This is what Apache Plaza has been turned into - a "trendy" lifestyle center

I’m not going to write a post about Apache Plaza – yes, it’s definitely an important part of Minnesota mall lore, but the deed’s been done so much better than I could ever do over at ApachePlaza.com. However, that site only provides information up until the demolition of the mall. So I’ll take it from there & show you what’s happened to the area after Apache met its fatal fate in the spring of 2004.

At some point around 2005, up went condos (*rolling eyes*), a Wal-Mart, and a smattering of typical strip mall businesses linked together by a sidewalk, which I guess is supposed to make this place  a “Lifestyle Center”.  Calling Silver Lake Village a “lifestyle center” is a bit of a stretch. Arbor Lakes in Maple Grove, now that’s a Lifestyle Center. This hodgepodge in St. Anthony, not so much. There’s no Anthropologie or American Eagle here; the businesses in Silver Lake Village are more of the Papa Murphy’s/GNC/Nail Salon type — day-to-day type businesses put here to meet the needs of the local residents, not shopping destination stores.

Even though there are plenty of barren spaces that have stood empty since the day this center was built, I definitely wouldn’t call this place a failure.  Silver Lake Village always seems to be fairly busy — much busier than Apache Plaza was in its last 10 years. Before this area was rebuilt, a lot of people in the area were skeptical if another retail development would work in this area. So far, so good. St. Anthony is NOT the retail Bermuda Triangle that some thought it was. The Wal-Mart’s always packed, Cub Foods has always been busy, and in the summertime, the sidewalks are usually pretty hoppin’.  Which I can’t quite comprehend. This commercial complex is not a place where you’d want to blow your whole afternoon, yet people wander the sidewalks here in the summer like it’s some sort of unique marketplace. The businesses here are not of the window-shopping genre, like the Shoppes at Arbor Lakes are. Most of the businesses here are service-orientated – the only actual stores here are GNC, a liquor store, a GameStop, and a cell phone store. Really, who window shops at GNC? For that matter, who SHOPS at GNC? I never see anyone in there & their prices are outrageous. I can buy energy bars and tubs of Myoplex shake mix cheaper online.

The nearby condos for sale promote this area as a “walkable community” and I

Are you fucking kidding me? There are CONDOS for sale? In THIS thriving economy? Color me shocked!

guess technically, it is. If you lived in one of the condos — and there are PLENTY still available to rent or buy — you technically could walk to Gamestop if you so desired.

There’s an open field with a small amphitheater near the back of the lifestyle center, close to the condos, that’s supposed to be some sort of a park. There’s a small man-made body of water that looks more like a runoff basin than a picturesque pond.  But it’s winter, so naturally it won’t look very attractive right now. To St. Anthony’s credit, this is still a newer development, and it does have decent sidewalk traffic in the summer, so it might still cultivate into the vision that its developer originally intended.

The main draw of this area is the Cub Foods and the Wal-Mart.

Wal-Mart: This is actually a decent Wal-Mart, relatively speaking. I’m a Target girl myself, and will avoid Wally World with all my might, but sometimes it’s the only Big Box open. So if I have to go to Wal-Mart, I shop here. Conveniently, this particular location happens to be right by my house (the next closest Wal-Mart is the Fridley store and that store

Cub, St. Anthony

tore, my friends, is the be-it-all, end-all of Wal-Mart Freak Shows). You’ll find fewer toothless yokels here, but don’t worry – the St. Anthony Wal-Mart won’t completely let you down. You’re still bound to bump your cart into at least one 400lb woman’s fupa per visit and you’ll still see a fleet of rusted out 1990 Pontiac Firebirds in the parking lot.

Cub Foods: I like Cub much better than Rainbow, but I do most of my grocery shopping at Super Target, Trader

Joe’s, or Kowalski’s.

What’s in the “Lifestyle Center”?

One thing that bugs me about the businesses in this center is that they have 2 entrances – one on each side of the building. I never know which way is the front of the store and which way is the back. I suppose it doesn’t matter. I just feel awkward when I walk into a store and it feels like I entered from the back …that’s what she said.

Cold Stone Creamery: <sigh> It’s hard to believe that a new ice cream chain

Cold Stone is delicious and all, but really, for the price of a "Gotta Have It", you could've made your own GALLON-sized creation at home with a bucket of Kemps and a bag of fun-sized Butterfingers.

popped up here in the 21st century and became so popular! Aren’t we all supposed to be eating Dippin’ Dots by now?

