Finding Minnesota: Capturing 'Old Minneapolis'

Do you remember a time when downtown Minneapolis had very few skyways, no stadiums and lots of department stores? That’s how the city looked in the early 1970s, Mike Binkley reports. WCCO 4 News Weekends - Nov. 29, 2015

[@elizabethcollins8817]

When I was young , I remember window shopping (Dayton’s) in downtown Minneapolis, eating at the Nanking Restaurant. 🥰

[@rebeccadudley7669]

I remember my Dad worked in the Investor's building on Marquette Avenue. He said there would be a new big building he would have an office in someday and it would take 4 years to build . I was 4 years old at the time. I was completely astonished that I would be a whopping eight years old when the big skyscraper would be done. That building is the IDS tower. It was a crazy idea at the time that there was actually a building taller than the Foshay, which stood alone on the skyline for such a long time. Now its all built up. I miss the 70's.

[@orvilleh.larson7581]

In the 1960s (my elementary and junior high years), we lived in the Camden area of north Minneapolis. Every Friday, we went downtown to the Forum Cafe (on 7th Street between Nicollet and Hennepin). The Forum was distinguished by its architecture and its chandeliers. It was cafeteria style (you took a tray and went through the line, selecting your food as you went along. At the end of the line, you paid the cashier. You would go to a table on either the first or second floor. The food was good. Next door was the Nankin (Nanking?) Cafe. Go to Hennepin and turn right, and there was the Bridgeman's ice cream restaurant. Great place. Nicollet Avenue had the Powers, Grant, Kresge, Woolworth,, and Donaldson department stores. The Minneapolis Public Library was at the low end of Nicollet, across from the Sheraton-Ritz Hotel. The Leamington Hotel was at Nicollet and Washington, if I remember right. The nostalgia is killing me! . . .

[@janwilliams178]

Back in the sixties I remember riding those old busses from my neighborhood on the far north side to downtown Minneapolis. I'd go rifle sport on Hennepin and shoot a .22 pump at steel targets then head to a little Cafe on Hennepin Ave for the blue plate special of two cheeseburgers a malt and fries then back home all for around four bucks those days were fun and easy.

[@keithchilstrom2077]

Been there too. My allowance 5$ was a good allowance back then 71. 👍😁👍

[@renaestevenson1361]

Fun Fact: I am a kid of the 70s - left Mpls in 1980 to Orange County, CA. BUT, my family on both sides are very deep-rooted in Mpls history. Maternal Grandfather, Myles Cullen, sculpted the Farmers & Mechanics Bank in DT, and I believe worked on the Catholic Basilica - he and his brother, Barney. My Paternal Grandpa, Paul Stevenson, got arrested for bootlegging in a bathtub (hit The Tribune in the 40s). Good stuff! I enjoyed watching this video - reminds me of when I was a kid and Grandma Helen or Grandma Maggie would take me on a bus ride (had a purse and gloves) and a was given a stick of Wrigley spearment gum for the inside of purse. I had to split the gum, however, with my sister. Good times and super fond memories ... Minnehaha Falls and Como Park. :)

[@SPohl-zy4rz]

Gloves, purse and the gum. Yep, I remember that fondly. We would walk down to the corner store with five cents for Mr. Freezies. My favorite was the blue colored black cherry. I remember skipping in those days as well.

[@XavierKatzone]

THOSE were the days! Gone forever now.

[@pattysachsmeshbesher1249]

I graduated from Minneapolis West High School in 1956, when they were just finishing the new Southdale Mall. The town was very excited about it. In 2006, I had written some 8 books and thousands of pages of event plans, when Southdale called me, I was happy to help them create a Senior Sock Hop for all the Classes of "56--Minneapolis High Schools, including some suburban schools. We invited local vendors like White Castle, Ice Cream Parlors, donut shops, soft drinks, etc. The band of the 50's...White Side Walls and a few other local talents for a real rockin' Sock Hop! Lots of prizes and tickets to movies, record shop coupons...and a lot more. It was a real hit for all of us old 50's fogies...to come out and shake a leg and sing along. Southdale was the first indoor shopping Mall in the U.S. Pretty exciting for us Minnesota "hicks"...most thought we were. But look at us now...The Mall of America is making news all over the world. Well known bands and singers still draw a crowd when they play locally... I don't think I will be able to create a reunion for 2056...but, then with miracle medicine today...there might be a "forever young" pill for us all. In the meantime a sock hop will always be a super hit!! Keep moving you fellow dancers...if you can't roll...at least you can bring your rockers for a twirl on the floor. Patty Sachs Meshbesher, author of Pick A Party: Planning Guides. Keep celebrating! It is good for you.

