PLAN MY DAY FOR ME

May 20, 2008 2:51 PM

I will be in Minneapolis, Minnesota at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities in the beginning of June. I will (probably) not have access to a car. I will have one afternoon/evening to myself. What bookstores/specialty shops should I not miss?
posted by wittgenstein to travel & transportation (10 comments total)

What do you like to do/eat/buy? You'll be able to reach a ton of places from there, so some more info will make it easier to give you some suggestions.
posted by iwhitney at 3:02 PM on May 20, 2008

In general, the twins cities bookstore scene has been decimated by the chains. One exception is Grand Avenue in St. Paul. Lots of small shops,bookstores, restaurants and relatively easy to get to by bus.
posted by Xurando at 3:07 PM on May 20, 2008

DO NOT MISS a tour of the glorious new Guthrie Theatre.
And if you've got a bit more time, catch a matinee!
posted by Dizzy at 3:25 PM on May 20, 2008

There are a lot of interesting stores in Dinkytown, on the north side of the campus. I haven't had a lot of chances to check them out, but there are a few used book shops.

Grand Ave is a good suggestion - lots to see there. Also, from the campus, it's pretty easy to walk over the river across the Washington Ave. bridge to the Cedar-Riverside light rail stop, which will get you anywhere from the warehouse district downtown to the Mall of America. Buses from the light rail stops make it easy to access the remainder of the city.
posted by caution live frogs at 3:27 PM on May 20, 2008

Haha. I was just there this weekend. My brother's friends at the U recommended a lot of good places not too far from campus, many near the Days Inn on University Avenue ('cause, well, that's where we were staying). If you just go straight east from there (1964 University Ave, St. Paul, Minn., 55104) you'll run into a lot.

Note: This list was largely generated because I expressed an interest in used books and clothing, with more emphasis on the clothing—but there are some good book opportunities in there, too. I'm glad someone can benefit from this, though!

First, the Goodwill east of the Days Inn on University Ave. is AMAZING. I ended up missing the opportunity to shop anywhere else in Minneapolis-St. Paul because I spent so much time perusing the racks (clothes, books, games, shoes, dishes—the place is fully stocked) the one morning I had free.

At an intersection on the left just east of the Days Inn, there's a great used bookstore that they told me not to miss. It looked wonderful from the street—one of those stores that's just packed to the gills with all manner of used books. Unfortunately, I missed it, because I spent so much time at Goodwill.

The Salvation Army on University Ave. is apparently also excellent.

Ragstock and Everyday People (not sure where they are, but you can easily Google them) are apparently great for vintage clothing.

Antiquified Antiques on Central Ave. (they thought) is apparently good, if you like antiques.

Finally, the Retro Shop on Raymond Ave. next to Jay's Cafe is supposed to be good.

posted by limeonaire at 4:12 PM on May 20, 2008 [1 favorite has favorites]

Oh, oh, also Eclipse Records—great record store, apparently, along the lines of St. Louis' Vintage Vinyl, also on University Ave. just east of the Days Inn on the right.

posted by limeonaire at 4:15 PM on May 20, 2008

Wittgenstein, it's a huge campus, and it's split by the Mississippi River (map). If your business and lodging is on the East Bank, Dinkytown and Stadium Village are the two attractive walking-distance shopping areas. Dinkytown is older and less glitzy, and has the biggest used bookstore in the Twin Cities: The Book House. Biermaier's Books is smaller but far lovelier, and worth the walk down 4th Street to 8th Avenue. Stadium Village is flashier and has better restaurants.

The West Bank shopping area to look for is centered on the intersection of Cedar and Riverside Avenues. There's an old-school import store called Global Village, a huge outdoor gear store called Midwest Mountaineering, and an interesting little lefty/anarchist bookstore in the basement under The Hub Bike Coop. Lots of great restaurants are over here, too.

The two campuses are joined by the Washington Avenue Bridge, which has an entire deck for pedestrians and cyclists, and nice views of the river and skyline. Have fun -- it's a great campus for walking!
posted by gum at 4:58 PM on May 20, 2008

Again, you're not saying what part of the U of M campus you're going to be on. Hopefully you're not on the St Paul campus (ag school, etc.) without a car--if you are, you're a couple of bus rides away from anywhere interesting.

