Payne Avenue Walking Tour
Building Tomorrow: Community Investment & Resilience Across Time
Introduction
Welcome to Payne Avenue, on the East Side of Saint Paul.
This research project is a collaboration between the East Side Freedom Library and the Geography Department at Macalester College. It was conducted by students, their professor, and their teaching assistant. This project acts as a digital companion to an existing walking tour of the East Side by historian Peter Rachleff.
Our research was guided by two goals:
- To preserve Rachleff’s telling of the East Side’s history.
- To share the community’s present-day stories and plans for the future.
Peter Rachleff started the walking tour in 2016. As an East Side resident and labor historian, the tour focuses on bringing to life the history of immigration that shapes Payne Avenue. This project furthers the tour’s original aim to understand the resilience of residents and put community experience in context. It complements other walking tours of the area too.
Peter Rachleff leading the walking tour in 2016.
Our original research relies on historical archives, secondary historical sources, and primary interviews of business owners and community organizers on Payne Avenue. Our research focused on one main question: How have East Side communities demonstrated resilience through neighborhood investment?
This is a big question, and our research uncovered many answers. Each community member carries their own history and narrative.
Photo by Ranoromiangaly Andriamihaja-Rabe
We hope that each stop on this virtual tour helps to uncover neighborhood investment. For the purposes of our research, investment can mean many things: traditional forms of financial investment, community organizing, resource sharing, infrastructure, education, and art. What unites all of these initiatives is that they are intentional steps towards a better future. Further, we hope that this project contributes to the historical record by combining past events with the ongoing efforts of the East Side’s community members today.
We encourage you to browse the walking tour from a computer and explore our hyperlinked resources. We also recommend visiting these locations in person, using this project as a guide. For more information on our process, read our methods section below.
Methods
This project employed a variety of qualitative methods, including archival research, field research, and semi-structured personal interviews. In collaboration with the East Side Freedom Library, we identified nine sites and organizations along Payne Avenue that are reflective of local communities and their histories. When selecting these locations, we thought it most important to highlight locations with stories that tell how the past informs the present. We used archival research to relate historical movements and themes with current patterns in the neighborhood and understand past land uses of the sites we chose.
We then interviewed individuals from these sites with questions based on our research, and searched for overarching themes which tie the responses together. Lastly, we combined the results into nine narratives corresponding to each location on Professor Rachleff’s original walking tour. This StoryMap ties it all together in an accessible format.
Students conducting archival research at the Minnesota Historical Society. Photos by Kurt Stepnitz.
Change and Continuity over time at the Walking Tour Locations
A timeline of events at each location. The start date of 1800 is arbitrary and native people have lived in the area for centuries before settlers arrived. The last entry on the timeline notes the arrival of different waves of migrants to the East Side of Saint Paul.
Timeline of occupants at each of the sites on the Walking Tour.
Walking Tour Route
Wakan Tipi
590 4th St E
Wakan Tipi is a cave and Dakota sacred site located in the Bruce Vento Nature Sanctuary. This space provides the neighborhood with hiking and biking trails and opportunities to learn about Native American culture and history.
Swede Hollow
Beaumont & Drewry St
Swede Hollow Park occupies a steep section of the Phalen Creek Valley, below Saint Paul’s street network. For nearly a century, new immigrants made it a home, long before today’s park was established.
Hamm's Brewery
688 Minnehaha Ave E
Hamm’s Brewery was a massive brewery that rose to power as an incredible economic attraction in its prime. Today, the remnants of the original buildings remain still standing.
Karibu Grocery & Deli
719 Payne Ave
Karibu Grocery and Deli is a location serving a variety of East African foods, as well as a small grocery section. Karibu features a Wednesday chess club, where anyone is welcome to come and play.
Rivoli Bluffs
749 Arkwright St
Rivoli Bluffs is an urban farm site with a rich history and recovery story managed by Urban Roots, a community development organization that provides paid internships to youth on the East Side.
Gentlemen Cuts
913 Payne Ave
Gentlemen Cuts is a barbershop and a pillar of the community. If you’re looking for a fresh cut, warm smiles, and community engagement, this is your place.
Cookie Cart
946 Payne Ave
Cookie Cart is composed of two non-profit neighborhood bakeries located in North Minneapolis and Payne Avenue. Aside from being a bakery, they also facilitate a youth program that provides young people aged 14-18 with a first-time paid professional experience. This empowers them to transition to traditional employment with experiential learning in the Bakery Program, classroom learning (resume, interviewing skills, financial literacy), and credentialed learning. (National Career Readiness Certification and ServSafe Food Handler Certification)
Nelson Bros
1020 Payne Ave
Nelson Bros was a grocery store that operated at 1020 Payne Avenue from 1903 to 1970. In the decades since, a number of other businesses and organizations have occupied the building.
East Side Freedom Library
Located at 1105 Greenbrier St., the East Side Freedom Library (ESFL) is an independent library dedicated to exploring labor history and celebrating the diverse immigrant communities that have long shaped the East Side of St. Paul.
Wakan Tipi
History and Mythology of Wakaŋ Tipi
This land is the home of the Dakota people. Their spirit traveled through the Milky Way and was formed by their Creator from the clay of the riverbanks at B’dote (the confluence of the Mississippi and Minnesota rivers). Sacred sites, like the cave Wakaŋ Tipi, tell the story of Dakota people’s creation and provide the location for council meetings, ceremonies, and the refugee of Dakota Gods and spirits.
Along a sharp bend in the river is the home of Wakaŋ Tipi, East of modern-day downtown St. Paul and nestled in the Imnizaska (white bluffs) of the Bruce Vento Nature Sanctuary . Wakaŋ Tipi is often translated as “sacred dwelling place.” Another offered translation is “They who live in a way of creation and/or destruction.” This interpretation references “Tipi” in the verb form “they live.” This creates a linguistic connection between Wakaŋ and Wakiŋyaŋ or Kiŋyaŋ Wakaŋ, the Thunderbirds in Dakota mythology that use lighting bolts from their one eye to create or destroy.
The interplay of creation and destruction includes the site above the cave, the Indian Mounds Park. Mound building is a burial practice that interacts with life; the mounds have often been interpreted as symbolizing of a pregnant belly.
Below the mounds, Wakaŋ Tipi was once adorned with Native American petroglyphs that included four snakes and buffalo. It’s theorized that these drawings are mirroring the night sky and the stars that are so central to the Dakota creation story. These two sites show the lifecycle of creation and destruction and the connection to the stars.
