Tag Archives: moorhead

Young entrepreneurs build fresh business in downtown

Posted on by
Reply

Megan Havig, multimedia journalism

FARGO, N.D. – The ideas of young entrepreneurs are realized in downtown Fargo.

The start-ups of stores and organizations like Unglued and Unseen Ministries demonstrate a fresh take on the downtown renaissance.  Young people, under the age of 30, are creating small, not to mention smart, businesses in downtown.  Facing what is said to be financially unstable times, these folks have taken an idea and maximized on Fargo’s healthy economy and supportive regional community.

These edgy business ventures are drawing people of all ages, supporting a theme of downtown, where there really is something for everyone to enjoy.

For anyone who has the visionary bug, or who would like to hear about downtown Fargo’s latest entrepreneurial buzz, read on.

 

TAG, Fargo’s newest pop-up store, opens for holidays season

Joe Burgum and Jeff Knight started TAG, Fargo’s first t-shirt pop-up shop.

Joe Burgum, a 19-year-old from Fargo and Jeff Knight, a 30-year-old from Moorhead, have started a pop-up t-shirt shop located at 601 First Ave. N., next to Halberstadt’s.

As a pop-up store, TAG stands temporary for the holiday season.  Burgum and Knight say they learned about the model from Unglued, which ran as a pop-up shop for the 2011 holiday season before becoming a permanent location summer 2012.  TAG offers product by Raygun, a t-shirt company based in Des Moines, Iowa, t-shirts designed by local artists and the TAG duo themselves.

For Burgum and Knight, the store is a trial-and-error project tied to goals of supporting the community of artists, designers and visionaries of Fargo-Moorhead.

TAG opened on Nov. 11 and, true to its pop-up nature, will close for good on Dec. 24

“This isn’t set up as a cash cow,” Burgum says. “It’s set up as a demonstration project, as a community-gathering place, as a place where artists and designers are to be celebrated. It is about being sustainable, but it isn’t about becoming the biggest line possible…If it were, we would be selling those starchy box shirts.”

Burgum thought up the idea of TAG this past summer after attending a TEDx event and visiting Raygun’s store in Des Moines.  When he returned to Fargo, he called Knight, creative designer at Sundog, who was “the best graphic designer he knew.”  Meeting at the HoDo for lunch, the two found themselves “knee deep in ideas.”  Four months of dreaming, organizing and building brought about TAG, which opened on Nov. 11.

The duo discuss a shirt design competition for TAG’s newest product.  Highlighting local artists is a goal of TAG.

Burgum and Knight encourage young entrepreneurs to seek business wisdom and advice from others when starting up a business.

“I think it’s about asking for help, and not being afraid to do that,” Burgum says.  “There are a lot of things neither Jeff or I knew how to do in this, so we reached out to people and asked.”

Knight says that Fargo is a great place to try new business endeavors.

“We went into this thinking ‘we are never really going to fail,’” Knight says.  “Even if we don’t sell as many shirts as we want, we can’t fail because we are doing stuff that is creating different energy anyways.  We want people to invest back downtown and see all the cool stuff going on down here.”

Tag carries product by Raygun and local artists.

Both Burgum and Knight have the entrepreneurial spirit in their blood.  Burgum’s father, Doug Burgum, created Great Plains Software, which sold to Microsoft for $1.1 billion and then he started the Kilbourne Group.  His mother, Karen Stoker, owns the Hotel Donaldson, known as the HoDo, in downtown Fargo.  Knight’s father began a construction business but sold it when Knight was young.

The two exude the ambitious and visionary traits of their families.  Burgum’s mother helped him settle on the name of the store. But Burgum and Knight want to mark downtown Fargo in their own way, with the stamp of TAG.

Currently showing on the limited edition local designer wall are Raul Gomez, producer of High Plains Reader, Jessica Wachter, a local artist, Modern Man and Punch Gut, both local design companies and Jeff Knight, creative director at Sundog and TAG.

“This idea of a t-shirt tag came about and that’s what we decided to run with. If you think about a t-shirt tag or a Facebook tag; it’s about showing you were there,” Burgum says.

