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Omforme, a Norwegian word meaning “to transform,” is turning the Twin Cities’ trash to treasures. Founded by interior designer Carter Averbeck, the Minneapolis artisan shop transforms discarded and forlorn furniture finds into beautifully upcycled pieces. Where do you typically find your furniture? We find furniture in a variety of places from Craigslist, old stor- age warehouses, yard sales to items thrown out or set on the curb as trash. Because we are focused on a mission of saving good items for refurbishing, anything considered passé by others are pieces we find the most appealing. Is there one neighborhood that is particularly prolific in throwing out old stuff? For the most part, there isn’t one specific neighborhood but rather those that are going through a transitory phase from humdrum to gentrification. Houses in older neighborhoods get sold, remodeled and much of what is in those homes get thrown out during the process without a second thought. What is the golden rule of revamping old furniture? Our golden rule is: Does the piece have good lines? Many aspects go into that, such as if the item has an iconic shape like the Louis XVI style chairs we found slated for a landfill or a classic modern outline on a dresser that is still considered styl- ish in our current market. What many people don’t realize is that furniture styles actually change very little over the decades—only the outer shell changes. A sofa’s fabrics can look dated, yet the lines of the piece are great. When we transform a piece, we consider the frame and what would be a good fit as far as injec- tions of style to breathe new life into a piece. It could be a fresh coat of lacquer, reupholstering, adding sculptural details and a host of other elements we have at our disposal to use on any given item of furniture. What is the time period that is most often discarded? Currently the most items come from the late mid-century period up until the late 1970’s. But we see items from every time period during the twentieth century being discarded. TRASH- TO- TREASURE FURNITURE DESIGN OMFORME [ MPLS] Do people not understand what they are throwing away? Sometimes we wonder that ourselves when we find really great items left by the side of the curb. I believe there is an over- whelming habit to just throw away things in favor of new ones. So much of our society is built around the notion that dispens- able things are somehow better: food, products, clothing, furni- ture. The very idea of transforming a piece of furniture doesn’t come naturally to most people, hence buying new is easier. I also think that even if a person knows a piece of furniture might have value, they may not have the creative vision or motivation to transform a piece into a new look. Why did you decide to turn this into a business? This has really been a passionate hobby of mine since, forever! I would find a great piece of furniture that had seen better days, revamp it and use it in my home. With the right amount of creative thinking, anything can be transformed into something better. Being in the Interior Design business for as long as I have, I have seen incredible things come from that world: cool, sleek, cutting edge and expensive. There is an overwhelming abundance of accessories and furniture being manufactured at breakneck speed and it got me to wondering: What happens to all this stuff? Where does it go when it’s no longer given value? That answer is usually: in the trash. Our landfills are at the brink of being overstuffed with perfectly good items of furniture. By taking these items and giving them a new lease on life, it’s has been amazingly gratifying to witness how people are now start- ing to see the value in older furniture that has been transformed through the artisans at Omforme. www.omformedesign.com Sweden is best known for its meatballs, cold weather, and easy-to-assemble furniture. Replace meatballs with beer and you could be talking about Milwaukee these days. Misewell was founded by Vincent and Paul Georgeson who share a belief that the best materials and craftsmen combine to make the best design. The brothers have been pumping out award-winning furniture design since 2009. The Milwaukee version may value locally sourced materials and a Midwestern sturdiness more than its Swedish counterpart, but their commitment to function- ality and an easy assembly is the same. Misewell’s Conrad table is one of the best examples of all of the above with a locally harvested walnut top and legs that easily snap into a steel bracket, all handmade in Minnesota. The Milwaukee brothers will be releasing their newest line of furniture in the near future. www.misewell.com FINNISH STYLE IN THE TWIN CITIES FINNSTYLE [ MPLS] When Finnish design blew up this year with Helsinki’s selection as design capitol of the world, Ben Horn was not surprised. The title, he says “has put Finland back in the limelight”. Ten years ago, Horn brought Finnish design to the Twin Cities when he opened Finnstyle. “Finnish design has wowed the design world since the early 1950s. Their products are practical and beautiful and innovative with materials and technology.” The bold, colorful patterns of Marimekko, sleek Iitala glassware, and modern Alvar Aalto housewares and furnishings line the shop in the Ware- house District of Minneapolis. So what is it about Finnish design that warrants the title of design capitol of the world? “Finnish products are high-quality and long-lasting. People appreciate that these items can be passed on to a future generation and still look and function perfectly. The Alvar Aalto vases first designed in 1936 still look cutting-edge and modern,” says Horn. In honor of their design title, the well-known companies like Marimekko and Iitala have been churning out exciting new products as well as rereleasing some old classics, which Horn has of course stocked in his store. “A new version of Kai Franck’s utilitarian Kartio glassware, first designed in 1958, is ultra thin and elegant, yet stackable and naturally easy to use on the tabletop. Also this year, Marimekko re-introduced its Helsinki print from 1952.” If you’re looking for your own piece of quintessential Finnish design, Horn has some recommendations: “Marimekko’s Unikko poppy flower print is one of the most iconic Finnish designs. Unikko dresses and tunics are especially popular and it’s always fresh because Marimekko releases new colors and updated cuts every season. Recently, Converse shoes and Marimekko joined forces, and the shoes they’ve made are cool, comfortable and really popular.” www.finnstyle.com CONRAD TABLE, MISEWELL [MILWAUKEE] Don’t ask Ben VandenWymelenberg how much wood a wood- chuck could chuck. He has heard that question a lot lately and doesn’t know the answer. But he does know that he wants to “put nature back in people’s lives.” The recent University of Minnesota architecture grad partnered with fellow student Kevin Groenjes to start WOODCHUCKcase, selling wooden covers for iPhones, iPads, and MacBooks. His late night idea has become a hit, with many local stores selling the cases and Best Buy recently agreeing to stock the Woodchuck. Not only a beauti- ful addition to electronics, the Woodchuck Case is durable and in most cases will outlive the phone or computer it’s attached to. The company hopes to be in other large retailers and on the global market soon, but until then, the pair is focused on “Wood- chucking” Beats by Dre headphones, Apple’s wireless keyboard, Droid phones, and other pieces of cold electronics that could use a wooden touch. www.woodchuckcase.com WOODCHUCKcase, [MPLS]

