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Update: Without financing, couple’s dream of opening a rural Minnesota coffee...
The former Sanger’s Bakery building, back on the market and photographed last week. FOR DAVID AND MICHELLE VAN ENGEN, the dream of opening a coffee shop in an historic 1892 building in Michelle’s...
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Antiquing in Wisconsin: A stop in Poy Sippi
POY SIPPI. The words roll off my tongue with a sound that pleases me. Just like this small Wisconsin town. Poy Sippi. Off the beaten path. Sandwiched between busy State Highways 21 and 10. A community...
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Antiquing in Wisconsin: Mixing machining & merchandising in Redgranite
I RECOGNIZE THE SMELL. Grease and oil and dirt mingled. The odor hangs heavy inside Mike Schwochert’s machine shop along State Highway 21 in Redgranite, Wisconsin. Inside Old Time Machine Inc. The shop...
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One sweet antique shop in Mankato, on the way to Hiniker (not Golden) Pond
Love these letters showcased at Pond Road Antiques. I DON’T RECALL exactly when I began to appreciate antique stores. It certainly was not in my 20s or 30s, nor probably even in my early 40s. But now,...
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In New Richland: Lots of good stuff at Wayne’s place
Wayne Wenzel in the back workshop/office area of Dad’s Good Stuff. CALL HIM A CHARACTER or the ultimate BS-er or, simply, a man of quick wit. Whichever, Wayne Wenzel truly is all of these. Dad’s Good...
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Patriotic goodness & more at an occasional shop in Farmington
Vintage Marketplace in Farmington I HAPPENED UPON a sweet little shop in Farmington today. Nancy, left, and Nita. Nancy, the owner, and Nita, who sells at Vintage Marketplace, provided a warm welcome...
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Pearl Button Primitives: A gem of a shop in Waseca
I’VE SHOPPED COUNTLESS antique shops in my life. Looking toward the front of Pearl Button Primitives. But never have I seen one as artistically inclined as Pearl Button Primitives in downtown Waseca. A...
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Peters Billiards sign
TRAVELING THROUGH THE CROSSTOWN area of Minneapolis along Interstate 35W, I note the Peters Billiards sign flashing bright on the side of an earth-toned building. You can’t miss it. Pool cues and...
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Connecting poetry & antiques in Oronoco
SOME ANTIQUE STORES are cluttered, dark, musty smelling. I suppose you can say that’s part of the character, the ambiance, the what-do-you-expect in a collection of old stuff. This bust caught my eye...
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We didn’t find gold in Oronoco, but…
ORONOCO. I delight in the way those “o”s roll off the tongue. Smooth. Repetitious. Like a steady drum beat. But I’d never been to Oronoco, only seen the exit signs to this community off U.S. Highway 52...
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If you love vintage, check out this rural Medford barn sale
ATTENTION ALL PICKERS, collectors, decorators, flea market lovers and anyone who’s interested in vintage junque. Park along the edge of the circle drive or on Frontage Road and then amble up to the...
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Shopping at the picker’s market, Part II
The barn is filled with goods, from lower level to hayloft. LOREN MARTIN’S BARN SALE features an eclectic mix of merchandise. Milkers, milk cans, pedal tractors, wooden chairs, crocks, lamps… One of...
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A glimpse of small town Lonsdale
Hardware stores, like this one in downtown Lonsdale, are important businesses in many small towns. EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY,” so claims a Lonsdale resident in a promotional video on the city’s...
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Bingo, bordellos and a shopkeeper named Audre
Audre’s Attic, 102 Main Street, Suite 6, is in a mishmash of rooms in a building next to the Lonsdale Area Chamber of Commerce. Shop hours are 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. Thursday – Saturday. I LOVE A SHOPKEEPER...
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Poking around Jim’s shop in Lonsdale
Jim’s Antiques and Collectibles located at 108 Main Street North in Lonsdale, Minnesota. JIM McKINNON’s BUSINESS CARD notes that he is the proprietor of Jim’s Antiques and Collectibles. I like that...
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Labor Day reflections: Jeff’s job isn’t just a job
Jeff Lerum sands a chair in his shop, where he restores and repairs furniture. ON THIS LABOR DAY, a day to rest from our labors, consider the craftsman I met on Thursday in Pine Island, Minnesota. He...
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Exploring La Crosse Part III: Eats & treats
HOW DO YOU DECIDE where to eat in downtown La Crosse, Wisconsin? You don’t. You allow your daughter to choose the restaurant. A coaster at The Old Crow. I love the simplistic design and minimalist...
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Part III From Albert Lea: Antiques & memories
One of several Halloween masks I spotted at Antiques of the Midwest in Albert Lea, Minnesota. DO YOU REMEMBER your favorite Halloween costume? I do. I dressed like a gypsy, pulling a black cotton skirt...
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Part II from St. Charles: Shopping for antiques at Sarah & Jim’s place
Sarah’s Uniques and Jim’s “Man”tiques recently moved into this aged building in downtown St. Charles, MN. MY HUSBAND AND I DELIGHT in perusing antique shops. We’re never seeking anything specific and...
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Part III: Feelin’ groovy in St. Charles
Vintage Treasures and Decor along Whitewater Avenue in downtown St. Charles, Minnesota. VINTAGE TREASURES AND HOME DECOR read the vivid yellow sign propped against a building in downtown St. Charles....
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