Mpls.St.Paul Magazine - Shop + Style - Features

Vintage Insider’s Guide: What the Pros are Pinning

Wed, 24 Apr 2013 15:41:30 GMT

You will love our stylish guest pinners vintage picks for your home and your closet. Just follow our favorite local shop owners and stylemakers, Monday, April 29 – Friday, May 10 on pinterest.com/mspmag for spring’s best looks and most coveted objects. Then, get shopping!

Who to Follow, When to Follow on mspmag.com/pinterest

Monday, April 29—Robb Whittlef of Historic Studio
Tuesday, April 30—Hayley Bush from Lula Vintage Wear
Wednesday, May 1—Neal Kielar from MidModMen+friends
Friday, May 2—Megan McGuire from Up Six Vintage
Thursday, May 3—Mike Ader from MidNorth Mercantile
Monday, May 6—Ki Nassauer, from Junk Bonanza and FleaQuest
Tuesday, May 7—Kara Kurth from Golden Age
Wednesday, May 8—Jim Noble from Jim Noble Interiors
Thursday, May 9—Noreen Allbright from Succotash
Friday, May 10—Vanessa Messersmith, from Blacklist Vintage
Bonus Day: Saturday, May 11—Scott Anderson and staff, from Architectural Antiques

Meet the Pros

Robb Whittlef from HISTORIC studio
Bio: Robb Whittlef opened his first retail store at age 19 and never looked back. Since then, he has appeared on HGTV’s “Decorating Cents,” worked for places such as Midwest of Cannon Falls and Square Nest, and has become a nationally recognized design personality. Currently, Robb owns the interior and product design firm HISTORIC studio.
Website: www.historicstudio.com
Pinterest: pinterest.com/historicstudio

Hayley Bush from LULA
Bio: The proud owner of LULA at Selby and Snelling in St Paul, MN since 1992. A 20-year relationship with vintage clothing has made her an accidental expert in former fashions, styles, and fabrics. She is most well known for identifying and demanding proper fit for her customers.
Website: http://LULAVINTAGEMN.com/
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/lulavintagemn/

Neal Kielar from MidModMen+friends
Bio: Neal Kielar is owner of MidModMen+friends, featuring vintage furniture and home décor with a modern vibe. The store's aesthetic is grounded in clean, functional design with plenty of leeway for bold statements through art and found objects, strong color and unexpected combinations. Kielar's background is in brand marketing, and he currently works for a national television production company.
Website: www.Facebook.com/MidModMen
Pinterest: https://pinterest.com/midmodmen/

Megan McGuire from Up Six Vintage
Bio: Megan McGuire, a St. Paul native, having loved vintage since childhood finally opened Up Six Vintage in the fall of 2001. Megan was brought up with an appreciation for midcentury furniture and vintage clothing and was influenced by her father the Modernist Architect and her mother a style maven and lifetime thrifter.
Website: facebook.com/upsixvintage
Pinterest: pinterest.com/upsixvintage

“Mustache” Mike Ader
Bio: Mike is a traditional style barber who focuses on old school haircuts (high and tight tapers, low and tight tapers, whitewalls, etc., but his other passion is vintage clothing. He tracks down and rescues old garments that have not seen the light of day in years. If it’s dirty, dusty, or musty he wants it! Mike sells vintage rags in his shop at MidNorth Mercantile in the North Loop. He tracks down goods all over the country and loves the thrill of the hunt.
Website: http://www.midnorthmercantile.us/
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/midnorth/

Ki Nassauer from FleaQuest
Bio: As the original "junk lady," Ki has been dubbed the "Martha Stewart of vintage" and "America's most famous junker" in extensive media coverage, including a 2012 story and video in the Wall Street Journal. Ki produces Junk Bonanza, the biannual shopping extravaganza held in MN that attracts more that 12,000 avid vintage lovers and she is editor in chief of Flea Market Style and Flea Market Style Weddings for Harris Publications. Ki's latest endeavor, FleaQuest, is in development and will fulfill her longtime vision for a comprehensive nationwide online directory of the best vintage sales, antiques shops, flea markets, antique shows and architectural salvage centers. Learn more about Ki and all her vintage ventures at KiNassauer.com.
Website: http://www.kinassauer.com/
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/kinassauer/

