By Ali Elabbady

I was a University of Minnesota sophomore walking across the Washington Avenue Bridge, which connects the university’s East Bank campus with Minneapolis’ Cedar-Riverside neighborhood, when I saw a van owned by the student-run Radio K station. It was advertising a hip-hop radio show called The Beat Box. Soon after, from 1999 to 2006, this area became my second home as I started volunteering and interning for The Beat Box during the week, ready to broadcast live on Saturdays. Today, the Cedar Avenue South cultural district is a vibrant, welcoming, and fascinating place. Most commonly referred to as Cedar-Riverside, it boasts a progressive and diverse community that gives life to this part of Minneapolis.

Cedar-Riverside served as a second home for a lot of the experiences that would shape and mold my mind as a young college student, who was fresh out of taking all my prerequisite courses, and fully honed in on my major of speech communications. Since a majority of the courses I was taking at the time were arts-related, little did I know how the Cedar-Riverside area would be able to nourish and replenish my creative mindframe at that time. As time passed, this district would also be a prime spot for rejuvenation, whether it was through the numerous live venues for experimental plays and infectious live music, or to help quell the hunger pangs with some awesome breakfast, lunch, and dinner spots.

History of Cedar Avenue South

The Cedar Avenue South cultural district was considered a port of entry for Swedes, Germans, and Bohemians, who started to arrive in large numbers during the late 19th century. In its early days, Cedar-Riverside housed a lot of Scandinavian immigrants who worked for the lumber and milling fields on the banks of the Mississippi River. After those industries declined in the 1920s, the area experienced an increase in Eastern European immigrants in the 1940s. Along with the Seven Corners area in the 1960s and 70s, it became a burgeoning community for hippies, activists, and musicians. Fast-forward to today, and Cedar-Riverside is home to one of the largest immigrant communities in the Twin Cities—yet still maintains remnants of all these past influxes in some way, shape, or form. Somalis are now the predominant minority group here. Dubbed “Little Mogadishu,” the Cedar Avenue South cultural district reflects that shift with emerging businesses and numerous restaurants that are providing Somali goods and cuisine.

Make the Most of Hard Times and Matinees

During those years I was working with Radio K, I had a co-host who is still my best friend today. Every Saturday, I would usually pick him up from University Village on the East Bank, and then we would traverse to the West Bank campus, parking in a lot at the nearby Rarig Center. During our walk, we would debate if we should have breakfast at Hard Times Cafe or The Wienery, only to agree to have breakfast at The Wienery, and lunch with our guests that day from The Beat Box at Hard Times. Hard Times and The Wienery are still slinging dishes of delicious food and hot coffee and tea for any patron who walks through its doors today, and I still highly recommend a visit to both.

Also during those years, I would visit local businesses interested in running advertising. I would stop in at Midwest Mountaineering and Thrifty Outfitters, where you could find knowledgeable and pleasant sales staff who would help with your outdoorsy needs, and Mayday Books, where a lot of the literature found there helped shape much of the ideology I have to this day. Both are still making their presence known, and are staples in the Cedar Avenue South district.

Many are surprised to learn this area is a place for great theater, too. The arts departments of the University of Minnesota and nearby Augsburg College, as well as the Theatre in the Round stage, have been featuring plays and one-person shows here for decades. After a filling lunch in the district, I would often find myself at Theater in the Round to catch a 2 pm matinee, which you can still experience these days on Sundays.

Music and Memories

On a typical weekend, the district is known for its vibrant local music scene, too. At Part Wolf, formerly known as The Nomad, a popular spot in the area, you can catch live bands or DJs spinning the night away. These days, I still spend a bulk of my time seeing shows at the Cedar Cultural Center, where I’ve caught shows by Tuareg legends Tinariwen and comedian Ron Funches. Palmer’s Bar is an excellent spot to catch dope live shows from local and independent acts, too.

If you still have the energy after a full day exploring Cedar-Riverside, join me for a nightcap at the Acadia Café where you can catch more live music and get some delicious grub to boot. Acadia has a similar vibe to Part Wolf, only with food and sans a bocce ball court.

Cedar Avenue South brims with culture, diversity, and artistry, and what makes the cultural district unique is, of course, the people, the food, and the arts. It provides a kind of everyday education that makes the rest of us more astute and enriched as a result.