Email  Print  del.icio.us  digg  yahoo!

Twin Cities 70 Best Shops, Furniture, Bargains and much more

Photo by Maki Strunc Photography
Styled By David Anger

(page 1 of 3)

1 & 2 Hometown Heroes

Local contemporary furniture manufacturer Blu Dot—brainchild of college buddies John Christakos, Charles Lazor, and Maurice Blanks—gives its customers good design at affordable prices and regularly snags national design recognition for Minneapolis. Here, Christakos and Tara Larson, manager of Roam, the retail mecca for modernistas and Minnesota’s designated “Dot Spot” that carries Blu Dot’s full line, ham it up on the “Animal” sofa, $1,599. 813 Glenwood Ave., Minneapolis, 612-377-6465, www.bludot.com.

3 Wonders of Woodworking

Being in Northrup King’s Blue Sky Galleries is like being in a little slice of woodworker’s heaven. From custom furniture and functional accessories to wall hangings and sculpture, the gallery features the work of more than 30 regional wood artists, including Thomas Schrunk, Mark Laub, Will Fifer, and Peter Schulzetenberg. 1500 Jackson St. NE, Minneapolis, 612-789-9868, www.blueskygalleries.com.
 

4 Wallcoverings

Spend a day with your interior designer at International Market Square, and come away with dramatic wallpapers by the truckload. Or, do your own one-stop shopping at Hirshfield’s Design Studio. It stocks many of the same gorgeous papers (like the Cole & Son “Woods” paper on the previous page), and is open to the public. 721 Second Ave. N., Minneapolis, 612-374-8901, www.hirshfields.com/services/designstudio.html.
 

5 Collaboration

Dean Engelmann and Scott Endres, co-owners of Tangletown Gardens, not only created an urban oasis where a gas station once stood, they also built a well-deserved reputation as plant, design, and landscaping experts. Their diminutive shop on 53rd and Nicollet displays an impressive selection of perennials, annuals, heirloom vegetables, shrubs, trees, and—perhaps most important—inspiration to all who visit. Sophisticated floral arrangements and urns are just one of their specialties. Tangletown Gardens also sponsors an annual Garden and Art Tour the last Saturday of every July, donating the proceeds to help fund public art and garden projects in Minneapolis and St. Paul. 5353 Nicollet Ave. S., Minneapolis, 612-822-4769, www.tangletowngardens.com.
 

6 Minnesota Twist on Pink Flamingoes

Chuck Adams, owner of Francis Metal Works, sells gaggles of earth-bound water birds made out of Minnesota fieldstone and carbon steel. Use them in the garden or create an organic flock in the house—they won’t fly south in the winter. 8824 Zealand Ave. N., Brooklyn Center, 763-425-0036, www.francismetalworks.com.
 

7 Garden Sculptor

Bits of thrift store and rummage sale crockery gives Sheryl Tuorila’s handcrafted mosaic garden sculptures a fascinating texture and depth. She fashions animals as well as more utilitarian items, such as these “Lily Pad” tables, which combine her mosaics with ironwork by Kristen Arden. Sheryl Tuorila Mosaics, 1500 Jackson St. NE, Minneapolis, www.sheryltuorila.com.

8 Gift for Gardeners

Joe Maccanelli’s birdhouses feature cherry, hard maple, or oak “walls” and copper roofs. These birdhouses, available in a variety of colors, are guaranteed to please any bird or bird-loving gardener. Circle Snake Studio, 800-805-1996, www.circlesnakestudio.com.

9 Garden Bookstore

Let’s just say that when Martha Stewart found herself with some free time in St. Paul a few years back, she spent the afternoon in this unassuming duplex in Lower Town. With more than 15,000 books filling every nook and cranny of the six-plus room space, Terrace Horticultural Books offers one of the largest stocks of garden books, periodicals, catalogs, and ephemera related to plants in North America. Since 1991, Kent Petterson and his wife, Abby Farr-Petterson, have welcomed guests (both in store and online). 503 Saint Clair Ave., St. Paul, 651-222-5536, www.terracehorticulturalbooks.com.
 

10 Reinvention of an Old Standard

The original “Westport plank chair,” designed more than 100 years ago by a vacationer in New York, was long overdue for a redesign. Jeff Taly, a skateboard-park designer in Duluth, took up the task in 2005, and sketched out a decidedly edgier Adirondack using scrap plastic from a local skateboard-ramp company. He went through at least 20 prototypes until he came up with a chair worthy of a modern-day lollygagger. He also left plenty of room on the arms for a glass of lemonade. Loll Designs Adirondack, $389. 1325 N. 59th Ave. W., Duluth, 218-740-3387, www.lolldesigns.com.
 

11 Antique Reproductions

If you’re in love with your grandmother’s hutch, but can’t find another one like it, swing into Euronest, just a short hop from Excelsior and Grand. Lori Anderson’s European-inspired shop brims with fabulous furnishings for every room in the home, and the accessories that go along with them. 5700 W. 36th St., St. Louis Park, 952-929-2927, www.euro-nest.com.

12 Vintage Stained Glass

Hundreds of panes of top-quality antique stained glass are stacked neatly along the wall of Wescott Station Antiques in St. Paul. With each piece shipped in from dealers on the East Coast, you won’t find a more extensive selection in the Twin Cities. 226 W. Seventh St., St. Paul, 651-227-2469.

13 Scavenging for House Artifacts

Step through the door of Architectural Antiques and take one gigantic leap back in time. Loaded to the rafters with antique doors, stained glass windows, cabinetry, lighting elements, corbels, fireplace mantels, and just about any other architectural element you can think of, this Northeast Minneapolis landmark is the first step for many a rehabbing homeowner. 1330 Quincy St. NE, Minneapolis, 612-332-8344, www.archantiques.com.

 

14 Estate Sale

The brainchild of nationally renowned designer Robb Whittlef and his brother Mike, Great Estate Home & Garden is full of hidden treasures. Reasonable prices, an abundance of everything from accent pillows to over-sized architectural elements resembling something you’d find on a Hollywood set, and an ever-changing inventory make this Minnetonka showroom every designer’s secret weapon. 10001 Minnetonka Blvd., Minnetonka, 952-933-9924, www.greatestatehomeandgarden.com.

15 Curiosity Shop

Feel the need for a stuffed peacock in full regalia? Or does your significant other deserve a fossil paperweight? If so, stop in at Luehmann. Proprietor Laurie Luehmann scours estate sales and heaven-knows-what-else to bring an amazing variety of collectibles, jewelry, and furnishings to her small storefront. You never know what you’ll find at Luehmann (it depends on where Laurie has been), but if you hurry in, you might be able to pick up this moose foot ashtray for $65. 5005 Bryant Ave. S., Minneapolis, 612-285-8467.