Kara Kurth from Golden Age Design
Bio: Kara Kurth is an energetic creative who isn't afraid to take risks. From fashion to graphic design, her day is fueled by aesthetics. Living a life with her eye's wide open, Kara is constantly inspired by the world around her. A passion for Mid Century design has been a huge part of her life for many years! Golden Age Design was started for this very reason.
Website: https://www.facebook.com/goldenagedesign
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/karakurth/

Jim Noble from Noble Interiors Inc.
Bio: Jim Noble is an award winning design veteran with over 30 years of experience, and the founder of Noble Interiors Inc. He specializes in residential and commercial remodeling, and is known for creating distinctive and luxurious spaces spanning the country. He resides in Minneapolis with his wife and five children.
Website: www.nobleinteriorsinc.com
Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/nobleinteriors

Noreen Allbright from Succotash
Bio: Noreen Allbright opened Succotash on St. Paul¹s Raymond Avenue in 1995—it’s the longest operating midcentury modern store in the Twin Cities. She consults with many photo stylists, museum exhibit designers, and MCM-loving homeowners. She resides in a 1956 architect-designed Maplewood home with her husband/business partner Paul, two cats, and 199 Kokeshi dolls.
Website: facebook.com/succotash69
Pinterest: pinterest.com/succotashretro/

Vanessa Messersmith from Blacklist Vintage
Bio: Vanessa Messersmith is the owner of Blacklist Vintage. She believes that people can wear vintage clothing every day while looking fashionable and up-to-date on the current trends. Besides styling for events, local bands, and fashion shows, she loves styling for customers. Whether it's a Mad Men party or bicycling with your friends, you can always stop at Blacklist for a curated outfit.
Website: www.Blacklistvintage.com
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/blacklistmpls

Bonus Pinner:

Scott Anderson and staff from Architectural Antiques
Bio: Everyone in my company has an astute artistic eye, the vision & the courage to see and to integrate our ever changing inventory of antique architectural elements into all types of environments. Find out why for just under 40 years lots good things have been said publicly about the store... See why people go on the record saying that they use Architectural Antiques as inspiration for their designs.
Website: www.archantiques.com
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/archantiques/

Shopping Guide

Browse our editors’ directory of vintage stores in the Twin Cities, plus antiques and consignment/thrift.

Vintage	Antiques
Consignment/Thrift	All Shopping

E-Newsletters: Shopping, Style and Home Decor

The Boutique Dilemma

Mon, 18 Mar 2013 13:52:31 GMT

If you can’t draw shoppers to Bryn Mawr, then move the store to Linden Hills. Honeyshine—the year-old home and design store that earned raves from me (and others) for its sharp merchandising and singular point of view—is packing up its antlers and squirrels (they’re resin, don’t worry) and moving in May from Penn Avenue to 43rd and Upton.

Owners Adam Braun and Daisy Mitchell adored Bryn Mawr—its proximity to downtown Minneapolis and the lakes, the ease of access to I-394. All the ingredients for success seemed to be there: the corner coffee shop, Cuppa Java, Sparks restaurant, Fast Freddies pizza, Studio 411 Salonspa, and Cockadoodledo gifts. But that wasn’t enough to lure shoppers from beyond the neighborhood. It seems silly, but some people simply don’t want to go north on Penn Avenue—even just two blocks past the highway. It’s unfortunate.

“If we had enough capital to take several years to get to a critical mass, maybe we could get there in this location,” Mitchell says. The reality is she and Braun are trying to make an actual living for two households, so they decided to move instead. (Yes, it helps that Braun’s father owns the building they’re moving to, but they will still have to pay the higher rent.)

I talk to a lot of small retailers who have created something good but feel hindered by location. Amy Backman owns Spruce Flowers & Home, a standout shop that you would definitely frequent, as much for its gifts as for its beautiful arrangements, were it at 50th & France or Grand and Victoria. But Spruce is at 48th and Chicago, and so it survives on phone orders and wedding clients. That corner is home to Turtle Bread, Pepito’s, Pumphouse Creamery, Rewind Vintage, and Shop in the City. I visited almost every week when I lived in the neighborhood. Now I have to make a point to go.