The snakes drawn in the cave can also be interpreted as Uŋktehi, the serpent-shaped God of water that lives in the cave, or the four snakes of the Ho-Chunk creation myth (who describe themselves as the elder relatives of the Dakota tribe), or the snakes often associated with the medicine used in and the experience of pregnancy, birth, and abortion.
Photo: Petroglyphs from the cave drawn in 1898 by T. H. Lewis of four snakes and two buffalo.
European Contact and Use
In 1766-67, Johnathon Carver was the first European to document Wakaŋ Tipi . It was thus later referred to by other European settlers as Carver’s Cave. In the 1850s, North Star Brewery began to use the sacred site of Wakaŋ Tipi and other caves along the bluffs to ferment beer and store barrels.
Later, the BNSF railroad would use the site as a midwestern maintenance hub. In 1940, BNSF pushed the shoreline back about 500 feet with a fill-in project, destroying much of the cave. Petrochemical use in railcar detailing, fueling, and cleaning polluted the soil in the surrounding area. Left fallow by the rail company for 20 years, vandals, illegal waste dumping, homeless encampments, and invasive species characterized the area until the late 1990s.
Photo: Railroad interchange and maintenance hub near Wakaŋ Tipi.
Adventurers and hobby spelunkers also engaged with Wakaŋ Tipi. From claims of hidden Indian treasure, long floats from the cave mouth to Lake Phalen, a hidden waterfall in the fourth cavern of the cave, and among attempts in the 1910s to commercialize the cave for nightlife, not to mention the repetitive enlisting of boy scout troops to dig the cave out of debris from the bluff, many white Minnesotans had interest in the mystery, fame, and monetary value of exploring the cave’s temperate lake and stream and the sequential caverns.
Photo: The lake outside the mouth of Wakaŋ Tipi.
Coldwater Spring, Highway 55, and the Minnehaha Free State
In 1988, just one-half mile east of Wakan Tipi, MnDOT (Minnesota Department of Transportation) proposed a reroute of Highway 55 that resulted in a 16-month occupation of government land in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The citizen coalition included anarchist activists from an environmental group, Earth First!, homeowners of the land being bulldozed, and a Native American presence from the Mendota Mdewakanton Dakota (a community that is not federally recognized because they never lived on or have long since left reservations; they historically lived in Mendota, a settlement of mixed Native American and French families just South of modern day Minneapolis).
The group was protesting the cutting of 4 oaks and encroachment into Coldwater Spring (the site of Camp Coldwater). Weary of being used by environmentalists and distrusting of Earth First!’s anarchist bent, many tribes stayed away from the conflict. However, The Mendota Medewakanton Dakota chairman Bob Brown and others in the community stayed committed and brought in Elders from across the Midwest to interact with the protest movement and speak to the sacredness of the land before the Minnesota State Legislature.
After hearing from the Elders , the State responded with an evaluation. This document stated that while they could not find any specific evidence of the Coldwater Spring being used for religious purposes, they understood that its proximity to Wakaŋ Tipi means it likely had significance to the Dakota people. In 2001 , the state passed a law protecting Coldwater Spring, a bill that seemed innocuous to MnDOT at the time. However, dye testing revealed that the final phase of the Highway 55 project was cutting off the spring’s water supply. MnDOT was forced to agree on a new plan that protected the spring after trying and failing to get the project exempt from the law.
Photo: Tipi and sweat lodge near the four oaks.
Modern Day and Beyond: Wakaŋ Tipi Awanyankapi
While the protection of Coldwater Spring was a win for environmentalists and the Native people connected to the movement, an even bigger victory was in the making of the Lower Phalen Creek Project in 1997. Eastside and Lowertown community activists created the project, which would later become Wakan Tipi Awanyankapi .
In 2002 , a group of charities and state agencies purchased the land from the railroad that surrounded and included Wakan Tipi, and conveyed it to the city of St. Paul. Over the following 3 years, more than 150 volunteers removed 50 tons of trash and 13 tons of contaminated soil. They, along with other organizations, cleared invasive species and planted native greenery, resulting in 6 distinctive ecosystems. This land became the Bruce Vento Nature Sanctuary and was opened to the public on May 21st, 2005.
Wakan Tipi Awanyankapi is deeply invested in bringing Native American knowledge and culture into this space through trails, workshops, and soon an educational center . The organization is also working tirelessly on daylighting sections of Phalen Creek to revive the natural ecosystem in this urban area. 2025 is poised to be a big year for Wakan Tipi Awanyankapi as they plan to finish the Wakan Tipi Center in the Summer and break ground on the first phase of the daylighting project.
The site of Wakan Tipi has been forever changed by draining and filling projects. Parts have been lost, and the cave itself is sealed by a steel wall. In spite of these scars, the effort to restore this place is not an effort to regress. Wakan Tipi and the Bruce Vento Nature Sanctuary are stewarded by a commitment to connect people through bike trails and across cultures, to work towards a greater understanding of Native American history and culture, and to move forward together in the most environmentally sustainable way possible.
Swede Hollow
Swede Hollow Park
Today, Swede Hollow Park occupies the ravine between the Payne Phalen and Dayton’s Bluff neighborhoods, Hamm’s Brewery , and the East 7th Avenue bridge . The park contains plaques about ongoing restoration work, however little is said about the history of the ravine leading up to the establishment of the park. Despite its wild appearance, multiple immigrant communities found home in Swede Hollow for nearly a century.
Photo: Swede Hollow Park as photographed in November, 2024.
Sunk below the surrounding street network, Swede Hollow housed several distinct immigrant communities from the 1850s to 1950s. Job opportunities, freedom to settle, immigrant social networks, and nearby transportation links led to a community of Swedish immigrants finding a home in the valley. Swede Hollow was a “stepping stone” neighborhood. Recent immigrants would find themselves among those sharing their language, cultural customs, and immigrant experience. Once residents found the means to move, they often moved either to the Payne Phalen or Dayton’s Bluff neighborhoods uphill.
Photo: Swede Hollow as photographed in approximately 1910. Bridges and shared woodsheds are some examples of shared physical investments.
Matthew Anderson of ESNDC
While the sheer topography of Swede Hollow helped isolate the community, economic and political factors kept the community located in the valley. Both social and economic exclusion limited the upward mobility of Swede Hollow residents. Despite this, collective action and physical investments made life in the Hollow a tolerable option. We spoke to Matthew Anderson, a small business advisor at the East Side Neighborhood Development Company to understand investments and exclusion in the surrounding community today. His work as a small business advisor primarily consists of helping small business owners who don’t have the resources to keep important records, develop business plans, and access loans or grant funding. These are all factors which Mr. Anderson says are essential for a business today. Additionally, he is the fiscal agent of the East Side Community Fund, where he raises money to support businesses by giving grants and loans to East Side business owners who need them.