[@janetjones967]

I remember good old downtown Minneapolis💖💖💞😍🤗

[@51516]

Now Downtown is a hideous nightmare and always will be. Developers and horrible city planning destroyed it forever.

[@constitutionalist1528]

all the shops and stores are gone.... it has been destroyed by BAD city management and its now a dangerous place to go

[@michelepastele5347]

It sure has. Mayor after mayor and their 'vision' crams people into small apartments and dramatically increases crime. Statistics show that, and that's what they're trying to do. It was a really nice town, and they wrecked it.

[@rakijr9176]

Thank the dems for that

[@dennisb.4849]

Now at age 62 it brings back fond memories of downtown Mpls. In the 70s. I lived in south mpls and from the second floor porch of my parents home I could see the IDS building being built when it was well above the tree line. I remember seeing the light of the welding arc from the iron workers welding. And the many trips down town to hang out. What a great time it was then. As a kid my father worked at Jim Angeles Studebaker. It was later raised so that Downtown Chevy Town be built on its spot.

[@barbaraolsem5150]

I was also born in 62 and lived in South MPLS actually on Lake and Nicolette. Went to lots of movies at Stage 7 which was right on Lake Street. Went to school at Whittier when it was super cold my mom gave me a dime for the bus so I didn't freeze.

[@TheSavethetigers1]

When I was 10 years old, I took the bus to school and it drove through downtown Minneapolis. I remember when the IDS building was being built, and I remember the Christmas displays in the windows and the Christmas lights everywhere too.

[@ronaldschultenover8137]

I miss the old Minneapolis and never visit it now nothing there now

[@taosholly]

My dad was Mousey. I worked at his bar, 1102 Hennepin, for about 10 years, until the bar was destroyed by arson. One of our 'swampers', Little Donnie Aubaugh, died in the fire. I closed the bar the night of this incident. There were a lot of adventures there and made the police list of most calls every year. He bought the bar 2 doors down a couple of years later and named it Mouseys Too. It had been owned by Jack Ruby, the guy who killed Lee Harvey Oswald. My dad was a true character and the stories I could tell..........My dad would '86 problem customers by holding them against the wall with feet off the ground and put a 357 in their mouths. Never saw these guys again! The TV/Journalists used to come in most afternoons. Dave Moore was our biggest fan and regular. My dad used to play handball with him at the downtown Y everyday. Dave and WCCO used to do Sealy Mattress Commercials at the bar using our customers to film. These were aired on his weekend (comedy) midnite newscasts if anyone can remember. Jim Klobuchar was there alot. So was IcePick Willie.................

[@MegaKegHead]

In 1963 (age 12) I rode the bus from Essex Road to downtown Minneapolis with a friend.. the most interesting day!

[@jeanperdue5415]

Love you for the memories back in the when was young 🌱 born in 1963 and in the 70s that was the place to be

[@barbaraolsem5150]

So true, I was born in 62 and spent many weekends downtown just walking around. Never got bored.

[@lavalampluva55401]

There used to be Powers. Schuneman's. The Golden Rule. Donaldson's. Young Quinlan. And, of course, Dayton's. Now you have Target....and that's it.

[@combatgirl38]

It's unsurprising that this treasure trove of Old Downtown Minneapolis is doing so well for this man. It saddens me that it's true, but the government/real estate game got Far too greedy and they succeeded in wiping out the variety between one of a kind mom & pop shops and the big name stores that could be found in other cities. These were of course sandwiched in between the corporate work offices that had nothing to do with shopping or personal entertainment with their classic and mid century charms. By the time the lockdowns happened, downtown was already only hosting the bars, restaurants and shops that could keep up with the condo game's inflation spike as the city unrecognizably blossomed into a sunless, stifling grid of "who cares" and "when the hell did That go up?? [wait, Where Am I...] places. Pair that with the government/real estate greed that squashed All life force from Hennepin and what remained of ultra-gentrified Uptown *And* North East and you have what? First Ave holding on? Mickey's Diner? Those far-and-few are straggling one or two closer to home. No need to bother with downtown unless you have a specific need around Christmas, want to disappoint yourself with a stop into Sex World or have a hankering for some otherworldly creepy vibes at your pick of vape shops . What's even sadder is that it's not just us here in Mpls/Stp. The money over human need for a sense of history and belonging is rampant globally with the never ending Empty Condo boom that never seems to end. Ever. They're like soul-seeking missiles out to kill anything warm and artful it detects, which it does-the bonus of sitting empty in unit numbers that skyrocket past the tally of local homeless is just a freebie, given as a gift for your patience and understanding. This truly is a grand and bittersweet discovery on display indeed. I'm grateful he's captured the good times.

