MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) – Hunt and Gather is a unique store in south Minneapolis that has become a destination for both locals and celebrities.

A unique shopping experience

What we know:

The store, owned by Kristi Stratton, is filled with an eclectic mix of items ranging from vintage textiles and art books to repurposed giant letters salvaged from local businesses. Stratton describes the shop as a reflection of her colorful and fun personality.

Stratton’s passion for collecting unusual items is evident throughout the store. “I love trying to find the quirky standalone items, the pow items, we say,” said Stratton. Her love for vintage and antiques began early, inspired by her great-grandfather’s general store in western Minnesota.

Celebrity appeal

What they’re saying:

The store’s unique charm has attracted celebrity customers like Sheryl Crow, Francis McDormand, Sally Struthers, and country singer Kasey Musgraves, who once bought a giant head and brought it onstage during a performance in the Twin Cities.

Stratton’s connection with her customers is evident, as she still keeps in touch with Maureen McCormick, known for her role as Marcia Brady. “It’s just nice when people get it, as I say, and have an interest in, hey, I’m going to put something a little different in my home,” said Stratton.

A legacy of creativity

The backstory:

Stratton co-founded the legendary coffee shop Muddy Waters in the late 80s before purchasing an antique store called American Classics, which she transformed into Hunt and Gather. The store has become a landmark over the years, known for its ever-changing, fresh, and quirky inventory.

Stratton’s love for the thrill of the hunt keeps her motivated. “I love this. I love doing this. And it’s the thrill of the hunt. It really is. That’s the name, Hunt and Gather. But to find this stuff is really exciting to me,” she said.

‘It’s controlled chaos’

What we don’t know:

The exact number of items in the store remains a mystery. “Could it be a million? I don’t know. We have 8,325 square feet. Jammed space. It’s possible. Don’t make me count them though,” said Stratton.

ST. PAUL, Minn. (FOX 9) – Several “No Kings” rallies are planned across Minnesota for March 28, with a flagship event being held in St. Paul. 

Over 3,000 “No Kings” events are planned across the U.S. for that day. 

‘No Kings’ rallies

What they’re saying:

Organizers are calling the upcoming “No Kings” rally “the largest single-day nonviolent nationwide protests in U.S. history.” 

“Just months ago, millions of people took to the streets across thousands of events to say no to Trump’s abuses of power, and today that movement is only growing. With every ICE raid, every escalation abroad, and every abuse of power at home, Americans are rising up in opposition to Trump’s attempt to rule through fear and force. Each day Trump crosses a new red line, and more people are deciding they’ve had enough,” said Ezra Levin, Co-Executive Director of Indivisible. “That is why people across the country are organizing, showing up for their neighbors, and making one thing unmistakably clear: we are done with the corruption, the cruelty, and the authoritarianism. This No Kings will be the largest protest in American history. We are all united in this fight to save our democracy from this administration, and we will win. From every corner of this country, we are all saying: NO KINGS.”

The backstory:

Several nationwide “No Kings” rallies have been held over the past year to oppose the Trump administration, including events in June and October. 

This “No Kings” rally comes after a major Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) surge in Minnesota, and the fatal shooting of Renee Good and Alex Pretti by federal immigration agents in Minneapolis. 

No Kings meaning:

The rallies are organized by the 50501 movement – which stands for 50 protests, 50 states, one movement – which was created by Reddit users.

With the “No Kings” slogan, protesters are opposing what they see as authoritarian behavior by President Trump.

‘No Kings’ rallies planned across Minnesota

Local perspective:

Some of the speakers expected to speak at the St. Paul rally are Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan, Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison, singer and activist Joan Baez and actor and activist Jane Fonda. 

READ MORE: ‘No Kings’ rally in St. Paul on March 28: List of speakers

Here is a list of some rallies being held across Minnesota on March 28. 

• St. Paul: The march and rally held in the capital city is the “flagship event” for the “No Kings” rallies. The marches in St. Paul will start at noon, with the rally starting at 2 p.m. There will be three marches that will all converge at the Minnesota State Capitol. The marches will start at Harriet Island Regional Park, St. Paul College and Western Sculpture Park.
• St. Paul: 1–3 p.m., Lexington Parkway and 7th Street West
• St. Paul: 12-2 p.m., Cleveland Bridge over Interstate 94
• Stillwater: 12-2 p.m., Oak Park Crossing Park, 15125 60th Street North
• White Bear Lake: 1–3 p.m., Railroad Park, 4752 Highway 61 North
• Eagan: 12-1 p.m., Pilot Knob Road and Yankee Doodle Road
• Inver Grove Heights: 12-2 p.m., 80th Street Bridge over Highway 52
• Minneapolis: 12-3 p.m., Lake Nokomis, East 52nd Street and Cedar Avenue
• Columbia Heights: 1-2:30 p.m., 49th Avenue Northeast Pedestrian Bridge
• New Brighton Bridge Brigade Bonaza: 10 a.m.-12 p.m. six locations across six bridges in the city: Silver Lake Road at Interstae 694, Long Lake Road at I-694, County Road E2 at Interstate 35W, County Road D at 35W, 10th Street at I-35W, County Road H at I-35W
• St. Louis Park: 11 a.m.-1 p.m., 3663 Park Center Boulevard
• Richfield: 1-3 p.m., Penn Avenue South and West 66th Street, and Lyndale Avenue and West 66th Street
• Golden Valley: 12-1:30 p.m., Highway 55 and Winnetka Avenue North
• Burnsville: 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m., Burnhaven Library, 1101 County Road 42 West
• Lakeville: 2–4 p.m., Kenwood Trail and Kendrick Avenue
• Chaska: 1–3 p.m., North Chestnut Street and Hazeltine Boulevard

