Midtown Farmers Market: Market report with JonnyPops

By |

With hot summer weather headed our way, we wanted to find out more about JonnyPops at the Midtown Farmers Market. In this week’s Market Report, we talk popsicles with to Andrew from JonnyPops and find out the story behind the creamy cold treat. [Audio below]Market Report Notes:JonnyPops are a cream-based popsicle made with fresh fruit from local berry farmers whenever possible. They don’t contain any preservatives or dyes.The concept was dreamed up by two St. Olaf students Eric Brust and Jonathan Jeffrey, but it was Eric and a few of his college friends that made the dream a reality after Jonathan died of a drug overdose.The company is named after Jonathan, and a portion of its proceeds benefit the Hazelden Foundation.Summer Strawberry JonnyPop.JonnyPops are created in Lakeville. Continue Reading

Circus Juventas: Finding talent within

By |

In the story of the Wizard of Oz, the Scarecrow seeks a brain, the Tinman a heart, and the Lion his courage – Dorothy just wants her home. Their magical journey through Oz is being told with Cirque du Soleil flair under the big top at Circus Juventas, a circus school for youth in St. Paul.An Adventure Through OzLongfellow resident Iain Knopp-Schwyn plays the Cowardly Lion in the performance and has been a student at Circus Juventas for nine years. He commented, “I hadn’t seen the movie [The Wizard of Oz], so I elected to not watch it at all, and instead made my own character out of it.” He added, “It’s just fun to build a character and work with it for a year and then finally see it in costume.”With flying monkeys and witches, a trapeze house, and all of the glitz of the Emerald City, Oz is the most technical show that Circus has produced, said Founder and Artistic Director Betty Butler. “There’s a sense of adventure and friendship with these four characters as they make their way to the witch’s wicked castle,” she explained. Continue Reading

Minneapolis: Junket expands – ‘Tossed and found’ items go online

By |

Taking old things and giving them a second life is one of the key philosophies behind Junket, the “tossed and found” shop on Minnehaha Avenue that opened last November. Owner Julie Kearns’ keen eye for previously discarded treasures and her ability to tap into the zeitgeist of the community has grown her business from a shop that hosted a once-monthly sale to now hosting twice-monthly sales; monthly maker bees – classes where participants have made campfire starters, hand-bound journals, and cigar box ukeleles; and recycle drives that benefit local organizations.This weekend, the shop is launching an online presence called Shop Junket. Kearns explained, “We want to develop our business responsibly without encouraging the increased use of fossil fuels (while we know we’d find a lot of interested customers in the suburbs, we target our shop’s marketing specifically within Minneapolis and Saint Paul proper in keeping with this ecological component of our business framework). One great way to do this is to make our product available via existing transportation channels (i.e. USPS, UPS, etc…).”Unlike most secondhand stores where the inventory is here today and gone tomorrow, Kearns stocks Junket shelves with the basics for her customers – such as buttons, notions, needles, prints, and papers. “If everyone could have a used purchasing experience similar to the Target experience – i.e. go to pick up that needed thing and know that they could expect to find it in-store – we believe that many would choose to do this,” commented Kearns. Continue Reading

Minneapolis city council and park board candidates set

By |

On Tuesday at 5 p.m., the candidate filing for the upcoming elections in November closed and for some races, the list of hopefuls is long. There are 35 people running for Minneapolis mayor, and the ballot hasn’t been this crowded since the ’80s according to a report by MPR.City CouncilThere are a significant number of contenders for City Council in Seward and Longfellow as well. After a tumultuous caucus and convention this spring, Ward 6 has the most candidates in the City of Minneapolis with a total of seven people who have filed, including Abdi Warsame, Mahamed Cali, and incumbent Robert Lilligren. There are six candidates running in Ward 9, and five candidates for Ward 12. Ward 2 will be a race between incumbent Green Party candidate Cam Gordon and Socialist Workers Party candidate Diana Newberry.Park & Recreation BoardIn the Park & Recreation Board elections, District 3 is a race between Scott Vreeland and newcomer Said Maye. Continue Reading

