A celebration of Rice Street in pictures

Neighborhood folks gathered at the Rice Street Branch Library on Tuesday, September 15, for the gallery opening of the photography exhibit: We are the people in your neighborhood: a celebration of Rice Street in pictures.

Professional photographer Sarah Stacke spent several weeks last year documenting Saint Paul’s North End neighborhood. The exhibit is in two parts, the photo gallery at the library and poster sized photos featuring Rice Street business owners that are on display in Rice Street storefront windows. The exhibit runs through October 15.

Purpose of the public art exhibit is to foster a sense of community while supporting patronage of local businesses. The exhibit also serves as a way to increase access to the arts in the Rice street community. 

Toua Xiong and his wife, Sophia Vang, own Kathy’s Live Bait at 1239 Rice Street.

Xiong said, ” I think that this is an excellent project. The pictures will help local people support local businesses.”

The project is a collaborative effort of Sparc [www.sparcweb.org], the local non-profit community development corporation, the District 6 Planning Council [www.district6stpaul.org], and the city of Saint Paul through its cultural STAR Grant program.

Pictured are Herb and Brian Yoch, of the Rice Street Do It Best Hardware Herb Yoch has been in business at 1110 Rice Street for 29 years. Photo by Sarah Stacke

Mary Thoemke (email marythoemke@tcdailyplanet.net), a lifelong resident of Saint Paul, is  a free lance writer for the Twin Cities Daily Planet.