There are several “No Kings” rallies scheduled all over Minnesota on March 28. To see if there is a rally in your area, click here. Some require sign-ups to see the exact location. 

Editor’s Note: A version of this story appeared as an opinion column in the Duluth News Tribune on March 9, 2026

“There are those that look at things the way they are and ask, ‘Why?’ I dream of things that never were and ask, ‘Why not?’” This quote from Irish playwright and political activist George Bernard Shaw was popularized by Robert F. Kennedy during his 1968 presidential campaign.

In August 2019, White Earth Nation member and Anishinaabe activist Winona LaDuke offered a suggestion in a column for Forum Communications: “How about an electric train, Duluth? You could be the leader in the next economy. Driving is highly overrated. … An electric train would be quiet, a lot quieter than what they’ve got going in Duluth for sure.”

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I would add to her wise words that, despite having higher initial infrastructure costs to build because of overhead lines and electric substations, electric locomotives usually cost 20% less than diesel locomotives, according to the Environmental and Energy Study Institute. They offer superior performance and efficiency over diesel, featuring over 90% energy efficiency, higher acceleration and hauling power, lower operating costs (25%-35% less maintenance and costing up to 50% less to run) and zero tailpipe emissions. Electric locomotives don’t carry the weight of 3,000 to 5,500 gallons of diesel fuel. They surpass diesel locomotives while pulling urban and commuter trains, as well as pulling heavier freight trains because of their ability to be quieter with steady and high torque.

In addition, I’m sure Minnesota Power would be happy to sell electric power, created by renewable resources, to power an electric train in Duluth.

Inspired by LaDuke’s sensible words, I started researching electrically powered railways in Minnesota. A few weeks ago, I found a website describing the Arrow Line Railway marker sign on the Sunrise Loop trail in Wild River State Park, about an hour and 50 minutes south of Duluth. The marker sign tells visitors, “If the dreams of the promoters of the Arrow Line Railway had come true, trains would be crossing the St. Croix River into Wisconsin at this spot. Forty feet above your head, a steel bridge would have carried a double-tracked, electrically-powered railway on the shortest route between the Twin Cities and the Twin Ports of Duluth-Superior.”

The Historical Marker Database website further explains, “Construction by the Twin Cities & Lake Superior Railway Company took place in 1907-1909. Forty miles of roadbed were built from the edge of the Twin Cities to this spot, and thirteen miles of grade were built near the Duluth end of the line. But, no rails were ever installed and no trains ever ran.”

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Promoters proclaimed the Arrow Line Railway was designed to travel passengers and freight from the Twin Cities to the Twin Ports and return in about two hours. They made this prediction using the electric-locomotive technology and the structural engineering that was available in the early 1900s. Just imagine how much faster that travel time could be using the electric-locomotive technology and the structural engineering available in the 2020s.

George Bernard Shaw also said, “The reasonable man adapts himself to the world; the unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt the world to himself. Therefore, all progress depends on the unreasonable man.”

More than 100 years ago, this dream died when the line’s strongest promoter, L.N. Loomis, president of the Twin Cities & Lake Superior Railway Company, died unexpectedly. His death, however, does not mean his worthwhile dream has to be gone forever.

Throughout the U.S., state departments of transportation build and own railroad lines. Imagine if the Minnesota Department of Transportation and Wisconsin Department of Transportation built this groundbreaking (in more ways than one) Arrow Line Railway. It would become one of the most useful state-supported Amtrak rail corridors.
“All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them,” Walt Disney said.

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Construction-project dreams can be abandoned and then years or decades later be brought back to life. One of many examples is New York City’s Second Avenue Subway that was first proposed in 1920. It was then partly constructed between 1972 and 1975, before being canceled because of a fiscal crisis. The first phase opened in 2017. The second phase has started planning, design, environmental studies, and utility relocation. If the electric Second Avenue Subway had 97 years between first proposals to completion of the first phase, then our electric Arrow Line Railway can also be brought back to life.

Midwesterners should stop asking why business-building go-getters of the past couldn’t complete the line. Instead, we should have the courage to ask how we present-day people can now complete it.

LaDuke and other promoters of sustainable transportation realize the dream of an electric railway between Minneapolis and Duluth. They are aware of the numerous benefits it could bring to current and future generations of citizens. Let’s help them revive the Arrow Line Railway as soon as possible.

LaDuke asked, “How about an electric train, Duluth?” Our answer should be, “Yes.”

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