Photo: Plaza Latina on Payne Avenue, where ESNDC is based.
Historical Significance
Before European American colonization, Phalen Creek served as a canoe transportation corridor connecting the Mississippi River, Lower Landing, and the Wakan Tipi site with Lake Phalen. As the city grew, large industries took advantage of Phalen Creek. Hamm’s Brewing, opening in 1865, was an early major employer above the North end of Swede Hollow . Today, the creek has been buried and it's difficult to imagine the former industrial corridor along it. This cluster of jobs was important for Swede Hollow residents, as it provided jobs in proximity to their homes.
Photo: Mills powered by Phalen Creek in approximately 1885.
The Hollow’s population changed over time extensively. Three distinct ethnic communities called it home, with different political and economic factors driving migration. In the late 1800s, Polish immigrants arrived. During the 1910s, Italians became the dominant ethnic group living in the community, with many immigrating, and more moving from the Eastern United States following railroad jobs. Mexican immigrants and Tejano migrants followed, becoming the dominant group in the 1940s.
Mexican Swede Hollow was the shortest-lived stage of the enclave. In 1945 the city began to evict residents. Some quietly stayed for several years until, in 1956, the remaining residents were evicted, the fire department filled the ravine with gasoline, and city employees burned nearly every trace of the wooden structures.
While Swede Hollow is sometimes shown as a “success story” of immigrant assimilation, a complete picture requires understanding both the brutal living conditions and the reasons it was a challenge to leave. Conditions were described as “slum-like”. Tensions with neighboring Connemara Patch were sometimes hostile or violent. Immigrants of the time faced widespread lending, rental, and employment discrimination in surrounding neighborhoods, making life in the Hollow sometimes a difficult but better alternative.
Photo: The 1956 burning of Swede Hollow.
Future Visions
Many Payne Avenue businesses date back to the days of Swede Hollow. Morelli's Market was founded during the predominantly Italian period of the Hollow. While Payne Avenue’s ethnic businesses both hire and serve their communities, some institutions held a primary focus on enabling upward mobility and generational wealth, such as the Swedish Bank , where the goal was accessible financial capital for Swedish entrepreneurs and property owners. While much has changed in the neighborhood, collective organizing for financial resources has continued. Mr. Anderson’s work with the East Community Fund is reminiscent of the Swedish Bank. However today, this financial community organizing has evolved. Instead of programs through ethnic businesses or religious institutions, East Side Neighborhood Development Company supports a diverse clientele of businesses and community organizations. Instead of specific immigrant communities, their work is anchored geographically, serving the East Side, owing to the area’s shared history of immigration, exclusion, and resilience.
Photo: The Swedish Bank building has since been repurposed.
Still, while ESNDC’s opportunities are open to all, businesses facing lending discrimination, limited resources, and predatory leases are often those run by racialized immigrant groups. Mr. Anderson spoke candidly about the reality of which East Side businesses need these programs.
"The vibe is most of the white business owners in our area have the wherewithal. They already have all the tools and resources. They came in with a business plan. They know they needed financials, and that comes from education and upbringing…"
"…Landlords are taking advantage of these small businesses, especially in the BIPOC community or women. They'll go after them hard and say: “No, I'm raising the lease again”, even inside a three-year lease, and we'll be like, “No, that's not legal”, right? There are loopholes within leases, but if you don't know how to read a lease, it can really be devastating to your business. And so that's been one of the things outside of our services that we've been dealing with a lot."
For ESNDC’s future, Mr. Anderson spoke about purchasing and developing property with the community in mind, effectively a collective investment toward a resilient future.
"We want to get into development. I think it's the only way. Right now we're just scratching the service business by business. That's all we're doing. Helping each business get better is not development of a community. Development of a community is rehabbing buildings, giving generational wealth, letting them buy the buildings, finding a way so they can own that building so that wealth can carry on through generations."
Conclusion
While its story is brutal and complicated, the story of Swede Hollow itself is a way community organizers inspire collective solidarity across a tapestry of immigration and labor histories on the East Side. The valley’s past collective investments tell stories that resonate today, from collective wood piles to community lending institutions. Clearly the Hollow was significant, inspiring restaurants to historical fiction representations . We encourage you to visit Swede Hollow Park, see the surrounding community, and consider the stories of the neighborhood.
For more about Swede Hollow, consider historian Steven Moga’s book Urban Lowlands , Karin and Angela DuPauls’ The Life of Swede Hollow: a Pictorial History , Mollie Price’s article: Swede Hollow: Sheltered Society For Immigrants to a New World , David Lanegran’s chapter of Swedes in the Twin Cities , and Stefanie Kowalczyk’s article: An Enchanted Landscape: Remembering Historic Swede Hollow . Each source helped shape our understanding of this place.
Photo: Swede Hollow Park featuring the repurposed Hamm's Brewing complex.
Hamm's Brewery
When looking at the Hamm’s Brewery site today, it almost feels like you are looking at a ghost of what was. It is no longer the Hamm’s Brewery of old, and much of its buildings are no longer in use and have been empty for a long time. However, its land has been acquired by numerous other institutions over the recent years .
The site is now broken up into 3 different parcels all under the ownership of different owners. Before it was split up, the brewery was a mainstay in the Swede Hollow neighborhood since its construction, and was a major source of employment for its residents for over a century. Today, the area yields the opportunity for redevelopment on a huge scale. While its past is significant, its future is reinvigorating the potential of what this site used to be.
Hamm’s Brewery as seen today
JB Vang Interview
In order to get more information on the past, present, and future of the site, we turned to who is taking control of the site to spearhead its redevelopment. When looking to redevelop the area, the Housing and Redevelopment Authority (HRA) awarded developer status to JB Vang Partners Inc . in 2023. We met with Stephanie Harr from JB Vang to discuss the site and its development shortly coming to fruition.
From the meeting it seemed that the project had “certain priorities that included repurposing the old buildings and historic buildings and maximizing jobs and housing for the community.” She also discussed that the development is going to: “build a new apartment building for housing and repurpose the old buildings into two main things, one being artist style loft housing. So to continue to add housing to the site, and then take a portion of those historic buildings and make it into a commercial marketplace. And the commercial marketplace will offer opportunities for vendors to come and sell their stuff and create a gathering place for the community.”
JB Vang does not seek to merely put something in the space, they want to create an “activated space” that not only has viable housing opportunities, but creates a meaningful community and place to live for families. The overarching theme of the meeting was reactivation, as the current site has been stale and mostly empty for nearly 20 years.