Backman thinks about moving or opening a second store. It’s the where that stops her: Uptown feels too national, 50th is too expensive, and the North Loop is emerging but still unproven. We have so many charming shopping corners in Minneapolis and St. Paul, but the cities are too spread out to walk from one retail district to the next, which is isolating and limiting for even the most delightful shop.

Backman fantasizes that all these little corners—from 50th and Bryant to Hamline and Randolph—could come together to form one compelling Twin Cities shopping district. I know what she means: it would be convenient if some of our favorite neighborhood boutiques converged. But then, that’s a mall.

Our neighborhoods need their unique stores, just like they need their dry cleaners and bakeries and cafes. It gives them character and allows independent boutiques an opportunity to shine. So it’s on us, the shoppers, to push ourselves to get out of the car more often. All across town, devoted storeowners are waiting to dazzle you.

The Red Dress Collection

Tue, 29 Jan 2013 10:35:19 GMT

Local notables including KARE 11’s Rena Sarigianopoulos will walk the runway in dresses created by Minnesota-based fashion designers for the Red Dress Collection on Feb. 17 at the Graves 601 Hotel. The fashion show is a fundraiser for the American Heart Association’s Go Red for Women program, which is designed to raise awareness of heart disease, the number one killer of women. The University of Minnesota Physicians Heart at Fairview sponsors the show, now in its second year. It’s a cause that hits close to home for Sarigianopoulos, whose mother survived triple bypass surgery four years ago. The weekend co-anchor and new co-host of the 96.3 K-Twin morning show will model a hand-beaded dress by designer Caroline Hayden. Sarigianopoulos will be joined on the runway by Amelia Santaniello, Alix Kendall, Janel Klein, and our own style editor, Allison Kaplan, among others. Tickets cost $25 to $100. reddressmn.com

Nordstrom to the Rescue

Mon, 28 Jan 2013 13:12:35 GMT

Poor St. Paul. Even losing its last department store didn’t linger in the news much longer than a warm popover in the River Room. Macy’s inevitable St. Paul closure—greeted with shrugs by most everyone other than downtown workers—was quickly overshadowed by good news: Nordstrom is going to open at Ridgedale Center.

Nordstrom’s westward expansion is made possible by Macy’s come-to-its-senses decision to consolidate its two Ridgedale stores under one upgraded and expanded roof. Many news outlets described this plan as yet another closure for Macy’s, when really it is a savvy investment in the western suburbs. Macy’s is going to dress itself up, supersize its Ridgedale presence, and then better its odds by sharing the spotlight with a more dashing and adored co-star—Bradley Cooper to Ed Helms.

Macy’s construction will begin as soon as the ground thaws. When Macy’s closes its men’s/home store next year, it will be torn down to make way for the new Nordstrom, opening fall 2015. After a hat trick of department store closings, it’s a relief to have good retail news to share. But the excitement over progress in the suburbs and the lack of tears over the end of an era in the city is a sobering reality check. Theoretically, we want vibrant downtowns with classy shopping. In practice, we love our Dales—their convenience, climate control, and free parking—so much that we are blinded to their flaws.

When I asked Ridgedale shoppers how they were feeling about their lagging mall a month before the Nordstrom announcement, most said “Great!” Few complained that it doesn’t have standout restaurants, a movie theater, or many of the hot specialty stores that have opened at Southdale and Rosedale.

“A J.Crew would be nice,” said one shopper, who was quick to add, “I grew up shopping at Ridgedale. I love it.”

That loyalty, coupled with choice demographics and the annoyingly long ride to Mall of America, helped Ridgedale weather some rough years. Now Nordstrom will make Ridgedale the Twin Cities’ premiere Dale. (Enjoy that gleaming Herberger’s, Southdale.) Specialty stores are already lining up for spots near Nordstrom. Better restaurants—a high priority for the mall—will be that much easier to secure.

Meanwhile, St. Paul is left to find a replacement for the windowless department store that never quite fit. Another national retailer is unlikely—downtown Minneapolis can’t even get those. Better to tear down the box and focus on industry, arts, residents, and a few quality independent retailers. Just look at downtown St. Paul’s best retail success story of recent years: Heimie’s Haberdashery. The tailored men’s store and barbershop is so charming, so intimate. It harks back to the heyday of urban shopping in a way Macy’s never did. Heimie’s is proof that St. Paul executives will shop downtown when given a classy option, and that folks as far-flung as Edina will cross the river for a unique shopping experience. And that’s something a suburban mall can’t deliver.