[@jeanperdue5415]

Remember that song all take you there. Well looking at those pictures. You took me there.thank you.

[@richardhedd3080]

Gotta love his hair back then.

[@patmcdonald766]

I remember the IDS being built and in the 90's having office space there. Wonderful pictures. Pretty woman and all the shops that brought people out. In the 80's the 8 block area was the biggest hangout for the state. The FOSHAY and the IDS was it. Comedy club and great restaurants.

[@jeanperdue5415]

Just left barnes and nobles and perched those memories thank you

[@3ccdmike]

I was in the IDS when it was being built. All the way to the top, no windows.

[@sirswayzee1220]

I salute this

[@badbattleaxe5832]

I wasn’t even born yet. I seen old news footage. It seemed beautiful, The city is not even the same. They should rename Minneapolis to miniSomalia.

[@keithchilstrom2077]

10¢ to ride downtown

[@jeanperdue5415]

My father and uncle had business downtown called renalds shoe shine I was wanting to get a gimps of place just one more time wow

[@jeanperdue5415]

Just looking back at those pictures bring back so many memories I will never forget those day ❤️

[@jchow5966]

Cool!!!!

[@jeanperdue5415]

And you where so fine. And you still are.

[@deellaboe437]

It's so ugly now compared to back then. The old theatres and shops,

[@luislaplume8261]

I remember the movie Beyond the Valley of the Dolls by Russ Meyer in 1976 in a movie theater in Jamaica,Queens. I think it was rated R. It was an adult comedy with some nudity by big boobed women. Today's PG,PG 13, R, tated movies make that tame by comparison. It had only a few curse words in it.

[@MrMLHoganjr]

Freeways gutting so much of the city really ruined Minneapolis.

[@MegaKegHead]

Gee! They just tore down my parents old house on Fairfield Rd. S. and put up a mega mansion. What a waste!

[@GreenCanvasInteriorscape]

Fairfield in minnetonka?

[@MegaKegHead]

yup@@GreenCanvasInteriorscape

[@MegaKegHead]

@@GreenCanvasInteriorscape yes, 1700 fairfield rd s.

[@michelepastele5347]

Mayo Clinic wasn't part of OLD Minneapolis!

[@Mandrake591]

Definitely not! It epitomizes the ugliness of downtown Mpls 2020....I used to live on that block when there was an art gallery on the second floor.

[@michelepastele5347]

@@Mandrake591 What was the name of that art gallery? It's driving me crazy! Remember that great little grocery store that sold pomegranates?

[@Mandrake591]

@@michelepastele5347 It was called Rifle Sport Art Gallery, (after the re recreation center that preceded it). I lived there November '86 til spring '87. I don't recall tbe grocery store, I wish I did.

[@PapagenoMF]

Mayo Clinic is part of Old Minnesota. The Mayo dates back to the 1870s in Minnesota at least. I'd rather see that there then some of the other junk.

[@malvavisco10]

What? Who said it was??? They did a fade from the old building to what stands there now in order to contextualize it, quite obviously. Just how did you manage to miss that point, Michele?

[@mother-of-2aimee312]

Lol i just bought this book

[@franklinbolander1916]

SAD THAT THE POWERS THAT BE HAS RUINED THE TWIN CITIES AREA...NOW CRIME AND THUGS SLITHERING OUT EVEN TO THE SUBURBS!

[@AtticTapes14]

Saint paul is the better twin city

[@chuckfinley4757]

Thanks a lot Democrats!

[@grahambarnes7325]

Think how much worse it would be with Republicans in charge they only care about making themselves rich-blurgh! (Please don't waste your time answering this if you support the Republican Party)

[@chuckfinley4757]

@@grahambarnes7325 Name one Republican run city that's worse than Chicago, New York, Baltimore, Minneapolis, Portland..... Show me a poor Democrat politician.

[@schwinnbike18]

@@grahambarnes7325 Hey, Graham Barbes~ DEFUND THE POLICE!!!! Heaven on earth...

[@Iansdream]

Too bad it is worse than Cleveland or Detroit now.