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Minneapolis, MN

Lucky Cat Records brings good fortune to iconic corner

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Lucky Cat Records brings good fortune to iconic corner


When it comes to the evolution of Minnesota music, few intersections are as instrumental as 26th and Lyndale in south Minneapolis.

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Michelle Swanson, Lucky Cat Records owner (FOX 9)

A new spin on a local landmark

What we know:

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At Lucky Cat Records, vinyl heads can get their fix from the store’s new and vintage stacks of wax, but it is also a mini-museum for the local music scene.

“With all the history here, it’s really big shoes to fill,” said owner Michele Swanson.

Swanson opened the shop this past summer after learning the historic space was available, even though the retired Delta Airlines manager had never run a record store before.

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“It’s something I never planned on. There’s a pie in the sky sort of idea that came to fruition and it’s just been fantastic,” said Swanson.

When it began

The backstory:

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Back in the 70s and 80s, the space was home to Oak Folkjokeopus, which was a mecca for legendary local bands like The Suburbs, Soul Asylum and Husker Du, who hung out to listen to punk and post punk records, while also frequenting the CC Club across the street for a drink.

In fact, The Replacements were discovered here when their frontman Paul Westerberg handed the band’s demo to their future manager Peter Jesperson, who was working at Oar Folk.

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After Oar Folkjokeopus closed in 2001, employee Mark Trehus ran Treehouse Records in the building until 2017.

The shop sat empty for 7 years until Swanson decided to bring another record store to the neighborhood.

“This space is so special and I really wanted to make sure to honor the past, not only Oar Folk and Treehouse and what came before, but all the artists and all the music community,” said Swanson.

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Dropping the needle on a new era

What they’re saying:

There are nods to the past beyond just the posters on the wall.

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The sign out front is in the same font as the one for Oar Folkjokeopus.

For opening weekend last July, Replacements bassist Tommy Stinson performed in the store with a surprise encore with the son of Minnesota legend Bob Dylan, Jacob Dylan and The Wallflowers, who happened to have a show in town.

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Swanson named her shop after the items she saw in every storefront while traveling in Japan with Delta, but she hopes her focus on local music will hit a groove with a new generation of fans without skipping a beat.

“It’s been just amazing being able to open a record store in this kind of hallowed spot and this place. We just hope to continue to be part of the community and to be something that’s valuable and also a place where we can continue to educate people about the past,” said Swanson.

Maury’s StoriesEntertainmentMinneapolis
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Minneapolis, MN

City officials report less speeding at corners with traffic cameras in Minneapolis

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City officials report less speeding at corners with traffic cameras in Minneapolis


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Minneapolis, MN

Minneapolis man sentenced to nearly 30 years for murder of Deshaun Hill

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Minneapolis man sentenced to nearly 30 years for murder of Deshaun Hill



A Minneapolis man who pleaded guilty to murdering a high school student in 2022 was sentenced to nearly 30 years in prison on Monday.

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It was the second time Cody Fohrenkam was sentenced for fatally shooting 15-year-old Deshaun Hill. He was convicted and sentenced to more than 38 years in prison in February 2023, but the Minnesota Court of Appeals later reversed the conviction and granted him a retrial based on illegally obtained incriminating statements.

Fohrenkam, 33, agreed to a plea deal as his second trial was set to start, pleading guilty to one count of second-degree intentional murder in exchange for Monday’s 340-month sentence. The judge presiding over the hearing gave him credit for 1,476 days already served.

Fohrenkam shot and killed Hill while Hill was walking to a bus stop just blocks from Minneapolis North High School, where Hill was a star quarterback and honor roll student.

One of Hill’s aunts said in a statement shortly before the judge sentenced Fohrenkam that her nephew was “full of life.”

“When he spoke, you listened. He had a soft spirit and a good heart,” she said. “Deshaun was an artist who, as you all know, he took his education seriously. He had dreams and goals. He worked hard to make his family proud.”

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This story will be updated.



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Minneapolis, MN

Man on Conditional Release Now Charged in Minneapolis Murder — MNCRIME.com

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Man on Conditional Release Now Charged in Minneapolis Murder — MNCRIME.com


A man is now charged with murder after prosecutors say a robbery inside a Minneapolis apartment building ended in a fatal shooting.

Prosecutors say the man was on conditional release after being charged with first-degree armed carjacking for an incident in Minneapolis last September.

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The killing happened Feb. 24 inside the Abbott Apartments lounge area on the 100 block of East 18th Street, where police found an adult man dead from gunshot wounds after reports of a shooting.

Court documents state the victim and a friend went to the building to meet 20-year-old Abdirahman Khayre Khayre. A witness stated Khayre left the room several times and appeared to be stalling before three armed men entered and demanded property. The men were described as carrying two Glock-style handguns with extended magazines and an AR-style rifle. During the robbery, the suspects demanded a Louis Vuitton bag belonging to the victim. When the victim resisted, a struggle broke out. The witness stated that two guns were taken from him during the robbery.

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The witness told investigators Khayre was handed one of the stolen guns and then pointed it at him, causing him to flee into the lobby. Moments later, multiple gunshots were heard. The witness returned and found the victim shot. Surveillance footage from other areas of the building reportedly corroborated key parts of the account, and the witness later identified Khayre in a photo lineup, according to the complaint.

PREVIOUSLY: Man Shot and Killed Inside Minneapolis Apartment Building

Authorities say Khayre was on conditional release at the time of the killing in a separate Hennepin County case involving a September 2025 armed carjacking.

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In that earlier case, prosecutors alleged Khayre and others confronted a woman in a garage near 19th Street and Nicollet Avenue, pointed handguns at her and forced her to give up the keys to a Dodge Challenger before fleeing in the stolen vehicle. Officers later located the vehicle and arrested multiple suspects, including Khayre, who was identified as the driver.

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Court records show Khayre posted a $75,000 non-cash bond and was released under conditions requiring him to remain law-abiding, have no possession of firearms or ammunition, avoid alcohol and controlled substances and complete treatment.

Khayre is now charged with second-degree murder without intent while committing a felony and first-degree aggravated robbery. He made an initial court appearance Friday, where a judge set bail at $1 million. If convicted of second-degree felony murder, he faces a maximum sentence of 40 years in prison.

The homicide investigation remains ongoing. Authorities have not yet released the identity of the victim. Anyone with information is asked to contact Minneapolis police by emailing policetips@minneapolismn.gov or calling 612-673-5845. Anonymous tips can also be submitted through CrimeStoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS or online. Information leading to an arrest and conviction may be eligible for a financial reward.

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