I was there the first week they opened.  I thought the food was disappointing and the prices too high.  But, I'm going to give them another chance after the tourists clear out and leave some room for us locals.  You have to give local start ups at least a couple of shots before you decide if they're thumbs up or thumbs down.

Thanks for the info James. Construction Unions are important.

How is Old Chicago Pizza in Canal Park?

I miss Northern Lights. I'd heard rumors about this new place not using union labor, does anyone have more information? I don't cross picket lines either.

The prices seem comparable to Luce. As far as the union thing goes, where do you eat if you only patronize union establishments?

- Pickwick is no longer union
- you can also head up to Giants' Ridge in Biwabik for union dining
- the company that is remodeling the space inbetween BWW and Bed, Bath, and Beyond is using non-union labor, and is under a picket from the Painters and IBEW, but I forget off the top of my head what is going in that space.

T-Bonz Bar is union, too, although I think it's under new management and I'm not sure of their current status.  Their burgers kick ass.

Twins Bar and the Reef. Is the Afterburner still around?

I just ate at Porters yesterday.  The first time in about 5 years.  I don't think they're open for dinner any more; just breakfast and lunch.  Food was about the same - nothing exciting or particularly delicious.  The service was very slow because they have such a small staff.  Our server was great, very pleasant and helpful, but practically the only one working in that big room so she really had to run.

As someone who likes to read books, and who doesn't really eat much pizza, I have to say I'm sad that a space that was one of the primary independent bookstores in our community will now be a pizza joint. It looks like they're aspiring to be a decent pizza joint, but, you can't read a pizza for very long. (Yeah, I know, you can't eat a book either, least not without some digestive discomfort.)

I have no idea what unions have to do with good food and vice-versa. It doesn't at all surprise me to see this as a focal conversation in Duluth. A new restaurant, a small, local business is taking a chance and opening it's doors in this town and folks still have to take the opportunity to find a problem with it. Go figure. Back on track with a food related comment, I did eat there during the first week and they burned the crust pretty bad. Chalking it up to opening week issues. Otherwise, it was pretty tasty.

Did they hire local workers?

Would those workers have been sitting idle if they did not get this job?

If the answer is yes to both of those questions, I don't see an issue with patronizing this establishment.

It's all about paying workers a good wage.  That's it...unions ensure that workers get paid what their workers deserve.  When a business owner contracts "non-union" they are essentially lowering the wages of all workers in the Northland.  Everyone talks about "good paying jobs" in Duluth.  If businesses keep hiring the folks who make the least, how does that benefit our community?

Anyone know the specific details of the picketing?
What union was doing the picketing and why?

Union workers protest non-union hiring in Canal Park

To me it seems a little silly to expect a business with less than 6 employees to be unionized.  

http://www.manta.com/c/mmfntwn/kiminski-cement-works
http://www.manta.com/c/mm0pgpl/simco-electrical

@Shane...it's not about being unionized, it's about paying union wages.  Simco doesn't need to unionize its workers, just pay them what the prevailing wage.  Otherwise all workers' wages trend downward.

@emmadogs...thanks for your comments and I am very sorry about the loss of your union.  I think we can all agree that what Scott Walker is doing in Wisconsin is terrible.  That being said, we need to remember that unions are NOT "anti business."  In fact, we are just the opposite.  After all, without business, where would we work??  Union members want a strong and healthy economy just like everyone else.  We just don't want to be undercut by big businesses and/or greedy folks looking to save an extra buck.

@Mildred:
I'm sure that many large national/global corporations go out of their way to save money by using non-union labor, but Bed, Bath, and Beyond has over 900 stores with over 45 thousand employees!
Vitta Pizza is one locally-owned store that probably has 10 employees tops. If they want to use union labor, I'm all for it, but if a small local business is just starting out and can't afford to pay extra for union labor, I can't really fault them for that decision.

@OGDuluthian....what else can I say except that you are unintelligent.  Maybe you should head on over to the Duluth Citizens Blog where the rest of the stupid Duluthians post their biased opinions.  

@BadCat...do you support workers or business?  Why not support both? Unions only want business folks to pay the prevailing wage.  Why is that a bad thing?

