Consumer Products and Services

Mpls unveils $400 million plan to convert Star Tribune land into downtown's biggest park

Zygi Wilf isn't the only one whose wallet got fatter as a result of the Vikings stadium deal. Another big winner was the Star Tribune, as the paper stands to make a pretty penny selling the right-next-to-the-new-stadium property it owns for redevelopment.SEE ALSO: New Vikings stadium design revealed ... More >>

Savor Minnesota

Great Waters brewpub: "It's never a straight path"

The current craft brewing growth isn't Minnesota's first brewery boom. The mid 1990s also saw an uptick in production of local brews, one that can teach the new startups some lessons--at least from those who survived. Great Waters Brewing Company in downtown St. Paul has seen a lot in its 17 years, ... More >>

Phyllis Kahn and Dean Urdahl want Minnesota to invest in the movie business

In 1995, Hollywood shot nine feature films in Minnesota, spending $128 million on in-state production costs. By 2007, that number had dropped to a single film, and $7 million.On Wednesday afternoon, Rep. Phyllis Kahn (DFL-Minneapolis) and Rep. Dean Urdahl (R-Action Township), announced their plans ... More >>

Sunday liquor sales bill introduced in Senate

It's baaaack! Less than a year after the last attempt to legalize Sunday liquor sales was killed in the House, the bill has been resurrected from the dead in the Senate.SEE ALSO: Study: Sunday liquor sales would boost state revenueAuthored by Senator Roger Reinert, D-Duluth, and Senator Jeremy Mille ... More >>

Hüsker Dü to rerelease debut single for Record Store Day

Not to be outdone by all of the noise that their Twin Cities brethren the Replacements have made as of late, Hüsker Dü just announced plans to release some early songs the band recorded at the Old Blackberry Way studio back in 1980 for this year's Record Store Day on April 20th. The four songs we ... More >>

City Pages cover appears in trailer for new Napster documentary

The upcoming documentary Downloaded takes a look at the rise and fall of Napster and includes interviews with a Who's Who of the music industry.And at 2:41 of the trailer, you'll see a City Pages cover.

Bruce Bradley, local novelist and blogger, exposes the food industry

Do you ever wonder what goes on behind the walls of the big-food industry? Well, that's something local industry-insider-turned-author Bruce Bradley knows a little about. Bradley, who lives in Minneapolis, has spent over 15 years working as a marketing executive for some of the biggest food com ... More >>

Marilyn Hagerty wins journalism award, plans to review another Olive Garden soon

Marilyn Hagerty, the Grand Forks Herald restaurant reviewer whose writeup of a local Olive Garden went viral last spring, won the prestigious Al Neuharth Award for Excellence in the Media for lifetime achievement last week."It was just overwhelming because other winners of the award were Walter ... More >>

Schell's: brewing German-style beer for 152 years

August-Schell Brewery is Minnesota's oldest operating brewery and the second-oldest family-run brewery in the United States (Yuengling in Pennsylvania is first). The New Ulm-based brewery has seen a lot of hard times, surviving the U.S.-Dakota War of 1862, Prohibition, and a number of other historic ... More >>

Electric Fetus' Bob Fuchs on record retail evolution and this year's garage sale

See Also:Electric Fetus Garage Sale and Fall Festival 2012 lineupIt's been a long and eccentric ride for the Electric Fetus. The Minneapolis record store opened in 1968 and has been at the current location overlooking I-35W since 1972. There have been many obstacles, including recent threats from th ... More >>

Twin Cities' Roots, Rock, and Deep Blues Music Festival

St. Croix Chocolate Company: Sweets for the locavore

The St. Croix Chocolate Company has been supplying the river valley with artisan chocolates since 2010.  But located somewhat outside the usual foodie sphere of influence, seasonally inspired chocolates with flavors  like violet, pear caramel, or wildflower honey initially raised some eyeb ... More >>

I buy more music than Emily White, and you should too

There have been heated discussions and analysis springing up throughout all facets of the music community this week in response to NPR intern Emily White's candid but thoroughly controversial piece, 'I Never Owned Any Music To Begin With,' which was published on the All Songs Considered blog on Satu ... More >>

Heiruspecs' Sean McPherson talks music copyright with expert Peter DiCola

By Sean McPhersonSean McPherson teaches at McNally Smith College of Music, is a founding member of Twin Cities hip-hop collective Heiruspecs, and plays bass with Dessa's touring band. He recently conducted a conversation with a leader in the changing terrain of the music copyright world, Northwester ... More >>

Tomorrow is Free Cone Day at Ben & Jerry's!

If you're the type of person who refuses to eat ice cream that you have to pay for, you're in luck. Tomorrow, April 3, in celebration of 34 years of providing Americans ice cream with funny names, Ben & Jerry's will be holding a free cone day!

