Comments on: Sportsman's Warehouse: Coon Rapids, MN

By: Frank’s Nursery and Crafts: Coon Rapids, MN « Dumpy Strip Malls

Frank’s Nursery and Crafts: Coon Rapids, MN « Dumpy Strip Malls — Fri, 22 May 2009 14:51:45 +0000

[...] dogs, and camouflage dungarees. He’s the type of guy who can’t control himself in the Sportsman’s Warehouse. Get the picture? But when you’re a kid, that’s how your thought process works — [...]

By: The Old Scowl

The Old Scowl — Fri, 15 May 2009 20:08:24 +0000

Northbrook was the mall by Hwy 100. The Camping/outdoor store (I don’t remember the name) was in the block of shops closer to Bass Lake Road. The Minnesota Fabrics (and later Goodwill store)was in the block closer to Hwy 100. There was also the block that I am not certain was formally part of Northbrook mall, but it had the Acme typewriter repair store in it and possibly another shop. It was on the corner of Bass Lake Road and…I forget the cross street, opposite the SuperAmerica that is still there.
BTW, I think the new ‘Hoovervilles’ can be called ‘Bushvilles’ or ‘Obamavilles’. Serendipity (in the form of a magazine I subscribe to) made mention of the same homeless settlements emerging today, and offered either name as possible.

By: dumpystripmalls

dumpystripmalls — Fri, 15 May 2009 14:54:21 +0000

Hmmm…you have me stumped! First, I’m trying to remember which place was the NorthBrook mall…was it that shopping center right by Hwy 100 that got bulldozed? They had a Northern Tool store. Or was the Northbrook Mall that small shopping center across the street from Brookdale that had a Kids R Us in it? I can’t remember an outdoors store over there…? Hmmm…

Ahhh! My head hurts from trying to remember this!!

By: The Old Scowl

The Old Scowl — Thu, 14 May 2009 22:34:29 +0000

Kate:
Worst job ever is trying to attract economic development to Brooklyn Center these days.

Dumpystripmalls:
Thanks for the mention of Burger Brothers and Holiday Superstores. Closest place like those (the Holiday’s) in this day and age is a SuperWalMart, and it’s just not the same. Do you remember the name of the Camping/Outdoors store that was at the NorthBrook Mall? It probably lost out to the Burger Brothers across 100 before the Brothers went away.
I can offer one point of camping: Learning to live with less and a lot more simply. I foresee more people living like that as they have been doing in California. I think they should update the name for such communities from ‘Hoovervilles’ to something more timely. Any suggestions?

By: Kate

Kate — Thu, 14 May 2009 14:36:13 +0000

You are correct madam – it was a Linens N Things.

Worst job ever: Working in economic development for the City of Coon Rapids, trying to attract retail to Riverdale. Either that, or being the commercial realtor trying to lease an old Sportman’s Warehouse.