With its own stamp of approval, TAG is open from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday.  Check out the designer wall for limited edition t-shirts

View Larger Map

 

Fashion and entrepreneurship run in the blood of a young entrepreneur

Teresa O’Day owns and operates Proper & Prim, a women’s clothing botique in downtown Fargo.

Teresa O’Day moved her way up to storefront this year with her 2-year-old fashion boutique Proper & Prim.

The 27-year-old Fargo native began her small business just shy of three years ago.  It was originally tucked away in the back of her mother’s store, O’Day Cache, a boutique specializing in global gifts and a pillar business on downtown Fargo’s main drag, Broadway.

O’Day attended St. Thomas in St. Paul and dreamed about owning her own fashion boutique.  Those dreams were the conception of the future Proper & Prim.

O’Day collected business advice of not only her mother, but her grandfather and father, both who, at one point, owned O’Day Equipment, created by her great-grandfather. She also received advice from her aunt, who owns LakeGirl, a store and line of clothing, and

Proper & Prim shares storefront space with O’Day Cache.

Peggary, a gift shop in Detroit Lakes, Minn.  Finally, O’Day acquired wisdom from her grandmother, who helped found Gallery 4 of downtown Fargo, and went on to own an art gallery in Galena, IL.

“Each person had some advice, and regardless of their industry, I could apply it to my situation,” O’Day said.

 

Social media, personalized business bring inspiration and success for O’Day
Inspiration is key for the fresh trends that fill Proper & Prim.  O’Day says that Instagram, a popular phone application for sharing photos with friends, yields fresh fashion and creative inspiration on the fly.  O’Day also says that when she has time, she likes to check out street fashion blogs “Facehunter” and “The Sartorialist.”

Locals shop P&P for the holiday season.

She also enjoys matching new items with loyal customers.

“I love when a new shipment gets dropped off,” O’Day says. “It’s fun opening it up and getting an idea of which customers would love each piece. You get to know the regular’s style pretty well!”

O’Day feels positive about business startups created by young people.

“I would say go for it!” O’Day says.  “The planning takes time and can seem tedious to a young person who is exciting about a new idea, but it will help you be successful.”

For this young up-and-coming entrepreneur, the advice rings true.

Proper & Prim is open Mon. through Thurs. 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., Fri. 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sat. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.  Check out P&P’s website here.

View Larger Map

Sunday mornings in downtown

Posted on by
Reply

FARGO, N.D. — From Friday to Saturday night, a flurry of events happens in downtown, but on Sunday, downtown Fargo-Moorhead seems like a town still asleep.

If you look, you can find quiet activities like these downtown on Sunday mornings.

The Red River separates downtown Fargo from downtown Moorhead. The river provides many forms of entertainment.

1.)   Explore city parks and scenic paths

“I live right by the river and love walking by it in the early morning with my iPod. It’s quite relaxing,” Kelly Gemmill said.

Scenic paths near the river provide a great location for a morning walk or jog.

The river seems to draw people who are in the exercise habit. People walk, run, jog, ride bike, rollerblade or skateboard on paths and facilities near the Red River. For skateboarders who want to practice their skills check out Dike West Skatepark at 300 Fourth St. S.

Enjoy the morning air with breakfast overlooking the river or at Island Park.

Island Park, across the street from the Red River, is at 302 Seventh St. S., Fargo. People can enjoy the park’s playground or use its picnic tables for brunch outside.

Walkways in Island Park wind around trees, creating a feeling of appreciation for nature.

2.)   Try out a church service

Since Fargo was “born” in the downtown area many of its largest and oldest churches are in downtown Fargo. For example, First Lutheran Church and St. Mary’s (Catholic) Cathedral have sat since settlement days on opposite sides of the 700 block of Broadway. Services at these churches start at 9 a.m. with a second service at 11 in the morning. These churches offer fellowship events before and after services, and the fellowship features food as well as Bible lessons.

Other downtown churches include Elim Lutheran, Pontoppidan Lutheran, St. Mark’s Lutheran (yes, it’s a Lutheran town), First United Methodist Church and First Presbyterian Church. Some of these churches are more than a century old and the architecture is stunning inside and out.