After our meeting with Stephanie, we felt the Hamm’s site has future prospects that will open up the area, and allow it to blossom down the line. Not only would it apply new opportunities for residents in the area, it would make the Hamm’s site somewhere people want to visit because of its impact.
Hamm's Brewery Complex
Hamm’s Hearty History
The Hamm's Brewery site has an extensive history of numerous owners, iterations, and expansions that go back all the way to 1865 . During that time, a man named A.F. Keller constructed “Excelsior Brewery” in Swede Hollow. It was later that Theodore Hamm, an immigrant from Germany, would inherit the brewery and turn it into the “Theodore Hamm Brewing Company.”
Hamm’s Brewery in its prime
As the area expanded in population and economy in the 19th and 20th centuries, the brewery would become an iconic East Side landmark, notably as an employer. During the 1950s, Hamm’s expanded numerous times and became the 5th largest brewery in the nation.
In the latter half of the century, the brewery would be sold numerous times and hold a number of different names. The final operation was known as “Stroh’s” and lasted from 1983 until its closure in 1997. The final change to the brewing site was in 2004, when the HRA acquired the southern portion of the site in order to expand Swede Hollow Park. Since then, there hasn’t been much action in the area until recently.
What’s Next for Hamm’s
The future of Hamm’s is coming soon and looks to be an improvement for the currently mostly vacant site. Some businesses have begun to settle in the area, including Saint Paul Brewing and 11 Wells Distillery. However, as mentioned previously, JB Vang’s massive redevelopment project is making the future of this site so intriguing. Not only would there be an overhaul of new additions to the area, it would use the original buildings and keep their charm in the new era of the site.
Official plan for Hamm’s Brewery Redevelopment
The redevelopment project is split into 3 major parts according to JB Vang: Site Improvements, Artist Style Housing Units & Commercial Marketplace, and East End Apartments. The Site Improvements include multiple access points to encourage pedestrian mobility, more green spaces and plazas, and more encouraged community spaces.
The artist housing units and marketplace intend to encourage community building by targeting the arts scene. The housing units look to encourage singular residents or smaller families to move into those spaces while having compelling art around the building. The East End apartment buildings target larger families, including around 120 units of affordable housing. All of these developments, including overall updates to the site, could yield a very promising future for the redevelopment of Hamm’s Brewery.
Karibu
Introduction
Karibu is a grocery and deli located at 719 Payne Avenue which serves a variety of East African groceries, a selection of Somalian and Mediterranean-style hot dishes, and a few fan-favorites, such as their Philly Cheesesteak. Before it was Karibu, the lot was a Marathon gas station until it was bought by owner Abdi Ali. Since its grand opening in 2019, Karibu has served as a gathering place that is welcome to all, as can be seen by their weekly Wednesday chess club.
Ali has made it a priority to engage with the community and sees Karibu as a way to support and uplift the neighborhood he has called home for over 20 years. Karibu’s bright red exterior, delicious food, and ability to connect with the larger Payne Avenue community make it more than just a deli and grocery store.
Interview
In our interview with Abdi Ali, we learned about how Karibu came to be, the inspirations behind their food, and their valuable role in the community. Firstly, the name:
“Karibu. People have mistaken us for Caribou Coffee, but Karibu is a Swahili name. It means ‘welcome.’”
Born in Kenya and having immigrated to the United States at a young age, Abdi and his siblings grew up on the East Side of St Paul, spending time on Payne Avenue frequently.
“When I was growing up, I used to come here and shop. It used to be a gas station, and then I went away to college in Indiana, got my business degree, and worked at a pharmacy for a couple of years. And, one day, I was driving by Payne Avenue, and I saw the building was for sale, so I contacted the owners, and I bought the building from them.”
Photo: Karibu Grocery and Deli, situated at 719 Payne Avenue.
“It took us two, three years before we got business up here. All I wanted to do was just have a small grocery shop in a gas station. And then I talked to my family, and they said ‘let's open up a restaurant with a small grocery section.’”
As of 2024, Karibu is owned by Abdi and his four siblings, who all own a share in the business and participate in its operations. When asked about the ways in which Karibu is involved in the Payne Avenue community, Abdi responded,
“Karibu does a lot of donations. We feed a lot of homeless people. Any homeless person can come, can walk in . . . And then whenever there's a function going on, like when neighbors get together, we also donate samosas or anything else they want. And during COVID, we used to have blankets, jackets, socks, that the homeless people can come and pick up, stay warm.”
“I enjoy feeding the homeless. Yeah, I know they didn't choose to be homeless. I mean, most kind of fell on hard times. So that's something I really cherish.”
Abdi’s comments on supporting the community are a reflection of the ways in which Payne Avenue businesses invest in their community, and how collective investment can make neighborhoods stronger, more resilient, and better equipped in the face of adversity.
Future
Having lived on the East Side for over 20 years, Abdi Ali has seen the neighborhood change, with businesses and residents moving in and out from across the Twin Cities. However, this has not changed the way he runs Karibu, and he intends to continue doing what he can to fit the needs of the community, whether it be special ordering certain items for customers or participating in local events. As long as people continue to patronize Karibu in the future, he doesn’t see any reason why the way they do business should change.
In the future, a major goal of Karibu’s is to gain the ability to accept EBT . This would allow him to provide food and groceries to an even larger number of residents in the neighborhood, as customers would be able to pay with SNAP benefits. As Abdi mentioned in his interview,
“I'm looking to get food stamps so we can get other people from the community to come to shop here . . . the rule is that you have to have 50% deli or 50% grocery, otherwise you have to divide the businesses. So right now I'm working on dividing the business.”
Although he doesn’t intend to change the way Karibu interacts with its customers, being able to accept EBT means he wouldn’t have to turn away any customers, which is very important to him.
Going forward, Abdi hopes to see more opportunities for youth in the neighborhood to interact with professionals and individuals who can expose them to potential career paths, such as firefighters, doctors, and teachers. As an entrepreneur and business owner, he reflected on the programs and opportunities that kept him engaged growing up near Payne Avenue.
“I think if you have job fairs, or business classes, or people from different areas come to the kids, show them what kind of opportunities they have. Like who wants to be a firefighter? We got firefighters right down the street. Somebody wants to be a chef. There are restaurants right here. Say, some want to be a teacher. You got teachers.”
Abdi’s comments on exposing young people to opportunities reflect the way in which he emphasizes the value of community investment as a way to uplift individuals and Karibu’s larger role in the neighborhood.
If you get the chance to visit Karibu Deli and Grocery, try the sambusas and the chooza chicken with their spicy green sauce. Make sure to say hi to Abdi, as he can be found behind the counter most days!
