Standish - Minneapolis, MN

Until Norwegian and Swedish immigrants settled here in the early 1900s, Standish was considered the edge of Minneapolis. The neighborhood’s name pays tribute to the character Myles Standish, from a poem by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.

Together with Ericsson, directly south of Standish, the joint Standish Ericsson Neighborhood Association fosters a thriving environment of area involvement. Monthly community meals, a holiday tree lighting ceremony and a bi-monthly newsletter keep folks engaged in their surroundings. SENA also sponsors the Lake Hiawatha Heart Warmer, a free winter carnival with family-friendly games, food and stalls.

The historic Roosevelt Library organizes book clubs and art displays. To make your own creative pieces, sign up for a jewelry making or welding class at the Chicago Avenue Fine Arts Center. If you’re looking for an educational afternoon, head to the northern neighborhood of Phillips, where the American Swedish Institute teaches about the area’s Scandinavian influence.

Living this close to city center means you can pop into Minneapolis for dinner at a five-star restaurant or stay close to home for a casual night out. Big night clubs are only a few minutes away on public transportation, and the neighborhood’s restaurants and ‘everybody knows your name’ bars are scattered within walking distance.

The Latin American kitchen at Pupuseria La Palmera makes pupusas, a Salvadoran tortilla stuffed with meat and cheese. Pupuseria serves theirs with authentic loroco, an edible vine flower found in El Salvador. Simple décor and cheap prices prove that appearances are deceiving here; one bite of a slaw-topped pupusa or a conversation with the chatty servers, and you’ll be back for more.

At Northbound Smokehouse Brewpub, tempt your palate with a menu based around smoked meats and matching craft beers. Beside year-round and seasonal brews, each Tuesday the brewmaster infuses one keg with something more creative, like a rhubarb hefeweizen or a s’mores porter. Find one that you love? Northbound sells growlers, which you can fill up with your favorite beverage. When dining in for the first time, be sure to try the famous 18-hour pulled pork sandwich.

Smoke In The Pit is another carnivore’s delight. Though it’s been called a hole-in-the-wall by locals, inside this hole are some of the city’s best bbq brisket and smoked chicken wings. Portions divide easily between two people.You can also order takeout.

A quieter nightlife keeps the dive bars busy in Standish. The popular joints tend to serve food as well as alcohol, and offer light forms of entertainment. If you’re craving a burger and beer, attempt the Jucy Lucy at the city institution, Matt’s Bar.

Darts and pool, standard activities at the Cardinal Tavern, are augmented by daily events: bingo on Mondays, a pub quiz on Tuesdays, karaoke on Saturday and all-you-can eat pancakes on Sunday mornings.

The Metro Transit Light Rail – Blue Line runs along the eastern edge of Standish, linking the neighborhood with Minneapolis city center in the north and the Minneapolis St. Paul International Airport and Bloomington’s Mall of America in the south. Stops include the 38th Street Station and, in the southern neighborhood of Ericsson, the 46th Street Station. Rail trains stop every 1.5 minutes and reach downtown in just seconds.

Public transportation here also includes the Bus Rapid Metro – Orange Line, which runs from north to south and stops at Ericsson’s 46th Street Station.

When traffic is light, you can drive to downtown Minneapolis in 12-15 minutes. Alternatively, hop onto the M-77 highway running west of Standish, and you’ll be outside of city limits in an easy 25 minutes. A New Star Taxi And Limo Service offers cabs and shuttle services. Uber, the ride sharing company, also operates around Minneapolis; sign up and download the app on your phone to access potential lifts around the city.

Commercial businesses dot the neighborhood, giving you a good excuse to run errands on foot. One of the city’s biking boulevards runs along 40th street, though cyclists should feel comfortable riding through Standish on regular streets, as well.