Newer nondenominational churches have sprung up in Fargo’s transforming downtown including Harvest Community Church and River City Church, 323 Main Ave.

First Lutheran Church is at  619 Broadway with its first service beginning at 9 a.m.

Harvest Community Church is at 608 Main Ave. with a service starting at 10 a.m.

3.)   Find a favorite coffee shop

“My morning routine generally starts out better with a cup of coffee, “ Kayla Bauske said.

Babb’s coffee at 604 Main Ave. opens at 9 Sunday mornings.

In downtown Fargo, several coffee shops are open early Sunday mornings including Babb’s Coffee House, Moxie Java and Atomic Coffee. Try out each atmosphere to see which one is ideal for you.

 


As you sip on something hot to drink, take a minute to read local news like The Forum, or a student newspaper like The Advocate, produced by Minnesota State University Moorhead students.

4.)   Develop an exercise routine

A runner takes advantage of a e brisk morning in downtown Fargo.

Besides taking advantage of Island Park and the trail system adjacent to the Red River, people can exercise by taking a walk or run alongside historic downtown buildings.

Use the YMCA for exercising if the weather does not permit outside exercise.

The Fercho-YMCA is  a great place to work out with facilities like indoor pools and an indoor track. It is situated at 400 First Ave. S.

5.)   Spend time trying do-it-yourself projects and stress relievers

According to American Physiological Association, 75 percent of adults reported experiencing moderate to high levels of stress in the past month and nearly half reported that their stress has increased in the past year.

Use Sunday mornings to try a do-it-yourself project like creating a good-looking and functional goal list for the upcoming week. Take a bath with candles or sit down with a good book to relieve stress. Practice cooking or baking skills by trying out new recipes.

Use this Pinterst board for DIY projects and stress relievers to try on Sunday mornings.

Great expectations: Getting a media job downtown

Posted on by
Reply

Joshua Berggren, MSUM Documentary/Photojournalism Major

FARGO, N.D. — Perhaps this comes a bit premeditated, but I have a lot of reasons to look forward to spring: warm weather, more daylight, camping and photography, my birthday and a potential trip backpacking through Europe. But also, for me and many other mass communication majors, spring marks our college graduation – perhaps the most influential time of our lives.

As that day steadily bears down upon us, our stress about beginning a “real-world” career builds just as much as our positive feelings of long anticipation and anxious excitement. Between classes, down hallways, over meals: Questions arise with increasing frequency. What will I do? Where will I go? Has college prepared me? What is expected of me?

So I set out to learn what journalism jobs are “out there” in downtown Fargo, and what it takes to take those jobs off the market.

Establishing a breadth-of-field

Communication is diverse. Each student creates a unique skill set. Many of my peers write with an innate journalistic ease that I’ve been slow to adopt; some speak more eloquently, some create visually attractive layouts, some design advertisements I would never imagine. Our creativity and desires direct us down different paths, so having perspectives from different media platform professionals is essential to understanding what will help, hinder or downright destroy our prospects of being hired.

In this endeavor, I talked with representatives of a newspaper, publishing and advertising organizations, and businesses that consolidate multiple media platforms. Here are the dos, don’ts and the insider advice from time-tested media pros that will help young professional communicators land jobs in Fargo-Moorhead.

 

Dave Hanson, H2M president.

David Hanson, a Fargo native, is the president of H2M, a full-service advertising agency located at 320 Fifth St. N.

First things first: You need to know what you’re going for when you approach an agency for a job, Hanson says. Advertising agencies often have several divisions that house different skills sets, so come knowing where you want to fit in.

What’s desired:

“Honestly, the basic thing I look for in people is a really good, deep sense of curiosity, and which I don’t find a lot. If you’re not curious about how things work you won’t be very good in this business. You’ve gotta ask a lot of questions, you really gotta have a deep interest — a passion — to really know how a company works.”

What’s expired:

“I hate it — I literally just throw the letter away when I get a (cover) letter in the mail saying, ‘To whom it may concern.’ (I) don’t even open it. It goes in the trash. Don’t care who it’s from. If you want a job you need to know a little about the business.”

