For The Love Of Duluth

If you are a loyal listener to For The Love Of Duluth, you likely remember one of our former guests: author and photographer Alex Messenger. Premiering in 2023, the episode centered around his gripping memoir detailing a grizzly attack he suffered in the Canadian wilderness when he was just seventeen. Now, three years later, the Deephaven native is back as our first ever return podcast guest to ta...

The average American reads about twelve books a year on average, getting lost in a story for about nineteen minutes a day. The benefits of being a bookworm are hard to beat, with recent studies suggesting that the hobby relieves stress more than any other, improves focus and leads to a better night of sleep. For all of these reasons and more, you should book it to The Bookstore At Fitger’s, a spec...

The average American watches just under 4,000 movies throughout their lifetime, amounting to nearly ten years of time well-spent in front of the tube. There’s people that watch movies and then there’s those that make them. Enter Mandy June Turpin, a writer, director, producer and one of the founders of Iron North Productions, largely responsible for the major influx of films shooting in our region...

A whopping seventy-seven percent of Americans went to at least one movie in person last year. With a fifteen percent uptick in cinema loyalty programs as of late, and 115 wide releases set for 2026, the movie business is really having a moment. That is especially true here in our neck of the woods, something that can be attributed to the Upper Midwest Film Office. Today, they are the only nonprofi...

We have been sweet on donuts for centuries. While the exact origin of the sweet treat remains a mystery, many believe its invention came about in the 1600s, slowly cementing its place in history in the centuries that followed. Today, donuts are having a big moment in Duluth, thanks to a delectable new donut shop in Canal Park. Located along Lake Avenue on the main floor of the DeWitt-Seitz buildin...

A recent study states that the average American splurges on dining out more than anything else, using about thirteen percent of our earned income on a delicious meal, an experience made even better when you can feast on no-nonsense food at down-to-earth prices. That’s the beauty of The Social House, a restaurant as big on community as it is its fantastic fare, known in its own right for its hearty...

The SS Edmund Fitzgerald is one of the most famous shipwrecks in maritime history, record-breaking in many ways during its short life, a fact that is now overshadowed by its story. The freighter sank in Lake Superior on November 10th of 1975 while transporting more than 26,000 tons of cargo from the Burlington Northern Railroad Dock in Superior to Zug Island, and remains at the bottom of the great...

According to the National Recreation and Parks Association, the average American visits a local park about 27 times a year. That number is surely much higher within Duluth city limits, home to one of the most beautiful and extensive park systems in the nation. With about 162 parks spread across roughly 9,000 acres and just over 350 miles of diverse trails, it’s more than perfect for any outdoor en...

Glass is a marvel, considered a luxury at many points throughout history, with it’s invention giving us one of the greatest and most beautiful gifts in the art world today. Art glass is defined as any object, made of glass of course, used for decorative and aesthetic purposes rather than for function. Duluth creatives can master the craft right in their own backyard thanks to Lake Superior Art Gla...

A whopping 93% of us feast on pizza at least once a month. In fact, 350 pieces of pizza are consumed every single second in the United States, with all of us collectively consuming about 300 billion pizzas a year. If you want a special slice, you don’t have to go too far: head to Canal Park or Central Entrance, where a delectable Neapolitan, wood-fired pizza awaits. Vitta Pizza first opened in 201...

At the moment, about 46.5 million households in the United States have a cat in the family and after you listen to this podcast episode, that number is sure to grow, at least in the Northland. This surefire spike can all be attributed to Duluth’s most unique coffee shop, a one-of-a-kind cat café located along Superior Street. Wired Whisker opened in 2024 to the delight of cat and coffee lovers eve...

The market for colored pencils is surprisingly hot, with hundreds of millions sold every single year and then some. When it comes to some of the most well-known artists famous for their use of them, we don’t have to search too far: one of the most prominent is a born and raised Duluthian named Tim Cortes. His niche? Creating limited-edition lithographs and commissioned works of art for some of the...

We all know Duluth is the greatest city on earth. Whether you're here for the long haul or just passing through, the Zenith City has something for everyone - and then some. After all, our small town boasts world class attractions, stunning beauty and unmatched outdoor recreation. In fact, there’s so much to do, eat and explore that planning out your Duluth day can be simply overwhelming. While...

