Northfield Downtown Development Corporation

Mark Grundhoefer and Casey Wasner will be performing tonight, Wednesday, February 25th, 9 p.m., at the Upstairs Reub-N-Stein, 503 Division Street. Also doing a mid-week gig is Wake-Robin, 1 to 2 p.m., Bittersweet, in the Archer House Historic River Inn, 212 Division Street.

Thursday, February 26th, the Northfield Liquor Store Wine Club is holding a Wine Tasting that is free and open to the public, 7 to 9 p.m. at the Grand Event Center, 316 Washington Street, ArtTech and The Key are hosting an Open Mic at the Contented Cow, 7:30 p.m., 302B Division Street, there’s Karaoke at Froggy Bottoms, 9 p.m., 305 S. Water Street, and Mark Mraz is at The Tavern Lounge, riverside of the Archer House.

Friday, February 27th, Kevin Steinman is at Hogan Brothers (415 Division Street), 7 p.m., there an Exhibit Opening Reception for “My Arctic” at the Flaten Art Museum, 7 to 9 p.m., on the St. Olaf College campus, The Vagina Monologues, Buntrock Commons, 7:30 p.m., on the St. Olaf College campus, The House of Seven Gables, Arena Theater, 8 p.m., Carleton College Campus, Karaoke at the Rueb-N-Stein, 9 p.m., Jeff Thompson at The Tavern Lounge, and Last Known Whereabouts, at the Contented Cow.

Saturday, February 28th, it’s the High School Choir Concert, 7:30 p.m., Boe Chapel, on the St. Olaf College Campus, The Vagina Monologues, 7:30 p.m., The Pause, in Buntrock Commons, on the St. Olaf College Campus, The House of Seven Gables, 8 p.m., Arena Theater on the Carleton College campus, Karaoke, 9 p.m., Fieldhouse (620 S. Water Street), DJ Music, 9 p.m., The Rueb-N-Stein, Jeff Ray at The Tavern Lounge, and Marty Anderson and the Goods at the Contented Cow.

Saturday’s Strib had an article that caught my attention. It was called “Listen Local, Buy Local“.

The story was about the Minneapolis-based music store The Electric Fetus. The store has launched a new initiative intended to get folks to shop locally while supporting Minnesotan visual and audio artists called “MinnEconomy“.

Every month the Fetus’ locations in Minneapolis, Duluth and St. Cloud will feature visual art by Minnesotans on the walls and music performances by Minnesotans in the stores with locally-created items sold at a ten percent discount. The campaign is not only about stressing the economic benefits of shopping locally, it is also intended to raise awareness of local creative talent which, according to Fetus Manager Bob Fuchs, “makes our community unique and interesting”.

The story quotes Stacy Mitchell (with whom I once lunched at Chapati), head of the Institute for Local Self-Reliance repeating the economic importance of supporting local businesses but also noting that communities that have a shop local effort are better weathering the current downturn. Dan Marshall, a founding member of the Twin Cities Metro Independent Business Alliance, emphasized that there is leverage to be gained by the networking of independents to raise their visibility. Fuchs summarizes the goal succinctly, “consider the cool, unique stores around town before you go to the strip malls”.

Of course, I’d like to bring the Fetus’ good idea home to Northfield. Perhaps on an upcoming Third Thursday, local pubs could feature local artists and local stores could discount local products. It’s all about working together to raise awareness and visibility and, at least in this case, having a little local fun.

Back in middle school, my weekends generally DID start with study hall. That’s where I got all the latest information on the weekend’s happenings. We’re bringing back Study Hall in downtown Northfield, this time with live music. It’s Terry VanDeWalker on drums and Peter Lynn on guitar, nine to midnight, tonight, Thursday, February 19th, at The Contented Cow.

Also tonight, there’s “A New Brain“, 7:30 p.m., Kelsey Theater on the St. Olaf College campus, a High School Orchestra Concert, 7:30 p.m., in the Middle School Auditorium, Karaoke, 9 p.m., Froggy Bottoms, and Mark Mraz, at The Tavern Lounge.

Friday, February 20th, it’s my favorite, Occasional Jazz, 5 p.m., The Contented Cow, Cabin Fever 2 – Library Mini Golf, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., at Northfield’s Historic Carnegie Library, Northfield Winter Stomp, 7:00 to 10:30 p.m., Northfield Armory, “A New Brain“, 7:00 p.m., Kelsey Theater, St. Olaf College campus, “Steel Magnolias“, 7:30 p.m., Northfield Arts Guild Theater, Eisenhower Dance Ensemble Performance, 7:30 p.m., Dittman Center, St. Olaf College campus, Poosa, 8 p.m., The Contented Cow, “The House of Seven Gables“, 8:00 p.m., Arena Theater, Carleton College campus, Symphony Band Concert, Carleton College campus, Karaoke, 9 p.m., The Rueb-N-Stein, ArtTech’s Particularly Short Play Festival, and Joe Meyer at The Tavern Lounge.

