For The Love Of Duluth

It's been a big year for Chad Ronchetti. He was handpicked over the summer as the new Director of Planning & Economic Development for the City of Duluth. Fresh off his first few months with the prestigious new gig, he joined us to talk about his decades plus experience in the industry, how he snagged the major role and his future plans for the city. He also bares all about his childhood, t...

Over the past few years, the beer industry in Duluth has been booming. With so many breweries making our city their home, it takes quite a special place to stand out. Blacklist Brewing Company does and has since it first opened in 2012, quickly becoming one of the most popular breweries in the Northland. Blacklist has all the 'beer' necessities and then some, with an incredible menu of one...

The only thing better than that first cup of coffee in the morning or finally getting to that afternoon pick-me-up? Knowing you're drinking the java for a good cause. A new coffee shop in Superior has made that a reality, opening over the summer, with proceeds benefitting local ministries within the community. (It's so special, we're crossing state lines for this one. Sorry, Duluth!) 2...

There's no other body of water quite like Lake Superior. What other lake or ocean has its own publication with such a dedicated following? Lake Superior Magazine comes out bimonthly, made up of subscribers in almost all fifty states, most Canadian provinces and more than twenty foreign countries. Each issue proves why Superior is supreme, placing a special emphasis on the people, places and ev...

When you think of local news in the Northland, no one comes to mind quicker than Dan Hanger. The news anchor, reporter and producer quickly became a household name after joining the FOX 21 team in 2010, thanks to his unique way of delivering the news, mixing passion and authenticity with his signature personality, something you don't see on your average nightly newscast. The Illinois native ha...

There is perhaps no body of water more Duluth than the St. Louis River, beat out only by the legendary Lake Superior, which it happens to flow into. Unfortunately, it is also happens to be one of the most heavily polluted waterways in the state and a Great Lakes Area Of Concern. One nonprofit organization is destined to change that, working to restore, protect and enhance the beautiful river year-...

An Irish pub might not be the first thing you think of when it comes to the place we call home but Duluth does have the luck of the Irish in the form of a handful of lively and fun-loving pubs. One of the best? Carmody Irish Pub and Brewing. The spot opened in 2006 in a former livery stable from the 1880s, right in the heart of downtown Duluth. Its popularity is due in part to its owner Eddie Glee...

Picnic season is officially here and thanks to one Duluth local, picnics on Lake Superior will never be the same. Jamie Anderson started Events By Jam during the COVID-19 pandemic. While she doesn't remember exactly where she first heard of the pop-up picnic, she knew she wanted to bring the concept to the Northland and bring it she did, offering customized and luxurious picnics for whatever t...

In the heart of Duluth’s Lincoln Park neighborhood sits not one but two incredible businesses, both unique and both brimming with feelings of community from the minute you walk through the door. That's no coincidence: both the Duluth Folk School and Dovetail Cafe & Marketplace were co-founded by Carmel DeMaioribus, a Wisconsin native who planted roots in the area years ago. She's made...

September 14th of 2022 is a day staff at Lake Superior Medical Equipment will never forget. On a windy Wednesday, the team watched their storefront and original location of two decades go up in flames. The fire left the building a total loss and left the team operating out of a much smaller location in Cloquet, spending the eight months that followed rebuilding what was lost and coming back bigger...

Whether a Northlander or a tourist or living on the other side of the world, we all know of Split Rock Lighthouse and for good reason. Split Rock is one of the most visited sites in Minnesota and one of the most photographed lighthouses in the country. If you've been there, you know exactly why. The iconic lighthouse opened in 1910 after a deadly shipping season and steadily became a national...

Helping others see the beauty in Duluth isn't a tough gig, being that it is one of the most beautiful places on earth. Destination Duluth has made it their mission to do just that, spreading the word about our magical city since its inception nearly a decade ago. Destination Duluth started as nothing more than an idea back in 2006, becoming a reality in May of 2013 with the launch of their off...

A wise person once said "if you are losing faith in human nature, go out and watch a marathon" and if you've ever watched Grandma's Marathon taking place in real time, you know the statement rings true. The annual race is so much more than just 26.2 miles. From the months runners dedicate to training to the booming cheers from the crowd as the athletes pass by, a marathon brings...

