Nelson Creamery
Photo by Annie D'Souza
It’s the Summer Olympics of tag sales, the cabin-fever-buster for which every vintage car and pickup truck in two states heads to the river. The 100 Mile Garage Sale is upon us again. From May 4–7, the banks of the Mighty Miss—from Hastings to Winona along Highway 61 on the Minnesota side, and from Prescott to Fountain City on Highway 35 in Wisconsin—become picking paradise. Deets about the sales are at 100milegaragesale.org, but here’s a handy guide to the other places to stop as you work your way down one of the most beautiful routes in the North.
St. James Hotel
A reservation for Sunday brunch at the St. James in Red Wing is a must, 100 Mile Garage Sale or not. st-james-hotel.com
Stockholm Pie Company & General Store
It opens at 10 am and, in addition to serving great pie, pours a solid coffee. Get there early to kick off your garage picking with pie. The blackberry apple with oatmeal streusel is practically oatmeal, right?! stockholmpieandgeneralstore.com
Photo courtesy of Reads Landing Brewing Company
Reads Landing Brewing Company
Reads Landing Brewing Company
The trail is dotted with newish breweries. Wenonah and Island City in Winona and Red Wing Brewery are great, but if you’re only going to try one, make it Reads Landing. The river is a Frisbee-throw away, and the Pumpkin Pullman Porter is deep and rich. rlbrewingco.com
Photo courtesy of Lake Pepin Pearl Button Co.
Lake Pepin Pearl Button Co.
Lake Pepin Pearl Button Co.
Back in the day, fresh water mussels were carted out of Lake Pepin by the million and turned into buttons. Turns out that’s called overfishing and couldn’t continue. But today the Pearl Button Co. is one of the cutest multi-dealer antique malls in the valley. And there’s a coffee shop, which proves critical mid-100 Mile. pearlbuttonco.com
Nelson Cheese Factory
Find wood-fired pizzas from 9 am–6 pm Friday–Sunday within the stone arches of the beautiful limestone building that once housed an actual cheese factory. Here, you’ll enjoy wine, beer, and all the good feelings that come from the splendor of Wisconsin cheese bubbling atop pizza pies. nelsoncheese.com
National Eagle Center
This Wabasha gem is a must-stop. The museum is cool, but the real attraction are the “eagle ambassadors”—injured eagles living in captivity that you can see up close. Be forewarned, though, that flying meat is to their eagle shows what watermelon debris is to a Gallagher show. nationaleaglecenter.org
Photo courtesy of Isabel Subtil
Chef Shack Bay City
The Bay City digs of Minneapolis restaurateurs Lisa Carlson and Carrie Summer was a semifinalist for a 2017 James Beard Award. chefshackranch.com
The Monarch Public House
Open since 1894, the Fountain City bar is the oldest in ’Sconi. Order a pint of original-recipe Fountain City Brewing Co. lager and some onion rings, which might not be historical, but are crisp and good. monarchtavern.com
Paperbacks & Pieces
The Winona bookseller closes the street for its 10,000-books-strong sale. “We’ve been doing this for 20 years,” says owner Shelley Olsen. “People just come in droves.” Paperbacks are a quarter or five for a dollar, hardcovers are a buck. paperbacksandpieces.com
Illustration by Tim Bower
More Community Sales Worth a Pick
Check out these closer-to-home sales and our recommendations for a snack break while you’re in the neighborhood.
Tangletown, Mpls. | May 5–6 tangletown.org
- Wise Acre Eatery’s downright bucolic in the spring.
Hamline Midway, St. Paul | May 6 hamlinemidway.org
- You could stop afterward at On’s Kitchen for a great spicy lunch.
Bryn Mawr, Minneapolis | May 6-7 bmna.org
- Since you're in the neighborhood....Sparks, long known for its pizza, added a killer burger to its menu.
Woodbury (40th annual!) | May 11–13 lionsgaragesale.org
- Afterward, hit Indian Masala in St. Paul for some excellent spice.
Burnsville | May 19–20 burnsville.org
- If you’re in a bargain-hunting frenzy add the 98 Pounds Buffet to your list—it’s incomprehensibly enormous.
Como, St. Paul | May 20 district10comopark.org
- Half Time Rec has a good lunch—don’t miss the fancy chef hot dogs.
Lakeville | May 20 ci.lakeville.mn.us
- Gotta love Barley + Vine, with its good happy hour and great kids’ menu.
Linden Hills, Mpls. | May 20 lindenhills.org
- Wind down at Tilia with some pinksparkling wine, perhaps?
Brooklyn Park | June 1–3 brooklynpark.org
- Ever had Wagner’s Drive-In burgers and fried chicken? They’re legendary.
60-Mile Garage Sale of the Root River Trail | June 23–24 rootrivertrail.org
- Hit Aroma Pie Shoppe in Whalanto learn this important word: blubarb.