Rivoli Bluffs
North of Wakan Tipi at the end of Minnehaha Avenue, Rivoli Bluffs Farm and Conservation Site features productive agricultural space, an orchard, a medicine garden, and community spaces. In its current form, Rivoli Bluffs is a site that community members and organizers grow, learn, and live in.
The history of the Rivoli Bluffs site reveals that it hasn't always been a farm. As a site close to Wakan Tipi, the Bluffs are situated on significant Dakota land. Wealthy European settlers in the 1850s were attracted to the views of the Bluffs until railroads were built around the site , and the inhabitants of the neighborhood changed from wealthy inhabitants to working class people and families. At this time, Rivoli Bluffs was home to a railroad maintenance site. It later became a dumping zone for city street sweepers. This caused severe soil contamination and required community effort and federal funding to remedy. The current farm site was left vacant while homes were constructed on neighboring land, and when community organization Urban Roots gained stewardship of the Rivoli Bluffs site in 2017, it was an empty field.
Established in 1969 as the Community Design Center of Minnesota, Urban Roots is focused on community engagement and development. In 1996, Urban Roots found its home on the East Side of Saint Paul.
“Urban Roots is a Saint Paul organization whose mission is to cultivate and empower youth through nature, healthy food, and community”
Today, Urban Roots has a wide-reaching presence on the East Side. Walking down Payne, you may see one of the urban farms or community gardens that the organization nurtures, or the Urban Roots office at 1110 Payne Avenue.
Photo: Map of Rivoli Bluffs.
Urban Roots’ work is grounded in youth development, offering three internship programs: Market Garden, Cook Fresh, and Conservation. The programs provide East Side youth with hands-on experiences, leadership opportunities, and mentorship.
Skyler Hawkins, farm director of the Market Garden program explained the progressive model of their internships: In their first year, youth start on Seed Crew. During the second year, they’re part of Grow Crew, taking on more responsibility and even mentoring newer interns. By the third year, they’re on Harvest Crew, leading lessons, mentoring, and handling public speaking opportunities.
Urban Roots doesn’t just connect with youth; it also collaborates with community members. Their partnerships extend to culturally specific programs, conservation efforts, and stewardship of shared spaces.
The community garden spaces have become hubs where renters, elders, and families can grow food, preserve cultural traditions, and share stories. Hawkins noted,
“We're finding that community gardens are a really great place for us to identify these experts in the community. They don't have any billboards saying that they're agricultural experts, you know, but it's very clear when you go to these spaces that they have a deep understanding of growing these foods and how to preserve them.”
Urban Roots’ youth gardens are central to its mission of empowering young people while transforming the urban landscape. These spaces are more than just places to grow food—they are living classrooms where interns gain valuable skills and form lasting connections.
The youth gardens also serve as a platform for learning about culturally relevant crops and agricultural practices. Community members are invited to mentor interns, sharing knowledge about specific crops, traditional farming methods, and recipes. This not only enriches the youths’ learning experience but also ensures that cultural traditions are preserved and celebrated.
Photo: Vegetables from Urban Roots’ farms.
Compared to other neighborhoods and communities in Saint Paul, the East Side has a low amount of green space and canopy coverage . When the neighborhood was being designed and built, there was no prioritization of green space, and trees weren’t planted in its boulevards. This is a structural factor that impacts people who live on the East Side disproportionately to other neighborhoods with more green space and canopy coverage, as tree canopies have been found to be associated with physical and mental health.
The Urban Roots conservation program is occupied with planting trees, establishing green spaces, and even restoring native plants to sites like Rivoli Bluffs. The work Urban Roots is doing to repopulate the East Side with trees and plant community gardens to encourage green space is working against historical trends of environmental inequality. The results of Urban Root’s conservation program can be seen everywhere as you walk down the street and through the neighborhood.
The spaces created aren’t just for today. The trees planted now will provide shade and comfort for generations to come.
Image: Poster by Urban Roots (September 7th, 2023)
The Cook Fresh program complements Urban Roots’ agricultural work by teaching youth and community members how to prepare healthy, culturally relevant meals using fresh, locally grown ingredients. Interns in the program gain hands-on culinary experience and explore food traditions from their own communities and others.
Hawkins emphasized that Cook Fresh, alongside the conservation and market garden programs, plays an essential role in Urban Roots’ mission: “I just want to make sure that people know it’s not just an urban farm—it’s these other things too.”
Photo: Urban Roots’ cooking with youth.
Urban Roots’ work on the East Side is reshaping the landscape- literally and figuratively. Their programs combine environmental stewardship with youth development, creating a sustainable model for community-driven change.
“The youth we work with aren't going to be youth forever.” Hawkins concluded, “Connections and relationships to gardens feels really important. And yeah, places where neighbors can show up and get to know each other is really important. So I'm really excited that we get to have a piece of that too.”
If you feel inspired to start your own gardening efforts, consider purchasing native seeds collected by youth interns or signing up for a CSA share from Urban Roots’ farms during the summer. You can even sign up for a community garden plot at Rivoli Bluffs! Every small action contributes to a greener, healthier community.
Gentlemen Cuts
Mr. Red, or Terell Smith, is the proud owner of Gentlemen Cuts located at 913 Payne Avenue. He established his business in 2016, and has been making East-Siders feel good and look sharp ever since. Aside from being a talented barber and stand-out entrepreneur, Mr. Red is a proud community member who strives to connect with and support his neighbors. When it comes to connecting with other businesses on Payne Avenue, Mr. Red says, “We have to thrive together as one,” Payne Avenue is a “great location,” and he doesn’t “plan on going anywhere anytime soon.”
“The barber shop isn't just a place where you come get your hair cut. It's a place where people can come feel good and just, you know, some people just come here just to talk and get things off their chest.”
Mr. Red views his customers as more than clients, but also as neighbors and fellow community-members.
Investment in the Community and Supporting Neighbors
Connecting with the Payne-Phalen community is important to Mr. Red and he frequently hosts social events in the area. In 2023, Gentlemen Cuts started the annual Payne Avenue Turkey Giveaway to bring turkeys and Thanksgiving fun to the tables of over 300 families.
They also partner with their local Salvation Army for their annual Trunk or Treat, bringing trick-or-treat candy bags and games to local kids. Additionally, during the back-to-school season, Gentlemen Cuts partners again with the Salvation Army for their Backpack Giveaway. This past year, they gave away 1,500 backpacks to young students, and provided them with fresh haircuts to make sure they feel sharp heading into the new school year.
Mr. Red cares about the vitality of his neighborhood, and invests in its physical cleanliness and social strength. Gentlemen Cuts also participates in Adopt-A-Block, which is when neighbors come together, “go down a block, clean it up… make it look good, and try to show that Payne Avenue is trying to do something good,” as described by Mr. Red.
