News and Current Affairs Posts

River City Records & Books open in Lincoln Park

Chris Huppert shops for phonograph albums Saturday at the newly opened River City Records & Books in Duluth. Huppert had list of 10 hard-to-find albums he was searching for.

Traffic was brisk at River City Records & Books on Saturday. The new store at 1814 W. Superior St. in Duluth’s Lincoln Park Craft District opened on Friday at 3 p.m.

What is the future of Ordean Plaza?

A recent Duluth News Tribune story about plans to convert the top five floors of the Ordean Building into rental housing included a brief mention of the city selling the small park next to it.

This particular little postage stamp of parkland is called Ordean Plaza, a public square across from the Duluth Public Library. It’s part of the larger Fifth Avenue Mall, a late-1960s and early-1970s effort to beautify Fifth Avenue West.

Apartment complex planned for West Duluth

The Duluth News Tribune reports an 80-unit apartment complex called the Residence is being planned on the former Holiday Stationstore location at 3401 Grand Ave. The 1.9-acre site is between the Wheeler Athletic Complex and the ore docks in West Duluth. Merge Urban Development Group, headquartered in Cedar Falls, Iowa, purchased the land from the Duluth Economic Development Authority in 2022.

Gunnar Birkerts and Intuitive Synthesis: The Place of the Duluth Public Library in the History of Modern Architecture

Duluth Public Library in the November 1980 issue of Architectural Record.

Last month, an article appeared in the Duluth News Tribune about the decision to demolish the Duluth Public Library and replace it with something smaller in a shared building. The reasons provided for demolition instead of restoration mostly involve challenges to reprogramming and subdivision created by structural pillars, expensive building systems like insulation in serious need of replacement, and other issues related to years of deferred maintenance.

Hayward record and book store will move to Duluth

The former Riverside Flooring building at 1814 W. Superior St. in Lincoln Park will be home to a new record and book store. (Photo by Mark Nicklawske)

A Superior native and long-time music collector who haunted some legendary, long-lost Twin Ports area record stores plans to open his own shop in Duluth’s Lincoln Park Craft District.

Todd Hanson, owner of Hole in the Wall Books and Records in Hayward, has announced plans to open a new store in the former Riverside Flooring building at 1814 W. Superior St. this fall. The store will be called River City Records and Books.

Northeastern Minnesota Book Award Winners for 2023

An old fire tower in the north woods, a busy Duluth harbor on the day tall ships arrive, and an 1894 murder on Minnesota Point are just some of the settings for books honored in this year’s Northeastern Minnesota Book Awards.

PDD Quiz: September 2023

See how many September 2023 headlines you remember with this edition of the PDD quiz.

The next quiz, previewing Halloween shenanigans, will be published on Oct. 15. Submit question suggestions to Alison Moffat at [email protected] by Oct. 11.

Oasis del Norte restaurant opening soon

The brick-and-mortar Oasis del Norte restaurant in Duluth’s Lincoln Park Craft District finally has an opening date. The Duluth News Tribune reports that Eduardo Sandoval Luna will open the taqueria-style Mexican eatery at 2401 W. Superior St. on Sept. 29, pending inspection from the Minnesota Health Department.

Sandoval Luna has operated the Oasis del Norte taco food trailer since 2015.

Rebuilt Civil War veteran’s house part of historic properties tour

Diane and Steve Dick stand outside their renovated home on 43rd Avenue East and London Road. The home was built in 1889 by Civil War veteran John Mallman and will be featured on the Duluth Preservation Alliance Historic Properties Tour this Sunday. (Photos by Mark Nicklawske)

A long abandoned duplex in Duluth’s Lakeside neighborhood was a complete wreck that showed no sign of its historic past when Steve and Diane Dick purchased it. Their simple renovation plan was to make room for an aging parent and host regular gatherings with their children and grandchildren.

Eight years on, the project has accomplished all the necessary family duties and more. The house stands out among its stately London Road neighbors and keeps an important piece of history alive: its original owners were Civil War veteran and early mining-exploration Captain John Mallman and his wife Catherine.

Duluth 2023 General Election Primer

Duluth’s municipal and school board general election is Nov. 7. Items on the ballot vary depending on which precinct voters live. Below is a rundown of all races in the city.

New restaurant to offer salads, soups and mystical gifts

Cori Zastera, left, and her husband Jason, stand in front of the Ritual Salad location at 1802 W. Superior St. in Lincoln Park. The new restaurant is scheduled to open in October. (Photos by Mark Nicklawske).

A new fast-casual restaurant featuring healthy salads and soups is in the works for Lincoln Park as the booming Duluth neighborhood sees redevelopment push east along Superior Street toward Garfield Avenue.

PDD Quiz: August 2023

Dive into this edition of the PDD Quiz and see how many local headlines you remember from the past month.

The next PDD quiz will highlight area hiking trails; it will be published on Sept. 10. Submit question suggestions to Alison Moffat at [email protected] by Sept. 6.

R.I.P. Rex Bar at Fitger’s

Patrons gathered at the Rex Bar Sunday for its last night in business. (Photo by Mike Creger)

Rex Bar at Fitger’s closed Sunday after nearly 15 years in business. It opened in 2008, following a brief period when the bar was called Lido. Prior to that the space operated as the Fitger’s Tap Room.

Kaylee Matuszak’s Duluth Dive Bar Guide

Duluth’s Kaylee Matuszak delves into Duluth dive bars in an article published today in the Twin Cities alternative news website the Racket.

Perfect Duluth Day seems to have not published a rundown on dive bars since the klunky Movable Type era, when Barrett Chase asked in 2007, “What are your top 5 Twin Ports dives?” The inclusion of Superior allowed the Anchor, Charlie Brown’s and Belknap Lounge to get mentions. Numerous bars that no longer exist were also part of the discussion, along with a few places in nearby townships.

Bali Asian Cuisine bringing Pan-Asian food to Duluth

Bali Asian Cuisine owner and chef Nevi Mariadi stands in front of her Lincoln Park restaurant bar.

A restaurant featuring Indonesian food and an array of other Asian fare will open in Lincoln Park as early as September. Bali Asian Cuisine will serve up fresh and flavorful food, according to chef and owner Nevi Mariadi.