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thirty two seeks to connect Minnesota with the midwest, the country, and occasionally the world.

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Omforme, a Norwegian word meaning “to transform,” is turning the Twin Cities’ trash to treasures. Founded by interior designer Carter Averbeck, the Minneapolis artisan shop transforms discarded and forlorn furniture finds into beautifully upcycled pieces.

Where do you typically find your furniture? We find furniture in a variety of places from Craigslist, old stor-age warehouses, yard sales to items thrown out or set on the curb as trash. Because we are focused on a mission of saving good items for refurbishing, anything considered passé by others are pieces we find the most appealing.

Is there one neighborhood that is particularly prolific in throwing out old stuff? For the most part, there isn’t one specific neighborhood but rather those that are going through a transitory phase from humdrum to gentrification. Houses in older neighborhoods get sold, remodeled and much of what is in those homes get thrown out during the process without a second thought.

What is the golden rule of revamping old furniture? Our golden rule is: Does the piece have good lines? Many aspects go into that, such as if the item has an iconic shape like the Louis XVI style chairs we found slated for a landfill or a classic modern outline on a dresser that is still considered styl-ish in our current market. What many people don’t realize is that furniture styles actually change very little over the decades—only the outer shell changes. A sofa’s fabrics can look dated, yet the lines of the piece are great. When we transform a piece, we consider the frame and what would be a good fit as far as injec-tions of style to breathe new life into a piece. It could be a fresh coat of lacquer, reupholstering, adding sculptural details and a host of other elements we have at our disposal to use on any given item of furniture.

What is the time period that is most often discarded?Currently the most items come from the late mid-century period up until the late 1970’s. But we see items from every time period during the twentieth century being discarded.

TRASH-TO-TREASURE FURNITURE DESIGN OMFORME [MPLS]

Do people not understand what they are throwing away?Sometimes we wonder that ourselves when we find really great items left by the side of the curb. I believe there is an over-whelming habit to just throw away things in favor of new ones. So much of our society is built around the notion that dispens-able things are somehow better: food, products, clothing, furni-ture. The very idea of transforming a piece of furniture doesn’t come naturally to most people, hence buying new is easier. I also think that even if a person knows a piece of furniture might have value, they may not have the creative vision or motivation to transform a piece into a new look.

Why did you decide to turn this into a business?This has really been a passionate hobby of mine since, forever! I would find a great piece of furniture that had seen better days, revamp it and use it in my home. With the right amount of creative thinking, anything can be transformed into something better. Being in the Interior Design business for as long as I have, I have seen incredible things come from that world: cool, sleek, cutting edge and expensive. There is an overwhelming abundance of accessories and furniture being manufactured at breakneck speed and it got me to wondering: What happens to all this stuff? Where does it go when it’s no longer given value? That answer is usually: in the trash. Our landfills are at the brink of being overstuffed with perfectly good items of furniture. By taking these items and giving them a new lease on life, it’s has been amazingly gratifying to witness how people are now start-ing to see the value in older furniture that has been transformed through the artisans at Omforme. www.omformedesign.com

Sweden is best known for its meatballs, cold weather, and easy-to-assemble furniture. Replace meatballs with beer and you could be talking about Milwaukee these days. Misewell was founded by Vincent and Paul Georgeson who share a belief that the best materials and craftsmen combine to make the best design. The brothers have been pumping out award-winning furniture design since 2009. The Milwaukee version may value locally sourced materials and a Midwestern sturdiness more than its Swedish counterpart, but their commitment to function-ality and an easy assembly is the same. Misewell’s Conrad table is one of the best examples of all of the above with a locally harvested walnut top and legs that easily snap into a steel bracket, all handmade in Minnesota. The Milwaukee brothers will be releasing their newest line of furniture in the near future. www.misewell.com

FINNISH STYLE IN THE TWIN CITIESFINNSTYLE [MPLS]

When Finnish design blew up this year with Helsinki’s selection as design capitol of the world, Ben Horn was not surprised. The title, he says “has put Finland back in the limelight”. Ten years ago, Horn brought Finnish design to the Twin Cities when he opened Finnstyle. “Finnish design has wowed the design world since the early 1950s. Their products are practical and beautiful and innovative with materials and technology.” The bold, colorful patterns of Marimekko, sleek Iitala glassware, and modern Alvar Aalto housewares and furnishings line the shop in the Ware-house District of Minneapolis.So what is it about Finnish design that warrants the title of design capitol of the world? “Finnish products are high-quality and long-lasting. People appreciate that these items can be passed on to a future generation and still look and function perfectly. The Alvar Aalto vases first designed in 1936 still look cutting-edge and modern,” says Horn. In honor of their design title, the well-known companies like Marimekko and Iitala have been churning out exciting new products as well as rereleasing some old classics, which Horn has of course stocked in his store.

