Downtown Park Rapids, MN

No, the Park Rapids Chamber of Commerce has not paid me to do this blog entry, but maybe they should as I am about to extol their business community's strengths.

I love Weyburn dearly but I have to rant about the lack of interest in making our business area look pleasing.  Businesses on our main street don't even sweep away the swirling Tim Horton garbage each morning.  They seldom if ever hose down their sticky and/or mucky sidewalks.  Although the city came up with planters a number of years ago and they are planted, they aren't really looked after except for being watered intermittently.  The big pots the city put in on boulevards generally look good, but the student workers must not be asked to weed the weeds that grow in the cracks of  the boulevards.  A friend and I jump out at red lights and pull a few when we can, but our two person attempt is not enough.  

I only see one business in town which has chosen to beautify for the summer with a gorgeous planter and little table and chairs. If only their beautifying would become the impetus for other businesses.

So that's my rant, and here's my commentary on a community which does things differently.

Park Rapids' thrift store looks like this:

Here's its entry.

What would a store with this name sell?

Shoes, of course.  Beautiful, wonderful shoes.

 Most stores have planters which are fed by small lines which send enough water and fertilizer to keep them looking good all summer long.

Monika's is a quilt/yarn shop which has been on the main street of PR forever.

Park Rapids has a population under 4000, but has many amenities such as a WalMart and two grocery stores which are open 24 hours a day.

There is not one, but two candy shops in this town which serves a large area of lake people.

The two men waving to you in front of Aunt Belle's are gentlemen from Georgia who were happy to be in the photo and happy to have a quick chat.

Peanut brittle in the making.

Most of the small towns around here have their original theaters and PR is no different.

Look at the wreath on this door.

This is my new favorite shop - Rust 2 Rose.

I love Tony's slogan.

 

Lots of businesses add not only planters to their sidewalk space, but also benches.

Let me sign off this post with a page from the Minneapolis Star Tribune.  I love a major daily paper where part of the sports section is always fishing reports!