Papa Murphy’s: For as horrible of a cook I am, I can somehow manage NOT to burn a Papa Murphy’s pizza in my oven. They must somehow fool-proof these suckers, because knowing me, I’m quite surprised I haven’t screwed up a Papa Murphy’s Take-N-Bake by now.

Caribou Coffee: I love delicious foo-foo nonsense coffee drinks. Therefore, I love Caribou Coffee. It’s so rustic with the log tables, elk decor, and the roaring fireplace. I feel like I’ve arrived in Alaska without ever stepping foot on a plane.  No, I’m not being sarcastic, I really do love coffee shops and expensive coffee drinks. I get a large skim sugar-free hazelnut Northern Lite double-shot extra froth latte every morning. It’s quite delightful, really.  Why do people get all up in arms about folks who go to these coffee places & order a $4 drink? These pissy people are the same ones who have no problem going out to the bar after work and running up a huge tab on pricey margaritas. Why the hate on coffee?

Inside the St. Anthony Caribou Coffee. Take a look at their menu board - it'll take you 10 minutes just to find the price of a REGULAR cup of coffee. (July 2008)

Sure…yeah, I know — people bought it in a tin can for many decades paying pennies on the dollar and thought it was great & all, but this is 2009 and I am physically unable to survive my day unless I’m paying at least $4 for my morning cup of joe.

I tend to prefer Caribou to Starbucks. I can go to Costco and buy $50 in Caribou gift cards for $40, so I’m saving 10 bucks right there.  Plus, Starbucks isn’t really convenient for me as the only one by my house is the little counter in the SuperTarget so they’re not open when I leave for work. Also note that there’s FREE WIRELESS in Caribou. Starbucks makes you jump through hoops to get on their WIFI, by going through T-Moblie or some shit. And I don’t think it’s free. What’s the point of sitting at a coffee shop without the free WiFi?

I love the snob coffee scene and I enjoy being hip at 6:45AM.  Hell, I know someone who started drinking coffee just so she could go to Caribou and look “cool” drinking coffee. I love premium coffee milkshake drinks, so suck it, haters – I’m living la vida mocha!

Applebee’s: I’m not a restaurant snob – I don’t mind eating at chains. Let’s face it, I live in the suburbs – chain restaurant dining is inevitable. But I really, really hate Applebee’s. I can’t think of anything on their menu that I like. If I’m dragged into an

Applebee's is for people who are tired of McDonalds and need a special night out.

Applebee’s, I have the worst time deciding on what to order because nothing appeals to me. The food is shit. Then again, going to Applebee’s and bitching about the food is like going to a whorehouse and complaining that you didn’t feel loved. Applebee’s tries to assemilate itself into the local fabric of the city, by plastering the walls with random framed pictures from the local high school marching band, but I swear I saw the same hockey jersey in this Applebee’s as I did in an Applebee’s in Milwaukee Wisconsin. I swear this shit is fake. Why would a historical society give precious, irreplaceable artifacts to a fucking Applebee’s?

Pei Wei – closed: I never know how to pronounce the name of this place – Pei Wei. Is it Pee Wee? It’s probably pronounced “Pay Way” but I like Pee Wee instead. Mekka Lekka high, mekka hiney-ho!

Other places include…

Cabina’s Italian Kitchen
Chipotle
Lexi Nails
Verizon Wireless
Citi Financial
Slim4Life
GNC
Wells Fargo
Freedom Value Gas Station
Ficocello’s Salon

Around the area

The other places around here are worth a mention – some are new and others have been here since the beginning of time. Like the TCF bank…

Every stinkin’ time I hear of a bank robbery in the Twin Cities, 9 times out of 10, it’s at a TCF bank. If it is,

TCF bank needs to get its act together

chances are, it’s taken place at this particular St. Anthony TCF. This location has been hit up more times that I can count. What’s wrong with robbing the US Bank that’s just across the street? Why does this particular bank attract all the trouble?   There’s GOT to be some sort of security issue here. This is 2009 – no bank should get robbed on a monthly basis. Get with it, TCF! Why not just tear TCF down like they did to everything else in this area? Problem solved.