It doesn't get better than incredible food and an amazing view (of Lake Superior, that is). Sir Benedict's Tavern On The Lake has both. The restaurant switched hands, in a serendipitous way no less, back in 2015 when Josh Stotts became the owner. The spot has continued to thrive ever since, with a menu that never misses, live music and the title of Best Outdoor Seating in Duluth. Everyone who walk...

Need an afternoon pick-me-up? Grab a cup of joe and join us for this brand new episode featuring Sam Levar, the General Manager of Duluth Coffee Company. Since joining the team in 2017, he has held countless positions there, from barista to sales management to the role he holds today. Born and raised in Duluth, he was the perfect person for the job, with over a decade of experience managing local...

Some people have one talent they absolutely excel at. Then there are people like Lyla Abukhodair, a rising singer and songwriter in the midwest AND one of the women behind Duluth's popular Palestinian pop-up restaurant. The talented Northlander grew up in Hermantown and stayed in the area for college, attending the University of Minnesota-Duluth. Over the years, she's fronted a handful of music ac...

Some stories are so incredible and well-told that you are thinking about them long after you turn the last page. Such is the case with The Twenty-Ninth Day: Surviving a Grizzly Attack in the Canadian Tundra, a book penned by Duluth author Alex Messenger. The book was published in 2019 and quickly garnered national attention, detailing the once-in-a-lifetime trip the avid outdoorsman took at sevent...

There's a reason Hartley Park is known as one of the most beautiful places in the Northland, spanning nearly seven-hundred acres and situated in the heart of Duluth. On the grounds of the park is Hartley Nature Center, a newly-renovated space that first opened its doors in 2003. Today, it is filled with exhibits,  meeting spaces and offices, hosting fun activities year round and even running...

Duluth is no stranger to breweries but one of the newest additions to the town we love really stands out. Lake Superior Brewing sits in the Lester Park / Lakeside neighborhood and is anything but your average brewery. The owners, Seth & Sarah Maxim, bought the brewery during the pandemic and have worked tirelessly over the past few years to make it their own. The result? A one-of-a-kind place...

Jason Wussow has had the type of journey rock stars write songs about. A music lover for as long as he can remember and a musician himself, he had a dream of opening a live music venue in Duluth. His dreams came true back in July of 1999 when he opened what is known today as Wussow's Concert Cafe. The spot has a stage that some of the most influential musicians in the area have stepped onto, a rec...

There are few people who could balance as much as Kelly Florence, let alone so flawlessly and authentically. The Cherry, Minnesota native is best known for her work as a horror author, podcaster and screenwriter but those are just a few of her many passions and professions: she is also an instructor of communication at Lake Superior College. With multiple degrees and diplomas to her name, she hasn...

Duluth is no stranger to talent, with the likes of Bob Dylan and Trampled By Turtles calling it home before making it big in the music industry. Charlie Parr is another one of those household names and after our chat with him, it's easy to see why. Born in small town Minnesota, he picked up his first guitar at just eight years old and thirteen albums later, he has still never had a formal lesson....

Stacey LaCoursiere is the owner and founder of a rare Duluth gem, Duluth Studio Market. What started as Duluth Studio Company has morphed into a store with an emphasis on local, authentic and charitable. While most people were temporarily closing during the COVID-19 pandemic, she was working hard to open what is known as Duluth Studio Market - and did so with great success. Today, the store is not...

David Siebert's journey may be one of the most unique we've featured yet. After a successful career in the medical industry for more than two decades, it wasn't until the pandemic that he decided to fulfill his dream of owning his own business. After living in the hot desert of Las Vegas (for 255 days to be exact), where he and his wife Tami moved for a job opportunity, the two were on their way b...

Are you a Halloween enthusiast? Do you love things that go bump in the night? Grab someone to hold on to and go behind the curtain of one of the most popular haunted attractions in the Northland - and one of the longest running in the entire country. What started as a ghost on a string in his parent's front yard turned into a decades-long passion project for the founder, Patrick Stojevich. The hai...