The Quarry's sign tempts passersby. They've got an OLD NAVY - you KNOW you want to stop!

I love The Quarry. I shop here regularly myself – I think I’m at the Target at least twice a week. Just because it isn’t a dumpy mall doesn’t mean I can’t cover it or poke fun. Let’s explore The Quarry, shall we?

A cute monument reminds shoppers to appreciate the fact that Famous Footwear and Office Max moved into the neighborhood. This place was once a real, live, disgusting ROCK QUARRY, you know. And who wants THAT in their backyard?

Located in Northeast Minneapolis off of 35W and Stinson Blvd, The Quarry was built in 1997. It was actually was a rock quarry at some point in time, hence the name. Hmph, if the Quarry was never built, perhaps they could’ve sent Tom Petters and other inmates (perhaps Denny Hecker?) to work on here on the chain gang?

The Quarry has decent stores, and I believe all have been there since the Quarry was built. For being 11 years old and having no turnover, it’s obvious the Quarry is a success. Lots of college students from the U live in this area, so you can’t walk two feet without seeing someone sporting a Gophers shirt.

Stores at the Quarry are:
Home Depot
Rainbow Foods
Famous Footwear
Office Max
Old Navy
Party City
Pet Smart
Target

Last time I checked, Old Navy was still selling Tek Vests

Another thing worth mentioning about the Quarry – for some reason, every time I go here (which is a LOT), there’s always a fire truck in the parking lot. I can’t figure out why that is? Are the performance fleece tops and the acrylic sweaters in the Old Navy store THAT flammable that they need the fire department on site 24/7? Fuck that, just let it burn! Then we can build some condos!!!!

Looks like Old Navy is knocking off Victoria's Secret PINK line. I think I like these better, since they don't have that stupid dog plastered all over them. WTF does a DOG have to do with lingerie, anyway?

DO NOT WANT

Sure, Performance Fleece is tacky and ugly, but I guess it's better than, say, Tim Pawlenty's hideous plaid shirts.

Sure, track suits are great for the gym, but I suggest getting a running skirt instead. It hides the camel toe.

I still don't understand why Old Navy insists on selling dog toys. I don't think your dog cares WHERE you get his toys from. After all, he drinks from the toilet..

After the bridge collapse (dammit, can’t Minnesota build ANYTHING right? I’m looking at you too, METRODOME!), a lot of Minneapolis residents had a very difficult time getting to The Quarry. If you lived south of the bridge collapse site and wanted to get to the Quarry, it wasn’t easy. You had to maneuver through back roads & side streets to get there and I heard it was a hassle. Hearing from friends in the area, a lot of them changed their shopping habits while the bridge was out. You know, someone could’ve made bank & capitalized on the situation by starting up a ferry service in Minneapolis…

Old Navy is ready for the holidays. Are you?

However, It didn’t seem like the Quarry businesses took a hit for the entire year that the bridge was out.  Though I did notice that for weekends immediately following the collapse, the Quarry was pretty dead – usually this place is hoppin’ on the weekends. People must’ve found alternative routes to the shopping center because it seemed to bounce back about a month or so following the collapse.

TCF Bank boasts of being open 7 days/week. WTF for? These days, you hardly need to step into a bank, with online banking and most banks having braches in a grocery store and everywhere else.

Did metal-eating slugs cause the bridge to collapse? Gusset plates? Gravity winning yet again? No. The bridge collapse was Kevin McHale’s fault. He trades away Kevin Garnett and the next day, the whole damn state falls apart! (Too soon for a bridge collapse joke…?) I don’t know about you, but it’s been well over a year since the collapse and we still hear the “ARE YOU DRIVING ACROSS A DEADLY ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN?? BRIDGES THAT KILL – NEXT, ON FOX9″ sensationalist stories about how every damn bridge in the state is a danger to society. THERE IS NO TIME!!! RUN FOR YOUR LIVES!!!

Anyway, enough about the bridge.

The Target store was remodeled this year.  It’s still just a regular “Target” store, not a SuperTarget. I liked how it looked before. Sweet, old skool TARGET:

The Quarry Target T1095 store, pre-remodel (July 2007)

And what it looks like now. All trendy and shit!

Returning items to Target is easy as pie. EATING pie, that is...Making it a pain in the ass!

Looking for Moschino? You be hard-presed to find that in Minneapolis, girl. BUT - you can get Mossimo at Target!

Spend too much time in this aisle and you'll end up looking like Mimi from The Drew Carey Show

Photos taken August 2008 and November 2008.