Everyone tells you about fall in Minnesota, but you really don’t get it until you’ve seen it with your own eyes.
We still can’t really believe we get to live here! St. Paul is a truly amazing place. This town has seen it all – a time in the spotlight as an international trading hub, growing pains, being outshone by a glamourous little sister city. We’ve all been there.
No matter what, though, you just can’t count St. Paul out. The city never stopped growing but it’s experiencing another spurt right now. City organizers are aiming for thousands of new residents in the next half-decade, and the lofty goal isn’t insane.
Now, we get to be a part of it.
People ask me, fairly frequently, if I’m crazy for opening a new business in Lowertown. As I admitted to Jim Walsh of the Star Tribune (article linked above), I probably am. No place is without its challenges, but through these rose-colored glasses I fell in love with St. Paul and Lowertown and its amazing food and cute little parks. The tugboats parked in the Mississippi like it’s still 1900 add to the charm. I look around and all I can see are these stunning architectural masterpieces that have seen a dozen lives and are ready for another new take.
I’ve been collecting stories over the last month. Our neighbors remember our space in Union Depot as a French restaurant, a BBQ joint, a SoulCycle studio, a cotton-candy store, and “where the bike store used to be” (they’re just down the hall now). We found pictures from before the HVAC was installed, when the ceilings were another 8 feet taller, and the artist-in-residence used every inch for his extraordinary sculptures. Now, it’s books.
We appreciate your patience as we get our feet under us. We want to be a place that deserves to be a part of St. Paul’s story, and we’re working hard towards that goal. Your feedback is always welcome, and we can’t wait to meet you all! Just be ready to talk books!