Cannon River Winery hosts Meet the Winemaker

​This summery spring has the open road calling. What better way to celebrate the warm breeze than spending the day at a not-too-far-away winery? On Saturday, April 7, Cannon River Winery in downtown Cannon Falls will be hosting its annual Meet the Winemaker event. The winery, which is less than an ... More >>

Patience, or Bunthorne's Bride

Hymie's Vintage announces 14-act Record Store Day lineup

​As the anticipation and excitement for the upcoming Record Store Day on April 21 continues to grow, entertaining plans for the big day from local record shops are beginning to be announced. First out of the gate is Hymie's Vintage Records, who have a full-day of great music and merriment plan ... More >>

Vikings, Rybak, Dayton, pro-Vikes legislators finally unveil stadium plan

​After months of hearing lawmakers carp that they couldn't speak to whether they support using public money for a new Vikings stadium without seeing a detailed proposal, a plan has finally emerged.During a news conference earlier today, Gov. Dayton and the Vikings unveiled a $975 million stadium p ... More >>

More detail on the Crispin/MillerCoors deal

Initial reports of the sale of Crispin Cider to MillerCoors contained scant detail. Little information was given beyond the fact of the sale and that Crispin, along with its affiliate Fox Barrel, was to be run as a unit of Tenth and Blake the craft-and-import division of the mega-brewery. The lack o ... More >>

Supervalu cutting 800 jobs, 200 in Minnesota

​Supervalu announced plans today to cut 800 employee positions across the country, including 200 in Minnesota. The company, based in Eden Prairie, has been struggling for the past couple of years: In 2010 and 2011, the company cut 650 employee positions either through layoffs or by leaving open p ... More >>

Burn Fetish to release Psychonauta at the Entry

​Burn Fetish's latest album, Psychonauta, shows a band striving for both their and our fulfillment. They labor over the years that span the ending of childhood and the introduction into adulthood.Musical talent must be in the blood; lead singer and guitarist, Sam Frederick's mother is Mary Jane Al ... More >>

Winterfest ticket giveaway

Winterfest is THE hot ticket of the Twin Cities beer-fest year. A showcase for members of the Minnesota Craft Brewer's Guild, it is open only to Minnesota breweries. They are all trying to out-do each other in a friendly competition for bragging rights to the best beer in the state, so ever brewer b ... More >>

Supervalu focusing on record number of food stamp recipients

Food stamps account for 40 percent of sales at Supervalu's Save-A-Lot stores.​Eden Prairie-based Supervalu is one of a handful of grocery chains changing the way it operates to accommodate the record number of food stamp recipients. From opening supermarkets at midnight, when government benefits a ... More >>

Vikes stadium: Dayton asks city, Ramsey County to play hurry-up

Minneapolis leaders are mounting a last-minute drive to keep the Vikings in town. ​Governor Dayton wants Minneapolis and Ramsey County to deploy hurry-up offenses in hopes of bringing closure to the Vikings' stadium drive.Today, he sent the Ramsey County board and Mayor R.T. Rybak letters setting ... More >>

Vikings warming to idea of staying in Minneapolis

​After months of insisting that Arden Hills is the team's preferred site for a new Vikings stadium, it appears ownership is warming to the idea of staying in downtown Minneapolis.During meetings with state political leaders yesterday, owner Zygi Wilf reportedly displayed maps showing how a new sta ... More >>

Bemidji Brewing needs a kickstart

Bemidji Brewing is state's newest brewery-to-be​For the Minnesota craft-beer world there's yet another new kid on the block; or at least on its way to the block. From up there near the headwaters of the mighty Mississippi comes the announcement of Bemidji Brewing Company. The brewery's three p ... More >>

Craig Finn solo album out early 2012, with 7" single coming in November

Photo by Stacy Schwartz​We already knew Craig Finn was laying down some solo tracks, and now we've learned more about when we'll be able to hear some of them: Finn will debut his first solo single, "Honolulu Blues," on November 25, and the only way to get your paws on a physical copy is to head to ... More >>

Looking for Ben & Jerry's Schweddy Balls ice cream? Here's where to find it

Yael GrauerBen & Jerry's popular limited-edition flavor is a best-seller​Finding Schweddy Balls in the Twin Cities ain't easy, as the popular Ben & Jerry's limited-edition flavor has been flying off shelves. If you've been curious to try it, here's where you can pick up a pint in the Twin Ci ... More >>

Vikings stadium won't go to a vote

Who cares if you want to pay for the new Vikings stadium?​The Minnesota Vikings new stadium will be a $1.1 billion monument dedicated to the death of democracy. That's what taxpayers learned last night, when the Ramsey County Charter Commission voted not to allow a vote on the tax that will build ... More >>

