2018 Lake + Minnehaha Open Streets

ALL PHOTOS BY JAN WILLMS

Photo right: Although US Bank moved to its present location at 2800 E. Lake in 1979, it first opened its doors in 1910, according to Cheri Kay Getz (pictured), who has been an employee since 1980. The branch bank has a “wall of history” of photographs of its earliest structures, board members, and officers.

Pointing to a photo of a bank vice president who became president in the 1960s, Getz said he started out as a 19-year-old teller. “His duties were to take money in for deposit, clean out the skylight and the spittoon,” she said. He would put the money under a seat in the streetcar to deliver it for deposit.

“There’s a lot of history here,” Getz said. She has collected numerous old photos of Lake St. from when the bank first opened.

This year Getz will join five other bank employees in a booth for Open Streets. Two can man the booth while the others go out and see the other businesses along the street. “We want to see how our bank can help businesses,” she stated. “I also want to talk to some of the craft people, and see how we can help them build their businesses, also.”

She said people taking photos of Open Streets can send their photos to US Bank and win a good prize. “We just want people to know we are here to really help the community,” Getz said.

Photo left: Samosa, a deep fried pastry pocket filled with vegetables. Reshmi Kebab, chicken marinated in garden fresh cilantro and green chilies, blended with yogurt and baked in a Tandoor oven. These are the foods that will be served by Gandhi Mahal, 3009 17th Ave. S., at Open Streets. The restaurant features fine dining Indian cuisine. Profits from Gandhi Mahal and Minnehaha Lake Wine and Spirits for their Open Streets offerings will go to Surly Brewing, to be donated to charity.

Photo right: A demonstration of the art of aikido (pictured) will be given by individuals attending classes at East Lake Aikido, 3359 36th Ave. S., at Open Streets. Galen David teaches classes to youth and adults in aikido, a Japanese martial art that is described as a path for polishing the spirit, nourishing the body and developing the whole person. Visitors to Open Streets will have an opportunity to view aikido.

Photo left: Minnehaha Communion Lutheran Church, 4101 37th Ave. S., has participated in Open Streets the past three years. Last year the church featured a rap artist. This year they will be offering soap bubbles, according to Pastor Dan Ankerfelt (pictured). The church also has an orchard, and Trevor Russell with Community Hops will be on hand. Community Hops educates the community and facilitates involvement in the cultivation of specialized crops with sustainable agricultural practices.

“I think Open Streets is a wonderful opportunity and chance to greet people without traffic,” Ankerfelt said.

Photo right: The Fix Studio, 3725 Minnehaha Ave., offers a training studio and bike shop and, as of a few months ago, a café that serves healthy snacks. Owners Sophie St. Jacques and Larry Foss (pictured) have been at this location since 2010.

“We teach indoor cycling strength, provide injury rehab and massage therapy,” Foss said. “Sophie was the massage therapist for the Canadian Olympic team.”

He said the bike shop, in business since 1921, is the oldest bike shop in the Metro that he is aware of. For Open Streets, they hope to get the business owners on their block to come up with something that will make it “the most fun block for Open Streets.”

Photo left: Surly Beer Brewing will be on hand with a beer truck in the parking lot of Minnehaha Lake Wine and Spirits, 2613 E. Lake St., according to owner Jason Krause (pictured).

“We will have games going on in our lot: bag games, a gigantic tic-tac-toe, and Jenga,” he said. People can have a beer and sample food from Gandhi Mahal's food booth. “It works well,” Krause said. “It’s just great for lunch.”

He said Open Streets is good for the community as a whole. Previously, when the store was closed on Sundays, he didn’t participate. But last year he did, and he considered it a great event. “People bike up and down the streets, and it’s a good day,” he noted.

Photo right: Pizza slices and poetry will be offered at Moon Palace Books, 3032 Minnehaha, during Open Streets. “It will be like poetry karaoke, combining two great parts of our business,” said co-owner Angela Schwesnedl (pictured). The bookstore moved to a new location, and two months ago added a restaurant, Geek Love Café. A patio is also being added.

The move has allowed for a larger inventory of books. There is an auditorium where book readings can be held, and an upstairs floor that has a wonderful view of Minnehaha Ave. “Up here on the second floor we also sell used books and have room for book clubs to meet,” Schwesnedl said.

She said she finds Open Streets to be a lot of fun, especially when the weather is nice. “We have had good luck with the weather, and I really like that you can go the whole length of Open Streets and see something different in every part of it,” Schwesnedl claimed. “We spend so much of the year inside; it is really nice to get access to the outdoors.”