“A new version of Kai Franck’s utilitarian Kartio glassware, first designed in 1958, is ultra thin and elegant, yet stackable and naturally easy to use on the tabletop. Also this year, Marimekko re-introduced its Helsinki print from 1952.”If you’re looking for your own piece of quintessential Finnish design, Horn has some recommendations: “Marimekko’s Unikko poppy flower print is one of the most iconic Finnish designs. Unikko dresses and tunics are especially popular and it’s always fresh because Marimekko releases new colors and updated cuts every season. Recently, Converse shoes and Marimekko joined forces, and the shoes they’ve made are cool, comfortable and really popular.” www.finnstyle.com

CONRAD TABLE, MISEWELL [MILWAUKEE]

Don’t ask Ben VandenWymelenberg how much wood a wood-chuck could chuck. He has heard that question a lot lately and doesn’t know the answer. But he does know that he wants to “put nature back in people’s lives.” The recent University of Minnesota architecture grad partnered with fellow student Kevin Groenjes to start WOODCHUCKcase, selling wooden covers for iPhones, iPads, and MacBooks. His late night idea has become a hit, with many local stores selling the cases and Best Buy recently agreeing to stock the Woodchuck. Not only a beauti-ful addition to electronics, the Woodchuck Case is durable and in most cases will outlive the phone or computer it’s attached to. The company hopes to be in other large retailers and on the global market soon, but until then, the pair is focused on “Wood-chucking” Beats by Dre headphones, Apple’s wireless keyboard, Droid phones, and other pieces of cold electronics that could use a wooden touch. www.woodchuckcase.com

WOODCHUCKcase, [MPLS]

DC is an award-winning children’s book illustrator who shows her “sinister but sweet” artwork nationwide. This October, she will be the featured artist at Gallery 360,

located at Xerxes and 50th in Minneapolis with an opening reception on Saturday, October 6. DC will also be showcasing her work in coordination with the St. Paul Art Crawl,

from October 12 -14, at AZ Gallery in Lowertown St. Paul. More art by DC Ice can be found on www.dcice.com.

You may have heard the rumors. In recent months, at least four local and national media sources have entered the argument over whether or not Minnesota is having a cultural

renaissance.I prefer to call it a Minnessance. So you know where I fall

on the issue.I grew up in Seattle, but lived in Minneapolis for a few

years when I was young; I have fond memories of my mom taking me to the MIA and quizzing me on the artists’ names. So when I moved out to attend Macalester, I already knew the Twin Cities to be a hotbed of cultural happenings: the best regional theatre in the country, one of the most highly regarded art museums, and Prince—the man himself—I mean yes, we’re all sick of the hype, but as an eighteen-year-old kid, what more could I want? Still, I got a lot of, “Where are you going to school again? Michigan. . .?” and, “So, you’re study-ing agriculture?”

I admit it, I didn’t love that reputation. In fact, it wasn’t until my senior year, when I met my now-husband, a Saint Paul native that I really began to appreciate what the Cities ��������ơ��Ǥ���������������������������������������������-enue. He played me Rhymesayers, Har Mar Super Star, Lifter Puller; took me to the Turf Club, the Triple Rock, the Museum ��������������Ǥ���������ǡ����������������������������������America, screen printers who now share CO Exhibitions with Permanent Art & Design Group. “O brave new world, That has such people in’t!” I thought, totally making that line up right �ơ�������������������Ǥ

But by then, the egotist in me had already made plans �������������������Ǥ����������������������������������������Ǥ� ��������������������ơǡ�����������������������������������-mother, in Seattle, about cities and how to choose one. She ��������������������������������������Ƥ������������������������and had hung out with the likes of Allen Ginsberg and Peter Voulkos. My granddad passed down a tie he got from Dizzy Gillespie. My grandmother said to me, “What you really ��������Ƥ��������moment in history. Like San Francisco when �������������Ǥ�����������������Ǥdz���������ǡ�Dz����������ǡ�Gramma, that was special. Like it’s ever gonna happen to ��Ǥdz��������������ǡ������������������������Ǥ�����������������ǡ�I watched the mottled masses of young folks teeming like rats from the L train; they all seemed to be trying their Debbie-Harry-damnedest to chase that same dream.

�ǯ��������������������������������������������������������Ǥ�

And I did love it there. I had a moderately successful sketch comedy group and a budding career in television. But it didn’t feel like a moment. This past winter, I spent a few months in Portland, another colorful, youthful city on a river...whose moment already seems to be turning into a myth. Plus, the weather was so mild; I found myself missing that communal feeling of an entire metropolis hunkering down like a band of ������������������������ơ�������������������Ƥ��������������blinking an eye. The Twin Cities are the new badass, a little voice in my head insisted. THE Cities. That is the place and this

is the time.