Mr. Red has close relationships with his fellow barbers, and describes the Gentlemen Cuts team as a “family.” He continued, “I love to see the different styles that they bring, because each one of them has their own personality and their own style of cutting hair.” Jay Slyce, a local legend, has been cutting hair on the East-Side for roughly 25 years, and at Gentlemen Cuts for nearly 6 years.
Similarly to Mr. Red, Slyce is passionate about social engagement in the neighborhood.
“This is the same community in which we got our finances out of and it's the same community which we choose to serve because they have made us. So that's one reason why we're passionate about this community, because this community made us.”
Gentlemen Cuts facilitated an event in which people could “come in and get your blood pressure checked, check for diabetes and things of this nature,” and Slyce continued that they also spread information about “teen pregnancy, HIV, AIDS” to help educate youth about health risks. Slyce expressed that African American men tend to have higher rates of diabetes and high blood pressure, but are less likely to be tested; this event aimed to promote the health of African American men and foster a safe environment to be tested.
Slyce, also, described a tie-tying event hosted for local youth by Gentlemen Cuts: “You never know when it'll come handy in life.” He continued to state that many kids these days don’t know how to tie ties, but this skill can benefit young people in job interviews, and in other aspects of the professional world. Aside from being a barbershop, Gentlemen Cuts aim to set up their youth for success.
Reaching the Limelight
One of Mr. Red’s proudest accomplishments was being featured on a reality TV show titled Small Business Revolution . “I thought me, you know, a black man coming from Chicago would never, ever, ever, ever get on TV.” Mr. Red said it was a “dream come true” to have been selected for this opportunity to receive publicity and support for his business.
Roughly 1,000 small businesses submitted entries to be featured in this show, but Gentlemen Cuts and only five other Twin Cities small businesses were chosen. He continued that his wife and grandkids are “very proud” of the work that he did on the TV show.
Mr. Red’s grandson has autism and “nobody in Saint Paul can cut his hair.” Mr. Red continued, “he’s nonverbal… He can't say, ‘Hey, Granddad, I need a haircut,’ you know? So I'd say, ‘Grandson, I'm gonna cut your hair.’” His grandson made an appearance on the TV show to receive a haircut. “I think that I'm his voice, you know, I have to be there for him.” At the end of the episode, Mr. Red and Gentlemen Cuts donated $5,000 for autism awareness. Small Business Revolution helped “upgrade the barber shop” and make it “feel like home.”
As for the future of Gentlemen Cuts? This neighborhood pillar isn’t going anywhere. Mr. Red aspires to expand Gentlemen Cuts, open new locations, and start a barber school. As a certified barber instructor, he hopes to teach more people how to cut hair. “That would be my dream.”
Gentlemen Cuts has seen some notable clients, including Governor Tim Walz and Mayor Melvin Carter. The next time you find yourself on the East Side looking for a sharp cut and a warm community, you know where to head.
Cookie Cart
Cookie Cart comprises two non-profit neighborhood bakeries, the first opening on West Broadway North Minneapolis in 1988 and the second on Payne Avenue on the East Side of Saint Paul in 2018.
Why open a site on Payne Avenue?
The former executive director of Cookie Cart, Matt Halley, mentioned that the North Minneapolis location was “maxed out” and professional opportunities were limited for the neighborhood's young adults. The second bakery opened at 946 Payne Avenue. The Program Director, Tanika Reese, told us in an interview that a pilot workforce development training program started in 2016 in partnership with Johnson High School. Cookie Cart offered training for young adults aged 15-18 from this particular community.
Both sites’ functions mirror one another, but Cookie Cart strives to address each community's specific opportunity gap and needs. Reese explains, “So there may be some similarities in North Minneapolis and Saint Paul, but we want to make sure that we are creating equitable opportunities for diverse populations.”
The Payne Avenue location is attracting more foot traffic as people are still “getting to know them,” unlike the more well-known North Minneapolis bakery, due to its 35-year presence. After the COVID-19 pandemic, Reese comments on creating more opportunities for people to “get back out of their houses and engage and come to the stores.”
946 Payne Ave: History of occupation
(1887?) 1922-1951
Painters supplies /Paint Store with “high-grade painting and decorating work” and domestic and imported lines of wallpaper. “We have been here, on [437-439] St. Peter Street, more than thirty years and in this sense, the F. R. Mann & Son store is almost a landmark.”
1948
The building that Cookie Cart currently occupies was built.
1952
Applebaum's Food Market
2007
Vacant
How Cookie Cart came to life
Cookie Cart, as we see it today at 946 Payne Avenue and North Minneapolis, has a heartwarming story and humble beginnings. We need to look elsewhere to understand what is going on at the Payne Avenue location. It all started when Sister Jean Thuerauf, then a member of the order of the Sisters of Mercy and teacher at our Lady of Grace Church in Edina, became acquainted with children of North Minneapolis. Her parish sought to “build a bridge between the suburbs and the inner city.” (Sun Sentinel, n.d)
“She told her friends she was called by God to be a loving presence to the poor wherever they were. That calling eventually brought her to Minneapolis.”
Sister Jean then founded Mercy Missionaries in 1985 to link people, especially the rich and the poor.
Sister Jean’s Cookies . We can read “7 for $1.00” and see the store in the background.
Her longtime friend John Mauriel says Sister Jean "just loved kids, and they loved her."
Some children would come to seek refuge in her house to get off the streets and do homework, then would help her bake cookies in her basement. The Sister saw that baking those cookies built trust, confidence, work skills, and discipline in those children, selling the goods to have some money of their own with a rolling cart .
Soon her kitchen had no more room for children, and in 1988, Sister Jean opened a “creative and engaging space”, registered as “Cookie Cart”: a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization . Even though she passed away in 2016, her legacy continues to help the youth of North Minneapolis and Payne-Phalen, one cookie at a time.
Interview: 'Cookie Cart' Honoring Founder Sister Jean Thuerauf
Cookie Cart's youth program
The youth program provides young people of color aged 15–18 with a first-time paid professional experience, empowering them to transition to traditional employment. The model comprises experiential learning in their Baking Bright Futures program, classroom learning (resume, interviewing skills, financial literacy), and credentialed learning. (National Career Readiness Certification and ServSafe Food Handler Certification)
“The gist of our programming is to offer that first-time job experience to young adults who are interested in making their mark in the workforce but creating opportunities for themselves.”