Answers to your shopping questions

Thu, 29 Nov 2012 11:43:34 GMT

Certain shopping questions have come up again and again this year, so in an attempt to close out 2012 with a clean inbox, here are answers to your frequent inquiries. Please keep them coming in 2013.

What will take the place of Bloomingdale’s at Mall of America?
Forever 21 took a whopping 80,000 square feet for a two-level fast-fashion mecca—the retailer’s largest outside of Times Square in New York City. It’s been nearly a year since MOA promised the space would be filled by at least four international fast-fashion brands as well as a discounter for the third floor. Did MOA get ahead of itself? Probably. But I know it is working on those deals, and we will see that space filled—or at least under construction—soon. Everything just takes longer than expected.

What neighborhood would you pick for a day of boutique shopping?
If it’s been a while since you’ve hit the streets to shop, head to the North Loop, which is starting to feel like a legitimate retail district. Highlights include martinpatrick3 and ID-Inside Design, Statement, C’est Chic, Askov Finlayson, The Foundry Home Goods, and Arrow. A close runner-up is 50th & France, which may seem obvious, but there are new stores to see, including Lush and Prana. Plus, 50th always feels so magical at holiday time.

Will we ever get a Zara store?
I believe we will. Most likely at MOA, but Southdale or even Rosedale would make sense too. Zara’s focus on trendy fashion at affordable prices is perfect for this market, and Zara is in expansion mode, with stores already open in Chicago, which is often a steppingstone to the Twin Cities.

Can all of these blow-dry bars succeed?
It seems unlikely, with five having opened in Minneapolis this year. But then, we asked the same question about olive oil stores, and those are still going strong. Good hair has become an affordable luxury, much like manicures.

What will take the place of Neiman Marcus?
Another department store is unlikely. A discounter is possible, but don’t hold your breath. Given our dismal history with downtown retail, office space seems the most likely scenario. But Gaviidae Common’s landlord, Brookfield Properties, says it is still exploring options.

Where can I find dress clothes that aren’t made for teenagers but won’t make me look matronly?
Galleria should be your first stop. Boutiques including Arafina, Dugo, and Epitome do a nice job of helping women look elegant regardless of age. Nordstrom is another great option, and if it feels overwhelming, make an appointment with a personal shopper. There’s no charge for the service and no obligation to buy.

How is it possible that in 20 years, no one has written a definitive guide to Mall of America, one of the top tourist destinations in the country?
That’s been my question, and this year, I resolved to answer it with the Ali Shops mobile guide to Mall of America. Next time you’re at the mall, I hope you’ll direct your smartphone to moa.alishops.com for tips, picks, guides, and deals designed to enhance your MOA experience.

Send your shopping questions to Ali at akaplan@mspmag.com or @alishops on Twitter.

Made in Minnesota

Fri, 02 Nov 2012 09:07:37 GMT

BEHIND THAT ANTIQUED LEATHER BAG, the so-classic-they’re-cool work boots, the intricate hand-beaded dress, is a Minnesotan like Zabeida Osman. Five days a week, Osman deftly puts thread to leather on a Consew sewing machine on Seventh Street in St. Paul. She makes high-end bags that are sold in fine boutiques around the world. The “Made in the U.S.A.” label she stitches into each bag she sews is personal—it signifies that this former refugee from Ethiopia has not just a job, but a career.

J.W. Hulme CEO Jen Guarino and one of her lead sewers, Zabeida Osman

Osman is a wife, a mother of four, a Cottage Grove homeowner, and a lead sewer at J.W. Hulme Co., the 107-year-old St. Paul bag manufacturer that has ridden the Made in the U.S.A. heritage movement back into the black—and beyond. Osman sits in a pod of workstations where she oversees production of small bags and pouches. Leather is hand-buffed. Corners are stitched. Zippers and brass hardware are affixed. Though she’s never been to Barneys New York, and she isn’t sure if there is a Brooks Brothers in the Twin Cities, she is proud that the bags she makes by hand get sold there, for $250 and more a pop.

So is her fashion-conscious 22-year-old daughter, who has been known to ask Osman to bring home samples of her work—such as an antiqued shoulder bag similar to the one actress Lena Dunham’s character will be seen wearing in January on HBO’s hit series Girls.