How do I know? I don’t, really. History will tell, and we have no business preempting it, to be honest. Call it a hunch: I like it here. I’m not going to list all the local talents you “should have” heard of by now (that’s kind of the thing about �����������ǡ����������������������������ȌǤ������������������Ƥ��ǡ�keep reading this magazine. I, along with many other enthu-siastic writers and thinkers, are only too excited to discuss our favorite bands, our favorite visual artists, restaurateurs, performing artists, writers, storytellers, comedians, gallerists, designers, publishers, philanthropists, inventors, entrepre-neurs, and those in-between folks who defy labels, running their salons and teach-ins, art shanties atop frozen lakes, adult education nights and trade schools, constantly mixing media for epic, citywide, all-night-and-into-the-next-day ran-dom acts of culture. This place is lousy with people who have taken their creative, capable minds and committed them to Ƥ���������������������������������������������ǦƤ�����������Ǥ��������Ǥ����������Ǧ�������Dzƪ�������������Ǥdz

If this sounds like a manifesto, it should. Sure, a manifesto is something that young upstarts write, hungry to change the world. It’s also something you write when you have a really great idea. So let’s do it, and keep it civil, simple and sincere:

This is our moment.We don’t need to say it out loud or to anyone else, let

our work speak for itself, let word spread organically, like D�KDVKWDJ�SUDLULH�ÀUH��%XW�IRU�&KULVW·V�VDNH��OHW·V�VWDUW�DFWLQJ�OLNH�ZH·UH�RQWR�VRPHWKLQJ��4XLW�ZLWK�WKH�SROLWH�ODFN�RI�EUDJ-gery and the Minnesota niceties, and let us start thinking of RXUVHOYHV�LQ�EROGHU�WHUPV��KROGLQJ�RXUVHOYHV�WR�QHZ�VWDQGDUGV��7DON�LV�FKHDS��/HW·V�GR�WKLV��/HW�XV�QHYHU�EH�VDWLVÀHG��QHYHU�FRPSODFHQW��QHYHU�SURXG��EXW�OHW�XV�EXUQ��EXUQ��EXUQ�OLNH³ZDLW��-DFN�.HURXDF�VDLG�WKDW���

/HW·V�GR�RXU�RZQ�WKLQJ�

You Say You Want a RevolutionMaybe Minnesota is having a renaissance. Now what?

B Y M A G G I E RYA N S A N D F O R D

The Princess of OwatonnaB Y J O S H C O O K

means primetime. “Good” means bored. “Hang-ing in there” means I’m tired. And “All right” #��$1�U����������3�:�3��3���]�1141��

Here, farms diminish. Here, on any given night, when one walks the neighborhoods, most :�$�&:1��� !�0�"�!���"4�ª:��3���&;�1��$�3���dark. Here, there is only one bookstore, The Little Professor. Technically there are two, the 1� &$����-�-�0�� !��; ��$����<�U$3�013�3��]�""1�in a building nothing more than a dilapidated ��0�����&:$����<�]�����l�4$��0��4!�����0�3�0���woman, who sits in her sidewalk lawn chair and reads bestsellers all day. Where spring clean-ing housewives donate their dusty high school �&4$3<��3���0�-��0#� &"&�<�3�;3�&&!1���� ���1�&� �]���#&�1�""���� !��114�1��@$����1�U���-�3�0&4���&40�&$��&Þ ��"�� &4$3¬��

-�#-�"�3��0��""<¬U�0��"�?��3��3�&40�1�$�"�� "��#�3&���13&0<��1�#&13�"�!�"<�� 3�&$��U� �U�:�0����0��"��classic chronicler, perhaps I would begin with the settlement of Owatonna in 1853, Steele County’s largest. Perhaps I would mention the prolifera-tion of the German and the Irish, the abounding Lutherans, the moderate-right politics. Or delve 3����4� ��0�-�13���&:�3���["4�["4;�["�$�#�����31�slow way here in 1923, and when they couldn’t �$��H"� !1�&0�Z�:1��3��<�3�0��3���I�3�&"� 1��U�#�convinced that if there’s anything that will save my job, it’s the princess alive in this thin archive.

[�\

It’s 1808, and via my interpretation, she, Princess Owatonna, daughter of Chief Wabesa, falls ill, bedridden for weeks. She can’t collect birch bark for utensils or help the other women harvest manoomin��@$��"��0�#�;�1�4-���-�$� ���of sheep sorrel, burdock root, slippery elm bark �$��0�4��0�¬�43�3���-0�$ �11�!��-1�1"�--�$���$�and out of a coma. When Wabesa tries to sleep, he dreams only of a burial mound, a freshly erected jiibegamig, a wooden marker inscribed with the tribe’s doodem.

One night he bridles his pinto, murmuring -0�<�01�3&���1��$ �13&01��]�"�1�"�3�0��3���#&4$3�starts to buck. Checking its legs for burs or bruis-�$���3���I���� ��$�1�3��#�4$��0#�����43�1�34-rated. He hears a rolling gurgle in the distance and leads the horse to a natural spring by a creek, where water bubbles up through the soil by the 1�&0���T��3�0&:1���#1�"� �3&�3����0&4$���$���""1���1� �$3��$��T���0�$!1��$���""1��3�����$��@��&0 ��&9�03�!�1���#��T��130�-1��$�����"1�:�3�0�&9�0�the horse. On his way home, Wabesa sings tribal

songs about immortality. “Drink this,” he says to his blue-faced daughter.“Father, please, I cannot.” She raises her hand

and pats her heart over and over and then pats 3���I����1� ��13�l��<��$3�0"� ���$��01��T��-0&-1�4-���0�������

drains half the canteen over lips that look like cracked ice, down her chest, and onto the bed before she can summon the strength to open her #&43���l���1&4$��&� �3��3��013��4"-�1&4$�1�3&�3���chief like a thousand jumping pike. The princess’ �0�-�3���3�$1��3���I���Ù�1��$��01��&�-40-"���l���-0�$ �11�1��?�1�3��� �$3��$�:�3���&3��-�"#1��$��drinks until it empties. l���$�;3���<�3��<�#�01��"�3���30�����$��0����

toward the springs, christening their new home `:�3&$$���R&0�3���$�;3��9����<1�3��<� �00<�3���sick and the wounded to the water. They sing 1&$�1��$����$ ���0&4$���1�#�$<��0�1��1��3�#���3�someday take to light up Steele County.