Outback Steakhouse ordered to pay $1.25 million in tip-sharing lawsuit

Outback servers won a class action lawsuit over tip pooling. ​Tip-pooling--when a restaurant's waitstaff shares a percentage of their gratuities with untipped staffers, such as bussers and dishwashers--has become a popular practice at some local restaurants, including Piccolo and Travail. Bu ... More >>

Food truck owners to restaurateurs: Blame yourself, not our trucks, for business problems

Barrio Restaurant Group think it's easy for restaurateurs to blame food trucks for their problems.​Local food truck vendors are striking back at the suggestion that their trucks are eating local restaurants' profits. "I think in a downward economy we blame everybody but ourselves as restauran ... More >>

Supervalu responds to protest at shareholders meeting

CTUL.Supervalu says the protesters have unfairly targeted Cub Foods.​Tuesday morning, a group of workers protested outside a shareholders meeting for Supervalu, the parent company of Cub Foods. It was the latest in what has become a long series of similar demonstrations, some held at Cub Food ... More >>

St. Paul Summer Beer Fest this Saturday

St. Paul Summer Beer Fest kicks off the summer season​The summer beer festival season kicks off this Saturday, June 25, with the St. Paul Summer Beer Fest. In its third year, this is the biggest and best organized of all the Twin Cities' summer celebrations of suds. Formerly held in the parkin ... More >>

Treehouse Records celebrates another 10 years

​"Vinyl will always survive. Hopefully indie records stores can too." - Mark TrehusIt's been almost forty years since Oar Folkjokeopus first opened its doors on 26th and Lyndale. The storefront has outlived the 8-track, the cassette, and the cd as the dominant musical forms pushed by an industry ... More >>

Pizza Nea appreciates Surly this Week in Food

Venture out this Valentine's Day.Cupid has hit the Twin Cities. Explore Valentine's, viticulture, and vegetable gardens this Week in Food. Monday 2/14 Appeal to Cupid's culinary senses this Valentine's Day with myriad dining options. Wednesday 2/16 The Surly Appreciation Party keeps on kickin' ... More >>

D'Amico "date night" a Sunday steal--or FREE if you win!

Deals at D'Amico Kitchen. ​You've already made plans for Valentine's Day: Strong work! But how do you plan on stoking the fire beyond next week's steak-and-chocolate gorge fest? Check out the D'Amico restaurant group's plans for a new "date night" promotion that will run every Sunday evening ... More >>

Should Sunday liquor sales be allowed?

Currently, you can order this beverage in a bar on Sundays, but not buy it in a store.​A bill to allow Sunday liquor sales, SF 197, is being introduced in the Senate today by Sens. Scott Dibble, Linda Scheid, and Roger Reinert of the DFL and Republican Sen. John Howe. How would you like your ... More >>

Harriet Brewing Co., Minneapolis's newest brewery, gets ready to launch

Harriet Brewing Company Harriet Brewing Company opening in Minneapolis​isn't just the latest entry into the burgeoning Minnesota beer scene, it's also the first new non-brewpub brewery in the city of Minneapolis since the Grain Belt Brewery closed in 1975. The brand-new brewery is housed in a ... More >>

Morgan Creek Vineyards open house this weekend

Drinking makes holiday shopping more fun​Does the thought of spending your Saturday navigating the parking ramp at MOA make your skin crawl? Fear not. Yes, you need to procure some holiday gifts. But you don't need to do it at the mall. Or sober, for that matter. Morgan Creek Vineyards is ... More >>

WCCO television and radio websites now "CBS Minnesota"

​Talk about your bold rebranding. The websites for WCCO television and radio have been combined and subsumed into a brand new expression of corporate identity: "CBS Minnesota." Good bye, Good Neighbor online? The site rolled out today, along with a new address: minnesota.cbslocal.com.

TCBC's 28th Annual Watermelon Bike Ride

Big Wheels

Part two of our guide to the best cheeses of the Twin Cities—ever

Gaming the System

How a Minnesota magazine became the bible of generation Xbox

Noble Grapes

Car-seat country scores a family-friendly wine bar with a serious education mission

Smoke and Mirrors

Two years after picking billions of dollars out of Big Tobacco's pocket, state officials are still having trouble polishing their next trick: Figuring out how to spend it

Nicotine Fit

He's been thrown out of court on his ear, but Roger Conant is still railing about the legal fees from the tobacco settlement

Trial by Paper

Millions of tobacco-industry documents find a home in the crammed back rooms of the Depot

Butts R Us: Tobacco, Clinton, Gore, and the Doles