Loon Grocery

Loon Grocery - 2501 Lyndale Ave Minneapolis

The back of the store (the longer image here) was recently done by people "up the street at Intermedia Arts" according to the store clerk working at the time. Althought busy with a few
customers he was happy to tell me about it.

The images on the side and front the store appear to be a bit dated and different styling.

The clerk informed me that there are some more murals by the same people at Gringo's Cantina‎ & at the Laundromat up the street... maybe the Bulldog too. Don't worry I followed the leads and will have more soon.
Photographed 05.23.2009; Corner of W25th Street & S Lyndale Avenue Minneapolis

Above: Front of the store

Above: W25th Street Side of the store

Above: Part of the old rear of the store

Above: Rear of the store

Colonial Cleaners

Located at 3701 Lyndale Ave S Minneapolis Colonial Cleaners is an environmentally friendly launderer

Unsure who painted this mural but I guess they wanted to bring us to a peaceful European styled village in a valley. Photo taken 05.23.2009

Corner of Murals

W 38th Street & Grand Ave in Minneapolis has an intersection filled with murals.

This mural is done by Artist Tammy Ortegon, the owner of Color Wheel Salon and Gallery. It is on the side of Peter Pan Cleaners (22 W 38th St Minneapolis)
Photographed 05.23.2009

The side of Better Than Ever located at 3800 Grand Ave S helps brighten up the corner with a deep blues & greens.
Photographed 05.23.2009; Artist & Title Unknown

@ the same corner; Photographed 05.23.2009; Artist & Title Unknown

Note that my previous post about Femaya @ Victor's 1959 is also at the same intersection.

Femaya at Victor's 1959

One of my favorite restaurants in Minneapolis is in the Kingfield neighborhood, Victor's 1959 Café For anyone who has visited this eclectic Cuban restaurant knows that the flare doesn't stop with the food on the plate, nor the decor on the table, walls, employees, it extends out the door (where patrons often wait in a line on the weekends to get to this treat) and to the walls outside.

When I stopped at this location recently I talked with one of the staff who informed me about the one mural painted on the wall outside. The mural, entitled Femaya is an afro-latino painting done in the summer of 2003 by visiting [from Cuba] artist Lydia Aguilera Sanchez.


Femaya (above); Unknown below; both taken on 05.23.2009
3756 Grand Ave S Minneapolis (Grand Avenue S & W 38th Street)

Dare to Dream in Bancroft

There are 81 neighborhoods in the City of Minneapolis and I'd never heard of Bancroft prior to the time that I took these photos last week. I've driven down its streets but it wasn't until I stepped out of my car to take some photos and talked to some people on the street that I found out more.

The Bancroft Neighborhood Association has aided in some of the murals in the area. Some of them appear to have been created from El Colegio Charter School; a small public high school in Minneapolis that has been serving students in English and Spanish since 2000.

3744 E 38th Street
Dare to Dream, 2008; Greta McLain & El Colegio Charter School students
Photographed on 05.23.2009

An active Corcoran

With a vibrant population of about 4,000+, access to the light-rail line, and quaint homes the Corcoran Neighborhood has many murals. I've heard about 10 or so; I've seen about 5 and can't wait to explore more soon. The one below is by one of my favorite artists whom I'm proud to have her art hung on my apartment walls.

Artist: Tammy Ortegon, the owner of Color Wheel Salon and Gallery
Photographed 05.23.2009 (while smelling the beef/Juicy Lucys cooking @ Matt's Bar (1 block over)
1832 E 35th Street

Quotes from the Sun

At Gas Station; Mural was there prior to purchase of the store in April 2009
Cedar Avenue & E 34th Street
Artist & Title Unknown
Photographed 05.23.2009

Even after all this time
the sun never says
to the earth
"you owe me."

Look what happens
with a love like that.
it lights the
whole sky.
-Hafiz

Resource Center of the Americas

Named after poet Henry Wadsworth the Longfellow neighborhood has both industrial areas and housing. The boundaries are roughly 27th Street E, Hiwatha Ave, 38ths Avenue S, and 34th Street E.

This mosaic mural is on the side of the Resource Center of the Americas building

3019 Minnehaha Ave Minneapolis
Photographed on 05.12.2009 (poor quality)
Artist Unknown

Dead End

Side of the former Tower Grocery building
Bedford St SE & Prospect Terrace
Photographed on 05.23.2009
Appears to be tagged isaacarvold.com/

This one is a bright spot as you drive past the crest of the hill on University Ave SE heading into St. Paul; I noticed this one a while back but didn't grab a photo until the other day.

Empty Parking Lot

200 Block Snelling Avenue N St. Paul
Photographed 05.24.2009; Artist(s): Broken Crow & Paint Goggles, 2008; title unknown.

This image is located on the side of a business in an easy to pass by empty parking lot.

The City of St. Paul recognizes 16 "city districts" of which this mural is located in the Merriam Park Lexington Hamline district.

La Poblantia

Mural on the side of La Poblantia
1623 E Lake Street Minneapolis
Photographed on 05.10.2009; artist & title unknown

I've gone past this store before but not from this direction. This mural displays a life enriched by traditional agriculture.

Keeping Heritage

When I think of murals in the city of Minneapolis I quickly think of the amazing Central neighborhood. Bright colors naturally splash the sides and fronts to many buildings along the Lake Street corridor.

This image is on the side of a business locate at 14th Avenue S & E Lake Street Minneapolis
Photographed on 05.10.2009, artist & title unknown