Saturday, February 21st, it’s Imagination Celebration, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., at the Northfield Arts Guild, “A New Brain“, 7:30 p.m., Kelsey Theater, St. Olaf College campus, “Steel Magnolias“, 7:30 p.m., Northfield Arts Guild Theater, “The House of Seven Gables“, 8:00 p.m., Arena Theater, Carleton College campus, Trailer Trash, 7:00 p.m., The Grand Event Center, DJ Music, 9 p.m., The Rueb-N-Stein, Karaoke, 9 p.m., Fieldhouse, Lonesome Dan Kase, The Tavern Lounge, and Fish Frye, The Contented Cow.

Sunday, February 22nd, it’s “Steel Magnolias“, 2 p.m., Northfield Arts Guild Theater, Consortium Carissimi, 3:30 p.m., Boe Chapel, St. Olaf College campus, Politics and a Pint, 6 p.m., The Contented Cow, Northern Roots Session, 7:30 p.m., The Contented Cow, and Quiz Night, 8 p.m., The Contented Cow.

The Northfield Downtown Development Corporation has long championed “Keeping Your Money in Northfield”. Whether it’s joining “America Unchained Day“, recognizing homegrown efforts to spread the message (including a few unconventional approaches), or simply reminding folks about all the things available locally, it’s a message we come back to again and again.

We’ve done some rather focused efforts on that theme, including our annual collaboration with the Northfield News for holiday shopping, promoting Northfield’s offerings during big weekends at the colleges, and, most recently, sending out Patty Cash as downtown’s ambassador to the community. This year our regular promotional pieces have the tag line “Be Local”, we’re entering into a new collaborative effort with the Chamber to unify our message around this theme, and are hoping to help the EDA identify opportunities to spread the word, locally and regionally.

The discussions on the NDDC’s Events and Marketing and Communication and PR Committees, as well as our recent discussion with the Chamber, generally include a common concept: we don’t want to preach. Although there are truly significant economic benefits to a community resulting from shopping locally, we recognize that people make their own decisions for their own reasons.

Therefore, both locally and nationally, the message seems to be morphing into “Local First”. As I did in my recent Valentine’s Day post, we’re encouraging folks to think about the local options first. Between our two retail districts, Downtown and “Uptown”, you can get pretty much anything in Northfield.

So, next time you need something, think Northfield first. Your local economy, as well as your friends and neighbors, will thank you for it.

Well, the hipsters tell me that Valentine’s Day is uncool, just a big marketing hype to sell cards and roses. Personally, I prefer to make my own cards and there are other flowers available. Frankly, there are many ways to show your appreciation for your loved ones and an annual nudge of reminder, in my opinion, is not a bad thing.

I’m fond of eating, drinking and being merry with my sweetie. Downtown has many offerings, including B & L’s Pizza, Basil’s Pizza, Bittersweet Eatery, Blue Monday Coffehouse, Caribou Coffee, Chapati, China Buffet, Contented Cow, Domino’s Pizza, Eagles Club, Erbert & Gerbert’s, Fieldhouse, Froggy Bottoms, Hogan Brothers, J Grundy’s Reub-N-Stein, James Gang Hideaway, Mandarin Garden, Quality Bakery, Quarterback Club, Subway, Taco Bell, The Tavern, Tiny’s Dogs All Day and the VFW Club.

Gifts are a good idea too. Downtown has a number of options, such as Anna’s Closet, Bookfellows, Cocoa Bean, digs, Echo Used DVDs, Evenson’s Hallmark, Fashion Fair, Forget-Me-Not Florist, Glass Garden, the Historical Society Shop, Jenkins Jeweler, Kids on Division, Larson Printing, Monarch, Monkey See, Monkey Read, Northfield Arts Guild Gift Shop, Oolala, Paper Petalum, Present Perfect, Ragstock, Rare Pair, River City Books, Rocky Top, Secret Attic, Sisters Ugly, Sketchy Artist, SWAG, Sweet Pea’s Loft and Toys and Treats, Three Pine Gifts, and Willie’s Shoes.

Finally, why not go to a show? This weekend there’s theater, A New Brain at St. Olaf College, Steel Magnolias at the Art Guild Theater, and Vagina Monologues at Carleton College; there’s music, Jazz Ensemble at Carleton College, Monroe Crossing at the Grand, Karaoke at the Rueb, Todd Thompson at the Tavern Lounge, and Area 51 at the Cow, and even some dance, with the Dancing People Company performing at St. Olaf College.

So, this weekend, why not show a little affection. There’s plenty to choose from, and at least a hundred good ideas, right here in Downtown Northfield.