When Osman was around her daughter’s age, she worked as a maid for the Holiday Inn while her husband completed his engineering degree at the University of Minnesota. The pair fled a warring Ethiopia when Osman was 19, then spent a few years in the eastern African country Djibouti. Unable to find work and unhappy with the quality of life, they headed to America. It didn’t matter what state.

Once her husband was settled into a career with 3M, he urged Osman to find meaningful work. “Working at the hotel, that was surviving,” she says. “I wanted a real job.” She enrolled in a sewing course at Saint Paul College. Her first sewing job in the late 1980s—making lab coats and uniforms on the east side of town—paid $4.50 an hour, less than she made cleaning hotel rooms. But she looked forward to work every day. She felt like she had a purpose.

“We were all told America couldn’t be competitive
in manufacturing,
so we got lazy.”
— Jen Guarino, CEO of J.W. Hulme

“People just think about today. They take shortcuts,” Osman says. “They don’t look at tomorrow.”

Osman has been with J.W. Hulme for 11 years, longer than the new owners who turned the lagging company around. “They treat you well here—as a professional.” She blushes when asked how much she makes today. It’s more than three times her first sewing wages.

When Osman sees a “Made in the U.S.A.” label, she is willing to pay more for that product. “I know [my money] is going to the sort of people who gave me a chance in this country,” she says—and she wants others to enjoy similar opportunities.

Faribault Woolen Mills

J.W. Hulme needs more skilled workers like Osman. So does Faribault Woolen Mill Co., the 146-year-old wool blanket maker. The heritage trend has been a tremendous boon to many longstanding Minnesota companies, from Red Wing Shoes to Duluth Pack. But after the fashion buzz comes the reality—and challenge—of making products in the United States. One big problem: An entire generation of Americans never learned how to sew.

“We were all told America couldn’t be competitive in manufacturing, so we got lazy,” says Jen Guarino, CEO of J.W. Hulme, which currently employs 39 people, five of whom were hired in late September. The current cool factor of U.S.-made merchandise isn’t the only reason Hulme bags and leather accessories are appealing to a major retailer such as Brooks Brothers. There’s also the ease of working with an American company. Overseas shipping requires huge orders to fill hulking containers. Rising fuel costs have made it increasingly expensive to ship overseas, and the process can be a headache, with unpredictable and lengthy holdups in customs and less control over the product itself. In contrast, Guarino says J.W. Hulme can deliver bags from St. Paul direct to Brooks Brothers stores nationwide with just 90 days’ lead-time.

Beyond keeping up with growing demand for J.W. Hulme, Guarino has been getting calls from bigger companies, such as Tumi, that want to bring at least a portion of manufacturing back to the United States but can’t find the facilities or workforce to do it.

Reconnecting with Best Buy

Fri, 26 Oct 2012 14:41:28 GMT

I’ve never felt quite the same kinship to Best Buy that I do to our Minnesota-based retail darling, Target—such is the cold reality of technology, I suppose. But I hate to see a hometown company struggling. So I’ve made a point to shop Best Buy’s first “Connected” store in Richfield—the prototype for a new chapter. It gives me a glimmer of hope that Best Buy can turn things around. Still, there’s much to improve.

If you haven’t yet been to the first revamped store at I-494 and Lyndale, you really should check it out—it’s fascinating to be on the home front of this retail evolution, and our reactions in Minnesota could affect Best Buy’s strategy worldwide. The change is obvious from the moment you enter the store: Large signs, lower shelves, and open space make it easy to take in the entire sales floor—even the restroom, which my 4-year-old inevitably needed within five minutes of our arrival. They’ve added a plant to make it seem homey.

Best Buy’s redesign is clearly post-Apple store, from the Genius Bar–style central help desk to the reduced number of cash stations near the doors. But those updates are superficial. Best Buy is overlooking the reasons why I purchase and service my Apple products at Apple stores. It’s details like the play table next to the Genius Bar, so I can get help while my kids are in view and occupied with iPad games. (Best Buy’s Xbox station isn’t visible from the help desk, and on my most recent store visit, it wasn’t working anyway.) Here’s the critical difference: Apple’s focus is on solutions, rather than purchases. Best Buy calls its new help desk “Solution Central,” but when I asked for advice on getting a glut of media off my old laptop, Best Buy’s Apple expert told me what products I could buy—never taking a look at my machine or walking me through simple steps to transfer video, as they did at the Apple store.