No one knows what tribe belongs to the myth, but I’ve heard the Ojibwa, Cheyenne, k�&4;���$��K�!&3�1��""�0���0�$ ��3���"���$���M9�$�the Swedes brandish stories about how the prin-cess was actually a local farm-girl.

[�\

I stand in front of Princess Owatonna’s statue, :&$��0�$��:��3�1���3��$!1��I&#��]&$��<��:��3��&�U��&��]�!��s�3��0�<��1140�1�#��3��3�his colleagues are unimpressed; all they’ve been wondering about is whether or not the pool will have a high dive. U�0�� ��4-��$��04$�#<��$��01�&9�0�3������3��0���

skirt so intricately carved into the marble. I could gather stories of swimming tragedies, crunch the pragmatics. Upkeep costs, lifeguards, health codes, permits. Shower facilities, cleaning prod-ucts, chlorine, lockers.

I study the soil, trying to decipher the footprints, the cracks and the roots underneath. I turn to make sure I’m alone. I get down on all fours and put my ear to the ground.

Josh Cook holds an MFA from Pacific University, and his work has

been featured in The Iowa Review, Spontaneous Combustion, and

Guitar World Magazine. He lives with his lovely wife in Minneapolis,

and when he’s not writing, he’s honing his juggling skills.

`:�3&$$���]�$$�1&3�¬:��"�!��&40�-�33�0$1��&40�0&43�$�1���1��$����4$3�$����& !�<��1:�#-ming in the summer, prayer, and beer. I’d love to announce myself as the son of a long line of doc-3&01�&0�-��"&1&-��01�&0��;-"&0�01���43�3��3�1�-40��fantasy. I’m an amateur historian, a fortuitous �$��0�3&0�&� ���"&Ù3<ª1&4$��$��9& �3�&$��Ù3�0� &"-lege in the big city, which around here, means St. g�4"��U�#�����$�"<�1�;ª3:&����0� �$3���9&0 �����$��these days preferring people at a distance. l&��<�U�&-�$�#<�&Þ ���&&0��$��13�-�&$��� 0�1-�

white sheet of cotton paper, stamped with Steele County’s egregiously gaudy seal. It’s a sum-mons. The city council wants to see me in the Round Room, our mostly-vacant space with the half-moon desk and two rickety oak tables that serves as our court room. With resources at full $&1���9���U�9��&Ù3�$��#���$���3��1���<��40�$��#<�late-night studies of closeout whiskey and the History Channel, and I want to walk in there now; 1�"43����&:���$������&$��:�3���3��]��:�13�0$�01��:��0��3&&���#$���$��"��I�""���#��3�$�¬�&0�:��3��@�1�$�ª&ê �-� !����&� �"���ª3�#����1 &4$31��3�3���par-three? I shamble to the bathroom and lock myself inside a stall, working at my teeth with 1&#���#�0��$ <��&11�U�!��-�13�1�����$�#<�:�""�3��@Ù3�0�����:�#�$43�1�&� � �3��03� ��4#ª�"����$����$�&"�ª3�#�0��0&#�3��� &4$ �"¬3���9�" 0&�1�&�1�����������9��:�<¬-&4$�1�&$�3���13�""��

Gill Sherwood, the historical society’s “presi-��$3��1 4Ú"�1�:�3����13� !�&� ��"4�-0�$31��1�U��$3�0�3���j&4$��j&&#��M; �-3�#<�K^j��0��$��]�!��Wetherby, they’re all pushing seventy; haggard, �$����1 &$ �03�$�"<����#�$���l��1��1�3���1�;3��3�#��U�9��1��$�S�""��$�-�01&$��3���&3��0��9���&0�#<���ª�$$4�"�0�9��:��T��1���#&��0�3�"<ª�$��3�����""&:�:�3�����"&:�$���� ���$���&--<�:��3�����0���l�4#�1�4-��Z�##<��S0��3�:&0!�������":�<1�3�""1�#�����&0��"�4$ ��$���$3&�1&#����#�"<�13&0<¬grandma’s biscuits or his nephew’s weed whacker mishap.

Gill clears his throat until he gets to coughing, thirty years of smoking Luckies, no doubt. I reach �$1����#<��"�?�0�-& !�3��43� &#��4-��#-3<��^&�drink, no pills, no nothing; my morning headache 3���1�?��&� �3�&1���4#�&��&"&�$��-� !���1�1&"��down at Skip’s Grocery. �\&&!��Z�##<��]0�¬��S�""� �� !1���1�$&3�1��l��$�

he pronounces my last name naive instead of Nee-vee. “We’ve gone over the city budget with 3���#�<&0��$�¬��S�""�#4#�"�1��$3&�3���3��"���30��"�$��&ê �4$3�"�U� �$�3����0���#�����

That’s when Gladys, my seventy-one-year-old secretary, speaks up, her voice like the creak of a door. “You’re such a handsome Harry.”