The building with a Video Stardom, locally owned coffee shop that didn’t last long, and a Great Clips: All that’s left here now is the Great Clips. I’m guessing that the Video Stardom (I believe it was a Video Update before?) closed in 2006 or 2007? One time, I flirted my way out of paying late fees here.  The same dude was there a week

St Anthony (July 2008). Man, doesn't that green grass & summery sky bring a smile to your face & make you feel all warm inside? Especially on a day like today. -16 degrees ...and not including the windchill.

later, when I came in to rent Fahrenheit 9/11. He proceeded to ask me on a date (was it my choice in movies or my cute outfit?) and he gave me his number. With hesitation, I took it, but I never called. I was too chickenshit to face him again. I never rented movies from here again.

And that’s why I go to Red Box. No damn drama.

I tried the coffee shop once and wasn’t impressed. I’m all for supporting mom and pop places, but they’ve got to have the quality to back it up or else I’m taking my business elsewhere.  I’m 90% positive that it went out of business before the Caribou moved in, so the “chains are destroying small businesses” rant doesn’t apply here. I tried some sort of espresso drink here once and it tasted like push-button gas station cappuccino and it gave me a gut ache. Then again, coffee in general gets my internal pipes moving, so I guess that last point is moot.

Bakers Square: I am flabbergasted that this location went out of business. St. Anthony is generally an older community and we all know how much Grandma loves that 3PM supper at Bakers Square, especially if she’s got a coupon! There really should’ve been an outpouring of support for this Bakers Square. They didn’t really have much competition in the area – there really aren’t a lot of restaurants nearby, much less those that are preferred by the retirement community. It’s not like there’s a Perkins or a Denny’s next door. What are Grandma and Grandpa going to do now that Baker’s Square is closed? Well, gives them a few more hours to watch TV judge shows and squeeze in more games of solitaire on their computer running Windows 3.1. This Bakers Square was located near Stinson Blvd (in the “back” of what was Apache Plaza). I’m guessing it went out of business sometime in late 2007? I’d go here to pick up pies for various family functions and holidays – Bakers Square makes one killer fresh strawberry pie (available seasonally).

Bakers Square is fine...if you're a Golden Girl.

Other places are:
Tires Plus
Wendy’s: There was an old Taco Bell in this same area, but it was demolished sometime in 2005, I believe.
Walgreens
Rapid Oil Change
Goodyear Tires
Culvers
US Bank

I can’t end this post without sharing a few memories of mine about Apache Plaza. Even though I grew up in Brooklyn Park, we visited Apache quite often, since we had relatives who lived in this area. I was very young when the tornado hit the mall, and I remember my dad calling my aunt, uncle, and grandparents who lived around here to make sure they were safe. I have no memories of Apache pre-tornado, so I always remember Apache as a dying mall. My grandma would take my siblings and I back-to-school shopping and I remember having to pick out outfits from JC Penny’s. Probably my most fondest memory of Apache was when, on Thanksgiving, my whole family (aunts, uncles, cousins – all from my dad’s side) decided to go bowling after dinner. It was a blast – and my uncle Tim (this is the uncle who gave me ghost shit for Christmas. Pray tell Uncle Tim doesn’t read this blog! But I don’t think he’s the type who would be interested in dead malls) got so piss ass drunk that he thought he was a human bowling ball and tried to bodyslide down the bowling lane.  Believe it or not, we didn’t get kicked out. But after that incident, Mom and Dad decided it was time for our immediate family to leave. Good idea.

All photos taken December 2008.

Chipotle

The Hair Salon, located next to Chipotle

Another view of the Lifestyle Center

Metal animals outside of Caribou Coffee. None of which are a caribou. Go figure.

Great Clips is the only tenant left in this building

Tear Apache down...BUILD CONDOS!!!!!

US Bank - this used to be a Marquette Bank

Walmart, St. Anthony

Cub Foods, St. Anthony

Relax, it's a recycling bin in front of the abandoned Pei Wei, not a trash dumpster. Reduce, Reuse, Recycle - the future is now!

St Anthony Liquors

A labelscar of an abandoned Bakers Square

A small strip center near Stinson Blvd, near the "back" of what was Apache Plaza & the old Apache Theater

A sign listing the stores in this strip center

Unique Thrift Store is a pretty decent thrift store, in regards to its pricing scheme. Goodwill & Savers charge like $8 for a pilly Gap sweater from 1995.