The Minnesota Stories


Here's a list of Minnesota specific stories I've written. They're sorted into main categories; the first set will be Coon Rapids and the immediate area, the second group will be everything else in the state. 

Coon Rapids


Most of these stories (and many more) were adapted from various drafts of my planned and ultimately cancelled Coon Rapids tribute in Wasted Quarter. All of that wont appear in zine form, but eventually will all come out on this website.

So stay tuned for that...



A story about the January 2018 drive from Denver, CO, to Coon Rapids, MN, and back. A few Coon Rapids locations are covered, including the former 610 Express and Top Shop. Both of these will be covered in greater detail in the future.


Quick little story about the abandoned Amoco that used to sit on Coon Rapids Blvd., near the 610 bridge.


A tribute to the very small, midwestern, fast food burger drive thru. And how the Crapids location has been trashed in the last 25 years.


A few pictures of the since-demolished EZ Stop gas station.


Before the mess of Willie's and whatever goes on there today, the Melvins made a peculiar 2004 tour stop, in our local dive. And yes, Grumpies is misspelled on purpose.


Featuring a Kmart, a COMB and a tornado!


A few pictures of the 1997, post-fire Ground Round restaurant.


Since demolished gym that few people noticed.



My friend Eric and I take a 2011 drive down Coon Rapids Blvd. to look at the graffiti on the railroad bridges. Also including stops at Oak Park Plaza, Columbia Arena and Fuddruckers. A whole bunch of sneak previews for stories I have yet to write.


A collection of Riverdale businesses that are no longer around.


A look at what was once the busiest retail zone in town...


The 200th story in Four Baggers history covers a 2019 X-Mess sale, the 2020 store closure and the 2021 gutting of one of Riverdale's anchors.


Looking at the former gas station demolished in favor of Cain's Chicken Fingers.


Laura and I play a game of 1986 Crapids-opoly. Who was the big winner?



Mixing every baseball card I have of a guy named Bob, with a tribute to my cartoon duck, that appeared in various issues of Wasted Quarter over the years. Why not? This nonsense includes unreleased images of Bob and his gang in and around Coon Rapids, from a cartoon I never finished writing or drawing.


A story mainly about those stickers, but several Coon Rapids area locations are discussed. Including: Northdale Shopping Center, Village 10 Shopping Center, Ted's Store and Crooked Lake Beach, even Redwood Falls, MN!


Nearly universally panned story about one night and two weeks in February, 2007, with no regards for an irrelevant timeline. Cast against the backdrop of demolishing a popular BBQ restaurant. Despite what anyone thinks, this is one of my favorite stories I've ever written.




My two part salute to working the mid-1990's graveyard shift, at the greatest gas station in Coon Rapids history!



Anoka



Saluting the tradition of boothrotting at the recently closed Anoka Perkins.


Look at the demise of both, plus an excursion to Ramsey to look at J.A.C. Auto.

Post 218 - Anoka Hardees

Plus my salute to former Hardee's elsewhere.


Blaine



What used to be at the intersection of County Road 242 and Highway 65 in Blaine, before it was removed for an overpass.


I photograph the Blaine Toys R Us Going Out Of Business sale, not long before it ended.


Just a nice simple abandoned gas station.


Lengthy story about Oak Park Plaza, from dilapidated mostly vacant shopping center into a freshly renovated mostly vacant shopping center.


A look at Northtown Mall, with the main focus being my favorite CD store of all time.


One slice of Abandoned Pie and a slice of Demolition Pie, with a side of St. Paul Liquor Stores, comin' up! 

Fridley



An amusingly brief story about creative fraud!


A miserable shopping center, put out of its misery.

Andover



A 2015 look at a since-demolished convenience store. With some pieces about the Bunker Lake Blvd. of 30+ years ago.


A few photos of a closed-up liquor store.


My tribute to my favorite -now closed- LCS.