“In other words,” I say, “I’m shit-canned.” “Come now, son,” Gill says.�T&:�1�3��1��]<��&��1���#�$�1����������j��$3��0�3�����S�""�1�<1���s�3��3����4$�1¬��

swimming pool.” He waits for me to say some-thing. When I don’t, he puts on a toothy grin and $&�1����1����0��&--�$����$��1�<1���s����"�!��<&4�to manage the grounds.”

“A lifeguard.” “Come now, son,” Gill says, gesturing as if di-

0� 3�$��30�Þ �“A babysitter, then?” I survey the other mem-

��01��3���0�1!�$�30�$1"4 �$3���<�1���"�?���U�:�1�����0 ���0&#�3�������$$�$���]<��413<�&Þ ���3:&�real tasks: Rearrange the museum display and rearrange the museum display. I turn and saunter to the foyer. I go over to the framed sepia of the Straight River. Underneath it reads, Wakpá

Owóthanna. Like an imaginary buoy I bounce my �$��0�&9�0�3���0�9�0�1�-�3���U$�3����0���������$��S"��<1����1!�U��$�����&33"��&� � ���-�:�$��:����served to the four geriatric donors and their sons and daughters a month ago, most of whom took grimacing sips. I pull the cork. Two oblations. I’ll ���3����013�&$��3&���#�3�3��3�U�9�����$�4$���3�-�4"�3&�T�13&0<��#<��013�"&9���#<�#�130�11�:��$�U�was married. I salute the sepia and the bust of Chief Wabesa. I walk back into the Round Room. A few of the older council members cheer. “Give #��3���:��!�$����U�1�<��S�""��$��]�!����"���0�3���:��1-�0�$������$��3���13�0�"��]0��]�0�&0<�1��� !���$���$�""<�� /4��1 ��#��3:&���<1��l:&���<1�3&�conjure an argument for the preservation of me.

[�\

l���3&:$��1��$��0#-�3��]�$3�&$��3�3&�1&#�&$���$�3���I�3��1��3��<�""��4ê�:��s��14ê�0�3��� "�11� �1<#-3&#1�&� �3����0��3�@#�0� �$��-���#� 1¬underpaid, overworked, paranoid, stuck. Like our 4�1�$�¬�40��01��$��-&3�3&�1��$�� ���1�¬:��0�� &#�&03��"���@1!�41��&:�:�0���&�$����M; �3����

�������������������Ǥ��������������������������������������Lake with my bicycle on board, and then bike an hour or so west to Lake Maria State Park. After arriving, I’d stay in one of the pristine new camper cabins for a few days, grilling things, looking at birds, reading, and enjoying the solitude. Having lived in Minnesota for nearly a decade, it seemed ridiculous I’d never really taken advantage of the state park system. A train trip followed by a leisurely afternoon bicycle ride seemed to be the best way to do just that.

Somewhere west of Monticello, about half an hour into my ride, my rear tire blew out after thumping over a dis-carded piece of someone’s bumper on the side of the road. ���Ƥ���ǡ�����������������������������������������������������������������������������ǯ���������������Ƥ������������Ǥ�����������������������������ǡ�����������ǡ�ƪ��������������over, and removed the wheel.

It was an emergency I’d planned for, but not well, as it turned out. I tried to patch the tube, but it was a lengthwise tear the patch wouldn’t quite cover. I tried my spare tube, which turned out to be the wrong size. Somehow a 28-inch tube had made its way into a package claiming only twenty-seven inches. The extra inch ballooned out of the rim like a rubber polyp.

Cars kept speeding by me. I took the contents of my pannier—bike tools, steaks wrapped in foil, a Coleman lantern—and dumped them out around the side of the road �������ơ�������������������������������������������Ǥ������������������������������������ơ������������������������Ǥ�

There were no takers. Even a county highway patrolman ƪ�������������������������������Ǥ

I kept thinking, with a growing sense of city-centric rage, ������������������������������ƪ�����������������������������������Minneapolis, passers-by would be tripping over themselves ��������������Ǥ������������������Ǥ�����ǡ�����ǯ������������ơ���to let me borrow their car. “Here, take this,” I imagined these spectral St. Paulites saying, “while I call my friend at the bike

shop and have him bring a new tube by.”After a half-hour, a pair of late-model cars slowly pulled

over onto the shoulder, a few hundred yards away. A teen-age boy and girl stepped out of each one, looked at me for a moment, and then spread a blanket by the side of the road. They had a brown bag with a bottle in it, which they both took a nip from. Then they started making out. I had appar-ently broken down near their appointed rendezvous site.

A half-hour passed. The couple disengaged, and the boy waved at me. “Hey,” they said, walking over. “You look sort �����������ơǤdz

“Yeah,” I said. “I am. Look at this mess. Why the hell �����ǯ�������ơ���������������ǫ������������������������Ǧdozen cars that have blown past? Where’re those heartland values I’m always reading about?”

