A Part-Time Job Led to a 45-Year Career in Hardware Said Michael Lander of Lander Group
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Candidates face off Historic Millworks Bossen Mural Celebration in City Council and Lofts fills to capacity and Open House Park Board races in a month planned Oct. 3 PAGE 5 PAGE 7 PAGE 16 October 2017 Vol. 35 No. 8 www.LongfellowNokomisMessenger.com 21,000 Circulation • New building next to 38th St. lightrail station clearing construction hurdles Plan to revitalize 38th St. station includes three new buildings, two plazas, new street, stoplight, and bike parking By TESHA M. CHRISTENSEN doesn’t own a car. She also ex- While the proposal for pressed concern about where cars multi-story buildings at the 38th were going to park. “Everyone St. and Hiawatha fits within the wants to park by the lightrail sta- city’s plans for development tion. They want a park and ride,” along the lightrail line, neighbors she stated. argue that it doesn’t fit within their Minneapolis neighborhood. Station to be redone During a public hearing on The Lander Group is planning Sept. 18, Jennifer Halter, a res- to revitalize the 38th St. lightrail ident along 29th Ave., pointed station “through privately-led, out that most of the buildings in publicly-visioned development,” the neighborhood are one-and-a- according to city documents. By half story bungalows or two-story making the site larger through homes. the purchase of the six homes She specifically opposes the on the west side of the proper- plan by the developer, Lander ty along 29th, the Lander Group Group, to put a four-story build- will enlarge the bus turnaround ing on the southeast corner of and drop-off, create a new city 38th St. and 29th Ave. street, add two new station pla- “A four-story building has no A wedge-shaped building next to the lightrail line will house offices and a restaurant. Next to it will be a private- zas with public art and water fea- business on the south block of ly-owned, public plaza with seating and a water feature. (Illustration submitted) tures, and construct three new 38th St. if the city and developer buildings. The buildings will intend to retain the character of house a mixture of office, retail, the neighborhood,” wrote Halter house on the south will be right side of 38th, parking issues along ed Caroline Smart. and housing. in a letter opposing the proposal. next to a four-story wall without residential streets, and the traffic Yvette Roberts, who lives The plan shows a building a setback, Halter said. congestion that will be generated north of 38th along 29th Ave., A great street that is two stories along 38th and Halter was joined by three by the new development. is also concerned about traffic, steps back to four stories on the other neighbors who are also “People want their cars. They specifically the buses that will be While neighbors spoke about the south side, which means that concerned about the size of the don’t want to go grocery shop- traveling down her street, and overall development during the the 100-year-old, 1.5-story farm- building proposed for the south ping in January on the bus,” stat- she’s a regular bus rider who Sept. 18 public hearing, Planning Commissioners were looking at just a portion of the project. “We’re excited to be here,” A part-time job led to a 45-year career in hardware said Michael Lander of Lander Group. “One could argue this is the culmination of a vision that A loss to the community as River Lake Hardware to close its doors by the end of the year started 27 years ago.” The vision By STEPHANIE FOX of nuts, bolts, nails and fasteners, for lightrail along this corridor Jim Logan, one of the own- racks of hand and power tools, included the redevelopment of ers of River Lake Hardware at lawn and garden, paint, shelves the area with high-density hous- 36th and E. Lake St., has been of plumbing supplies—and ing along the line and additional greeting a steady stream of cus- Logan knows where everything amenities. tomers all morning, as he does is located, down to the inch. The “There’s been a lot of peo- most days. Often showing up store offers services, too. And ple talking about what they want as early as 7:30am, he has been while Logan claims that brick to happen, and we’re excited to doing this for 45 years and this and mortar businesses are dead, make it happen,” Lander stated. morning, the word has gotten most of his customers disagree. The Lander Group envisions out that by the end of the year, Many of his customers have a “great street” from its soon-to- the shop will close for good. been coming here for years. The be complete project at 38th and In the beginning, Logan and 200 to 300 customers who come 28th east to Hiawatha. They in- his business partner Mark Ender- in each day are not big box store tend to invest in streetscaping lein never planned to be in the people. They come for good ad- improvements along the corridor. hardware business. Logan was vice and expertise and because The new city street within the de- in college, within 12 credits of the store supports the neighbor- velopment, the extension of 30th getting an accounting degree, hood. (Yelp gives the store their Ave., will be a full city street and when he took what he thought highest five-star rating.) Logan not merely the bus lane that is would be a short-time job at Jim Logan (pictured above) and his partner Mark Enderlein will be closing calls his place the most laid-back there now and it will have broad River Lake Hardware. He remem- River Lake Hardware at the end of the year. (Photo by Stephanie Fox) hardware store in the Twin Cities. sidewalks. bers the exact date, he said. “It “I can support my local One of the highlights of the was Sept. 10, 1972,” and now, in 1974. It was not Logan’s first I own the half he doesn’t own.” hardware store because I grew site for the public is a 100 by 40- just one day short of 45 years, a business. He had owned a small Enderlein still works at the hard- up here,” said Travis Berg, who foot plaza along 38th and the sign announcing the going out sandwich shop in St. Paul, but ware store when the place gets came in looking for a line level. lightrail line. This will be a pri- of business sale appeared above somehow, hardware (and not crowded and busy. “In theory, I “I used to come in here as a kid vately-owned public space with the door. “I lived across the street sandwiches) got into his blood. work every other Saturday when and spend my allowance. Now, sidewalks along the edge, seat- and needed a job,” he said. “And, Enderlein also owns River Jim gets off, but a lot of the time I’m in construction. This place is ing, planters, and a water feature I thought it would be a good Lake Small Engine and Racing, both me and Jim end up working partly the reason for that.” Logan within 20 feet of what developers idea to get business experience. just down the street, which serves together.” sends him down to the basement hope will be a restaurant. I didn’t think it would last long. the go-kart racing community. At about 3,000 sq. ft., the for the level. The public improvements But, I fell in love with it.” “Jim and I have been 50/50 own- shop is small, with a main floor One customer comes in will be financed and paid for by Logan and Enderlein bought ers of the hardware store for 45 and a basement, located down a new resources directly from the the store, a True Value franchise, years,” he said. “I like to say that narrow staircase. There are bins Continued on page 4 Continued on page 13 Rick’s Place welcomes vets and their families Support Messenger Advertisers! By MARGIE O’LOUGHLIN Next Deadline: October 16 Rick’s Place is not your or- Next Publication: October 26 dinary coffee shop. Walking through the doors of the store- front at 4307 E. 54th St., it feels informal and welcoming—but there’s not much that’s trendy about it. Rick’s Place opened in late July as a gathering spot for vet- erans and their families, as well as members of the community. The owners proudly state that, by choice, there’s no WiFi. It’s a place where people can come to enjoy a cup of coffee and baked goods from Berry Sweet Kitchens just down the street, and it won’t cost much. It’s place where peo- ple, and especially war veterans, can come to connect with each other—and to feel safe. Rick’s Place is currently open Monday through Friday from 8am-2pm, but that will likely change in the fall to an earlier start time. There is no charge for coffee or treats, though dona- tions are welcome. Tom Mckenna and his wife Jessi are the driving force behind Rick’s Place. Mckenna, whose Tom Mckenna, Head Veteran Supporter at Rick’s Place with Mack, his job title is, ”Head Veteran Sup- service dog. Like more than half a million vets, Mckenna suffers from porter,” was a member of the PTSD symptoms, which a service dog can help alleviate.