Ramsey



Adapted story from a 1994 issue of Wasted Quarter, covering the highway 10 store we all drove by and remember.


Photos of the soon-to-be-demolished convenience store, from 2017.


An old gas station being renovated into something new...


Elk River



A 2017 walk around of an abandoned auto dealership. With Flar, Dert, 2Canz$ and the rest of the Beach Boyz...


The 2020 sequel featuring a tour of the gutted car dealership interior.



Mounds View



The city of Mounds View held a controlled fire at an old roadside motel. I was able to photograph the remains, before they were completely demolished a few days later.


Minneapolis



A series of ice covered photographs that my mom took of the Thanksgiving 1982 Donaldson's Department Store Fire.

(I've even fixed the broken video links... Finally!)


Covering a Twins game that nearly made history.


A November 2019 drive down to see one of the last KMarts in Minnesota. With stops at an abandoned mini-golf course in Fridley and to buy some new music at the Electric Fetus.


Plus some other memories of that part of Minneapolis.


More about The Residents than Minneapolis. Try it, you may just like the music!



Brooklyn Center



Some 2011 photos of the demolition of Brookdale Mall. With stories of the closed Brooklyn Center Perkins and a 2018 update on Sears.


St. Anthony



An abandoned WalMarts with teasers of an upcoming feature on the long gone Apache Plaza Shopping Mall.


Photographing an abandoned Wendy's before it was reborn as a Starbucks.


St. Paul



Part one of my look at the Minnesota State Fair. From 2018.

(And I have ZERO clue as to why Google put a warning on this story. I didn't even swear...)


Part two of my look at the Minnesota State Fair. From 2019. This time with added Weird Al Yankovic!


Looking at a large abandoned Sears Department Store.



St. Cloud



Story of the drive to St. Cloud for a baseball card show. With stops at an abandoned Burger King, abandoned Wendy's and an abandoned Perkins. Amongst some other locations that interested me.


A second trip to St. Cloud in March, 2020, to take pictures of the Press Bar. Which was sadly arsoned by the owner. With some updates from my last trip to St. Cloud.


Another visit to the Fan Zone, and Laura tags along this time, in a combination birfday day trip. Combined with stories of recent changes to all the towns along the Highway 10 route.


Duluth




A two part look at Laura's and my extended September, 2018, weekend in the San Francisco of the Midwest. Mixed amongst new old baseball card purchases in Superior, Wisconsin.


More Duluth/Superior photos from June, 2020. It's Epic!



Highway 10 Northwest

My newest recurring feature! Eventually, I'm going to write about all of the towns along Highway 10, between Anoka and Fargo, ND. The first of which is an overview of the route, along with the story of Laura and my vacation roadtrip to Fargo, in October 2023.



Looking at the recent fire that destroyed the most prominent building in a small town in northern Minnesota. Where I have a lot of family and memories of the are.

Rochester

Post 246 - Rochester Kmart

The first Kmart in the state of Minnesota. And why we spent so much time down there...


With a nod to the legendary Coon Rapids, MN, Perkins.


Other Minnesota Stuff



Laura and I drove to La Crosse, WI, for Irish Fest. This is the story of our drive home. With stops at an actual video rental store and abandoned Kmart in Winona, MN, 


Abandoned Truck Stop between Rochester and St. Paul. Since demolished.


My tribute to Minnesota's favorite defunct sandwich chain. And what happened to each of their old locations?


Former Minnesota Viking opens a sports bar. Which has a decent run, before it doesn't.


Now with abandoned church!


Stories from the Highway 10 drive from Anoka to Fargo, ND.


Clearing the land of a former office building and shopping center. While appreciating Mr. Rogers and historic theaters.


A boring recent closure, with updates on Northdale Shopping Center and the Coon Rapids Dairy Queen, plus the return of Burger Time!



A lot more to come!
 


Yeah, it's Iowa... But this was a very worthwhile building...

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