Young people working in the bakery after closing time (Photos by Ranoromiangaly Andriamihaja-Rabe)
6 Pillars of Character, Mission, and Values
Cookie Cart: 6 Pillars of Character, Mission and Values (click to enlarge; photos by Ranoromiangaly Andriamihaja-Rabe)
“This is how they're trained to show up in the space. And these are very transferable skills that they build. Like, this is how we should all show up in the world, not just at work (...)"
"It's more than just a cookie..."
We were curious about the quote above the door, so we asked Reese about it.
“Of course, we're Cookie Cart. We sell cookies, but it's more than just a cookie. If you look around these walls, you see all of our bright, ambitious, intelligent, vibrant young adults, right? So it's more than just what happens in the bakery, it's actually what happens in the classroom, as well, the self-confidence, the development, the financial literacy skills that they learn, all the things they learn in our 21st century, skill building, programming. So it's more than just our bakery. It's more than just a cookie. It's actually the investment into our future, our workforce's future, and all of their futures as well.”
“If a person can understand what the mission of Cookie Cart is, and recognize the value system that we have, that we embark on when we work, (...) then they would understand exactly what happens, and they'll understand that term that is more than just a cookie, right? (...) Like, yeah, we sell good cookies. We want you to buy cookies, but every cookie that's bought creates opportunities for every young adult in this space, which creates the impact the Cookie Cart has on the community.”
Photograph of Jarrell Harrison, Bakery Manager posing behind the counter at the Payne Ave bakery.
Our Community's Future Leaders
Cookie Cart's impact on the youth of Payne Avenue
Since Cookie Cart became a 501(c)3 organization, Reese estimates that the organization served close to 15,000 young people; around 180 to 200 a year. About 30% of the youth are from Saint Paul, Ramsey County, a number that they want to increase. “We moved to Saint Paul to have an impact and to do good work (...). And so we are interested in investing in the community and growing that number to where our number would probably look closer to 50/50, than 60/40, and one of our biggest challenges, honestly, is space. We are a retail bakery, but the other side of our programming is the Baking Bright Futures curriculum and the growth and development through workforce development training for the young adults. And this is our classroom, right? (small in size)”
The Power of Cookie Cart
A success story Reese shared with me was Miko’s, alias “KoKo.”
“KoKo”, a successful program graduate (Photo by Ranoromiangaly Andriamihaja-Rabe)
“KoKo started our program in the fall of 2022; that was her first job. She stayed with us for a little bit over 18 months, (...) and I was her trainer in this very classroom, and she came in, she was so shy, she wouldn't speak, she didn't want to engage, she wouldn't make eye contact. And over that 18 months of engaging with us, and becoming more self-aware, growing her confidence levels, she started with entry-level, first-time job experience. She graduated from the program in June of 2024. When she graduated, she was one of our leaders in the program. We have a leadership pathway. She was a cart captain, a peer leader in the bakery and the program. She's now serving on our Teen Advisory Council. She stays connected to the organization, and she is currently thriving. When she transitioned from Cookie Cart, she transitioned into her first real-world job, and so she's thriving academically and in her pathway to post-high school experiences. And that's what Cookie Cart does. That's the overall gist of our mission.”
Oatmeal raisin cookies and hand decorating kit (Photo by Ranoromiangaly Andriamihaja-Rabe)
Cookie Cart is an example of a small initiative producing fruits decades later, providing adapted assistance to underrepresented youth. As for the Payne-Phalen neighborhood, the non-profit provides a beacon of hope for the future, despite challenges linked to capacity. We pray more resources will be provided in the future. One way to support the organization is to buy cookies. Try the double chocolate variety or order hand-decorated batches!
Tanika Reese posing at the front desk (Photo by Ranoromiangaly Andriamihaja-Rabe)
Interviewee Portrait: Tanika Reese, Director of Program
Reese manages a team of the program team, responsible for the youth experience in its entirety at Cookie Cart. Her team role is to oversee programming, 21st-century skill-building, and experiential learning. Tanika Reese oversees the mission and is the dot connector between the actual execution of the work, the engagement with the young adults, and the mission and strategy to support them.
We thank you for the time you allocated to this interview.
Nelson Bros
The story of 1020 Payne Avenue, a seemingly unremarkable building, sheds light on the commercial and cultural journey of its community.
In the early 1900s, Payne Avenue thrived as the bustling " downtown of northeastern Ramsey County ." Yet, the Payne-Phalen neighborhood remained distinct from the rest of the city, separated by both physical and cultural boundaries.
Payne Avenue in the late 19th century
Geographically, the deep valleys surrounding Phalen Creek and Trout Brook, along with the neighborhood's hilltop location, isolated the neighborhood from the rest of the city. Payne-Phalen became a haven for immigrant groups, which resulted in socioeconomic isolation, as cultural and economic development occurred separate from the rest of St. Paul. Throughout the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Payne-Phalen welcomed new Americans from Ireland, Germany, Italy, and Sweden. Payne Avenue became a commercial hub, and was home to a number of immigrant-owned businesses catering to the needs of its diverse and growing community.
Among these establishments was Nelson Brothers Grocers, located at 1020 Payne Avenue. A fixture of the East Side's commercial landscape for decades, Nelson Brothers Grocers embodies the story of historic investments by and for the immigrant community.
Nelson Brothers’ story began in 1903 , when Arthur Nelson, the son of Swedish immigrants, established the first iteration of the store down the road at 999 Payne Avenue. In 1908, he moved the business to a newly constructed, larger building at 1020 Payne Avenue. This location would remain a neighborhood mainstay for 68 years, until it closed in 1970. Throughout its operation, the store remained entirely within the Nelson family’s management, as it was operated by Arthur's siblings Albert, David, Minnie, and Alma.
The opening of Nelson Bros Grocery in 1903
Nelson Brothers was far from the only commercial establishment that shared this story. In the same time period, at least three other small grocery stores served the East Side community.
East Side Grocery operated from 1901 to 1956, and was located on 7th and Bradley street. It was operated primarily by Walford, Otto and Charlie Johnson, and later by his son Harold, making it another family run grocery in the community.
Dahlquist’s, another East Side grocery store, operated in the early 20th century but was purchased by the Johnson family in 1921.
Kormann’s Grocers was established in 1878. In 1886, its founder, an immigrant German blacksmith, constructed a new building for his growing business located at the corner of Minnehaha and Burr. It remained there for 112 years, finally closing its doors in 1998. Across three generations, the store stayed in family hands. In 1996 Phil Kormann, the grandson of the store’s original founder, speculated that Kormann’s could be “the oldest grocery extant in the state.”
