Not a whole lot going on around these parts this week. I've been doing a lot more things without screens, like crosswords and catching up on a book that I've been reading for months. So I thought I'd highlight an old spot in Minneapolis that's kind of still with us: the Forum Cafeteria.

As you may tell from the photo, it had a rather fancy exterior for a cafeteria. That's because the building originally housed the Saxe Theater, built in 1914 on 7th Street between Nicollet and Hennepin Avenues. The Saxe was later renamed The Strand before it shuttered as a theater completely.

In 1930, a Kansas City-based company opened the Forum in the defunct theater, along with a dozen or so similar cafeterias around the country. But what made the one in Minneapolis stand out was its fantastic Art Deco interior of black onyx, chandeliers, and mirrors.

The Forum boasted of being the budget-friendly alternative to other Downtown restaurants. Newspaper ads touted the annual savings ($104 a year!) you could earn dining on thrifty eats, like a 20¢ pork steak. Or liver and onions for a mere 18¢! If you were an office worker or shopper, or if you were bringing the family to the big city for a day of frivolity, the Forum was a great no-nonsense option for a meal.

But as fast food made inroads into American culinary culture, cafeterias began to decline. The Forum closed its doors in August of 1975, replaced by a short-lived disco called Scotties on 7th.

Soon after, the city unveiled plans for City Center, another futile attempt at competing with suburban malls. The old Forum - along with its sparkling interior - stood in the way of progress. So Minneapolis did what it does best: it made a half-ass attempt at preservation by disassembling the interior and reinstalling it in a restaurant-to-be-named later on the site.

The restaurant has gone by a number of names since it was put back together - notably Goodfellows from 1996-2005. Today it's Fhima's, run by serial restaurateur David Fhima.

And yes: the interior is still there:

Speaking of dining out: we all know how fucking expensive it is to do so these days, so I might do it once a month with my kid. Last weekend we went to DiGidio's in St. Paul, which is probably my favorite Italian place around here. Nothing fancy or extravagant. Just a solid place to eat.

But goddamn...over 50 bucks for two entrees and an appetizer?! I don't want to have to dip into my 401(k) each time I don't want to cook at home. However, if I'm going to spend that much money on something, I suppose it should be something I enjoy. So I consider it a wash.

I was talking to a friend the other day about the Hook & Ladder Theater, and it reminding me of this picture I took back in 2018 after seeing a show there. Of course, the sign - as well as the liquor store - were lost in the 2020 uprising. So I'm glad I was able to capture this when I could.

m u s i c b r e a k

Liam Bailey - Dance With Me (2024)

Look: I don't even pretend to try and keep up with new music. But the other day, I came across a TikTok account that plugs the best new music of the week. Feeling particularly daring, I listened along to see if anything stood out.

And this one did just that. I hadn't heard of Liam Bailey before I heard this song. The whole album is great, but this is definitely the standout track for me: slightly lo-fi R&B with a good dose of 60s-era reggae. It's good for what ails ya.

Take care,

-AG

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