Hanson’s advice:

“Just focus on something to get good at it, to make an impression, then you can broaden out. But you’ve got to start somewhere that people can say, ‘I know what this person does and they do it well.’”

 

Kirsten Stromsodt, deputy editor of the Forum of Fargo-Moorhead.

Towering over the corner of 101 Fifth St. N., is the one of the most recognized buildings in all of downtown — the Forum of Fargo-Moorhead, a daily newspaper with a circulation of more than 50,000 and commonly referred to as just “The Forum.”

Second-in-command of The Forum newsroom is deputy editor Kirsten Stromsodt, a University of North Dakota graduate who has more than 14 years of experience in the news business, and worked in several positions at the Grand Forks Herald before accepting the position of deputy editor at The Forum in April. She has more than four years of hiring experience in the news business and insightful expectations of people who want to work for a newspaper.

What’s desired:

“I want to see someone who comes out of college who’s had some experience in a newsroom. We’re of course going to hire the people who can hit the ground running and make a contribution right away. We want to see that people want the job – like really want the job! And it’s those details: Showing up on time for appointments, making sure that everything’s spelled right — those things do go a long way. We expect people to go right into the community and represent us. So if we’ve got a reporter who’s got an appointment with Dennis Walaker, the mayor, we want to know and trust that this person will be on time, act professionally and represent us well in the community.”

What’s expired:

“If you’re late for an interview without calling. I’ve had people who’ve called and things have happened and they were half an hour late, that’s fine, but if they just don’t come or don’t give us the courtesy of telling us whether they’re late, those things I don’t like. I have thrown away applications where people have spelled my name wrong. I don’t want to question whether or not they’re spelling things right or they’re giving the right information. I want that to be factual from the get-go, and if you’re not careful on your application, then you’re not really that serious about it.”

Stromsodt’s advice:

“First impressions are really important. I think it’s important to come to an interview looking like you want the job; looking like you put effort into what they’re wearing. I don’t expect suits and ties, but if I see somebody with a nice, crisp, button-up shirt and a tie on, that goes a long way right away.”

Tammy Swift, weekly blogger for the Kilbourne Group.

Tammy Swift, well known for her journalistic work at the Forum, now caters to a slightly different style as the Kilbourne Group‘s prominent weekly blogger. The Kilbourne Group, currently stationed at 102 Broadway, is an architectural and advertising agency that promotes the restoration of historic buildings downtown as well as the construction of new ones that will inspire the future of downtown.

 

What’s desired:

“I think (the Kilbourne Group) is looking for versatility, someone who isn’t super, super specialized and could only do one thing. For instance, I did not have much of a marketing background, but I think what they were looking for was a willingness to learn marketing and to figure things out on my own. They’re looking for creativity, certainly, because that’s helpful in writing or marketing, and to be honest, just whether you can work with a team — how you fit in with groups of all kinds of personalities.”

What’s expired:

“Sometimes the work’s not glamorous. Sometimes you’re setting up tables and sometimes you’re pitch hitting and there really isn’t room for prima donnas and you have to be able to do a little bit of everything and jump in and work as a team.”

Swift’s advice:

“Don’t be discouraged. I feel like there have been a lot of very pessimistic messages to young people who still want to be in communications. Mainly because a lot of the traditional media has changed so much, but there is still a need for trained content-collectors and writers. It’s just the content that has changed, and the good news is you guys have the skill set to adapt to those new formats.”

 

David Kolpack, regional correspondent for the Associated Press.

David Kolpack joined the Associated Press (AP) in 2001. After a year in Bismarck, N.D., Kolpack moved back to Fargo, becoming the regional correspondent for western Minnesota, eastern North Dakota and northeastern South Dakota. He’s maintained the position for the last 10 years: writing, taking photographs and collecting audio bites.

What’s desired:

“Obviously a strong writing background … the faster the better. But accuracy still trumps all. And the ability to put together a sentence. If you can write and shoot (photographs) you’re guaranteed — I think — in this business. And again, experience is important.”

