Uptown Business News – 12/4/11

CB2 opens Saturday, December 10th at 31st Street and Hennepin Avenue. In looking into the store yesterday, it appears that they’re almost ready, with furniture gracing the floor and shelving going up. This is CB2′s only Minnesota store, which sports in a younger, loftier feel than traditional Crate & Barrel stores. A private opening party is taking place on Friday.

Speaking of events, Timberland’s sponsorship of the US Pond Hockey Championships kicks off this Thursday, December 8th in January at Bryant Square Park. Two teams will face off for a boot hockey event at the park from 6:00pm to 7:00pm. Bryant Square Park is located at 31st Street and Bryant Avenue. A party at the Timberland store is happening after the hockey event. (The event has been postponed until January due to a lack of ice.)

The Festival of the Last Minute will take place Saturday, December 17th from 3:00pm to 7:00pm at Calhoun Square. The event offers last minute shoppers (like myself) an opportunity to get great gifts. Twenty local artists with unique gifts will offer hand-blown glass, pottery, photography, mixed media jewelry/accessories, as well as vegan cosmetics, soy candles, and gourmet food. There is a contest to win a $500 CB2 giftcard or $500 in gift cards to Calhoun Square businesses. During the event, the Calhoun Square businesses are offering a variety of special offers.

Rusty Quarters Arcade opening in Puff n Stuff Gifts space at Bryant & Lake. The Southwest Journal has a great article describing the history of the space and why someone would open an arcade in the days of XBox, Play Station, and Wii. The short version is that the owner is the same guy who ran the previous two businesses in the space and people liked playing their arcade games there. In discussing this with a coworker, he thought Puff n Stuff was a head shop. Not a huge surprise then that people didn’t realize it was a gift store.

Uptown Drink is still transitioning into Uptown Tavern & Rooftop. But there’s a new chef who’s revising the menu. I met him the other day and he was really excited to mix up the menu and try to offer twists on the usual bar food. He didn’t have a lot to announce yet but said that the Drink switchover should be complete by the end of December. Guess we’ll have to go check out the changes.

And no one really seems to want to talk about what is happening with the Uptown Theater. A for lease sign finally went up on the corner space, stating that the space could be leased for retail or restaurant. Swervo (re: Ned Abdul) is listed on the sign. Requests for information were not returned. However, Abdul purchased the building earlier this year according to source including this MSP Magazine article. The article doesn’t go into too much detail other than to raise concern about the future of the theater with Abdul owning it, given his involvement with many Downtown nightclubs. What the article missed is that Abdul also has renovated the former Schlampp’s Fur building, which is now home to Social House, iBeachTan, and Drink/Uptown Tavern. The building, when Abdul purchased it, was a pit and in poor condition. He fully renovated it and brought in new tenants. It’s unclear what will happen to the theater, but sources have indicated that the building will get a facelift and that the theater is or should be staying. I haven’t been able to confirm.

But let’s hope that is the case. The building has become a huge eyesore.

Thatcher Imboden

How cities work and change, how they are the product of their inhabitants and outside forces, and the resulting livability keep me thinking and dreaming about the future. I work in urban real estate development, am Past President of an Uptown business organization, grew up in Uptown, was on an Uptown neighborhood association Board, and am an Uptown and Lyn-Lake historian.

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