The girl sneered. “You think just because this is the �������������������������ǡ����ƪ����������������������ǫ��ǯ���ǡ���������ǯ�������������ƥ�������Ǥdz�

“You people from the Cities are all the same,” said the ���Ǥ�Dz���������������ǯ�����������ơ��������������������ǡ����ǯ���totally deluded. You’re just attaching your dumb prejudices to a situation that has nothing to do with geography.”

Dz����ǡ���ǯ�����������������������ǯ��Ƥ����ƪ��ǡdz��������������Ǥ�“We’re just here to enjoy our regular weekly highway shoul-der make-out date, not restore your faith in the American people’s innate goodness. We’ve got lives, you know.”

“I can’t believe you’re making this out to be an urban-�����������ǡdz������������ơ��Ǥ�Dz����ǯ��������������ǡ�����Ǥ������out a tire on the side of Hiawatha Avenue sometime and let me know how that turns out for you.”

Then they both turned around, and walked away.Of course, nothing after the boy’s wave actually hap-

pened. Instead, the teens got back in their respective auto-�������ǡ��������������������������������ǡ������������ơǤ����evening rapidly approached, I set out on the long walk to the campsite, into the darkness.

The Flat Tire�9Z¾9A\ki¾i\qZ¾æZDs¾+ikgDGp9Zi¾wQZDh¾PQYhGXM¾hig9ZDGD¾QZ¾iPG¾PQZiGgX9ZD

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]�$$�1&3��U �A writer discovers the other edge of Minnesota Nice

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When photographer Alec Soth was asked for two words to describe Minnesotans, he chose ‘friendly’and ‘remote’.

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Imagine you were walking down the street, and you saw one billion dollars lying there. Would you pick it up and put it in your pocket? Or would you walk on by? According to Anne Healy, a location scout who has worked in the industry for two decades, the state of Minnesota has essentially kept walk-ing. As a result, its once-burgeoning film industry has withered on the vine. The last major film made in Minnesota was the Coen Brothers’ A Serious Man, but now even local movie mogul Elizabeth Redleaf has decamped for Utah, which just started its own incentives program. There are currently no major productions happening in the state. Last year alone, 150 movies were produced in Louisiana, and the state raked in $1.3 billion. It wasn’t always this way. Remember Grumpy Old Men? Remember Fargo? Remember Feeling Minnesota? Back in the day, Minnesota was the first state to introduce film incentives, and was on track to be a kind of Hol-lywood powerhouse, with its deep pool of acting talent, low production costs and an abundance of vintage, picture-perfect locations. But since 2000, other states such as Michigan and Massachusetts have started revving up their incentive programs, while ours has puttered away in neutral. These days, Hollywood goes wherever it can get the best deal, which is never here. That’s why films written in and about Minnesota—such as Steven Soder-bergh’s Contagion, Clint Eastwood’s Gran Torino, and Diablo Cody’s Young Adult are filmed in other states. And that’s also why, last year, Healy founded the Minnesota Motion Picture Association.

Tell me about the Minnesota Motion Picture Association.

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What’s the it’s goal?

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How did you get started in the industry?

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What makes Minnesota attractive to Hollywood?

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Given the decline, you’re not tempted go back to WCCO?

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What has been your most embarrassing moment?

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That’s an expensive rib. What’s your best memory from your life in Minnesota movies?

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�l���l:�$�I�3��1�U1�k� &$��`$"<�3&�^�:�u&0!��1���g4�"�1��$��T&31-&3�Author Benjamin Percy recently relocated from Iowa to Northfield, Minnesota to take a position as writer-in-residence at St. Olaf College. Percy has written two novels and two short story collections; he is the recipient of an NEA fellowship and a Whiting Writers’ Award and has been included in the Best American Short Stories anthology. He regularly contributes to magazines like Time, GQ, Men’s Journal and the Paris Review.

So what prompted your exit from your literary haven, such as it was, down in Iowa?

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6\k¾ekAXQhPGD¾s\kg¾wQghi¾iq\¾A\\Wh¾qQiP¾�g9sq\XM¾(gGhh�¾9¾small but well-respected publisher. Do you ever wish you would have started at a bigger publishing house?

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What are the pros and cons of working in this part of the country?

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What are you working on now?

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books 2012 [midwest]

Best Fall Reads

32 33

FEATURE

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In North Dakota, the siren call of the shale has swelled the Bakken oil fields with workers and equip-

ment. With an unprecedented demand for goods and services, the town of Williston has become a

haven for fortune hunters who left their old lives behind to find their share of the American Dream.

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“Guys are not getting laid. They are fighting in bars, and we’re going to channel that energy.”

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38 39

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40 41

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away. 32

42 43

Omforme, a Norwegian word meaning “to transform,” is turning the Twin Cities’ trash to treasures. Founded by interior designer Carter Averbeck, the Minneapolis artisan shop transforms discarded and

Where do you typically find your furniture? We find furniture in a variety of places from Craigslist, old stor-age warehouses, yard sales to items thrown out or set on the curb as trash. Because we are focused on a mission of saving good items for refurbishing, anything considered passé by others are pieces we find the most appealing.

Is there one neighborhood that is particularly prolific in throwing out old stuff? For the most part, there isn’t one specific neighborhood but rather those that are going through a transitory phase from humdrum to gentrification. Houses in older neighborhoods get sold, remodeled and much of what is in those homes get thrown out during the process without a second thought.