What’s expired:

“You wouldn’t believe some of the resumes that I’ve had people send me over the years,” Kolpack said, reflecting on a lack of professional writing demonstrated by job applicants.

Kolpack’s advice:

“Get experience. Write for any medium you can; blogs are great. Make sure you pile up a good portfolio, but write, write, write, is what I would say. And obviously, with us we’re talking a little bit about photography — shoot, shoot, shoot, as well. For journalists that want to work for the AP, you’ve got to be well-rounded.”

Andrew Jason, editor of Spotlight Media.

In this story, Andrew Jason, editor of downtown Fargo’s Spotlight Media publishing agency, stands apart. He’s still in college. A 23-year-old mass communications/Spanish major, Jason will graduate this month, and wants to work as a travel journalist.

He began at Spotlight Media as an intern, working several different jobs within the agency before assuming his editor role.

 

“We’re still pretty new and figuring (things) out,” Jason says. Spotlight Media is an umbrella agency that publishes four local magazines: “Design & Living,” “Stride,”  “Bison Illustrated” and “Fargo Monthly.” It’s a young agency, Jason says. and is looking to expand its Web presence and possibly expand operations to publishing books and other materials in the future.

“As far as what we look for — we want someone who’s willing to learn, first of all. You’re not going to know everything out of college first of all. No matter how much experience you think you have, there’s always stuff to learn. And then somebody who’s willing to put in the time; with media it’s not an 8-5 p.m. job, which sucks. So for better or worse, somebody who can stay latter and then come in later — people like that.”

Jason says what has helped him in his journalistic career is a large diversity of classes.

“As much as it sucks, you really kind of gotta know everything in today’s market to market yourself. So I think just knowing a wide variety of fields and subjects has helped me the most.”

His advice for fellow students is simple: “Definitely go to class. I’ve never been in any way, shape or form the smartest person, but I always have gone to class and it just amazes me how many people don’t. Just show up to class and pay attention to what your teachers say.”

Let’s recap

Here’s the collective advice of these insightful men and women:

  • Show invested interest in the job you’re applying for;
  • Research each company and customize your applications accordingly;
  • Look professional, both on paper and in person;
  • Be open to new experiences and have a willingness to learn;
  • Acquire as much field experience as possible.

Each of these media businesses offers internships. They’re waiting to hire talented professionals. If you’re interested in their interest, apply their advice and show them you’re the one they’ve been waiting for.

 

Maintaining Downtown: it takes a lot of work to look this good

Posted on by
Reply

Even the iconic Fargo Theater sign on Broadway needs maintenance and restoration.

Samantha Rachuy, MSUM Mass Communications

FARGO, N.D. — Visitors to downtown Fargo will tell you: The downtown area is beautiful, from the sidewalks to the storefronts. These visitors, whether visiting just once or visiting daily, don’t often consider the amount of work required to maintain the beautiful downtown area.
However,  Fargo city staff are all too familiar with the workload required to beautify the once-grungy downtown area.

Community development department commits to a clean Fargo
Keeping an entire city beautiful is not the task of one person; therefore, the city of Fargo has an entire team, the Planning and Development Department, devoted to keeping the city looking great. The department focuses on the problems and solutions citywide with housing, neighborhoods, homelessness, land use, parking and downtown Fargo.

“My position with the city of Fargo is a senior planner of downtown/parking,” said Robert Stein. “ I am directly responsible for managing the maintenance of 11 parking facilities and any type of repairs within those lots.”

While Stein spends a majority of his time managing parking facilities, he also works hand -in -hand with the Fargo Community Development Team and the Downtown Community Partnership.

“I work with all Fargo neighborhoods, specifically on neighborhood improvement issues,” said Nate Bailly, community development planner. “We have utilized federal resources to help make building facade improvements in downtown.”

Even though the city of Fargo has dedicated departments, the effort to preserve the appearance of downtown extends outside city staff.

Business and property owners join the effort

While the city of Fargo is committed to maintaining downtown, business and property owners are making efforts as well. The combined public-private effort is known as the Business Improvement District.

