Pot, kettle? Richfield Menards beefing with Taco Bell over "cheap" construction design

Categories: Business
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Menards wants Taco Bell to class it up, but what do they expect from a restaurant that sells cheese roll-ups for 79 cents?
The management of the Menards in Richfield isn't thrilled about the proposed design of a Taco Bell that plans to move in next door, alleging it looks cheap and isn't up to the high standards set by the recently redesigned Menards and other nearby businesses.

SEE ALSO: Man arrested for drunkenly hitting on Lakeville Taco Bell drive-thru employee

Unless T-Bell plans to operate out of some sort of dilapidated trailer, we have our doubts about that, but in comments made last month to the Richfield City Council, Menards representative Tyler Edwards said, "the proposed Taco Bell plans incorporate very little of what the city emphasizes as upgraded facade treatments."

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Timberwolves reportedly eyeing Block E for new practice facility

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Guy Still on twitpic
Block E then and now. In its next iteration, it could move from Gameworks to game work.
A downtrodden black hole of a real estate development and a struggling, seemingly snakebitten professional sports franchise -- some might say it's a perfect match.

THE BACKSTORY: Block E blight: There's only one business left inside

According to a Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal report, the Timberwolves are eyeing Block E for a new practice facility and their corporate offices, both of which are currently housed inside the Target Center structure.

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National Labor Relations Board finds merit with fired Chicago Lakes Liquor workers' case

Categories: Business
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Erica Nicole
Protestors picket outside Chicago Lake Liquors earlier this spring.
Today, the National Labor Relations Board announced it has found merit in the wrongful termination case put forth by the Chicago Lake Liquors Five, meaning the NLRB will now represent the fired workers as they try to receive back pay and/or get their jobs back.

THE BACKSTORY: Fired Chicago Lake Liquors workers still expect to get jobs back with back pay

According to fired Chi-Lake worker Hallie Wallace, the next step will be for an NLRB representative to present a settlement offer to Chi-Lake owner John Wolf. If Wolf doesn't accept the offer, the case could go before an administrative law judge. In an interview earlier this week, Marlin Osthus, regional director for the local branch of the NLRB, said the board has a perfect record during the last couple of years in cases that have wound up in court.

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Fired Chicago Lake Liquors workers still expect to get jobs back with back pay

Categories: Business
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Erica Nicole
The Chicago Lake Five, including Wallace (center).
:::: UPDATE :::: National Labor Relations Board finds merit with fired Chicago Lakes Liquor workers' case

Nearly two months after they were fired, the Chicago Lake Five still expect to return to work at the busy south Minneapolis liquor store.

SEE ALSO: Fired Chicago Lake Liquors workers create website soliciting donations

And in the coming days, their case could be significantly strengthened by the National Labor Relations Board, which will soon rule on whether the firings constituted a wrongful termination under the National Labor Relations Act. If the NLRB rules in the workers' favor and a settlement can't be reached, the case might end up before an administrative law judge who could order owner John Wolf to reinstate the workers. (For more about the legalities of the Chi-Lake controversy, read our original post about the firings here.)

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Proposal would convert Suburban World Theater into more Uptown retail space

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The dormant Suburban World Theater may become the latest historic Uptown property to follow the Uptown Bar and be converted into retail space.

POUR ONE OUT: Uptown Bar demolition photos

But unlike the Uptown Bar, the developer who wants to convert Suburban World (it was known as the Granada Theater before 1954) isn't planning to tear it down and start from scratch.

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"Appalling" NoDak billboard takes shot at MN's business climate on MN soil [IMAGE]

Categories: Business
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The subtext: North Dakota is more "open for business" than tax-crazy Minnesota.
A billboard recently erected in Moorhead has left some Chamber of Commerce officials with bunched panties.

SEE ALSO: North Dakota tries to market itself as hookup haven, fails

The plain-looking billboard (visible above), bought and paid for by the Greater North Dakota Chamber of Commerce, simply says, "North Dakota: Open for Business." Indeed, a recent study looking at the tax policies in each state found that NoDak has the 15th-most favorable business environment, while Minnesota's is 40th.

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Rusty Quarters Arcade meets fundraising goal with hours to spare, will stay open

Categories: Business
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On Facebook, Rusty Quarters' owners responded to meeting their fundraising goal with this message: "HOLY PAC-MAC PELLETS!!!!!!!!"
Last spring, Rusty Quarters needed to raise $3,000 in a short period of time to stay open. That donation drive was successful, but just a year later, Annie and Sage Spirtos, the wife-and-husband owners of the Lyn-Lake arcade, had to climb a steeper mountain to keep their fledging business afloat.

SEE ALSO: Voicemail warns Treehouse Records about offending half its customers with 'Vote No' signs [AUDIO]

In early March, citing high rent and declining business, the couple announced they needed to raise $8,000 by the end of May. The deadline was later moved up a month, and in recent days it looked as though Annie and Sage might fall just short. But last night, with just hours to spare, the fundraising goal was reached, and as of this morning Rusty Quarters had raised $8,520 with 19 hours still left in their Indiegogo campaign.

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Owner of Stillwater's Land of Pharaohs massage parlor deported for fondling female customers

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Malak was convicted of crossing the line during two massages, and as a result he now finds himself back in the actual Land of Pharaohs.
Amir Abd El Malak, owner of Stillwater's Land of Pharaohs massage parlor, has been deported after he was sentenced to 10 years' probation for fondling female clients.

SEE ALSO: Isabel Diaz-Castillo, alleged south Mpls baby snatcher, is in U.S. illegally, may be deported

In January, a jury convicted Malak, 37, of two counts of felony criminal sexual conduct in connection with the 2012 incidents.

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Chicago Avenue Deli goes up in flames [PHOTOS]

Categories: Business, Sad
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Kim Insley on Twitter
The dramatic blaze, which is now under control, resulted in a couple blocks of Chicago Avenue being closed this morning.
The Chicago Avenue Deli, located at 25th Street and Chicago Avenue in south Minneapolis, went up in flames overnight.

SEE ALSO: Massive Uptown fire engulfs building near Lake Street and Irving Avenue [PHOTOS] [VIDEO]

A fire at the building was first reported at about 3:30 a.m., with the blaze intensifying a couple of hours later. Though the precise extent of the damage isn't clear at this point, it certainly looks as though the building is a complete loss.

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Primebar allegedly flooded former Calhoun Square location by plugging sink, running water

Categories: Business
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Primebar's no-good-very-bad run in Calhoun Square makes Il Gatto look like a smashing success by comparison.
A lawsuit filed by the owner of Calhoun Square alleges that management of the recently failed Primebar location didn't pay rent almost from the day the bar and restaurant opened and intentionally damaged the property when it closed for good last month after just eight months in business.

SEE ALSO: 350-pound Wisconsin man picketing restaurant after he's cut off during all-you-can-eat fish fry

The lawsuit seeks more than $1 million in damages, including more than $250,000 in unpaid rent.

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