I can recommend Book House, too--they're stuffed and disordered, and full of books purchased from bookish types who live around the U of M, so there's quality and variety (and obscurity!). There's a couple of nice places to eat or drink in the area, too (Shuang Cheng, Pagoda, Loring Pasta Bar, Kitty Cat Club and more). Magus Books has esoteric/occult books 'n stuff. Otherwise, most of Dinkytown has basic shops that cater to the student crowd like you'd find in any college area, although there might be places I've missed. Decades ago, people like Bob Dylan hung out in Dinkytown writing folksongs and being bohemians....that was long, long ago.

Likewise with Stadium Village (the area around Washington Avenue just east of the medical towers). In that area, Hong Kong Noodles is fantastic for cheap eats. Otherwise, it's mostly businesses that serve the student population, nothing too outstanding.

The West Bank is the chunk of campus west of the river (towards downtown and the Metrodome) and the surrounding neighborhood. Cedar-Riverside is the area where those two streets meet, in the 60s and 70s it was a major hippie area, more recently it's become run down, shabby and a tiny bit rough, even more recently businesses have been opened by Somali and Ethiopian immigrants. The Riverside Plaza towers (huge, you can't miss them), built in the early 70s, are now home to many immigrants as well as college students (including "permanent students"). Some of the shops like Global Village have been there for decades, survivors of the hippie heyday. The Cedar Cultural Center (former movie theater) may have an interesting event the night you have free. There are some nice East African places to eat, and K-Wok, which can look scungy but I've had good Malaysian food there before. The original Riverside Cafe, with politically correct food and non-service with a Maoist sneer, was long ago sent to the dustbin of history.

The northern side of the West Bank is Seven Corners, where Cedar, Washington and other streets come together in a big mess. There is theater up there, restaurants, not much shopping. This is near where the bridge went down, which makes car traffic a mess, and at least one restaurant is closing and blaming it on the bridge hassle.

So you don't have a car and want to explore somewhere else--for one evening? From Dinkytown, buses 2 and 6 will take you to the St Anthony Main area, just across the bridge from downtown. Places to eat, a little shopping there.

On Washington Avenue, bus 16 will take you downtown going West, and along University Avenue to downtown St Paul going east. Downtown St Paul is around an hour away going this way, less if you figure out an express bus there. Downtown St Paul wouldn't be worth it, although there are lots of Asian restaurants and businesses on University near the State Capitol, if that's interesting. There is one big used bookstore smack on the corner of Snelling and University, as well. Grand Avenue is nice, but it's long on foot, and you'd have substantial bus time trying to get there from the U.

Downtown Minneapolis is fun at night, some shopping during the day.

From Dinkytown, Bus 6 will take you back through Downtown to Uptown. Uptown has shopping (including bookstores), restaurants, is relatively fashionable and active.

And, of course, Hiawatha Light Rail will take you to Mall of America. Budget about 45 minutes for that ride one-way, if you find that interesting. Note that if you're flying in and going directly to the U, you may save a ton on cab fare by taking light rail--look into it.

Metro Transit map of the Twin Cities.
posted by gimonca at 7:28 PM on May 20, 2008

If radical infoshop type bookstores are your thing, be sure to check out Arise! on Lyndale Avenue. Their website has a section on interesting things to do. You can easily take a bus from the U campus to that neighborhood and then walk once you arrive. Don't forget to swing by The Wedge if you get hungry!
posted by kuppajava at 7:58 PM on May 20, 2008

Hopefully you're not on the St Paul campus (ag school, etc.) without a car--if you are, you're a couple of bus rides away from anywhere interesting.
Seconded. But on the other hand, if you are on the St Paul side, don't miss the basement lobby of the Plant Sciences building, where there's a creepy collection of misfit animals in formaldehyde. Two-headed kitties, six-legged lambies, and more!

Besides walking the Washington Avenue bridge, I highly recommend the park along the river on the East Bank. You can actually go through the trees and onto the rocks. It's a great place to wade or nap during a summer lunch break.
posted by whatzit at 4:15 AM on May 21, 2008