“The Business Improvement District, BID, formed when business and property owners banded together and asked the city to access them,” Stein said.

The Business Improvement District can be specifically targeted to improve the following maintenance projects:

  • Recycling programs;
  • Litter removal;
  • Sidewalk and driveway cleanup;
  • Landscaping and
  • Creation of maintenance crews and clean teams

“The BID will allow us to improve downtown better than we ever have before,” said Stein.

With multiple projects happening simultaneously, expenses accumulate rapidly; therefore, the city must have federal grants in place before efforts begin.

Grant provides funds for downtown maintenance

The Fargo Planning and Development Department has had funds available for business and property owners who wish to improve their establishments since 2000. According to the city of Fargo website, the Storefront/Downtown Rehab Grant program developed from “allocated Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds.”

“The central goal of the program is to improve blighted areas of the downtown area through the restoration of building facades,” said Bailly.

The program has potential funds available to building and property owners for

  • Renovations to buildings other than facade work;
  • Demolition of buildings;
  • Parking improvements;
  • Landscape work and
  • Design projects.

Program qualifications, according to the city of Fargo website, state that applicants are eligible “for a 50 percent matching grant, up to $15,000 (depending on available program funding).”

To ensure that the Storefront/Downtown Rehab Grant funding is distributed strictly towards downtown improvements, the eligible property must be located within designated areas of downtown Fargo. The following map provides detail about locations that lie within are within funding eligible areas.

The above map provides interested applicants a detailed description about which locations are eligible for the Storefront/Downtown Rehab Grant.

Building and property owners who are interested in applying for the Storefront/Downtown Rehab Grant must complete an application available on the city of Fargo website (top link on the right-aligned tabs) and return it to the Fargo Planning and Development Department.

12 Broadway before rehabilitation began. Photo provided by the city of Fargo.

12 Broadway after rehabilitation began. Photo provided by the city of Fargo.

14 Roberts Street before rehabilitation began. Photo by the city of Fargo.

14 Roberts Street after rehabilitation began. Photo by the city of Fargo.

Department provides restoration while maintaining historic preservation
The Fargo Planning and Development department spends a great deal of  time restoring downtown Fargo to look fresh and new; however, historic preservation must be taken into consideration before any changes are made.

“Historic preservation is a central driver to updating downtown,” said Bailly. “All downtown/storefront projects must be in compliance with the (U.S.) Secretary of the Interior’s standards for the historic properties.”

The Fargo Historic Preservation Commission must approve each project before any work begins. According to the city of Fargo website, the historic preservation commission is responsible for

  •  “Identifying, evaluating and designating properties’ significance in the history, architecture, engineering and culture of the community, state and nation.”
  •  “Retaining and enhancing historic properties while allowing their adaptation for current use by assuring that alterations are compatible with their historic character.”
  •  “Assuring that new construction and subdivision of lots in designated historic districts complies with the standards of the Land Development Code.

Historic preservation and modern renovations provide downtown Fargo character.

Enjoy the following sequence of photos that  show the unique character and beauty of downtown Fargo.

 

Rock shop welcomes, serves variety of customer needs

Posted on by
Reply

Charly Haley, MSUM Multimedia Journalism

Rock spheres for sale at Fargo Rocks!

FARGO, N.D. – Tracy Kouba describes her downtown store as “Fargo’s best kept secret.”

Kouba and her husband Don own Fargo Rocks! at 1014 4th Ave. N.

It’s a rock shop that caters to a wide array of customers, from geologists and “rockhounds” to new agers who see stones as a source of healing.

Fargo Rocks! co-owner Tracy Kouba with a crystal that she says contains good energies.

“We kind of have a mixture of both,” said Kouba, 50. “It’s a mixture of a lot of different things. Anything you want to have with a rock.”

Collectors shop at Fargo Rocks!

Many Fargo Rocks! customers are local collectors, also known as “rockhounds.”

“There are lots of people that collect different minerals and stones and lake agates,” Kouba said.

Much of the rock shop’s inventory came with the store, which Kouba and her husband bought a little more than a year ago.