When it comes to famous restaurants in Duluth, the most instantly recognizable and iconic is without a doubt Grandma's Saloon & Grill in Canal Park. (And yes, it IS the namesake of that that very famous marathon.) Love it? You're in luck, as it is one of several restaurants under the Grandma's Restaurant Company, which is made up of a handful of other incredibly popular places to e...

There are so many amazing places to eat in Duluth and the bustling Canal Park is no exception. One of the most exceptional can be found on the first floor of the DeWitt-Seitz building, known for its eclectic menu filled with global influences and dishes made with fresh and often foraged ingredients. The lovely Lake Avenue also caters to the locavore, opting for ingredients, goods and services from...

Today, about half of all marshmallows sold are eventually toasted over a fire and promptly consumed, with Americans buying more than ninety million pounds of the sweet treat each year. Believe it or not, we have one big marshmallow connection right here in the Zenith City, thanks to a small, woman and veteran-owned business called The Minnesota Marshmallow. What started as a fun venture during the...

It’s no secret that the art of watercolor has quite a colorful history, existing in some way, shape or form since the Paleolithic period. One of the most identifiable mediums today, our love of watercolors is alive and well worldwide, even here in the Zenith City, a fact that can be attributed to an incredible local artist with a big passion for watercolor paintings, making Duluth even more vibran...

Simply put, music is a huge deal in the Northland, where we are charmed with several music centers to help us scratch our creative itch. There’s no doubt that one of the most special - and historic - is the Sacred Heart Music Center, a prominent music venue in Duluth’s Central Hillside neighborhood that is as stunning as it is significant. A community cornerstone for more than a century, this buil...

Since 2001, the number of craft breweries in Minnesota has been steadily increasing, from less than 50 all those decades ago to about 234 as of late 2024. Duluth has also become a craft beer haven, with one of the most popular and bustling being Canal Park Brewing Company. Located in its namesake, this hot spot has been around for more than a decade and for good reason. Famous for their award-winn...

Duluth is known for its exciting restaurants, breweries and attractions and one of the very best is still considered a hidden gem: the Karpeles Manuscript Library Museum, one in a family of seven that collectively hosts more than a million historical documents, making it one of the largest private collections of historic manuscripts in the entire world. Located in the former First Church Of Christ...

Duluth has become quite famous for its brewery scene as of late, bringing in locals daily and drawing in tourists from all over the midwest, each eager to try the beers they’ve heard so much about, brewed with water straight from the great lake they’ve also heard so much about. When it comes to breweries in the Zenith City, Hoops Brewing is simply LAGER than life. With its convivial food hall-esqu...

When it comes to fishing on Lake Superior, many Northlanders are HOOKED from the very first bite, and with a body of water as grand as the great lake, you might need to call in a little help. For that, look no further than Happy Hooker Charters, the oldest and largest charter fishing company on this side of the lake, operating out of the exact same slip as the William A. Irvin in Canal Park for th...

Chances are, if you live in or have traveled to Duluth, you’ve feasted on a sandwich from one of the best. Northern Waters Smokehaus is famous in our neck of the woods, and beyond, for good reason: their smoked fish and meats, along with their sandwich creations, are simply unmatched. What started as a passion project turned into one of the most delicious places to eat in Minnesota, opening more t...

It’s no secret that Duluth is an active city, thanks in part to the abundance of outdoor recreation we have right in our own backyard. To take it all on, we need the right footwear. For that, we turn to Tortoise & Hare Footwear in West Duluth, a thriving local business that started as a franchise more than two decades ago and counting. Known for their incredible customer service and comprehens...

When it comes to cooperatives, one of the most legen-DAIRY can be found in our neck of the woods. The Burnett Dairy Cooperative is as historic as it is amazing, in business and farmer-owned since June of 1896. Got milk? The Burnett Dairy Cooperative does, bringing in over a million pounds of it each day, in turn crafting 150,000 pounds of cheese daily, creating nothing short of the highest quality...