The Standish neighborhood shares its southern boundary with Lake Hiawatha Park. Named after the Native American hero of another Longfellow poem, the park covers 241 acres of forest and green space, with the blue waters of Lake Hiawatha at its center. While there’s no off-leash dog park, there are facilities for everything else: swimming, tennis basketball, cross-country skiing, picnics and bbqs, and a tot lot with kids' climbing wall. Paths around the lake allow for a leisurely afternoon stroll.

An 18-hole public golf course, Hiawatha Golf Club, lies inside the park. During warm weather you can practice your putt or learn the rules of the new hybrid sport, foot golf. In the winter, cross-country skiing equipment rents from here.

Though smaller than Lake Hiawatha Park, the Sibley Park and Recreational Center provide residents with an impressive list of sporting amenities. Play soccer or softball, or strap on your skates for a game of ice hockey. Youth courses are held in the garden, though kids may also enjoy the playground and wading pools.

Join Standish and Ericsson for the community event of the summer, the Lake Hiawatha Neighborhood Festival. This annual August party focuses on family-fun and outdoor activities, like canoe and pony rides, an inflatable water slide, bocce ball and face painting. Locals are encouraged to participate in a talent show and fitness challenge. The festival is free, with raffles for sale and prizes for the talent winners.

Life in Standish is nearly equal in price to the city’s average. You won’t notice a big difference on transportation, goods and services – only the cost of renting is slightly higher. The median rent for a one-bedroom unit is $100-plus more expensive than the same size unit in other parts of Minneapolis. Expect to pay between $650-$900. Luckily for you, the vacancy rate here also remains higher than the city average, leaving a few available options to choose from.

Moderate prices in the commercial neighborhood mean you can afford groceries and a night out now and then. Hopping the light rail to the city center costs $2.25. A pint at the local haunt costs $4.00-$6.00, though filling up a tank of gas is 1 percent cheaper than the national average.

Small businesses thrive in Standish, where they provide customers with the extra attention missing from big chains outlets. While large department stores of Downtown Minneapolis wait about five miles away, you’ll easily find what you’re looking for in one of the specialty shops sprinkled around Standish. Be it shoes, yarn or an antique radio, this neighborhood is your personal bazaar.

Start at Flamingos Divine Finds, where you might just discover all of the above. This ‘occasional sale’ space collects vintage home wares, furniture, décor and pieces by local craftsman – so many random items, they usually spill out of the two-story building and onto sidewalk tables. Only open one long weekend a month, Wed.-Sun., their bargains disappear as soon as the doors unlock. Get in early, or stop by on the last day prepared to barter.

For the arts-and-crafters, stop by Glad Creations Inc. Quilt Block and StevenBe – A Yarn Garage Workshop. These two offer DIY courses and expertise on threads and fabrics; join a community of knitters at StevenBe’s Tuesday and Thursday open knitting nights, or create a unique quilt at Glad Creation’s Row by Row Experience.

Angry Catfish Bicycle Shop & Coffee Bar is a boutique for cycling and caffeine aficionados. While you don’t have to bike to enjoy the joe, you do need to know a thing or two about the sport to appreciate the independent brand equipment on sale here. It’s also the only place in Standish where you can try a Sea Salt Mocha. (After coffee, do what the locals do and buy a pastry from the Baker’s Wife next door).

For neighborhood groceries, both Cup Foods and Flag Foods corner stores stack fresh produce and packaged goods. The appearance of Cup Foods may scare away out-of-towners, but one conversation with the proud owner will help you see past the dodgy exterior to the quality goods inside.

Armand’s Exotic Food Market is a treasure trove of hard-to-find Asian and Caribbean spices. For locally sourced meats, shop at Everett’s Food And Meats. Though the price of a lamb chop is higher than in the grocery store, you’re actually paying for knowledge: the butchers here can tell you the Midwest farm where every cut and bone came from. Their beef sticks come highly recommended.

If you’d prefer to buy directly from the farmer, stop by the small market on Franklin Avenue on Wednesdays (season-pending). Otherwise, the University of Minnesota has a larger farmer’s market and is only 20 minutes away by public transport.