What is the golden rule of revamping old furniture? Our golden rule is: Does the piece have good lines? Many aspects go into that, such as if the item has an iconic shape like the Louis XVI style chairs we found slated for a landfill or a classic modern outline on a dresser that is still considered styl-ish in our current market. What many people don’t realize is that furniture styles actually change very little over the decades—only the outer shell changes. A sofa’s fabrics can look dated, yet the lines of the piece are great. When we transform a piece, we consider the frame and what would be a good fit as far as injec-tions of style to breathe new life into a piece. It could be a fresh coat of lacquer, reupholstering, adding sculptural details and a host of other elements we have at our disposal to use on any given item of furniture.

TRASH-TO-TREASURE FURNITURE DESIGN OMFORME [MPLS]

What is the time period that is most often discarded?Currently the most items come from the late mid-century period up until the late 1970’s. But we see items from every time period during the twentieth century being discarded.

Do people not understand what they are throwing away?Sometimes we wonder that ourselves when we find really great items left by the side of the curb. I believe there is an over-whelming habit to just throw away things in favor of new ones. So much of our society is built around the notion that dispens-able things are somehow better: food, products, clothing, furni-ture. The very idea of transforming a piece of furniture doesn’t come naturally to most people, hence buying new is easier. I also think that even if a person knows a piece of furniture might have value, they may not have the creative vision or motivation to transform a piece into a new look.

Why did you decide to turn this into a business?This has really been a passionate hobby of mine since, forever! I would find a great piece of furniture that had seen better days, revamp it and use it in my home. With the right amount of creative thinking, anything can be transformed into something better. Being in the Interior Design business for as long as I have, I have seen incredible things come from that world: cool, sleek, cutting edge and expensive. There is an overwhelming abundance of accessories and furniture being manufactured at breakneck speed and it got me to wondering: What happens to all this stuff? Where does it go when it’s no longer given value? That answer is usually: in the trash. Our landfills are at the brink of being overstuffed with perfectly good items of furniture. By taking these items and giving them a new lease on life, it’s has been amazingly gratifying to witness how people are now start-ing to see the value in older furniture that has been transformed through the artisans at Omforme. www.omformedesign.com

Sweden is best known for its meatballs, cold weather, and easy-to-assemble furniture. Replace meatballs with beer and you could be talking about Milwaukee these days. Misewell was founded by Vincent and Paul Georgeson who share a belief that the best materials and craftsmen combine to make the best design. The brothers have been pumping out award-winning furniture design since 2009. The Milwaukee version may value locally sourced materials and a Midwestern sturdiness more than its Swedish counterpart, but their commitment to function-ality and an easy assembly is the same. Misewell’s Conrad table is one of the best examples of all of the above with a locally harvested walnut top and legs that easily snap into a steel bracket, all handmade in Minnesota. The Milwaukee brothers will be releasing their newest line of furniture in the near future. www.misewell.com

FINNISH STYLE IN THE TWIN CITIESFINNSTYLE [MPLS]

When Finnish design blew up this year with Helsinki’s selection as design capitol of the world, Ben Horn was not surprised. The title, he says “has put Finland back in the limelight”. Ten years ago, Horn brought Finnish design to the Twin Cities when he opened Finnstyle. “Finnish design has wowed the design world since the early 1950s. Their products are practical and beautiful and innovative with materials and technology.” The bold, colorful patterns of Marimekko, sleek Iitala glassware, and modern Alvar Aalto housewares and furnishings line the shop in the Ware-house District of Minneapolis.So what is it about Finnish design that warrants the title of design capitol of the world? “Finnish products are high-quality and long-lasting. People appreciate that these items can be passed on to a future generation and still look and function perfectly. The Alvar Aalto vases first designed in 1936 still look cutting-edge and modern,” says Horn. In honor of their design title, the well-known companies like Marimekko and Iitala have been churning out exciting new products as well as rereleasing some old classics, which Horn has of course stocked in his store.

“A new version of Kai Franck’s utilitarian Kartio glassware, first designed in 1958, is ultra thin and elegant, yet stackable and naturally easy to use on the tabletop. Also this year, Marimekko re-introduced its Helsinki print from 1952.”If you’re looking for your own piece of quintessential Finnish design, Horn has some recommendations: “Marimekko’s Unikko poppy flower print is one of the most iconic Finnish designs. Unikko dresses and tunics are especially popular and it’s always fresh because Marimekko releases new colors and updated cuts every season. Recently, Converse shoes and Marimekko joined forces, and the shoes they’ve made are cool, comfortable and really popular.” www.finnstyle.com

CONRAD TABLE, MISEWELL [MILWAUKEE]

Don’t ask Ben VandenWymelenberg how much wood a wood-chuck could chuck. He has heard that question a lot lately and doesn’t know the answer. But he does know that he wants to “put nature back in people’s lives.” The recent University of Minnesota architecture grad partnered with fellow student Kevin Groenjes to start WOODCHUCKcase, selling wooden covers for iPhones, iPads, and MacBooks. His late night idea has become a hit, with many local stores selling the cases and Best Buy recently agreeing to stock the Woodchuck. Not only a beauti-ful addition to electronics, the Woodchuck Case is durable and in most cases will outlive the phone or computer it’s attached to. The company hopes to be in other large retailers and on the global market soon, but until then, the pair is focused on “Wood-chucking” Beats by Dre headphones, Apple’s wireless keyboard, Droid phones, and other pieces of cold electronics that could use a wooden touch. www.woodchuckcase.com

WOODCHUCKcase, [MPLS]