Along with selling different stones for collectors, they sell tools for polishing and working with stones.

“Geology students come and get their tools from us,” Kouba said.

Rock jewelry on display.

New ownership brings new age

Fargo Rocks! has been here for 23 years, but before Kouba and her husband bought the shop it was only for collectors and geologists.

“It wasn’t like this at all,” Kouba said.

The Koubas added the new age element.

“It’s just fun things that people can come and try, and it opens your mind,” Kouba said.

The store offers Reiki healing, which is meant to help people reconnect with positive energies and their inner self. There are also guided meditation classes, classes on feeling the energy of stones, psychic readings and tarot card readings.

They also sell all-stone power jewelry that is meant to help with different qualities like memory or concentration, Kouba said. Her husband also does some silversmithing for the jewelry.

Fargo Rocks! welcomed by Fargo community

Various geodes for sale.

Kouba said that although the new age side of things seems a bit unusual, the rock shop hasn’t faced any negative reactions.

“It’s been really nice,” she said. “It’s a cool community here, and it’s a place where people can meet like-minded people. We do a lot of stuff so that people can come and network with each other and meet other people that are open-minded. Some people are scared that the new age stuff is against religion or that it’s against things like that but it’s not. It has nothing to do with religion, it’s just another way to be spiritual and open your mind to different things.”

Laura Egland, a psychic who has done readings at Fargo Rocks!, said the store is unlike anywhere else in Fargo.

Rock sculptures by Fargo Rocks! co-owner Don Kouba.

“This has been a gift to our community,” Egland said. “It’s a safe place for those who are just curious about the new age lifestyle, the new age beliefs, to come and spread their own wings and to get to know where their comfort zones are and maybe stretch those a little bit. We didn’t have that before that I know of. To have that gathering space where you instantly feel welcomed and you instantly feel loved, that’s obviously a good thing for any community.”

For more information on Fargo Rocks!, find it on Facebook or visit www.fargorocksllc.com.

A message of inspiration among the rocks.

Bad Weather Burlesque excites Fargo-Moorhead

Posted on by
Reply

Brittni Larson, MSUM Photojournalism

In the land of Minnesota nice, things that are sexually provocative are not always broadly accepted, but Bad Weather Burlesque is pushing those boundaries and exposing the Fargo-Moorhead community to the exciting world of burlesque.

For those of you out there who aren’t sure what burlesque is, it’s a humorous and provocative stage show featuring slapstick humor, comic skits, risqué songs, striptease acts, and a scantily clad female chorus.

What? Scantily clad provocative stage shows in Fargo-Moorhead? Is our quiet, mild mannered community ready for something like this? They sure are, Bad Weather Burlesque is gaining a fairly big following around the area.

This group of performers pushes the boundaries of what is socially acceptable for the area and loves showing off their talented group. Skits can range from a lady belting out a ballad to a guy dressed up as a unicorn and stripping down to his skivvies.

Bad Weather Burlesque doesn’t discriminate on gender; men and women are both welcome to perform. This helps them add variety to their shows and keeps the audience interested.

Bad Weather performs at multiple venues including private shows, events at the Plains Art Museum and now they perform weekly for ladies night at the Hub Entertainment Destination. They even performed at Grindfest, held at the Fargo Theatre. This year at Grindfest they played movie clips and trailers from the 40′s and 50′s that they lay new voices over the real ones. Usually the new voices make fun of the social norms back then, which is why Bad Weather Burlesque fits right it.

Randal Black was announcing Grindfest this year and was very excited to have Bad Weather performing this year.

“We are so lucky to have this group here performing tonight.” Said Black. “Bad Weather Burlesque is a unique group that is providing a very different form of entertainment for our area. You can’t even find this type of performance in the [Twin] Cities so we are grateful to have them in Fargo.”

Mixing burlesque and the grindhouse movies is something that is not normally done together but Black and the audience agreed that these two art forms fit together very well.

Bad Weather Burlesque is making a scene in Fargo Moorhead, and maybe expanding our social norms is exactly what the F-M area is looking for. Look’s like Bad Weather won’t be frowned upon this winter.