As Best Buy heads into the critical holiday season, I hope it really does focus on “solutions.” Consumers have lots of options for making purchases, but more questions than ever as far as integrating technology into our lives. Where Best Buy has its best opportunity is in considering my entire household, and there are signs of that in the amped-up household appliance section, which now features model kitchens in place of rows of white washers and dryers. I’ll think to shop Best Buy when I’m ready for a new refrigerator.

Meanwhile, a computer display table, however modern, doesn’t help me answer the real questions, such as whether we need a family computer or one just for the kids. Whether to rely on external drives or a “cloud.” What to do with the mounting gigs of photos. Instead of fighting the showrooming effect, where people come to look and then go home to order online, maybe it’s time to embrace it.

I’m picturing IKEA-style model rooms with complete technology systems so I can see how everything works in harmony. I want to sit with a Blue Shirt who is not only friendly and available but also wise, and click to order from the comfort of a sofa in the middle of the store.

Nordic Shops + Eats Guide

Thu, 11 Oct 2012 14:06:11 GMT

Eats:

Bread and Pastries

Cheese and Butter

Sausage, Meat, Fish

Pickles and Jellies

Shops:

Children’s Apparel

Men’s Apparel

Gifts, Home Design and More

Museum Shops

Oval Room Letdown

Mon, 24 Sep 2012 14:15:00 GMT

Macy’s recently eliminated its Minneapolis-based Oval Room buyer. I know what you’re thinking: Macy’s still had a Minneapolis-based Oval Room buyer?

As recently as last spring, I talked to that veteran buyer—one of the last people working in the offices above the downtown Minneapolis store—at an Oval Room fashion show. At the time, I thought, maybe we’ve been too hard on Macy’s. We complain that Macy’s dumbed down our store, stripped away designer brands, and left it messy. But seated along the runway, I saw models in cutting-edge fashions from Armani, Lanvin, and Marc Jacobs. Macy’s may have buried the glamour, but it still had it. And with Neiman Marcus about to leave downtown, now would seem to be the time to pump it up.

So I made plans to profile the local Oval Room buyer. When she didn’t return my call, I did some investigating and learned Macy’s “had a change in alignment of responsibilities.” The New York office now directs designer collections. Just six Macy’s stores nationwide out of 800, including Minneapolis and Chicago, carry designer fashion. It’s not because we’re top luxury buyers—the Bloomingdale’s exit, and now Neiman’s, suggests the contrary. Macy’s is doing its best to honor tradition, says Cindy Eliason, a district vice president for Macy’s. They call the effort “My Macy’s.”

“Decisions are made store by store,” Eliason says, “based on whom the customer is that is shopping in that store.”

I can tell you who she’s not. The downtown Minneapolis customer is not the woman I’ve seen dressed to the nines at Nordstrom’s designer previews. Nor is she my mom, who relished her time working in special events at Dayton’s. For many years after, she gladly paid to park downtown any time she wanted to buy something special.

It’s no longer her first stop. And Macy’s isn’t doing much to lure her back. The Oval Room was sparsely merchandised last time I visited and padded with brands that aren’t truly designer, such as DKNY. Macy’s moderate house brands are creeping closer to the hallowed oval.

“The downtown worker is the primary customer for us,” Eliason says. That shopper’s short lunch hour is the reason Macy’s has consolidated departments—to make the store “more practical” to shop. (Good spin, isn’t it?) Meanwhile, the vacated Louis Vuitton shop remains boarded up on the first floor.

It doesn’t matter that you can still buy a smattering of Missoni at Macy’s. Customers miss the luster of their downtown store—feeling like we should dress up to shop there. That’s an attitude, not a brand.

I believe that Macy’s respects our traditions—if it didn’t, the flower show and Glamorama would have died long ago. But it takes more than a name to uphold a tradition. The Oval Room of My Macy’s has no soul. It is not the Oval Room of our Dayton’s.

Getting Styled by the Pros: Stephani

Fri, 07 Sep 2012 16:10:05 GMT