Music fans flock to Minneapolis estate sale to support musician Slim Dunlap

MINNEAPOLIS – It’s fairly clear from the start that this isn’t your ordinary estate sale.

“This is one of his smashed guitars. There was a collection of eight or 10 of them here, said Sharleen Lindeman, owner of Parlour Antiques & Estate Sales. “And people were buying them like crazy.”

Lindeman was contacted by Slim Dunlap’s daughter to help raise money for her dad by selling off his stuff.

Dunlap, 71, is most well-known as the lead guitarist for Twin Cities rockers The Replacements from the late 80s to early 90s. Dunlap suffered a stroke a little more than 10 years ago.

“We are just basically taking donations for the family’s medical fund to help with all the medical bills since Slim’s stroke,” Lindeman said.

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Priceless items have gone fast since the sale began Friday.

“We did also have some of his record albums that we had for sale, but those went right away,” Lindman said.

Some of the biggest items: a sport coat Dunlap wore on a Replacements album cover; the road case from The Replacements last tour in 1991; and Dunlap’s dulcimer.

“We had some sheet music that he had handwritten,” she said.  

“People just came in, they’re just like, ‘I just want one thing to remember him by,’” said John Isakson with Parlour Antiques.

There have been some hidden finds, like a stage someone bought on Saturday.

“When him and his friend were carrying it out, they flip it up and it says ‘The Replacements’ underneath it,” Isakson said. “So he fanboyed out.”

Jack Kronebusch found a shirt he says fits just right.

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“Stumbled onto the homepage photo for Facebook for Slim’s fan club, and I’ll never know for certain, but it looks an awful lot like that shirt,” Kronebusch said.

For fans, it just makes sense to give back.

“Everyone has so much love for the family,” Lindeman said.

The sale wrapped up Sunday afternoon. Dunlap’s family tells WCCO they are all so grateful for the support from everyone, and for the success of the sale.