Two �Old Minneapolis� downtown businesses that have not yet been mentioned are Cafe di Napoli and Moss Optical.
Cafe di Napoli (on Hennepin Avenue across from the State Theatre) opened in 1938 and is still owned by the same family; they have the best side salad (with homemade Italian vinaigrette dressing), garlic bread, and red-sauce Italian that I�ve found in the Twin Cities. I suspect the decor hasn�t changed a great deal since 1938, but the �time-travel� element is another reason why I like Cafe di Napoli. Moss Optical (on 8th Street next to Shinder�s) is a fourth-generation family business where the emphasis is on quality products and service. I have an above-average glasses prescription, and the staff at Moss (trained opticians, not just salespeople) has helped me quickly select attractive frames that can accommodate my prescription. At least some of Moss Optical�s lenses are ground at Walman Optical, an employee-owned company in north Minneapolis. * * * In response to Shawn Lewis�s e-mail about the Market BBQ, I certainly understand why the Keyes and Sullivan families will want to boycott the Market themselves, but agree with some other list contributors that it is too soon for a communitywide boycott. Investigation should be conducted by a black citizens� or other civil-rights organization. If the Market�s owners didn�t know they have an outwardly racist manager (racist commments should be recorded on a 911 tape, and racist actions should be verifiable by eyewitnesses), they should be given a chance to reprimand and/or terminate the manager before a boycott is encouraged. As far as boycotts in general are concerned, even if the negative practices which inspire them are not ultimately changed, at least boycotters gain some peace of mind knowing they are not contributing to the financial success and power of boycotted businesses. As a vegetarian for 16 years, I have never eaten at the Market, but as an eleven-year resident of the Loring Park area, I am disturbed to hear that the Market incident happened in my neighborhood. Although it has a white majority, Loring is home to members of every ethnic group. I remember the �black FBI agent at Denny�s� incident and the Twin Cities Carson Pirie Scott boycott of approximately a decade ago, and agree with Susan Maricle that the black community and other groups encountering overt discrimination need to keep the rest of us informed. Just as we have been listing �old Minneapolis� businesses during the past week, contributors to this list may want to identify establishments where all people are welcome (interracial families may especially have insight into this). Roberta M. Beach Minneapolis Ward 7, Precinct 5 TEMPORARY REMINDER: 1. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait. 2. If you don't like what's being discussed here, don't complain - change the subject (Mpls-specific, of course.) ________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