Creating art with intention, not fluff

By |

Growing up, attending art classes was a constant in Meg Erke’s life. But it wasn’t until she took a drawing and painting class in high school that she actually felt confident in her skills as an artist. That class was a revelation to her – it was where she learned that drawing could be taught. “I feel like there was a little switch that happened there, that I learned that this thing that seemed unreachable, was actually a skill that could be developed,” said Erke.Teaching Art TechniquesIt was knowing this that led her to become an art teacher – she wanted to help others learn techniques that would help them grow as artists. Erke commented, “Nobody expects you to walk into school and do calculus, why should art be any different? Continue Reading

Open Streets Minnehaha: Photo recap

By |

On Sunday (8/11), Minnehaha was closed to cars and opened to bikes, kids, games, and a whole variety of activities during Open Streets. While we don’t have the numbers yet, the roadway was packed for most of the afternoon.Trylon Cinema set up a Street Animation Station.The trainers at N2 Living show off their muscles.Play stations were located up and down the route. Here, kids could use huge cardboard boxes to build a space to play.Water – courtesy of the City of Minneapolis.Corrie Weikle from Gandhi Mahal/HECUA gave rides to kids on a rickshaw.There were lots of candidates out shaking hands with local residents. Here’s Henry. He’s heading up the Toddlers for Andrew Johnson campaign. Continue Reading

Midtown Farmers Market: Market report with Veseli Orchard

By |

Dare we say it? Perhaps we’ll whisper it so summer doesn’t disappear too quickly…apples have arrived at the market. The early-season apples that is – the State Fair and the Mantet. They’re from Denny Havlicek’s orchard – Veseli Vrsek. In this week’s Market Report we talk to Denny to find out more about the apples, what we can expect to see coming in this fall, and how he keeps his crops free from pests. Continue Reading

Minneapolis: Longfellow business Amazing Things closed

By |

The storefront is empty, and the sign is down at what is now the former home of antiques shop Amazing Things on Minnehaha Avenue near 35th Street.The owner could not be reached for comment, and we couldn’t find a website for the shop.This is the second business to close on Minnehaha recently. Yesterday, we reported that Falls Hardware is also planning to close at the end of the month.Amazing Things was located in the building at 3458 Minnehaha Avenue, Minneapolis.If you like My Broadsheet, help us spread the word and tell your neighbors and friends. Don’t forget you can get these stories and more on Facebook. Continue Reading

Minneapolis: Falls Hardware Hank closing

By |

After 105 years, the Falls Hardware Hank on Minnehaha Avenue will close it’s doors. We asked Paul of Falls Hardware why the store was closing. He explained simply that he was ready to retire, and no one wanted to buy the business.The store is having a sale to sell off all of its merchandise, which will run until the end of the month.Falls Hardware is located at 4008 Minnehaha Ave. S., Minneapolis.If you like My Broadsheet, help us spread the word and tell your neighbors and friends. Don’t forget you can get these stories and more on Facebook. Continue Reading

Minneapolis: Honey House moving to Seward

By |

This morning, Erin Rupp and Kristy Lynn Allen, the women behind Beez Kneez, announced that due to legal reasons they were forced to stop the remodel of the building that would be the future home of the Honey House at 3956-42nd Ave S.They wrote, “To our shock and dismay, this incredible space came with an externality, an obstacle none of us could have anticipated. For legal reasons, we were forced to stop our remodel and consider the viability of our future at 3957 42nd ave S.”Allen explained over the phone that the building’s original owners added an addendum to the contract for deed sale documents that prevented the current owner from making any improvements to the building that were over $5,000 without permission. To meet food safety codes, the improvements that Rupp and Allen would need to make to the building would be around $30,000. Rupp and Allen asked for permission to make the needed improvements, but it was not granted.Since honey extraction is a time-sensitive project, Rupp and Allen needed to find a new space quickly. ReDesign found a new, permanent home for the Honey House at 2204 Minnehaha Ave. Continue Reading