If I don't believe in retaliatory pickets and can understand the small business need to save money where they can, does this mean I am anti-worker? Because let me reassure you, I am not!
I understand the purpose of a union, I understand what union workers have risked, how much blood has spilled, and who died in order to ensure that I am privileged to work in a safe work environment with adequate pay. I support unions, but like my support for everything else in life, my support is not limitless and it is not unquestioning. 

Do I wish that we lived in a world where every worker had the support, rights, safety, and wages that are fair and just? Fuck yea! But we're not going to get to that by griefing local businesses about their basic business decisions. If a local businesses does things that are unfair to workers and a violation of their rights, hell yea get out their with the pickets and boycotts, but the decision to hire "construction firm A" instead of "construction firm B" does not oppress worker rights and does not violate the law.

Real change is made by supporting the most oppressed workers, pushing for change in the most unfair work environments, and through lobbying for pro-worker legal change, not by having some old guy stand in front of a small business with a sign that says "I don't like the fact that you didn't choose me"! The only thing that can possibly come out of this is an environment of local businesses doing business with the unions, not because they believe in the union and want to support their practices, but only because they fear the consequences of not complying. These tactics can only serve to drive the support of the populous away from the unions.

Even a crazy clock is right twice a day. ;)

Sometimes I cannot believe the shit you people here go off about.
Sometimes this blog is so cool, yet recurring of late, it's becoming more suck.

Some users starting troll wars in posts vs the troll zone.

People are entitled to their opinion and posts, regardless of other's views. 

Deal with it for fucks sake and comment your own, or something to constructively coincide with the original poster. 

Some of us are really starting to tire of the hometown crowd being all high and mighty, and constantly stirring the pot with this vs that posts/comments.

Just have fun, so out-of-towners I referred this blog to, don't see what a bunch of whingin bitches you all can be, submarining the very reason for this blog: 
TO PROMOTE PERFECT DULUTH DAYS and HOW TO ACHIEVE ONE 
aka
ENJOY ONE (a PDD) ON YOUR VISIT as WE COLLECT YOUR DOLLARS!¡!!!111! *smiles everyone* the plane!, the plane!*

Meaning: you are totally purposefully deflating your own boner.

This blog seems pretty closed minded/viewed sometimes.

I can see being family rated, but not so cowering with their hands_covering_genitals_embarrassed_look sorts, nor becoming labeling, or political in the most innocent of posts.

People warned me about this.

Buncha ignorant trolls.

off with ya now, try and sort yerselves proper.
*rolls eyes*
straighten up and back to business!
And don't make me tell you again.

*eyedarts*

It's "whinnying bitches." And I'm here to keep out the riff-raff.

Thrift stores. Consignment shops. I do a lot of shopping in NYC - all union shops. But then that's just me.

The All-American Club just laid off its last union bartender.

I tried their pizza today and I thought it was great! I got a 9" margherita pizza. Based on just one try I would say it's definitely the most authentically Italian pizza in town. (Although Clyde Iron Works makes a pretty good Italian pizza.) They use the right flour, the sauce was sweet and flavorful, and the mozzarella was as good as any you can get around here. (More or stronger basil would have been nice but I must admit to being vegetable-obsessed.) 

As far as atmosphere, this is not a proper dinner restaurant and shouldn't be judged as such. This is more of a fast food type place (I can't think of a similar local joint, but think "upscale" national chains like Panera/Chipotle/Noodle & Co). You order at the counter and food comes fast. So to criticize the atmosphere or decor (or wine list) seems a little unfair. You wouldn't want to linger over drinks in the restaurant (although the outside seating looks great for that purpose, just smuggle in your own good wine). 

As far as price, for my bare-bones pizza it was less than $9, which is definitely a better price than Lake Ave Cafe or Luce. 

These comments are all based off only one visit...but I am looking forward to going back for more.

Finally, a decent pizza in Duluth. Sorry Clyde, you may have wood-fired ovens, but your pizza is the same pizza everyone else is serving. This place is amazing; they know how to do it right.

Having dined on pizza in some of the best little family owned restaurants in Italy,this is pretty darn good.

Best wishes for success. I will certainly make it a summer and winter destination.

Signed,
~not a tourist

We had dinner there tonight: 2 9" pizzas, a salad, a beer, a glass of wine = $40. Pizza was excellent, salad too. It's kind of a fast food kind of place, and I know when I want to "hang out" I'll go to Luce. But this place was pretty good.  Pizza truly was excellent. I'll be back.