Indeed Brewing Company

In the words of Co-founder Nathan Berndt, “The idea of what is now known to be Indeed Brewing Company officially commenced with a text message one cold and snowy November night in 2010.” The company now employs approximately 35 employees with projected sales of 10,000 barrels by the end of this year.

Indeed is located at 711 15th Ave NE in the Logan Park Neighborhood of Northeast Minneapolis. This area of Northeast has been deemed the “brewing district” and is just a couple blocks from the original James Page and Grain Belt Brewing Companies. Berndt says that having a number of breweries in the neighborhood has given Indeed the opportunity to better promote the movement of local, fresh craft beer.

The main point of business for the brewery has been, and will continue to be, distribution. But with the passing of Minnesota’s Surly Bill, Indeed saw an opportunity to engage with the company’s end consumer and became the first production brewery to open a taproom in Northeast. “Beer is best fresh, and the freshest place to get that beer is at the brewery,” says Berndt.

The brewery sees a lot of local foot and bike traffic and is somewhat of a destination for the rest of the Twin Cities. One way Indeed brings people into the taproom is by hosting free tours of the brewery each week. In addition, the brewery hosts various events throughout the year such as “Give Back Wednesdays,” an initiative to support local non-profits. The brewery donates net revenue from these events to chosen non-profits focused on the environment, social justice, education, the arts, and other community issues.

The brewery hosts an event during Art-A-Whirl in which their LSD Honey Ale is considered a piece of “art.” This event draws 7,000 people to its parking lot for music, food and beer. Indeed also celebrates harvest season in the month of October with many new and limited edition beers at its annual “Hullaballo” event.

“While only two-years-old, the future is very much wide-open for Indeed,” says Berndt. “We are very committed to providing the best and freshest beer possible.”

For more information on Indeed Brewing Company, visit:
http://www.indeedbrewing.com/
https://www.facebook.com/IndeedBrewing
https://twitter.com/indeedbrewing

For a short video clip of the brewery, visit:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z0Qnkfuj2ME

The Nicholas Legeros Sculpture Studio

Nick Legeros is a standout artist in Northeast Minneapolis, well-known for both his art and his community activism. As a sculptor of bronze, Legeros has created a number of public and corporate commission pieces that can be found all across the Midwest including “Father Murphy” at University of St. Thomas in St. Paul and “Quiet Competence” at M.A. Mortenson & Company in Minneapolis.

Legeros grew up in the Twin Cities and has been interested in art since his fourth grade art class. Shortly after entering Gustavus Adolphus College for his undergraduate degree, Legeros realized sculpture was the career avenue he wanted to pursue and ultimately went on to get his MFA degree in studio arts from the University of Minnesota. He also worked as an artist-in-residence at the Minnetonka Center for the Arts for more than 20 years before opening his own studio at 84 14th Ave. NE in 2003.

“At the time, I didn’t realize how important location was,” says Legeros, “but there was a lot of development happening in Northeast and now this area is so full of energy.”

Legeros outfitted his studio with a foundry, and he designs, creates molds, and pours bronze for all his pieces within the space. When showing off some of his recent pieces, he says he’s intrigued by the notion of distorting perspectives and has even experimented with blending bronze and glass casting.

"Happy accidents happen all the time in art,” Legeros says.

Over the years, he has built his business and grown his clientele by networking with members of the community at various events hosted by the Northeast Chamber of Commerce and other local organizations. He also engages with community members by teaching private classes upon request and hosting tours of his studio space by appointment.

One of the primary challenges Legeros faces is that he can't work fast enough - typically a good problem for an artist to have. On top of working to meet high demand for his pieces, Legeros is actively involved in organizations such as the Northeast Minneapolis Community Development Corporation (NECDC) and previously served as president of the Northeast Minneapolis Arts Association (NEMAA). He was also on the planning committee for the Northeast Minneapolis Arts Action Plan for a number of years.

For more information on Nick Legeros,
visit: http://www.nikosculpture.com/

For a short video clip of his studio,
visit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zl5cn5vUwDY

Art Materials: A Great Addition to Northeast

Northeast Minneapolis is home to more than 400 galleries, studios and artist-filled buildings, so it comes as no surprise that the owners of Art Materials chose to open the store’s third location within the Northeast neighborhood.  The company sells a wide array of art supplies including everything from paints and pens to frames and easels.  

Owner Larry Brown has been in the business for more than 20 years.  Realizing his preference for the retail aspect of the business over wholesale, Brown opened Art Materials stores in Uptown Minneapolis at 2728 Lyndale Ave. S and in Fargo, ND at 300 Broadway.

After talking with customers, Brown quickly realized that a large portion of the company’s customer base either worked or resided in Northeast and had to travel across the city to get their art supplies. So Brown began looking for a location with better access to Northeast customers and ultimately landed his third shop at 1509 Marshall St. NE in February 2013.

One of Art Materials’ key differentiators is its online store, which currently offers more than 69,000 products. With the upward trend in online shopping, people are enjoying the freedom to browse at their own convenience and be more selective about pricing and availability options. According to Brown, 40 percent of Fargo customer packages are going overseas, and the company has shipped products to countries such as the United Arab Emirates, Spain, Russia and Australia.

While the company’s e-commerce site has expanded Art Materials’ reach and opened doors to a much greater audience, there is still much to be said about the local Northeast shopper.

“We do much more than sell art products,” says Brown. “There’s a great community of budding artists here, and we are constantly rolling out new changes to meet their needs.”

For more information on Art Materials, visit: 
http://www.artmaterialsonline.com/
https://www.facebook.com/art.materialsminneapolis?fref=ts

For a short video clip of the store, visit:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OdARgBXOCUg