderhorn Park and ride to Cedar Inn.”
Another business near that corner that was vocal was SouthSide Vintage & Quality Goods. They closed temporarily for the second construction but have now reopened. They have some amazing deals on home furnishings and more.
Northern Fires Pizza is a new business on 42nd Street about a block east. It opened in November 2020 in that location, after a few successful years of doing pop-ups at farmers’ markets. Check out their website before you stop by. They are open restricted hours and have neither dine-in space nor delivery, so you have to coordinate your order with a pickup. I have tried their wares and, speaking as an incorruptible restaurant reviewer, I say, “Totally worth it.”
Getting back to 28th Avenue, Northern Coffeeworks has reopened with slightly extended hours after closing in late summer for a major redesign. They are now open until 3 p.m. Northern Coffeeworks’ location used to be Angry Catfish, a combo coffee shop and bike shop, while “Northern Coffeeworks” was only the name of the roastery. The coffee shop is now also offering more food items. I need to get by there soon and try it out. Meanwhile, Angry Catfish (the bike shop, do keep up) is now doing business at a separate location a couple of blocks away at 2900 E. 42nd St.
Six new pickleball courts at Lake Nokomis Community Center
A totally new venture on 28th Avenue is THC Dabbler Depot, a new business arm of the Dabbler Depot liquor outlet. This one is all THC, mostly drinks, plus some gummies and other edibles. Racket did a good article about their burgeoning empire and how Dabbler’s Lance Asher serendipitously picked our neighborhood when he saw a storefront for rent next to his chiropractor (tinyurl.com/DKRatSSPDabble). Check out their website for online shopping or better still, visit the shop to see the latest and over 100 THC drinks under one roof.
And that serendipitous chiropractic office next door? Well, it’s the very popular Spinal Frontier at 4154 28th Ave. S., founded by Dr. Tracie Fowler, who has been in practice for 20 years and is herself a resident of the neighborhood. According to Dr. Tracie, “about 250 of our neighborhood spines are here each week, getting well and staying well.” The Spinal Frontier even offers a monthly membership option that lets clients get all the care they need for one low price. Check out their super fun website at thespinalfrontier.com for all the details, as well as glowing reviews from their many happy and healthy customers.
Redoing the redesign at 42nd and Cedar
One of the things I really love about the corner of 28th Avenue and 42nd Street is how close it is to my favorite tiny library, Roosevelt Library. We patrons, neighbors, and Friends of the Library have been clamoring for years to extend the hours, and our wish was granted last year, just a tad too late to make it into the Southside Pride piece. Hours at many Hennepin County libraries were increased in October of 2022, but Roosevelt’s hours doubled! Previously open only three days a week for eight hours a day, it’s now open six days a week. You can now visit the library in person on Monday, Tuesday, Friday and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and on Wednesday and Thursday from noon to 8 p.m.
Right smack on the corner of 42nd and 28th is the incredible, old-school bakery called A Baker’s Wife Pastry Shop. Open every day from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., they make their delicious doughnuts, breads, and pastries throughout the day, so there’s always a wide selection of fresh and tasty items to choose from anytime you stop in. It’s a great place to get decorated cakes for birthdays and other special occasions, too – just give them a call or go online (www.bakers-wife.com) to place your order 24 hours in advance.
Finally, two blocks east of 28th Avenue along Minnehaha Parkway, you will find the Lake Nokomis Community Center. The news there is that this summer, the parks department built six pickleball courts just outside the rec center. Pickleball is a real growth industry in the Twin Cities right now, so it’s great to have a free place to play.