Often, these grocery stores catered to the culinary traditions of specific immigrant groups. Early 20th century immigrant communities “were pretty monocultural,” recalls Professor Peter Rachleff, an historian and East Side resident. “And so the Italians went to Italian grocery stores, and the Germans and the Irish went to German and Irish stores, and the Swedes went to the Nelsons.” Because these grocery stores were typically not in direct competition with one another, their owners maintained a sense of comradery. Phil Kormann remembered having “good relations with Wallford (Johnson).”
Throughout the East Side’s history, its businesses have often embraced values of “solidarity, collaboration and cooperation,” instead of “individualism and competition,” Professor Peter Rachleff states. “Small business people recognize that they all face the same challenges.”
Nelson Bros in 1953, celebrating 50 years in operation
Another food business on Payne was a meat business operated by the son of a Swedish immigrant named Charlie Olson. Olson became well known for selling Swedish specialities to the East Side’s large immigrant community. As one resident recalls, “they’d make [Swedish sausage] in large tubs at Christmas time.” Another resident, who used to work down the street at Olson's store, said that “one of the things Charlie [Olson] used to tell me was that he sold more lutefisk than any other store in the whole country.”
Since closing its doors in 1970, the Nelson Brothers Grocers building has housed a number of businesses and organizations. It was purchased by the VFW in 1970, and became a VFW post. Later, until approximately 2014, it housed Parkway Printing, a local print shop specializing in wedding invitations. Today, the main building stands vacant, while a smaller section, partitioned from the original structure, serves as a church, Taller Del Maestro Asambleas de Dios.
This, too, reflects Payne Avenue's multicultural history, where, as Professor Rachleff notes, religion remains a key arena for cultural exchange and preservation:
“In the mid to late 19th century, you had a German Catholic church, and three blocks away, you had the Irish Catholic church. And I've interviewed people who talked about family members who would complain, why do I have to walk three extra blocks? Can't I just stop at the first Catholic church that I come to? And some of that then has to do with particular practices in Catholicism, like confession, and the desire to confess in the language that you're most comfortable using. So, to confess in Spanish, or to confess in German, and to know that the priest on the other side of the screen understands the language that you're using.”
Today, Taller Del Maestro Asambleas de Dios offers services in both Spanish and English. Despite facing plenty of change and challenge over the years, 1020 Payne Avenue, in its many iterations, has remained an important cultural hub to the East Side community.
East Side Freedom Library
Introduction
The East Side Freedom Library (ESFL) is an independent, nonprofit institution located in the heart of the Payne-Phalen neighborhood. Founded in 2013, the library occupies the historic Arlington Hills Carnegie Library building at 1105 Greenbrier Street. In its current form, the ESFL is a non-circulating library dedicated to exploring labor history and celebrating the diverse immigrant communities that have long shaped the East Side of St. Paul.
The historic Arlington Hills Carnegie Library building, now home to the East Side Freedom Library.
The library’s collections focus on stories of migration, labor struggles, and community resilience, aiming to connect past and present through accessible, engaging programming. These offerings include workshops, performances, and community gatherings, all grounded in the ESFL’s mission "to inspire solidarity, advocate for justice, and work toward equity for all."
The ESFL stewards a diverse collection of more than 35,000 books and materials that comprise the community archive. Photos by Kate Havelin, MPR News, and the ESFL.
Community members see the library as more than a repository of books — it's a hub for cultural exchange, learning, and social advocacy, rooted deeply in the values and traditions of St. Paul's East Side.
Insights from the Executive Director
Saengmany Ratsabout is the executive director of the ESFL. Ratsabout wears many hats, overseeing day-to-day administration and fundraising efforts, as well as maintaining the library’s collections and coordinating staff and consultants. He is deeply intentional about extending the library’s impact, aiming to reach wide audiences:
“I bring my vision of bringing the work of the library beyond the brick walls of the space here, but also beyond St. Paul."
Ratasbout emphasized the role of the historic building as a powerful anchor for the community, embodying the neighborhood’s history while offering a space for connection and growth. He described the library as both a site of resistance and a launchpad for resilience, where grassroots initiatives are nurtured and developed into broader movements that contribute to social justice on a much larger scale.
"The core of it is for us to be that place: to convene, to curate, to catalyze."
Historical Significance
Arlington Hills Library, 1917
For much of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the land where the library now stands was undeveloped. Slowly, homes and businesses emerged around Greenbrier Street and Jessamine Avenue. As late as 1880, a St. Paul City Railway horsecar carried residents of the city along Greenbrier . In 1916, the Arlington Hills Carnegie Library became the first building constructed at the intersection, marking a turning point for the neighborhood.
St. Paul is home to three Carnegie libraries , each reflecting the vision of steel magnate Andrew Carnegie, who believed libraries should be both functional and visually inspiring . Designed by Charles A. Hausler in the Beaux-Arts style—a classical architectural form meant to inspire civic pride—these libraries are the St. Anthony Park Library, Riverview Library, and Arlington Hills Library, located in the neighborhoods of St. Anthony Park, the West Side, and Payne-Phalen, respectively.
Arlington Hills Library, 1925
The Arlington Hills Library quickly became a source of pride for the community. When it opened in September 1917, news reports described its overwhelming popularity: “[The library] has had such a large patronage that every second day it was necessary to send to the main library building for additional supplies of books because the shelves were empty.”
Immigrant communities on the East Side responded enthusiastically, with school children making up much of the early patronage. By the 1930s, librarians had established programming for nearly all East Side schools, including Johnson High School, Cleveland Junior High School, and several public and parochial grade schools. For decades, the library provided an essential “free space” for immigrants of all ages to learn and connect.
In 2007, East Siders learned that the St. Paul Public Library intended to replace the Arlington Hills branch. A consultant's report proposed a new East Side library to be co-located with a city parks and recreation facility. The city appraised the Carnegie building at $365,000 and offered it for sale, requiring buyers to present a community-focused reuse plan that honored the building’s history and cultural significance. Because the library was on the National Register of Historic Places and designated a local landmark, any changes required approval from the city's Heritage Preservation Commission .
The building faced a precarious future, as vacant structures often deteriorate or risk demolition. While Carnegie libraries were well-built, many have been lost or repurposed. Of the 65 Carnegie libraries in Minnesota, only 22 still serve their original purpose, with others adapted to new uses or demolished.
Fortunately, in 2013, Macalester College professors Peter Rachleff and Beth Cleary took action. Wanting to contribute to the East Side’s renewal, they established a 501(c)(3) nonprofit to take over the building: the East Side Freedom Library. With a mission to contribute to social justice and equity, the ESFL focused on labor, African American, and immigration history while providing a welcoming space for sharing diverse stories.
“The idea was to create a community space, definitely from and for the community— like the folks who live on the East Side, many of whom felt disenfranchised or not invested in by the city.”
In June 2014, the city approved a $1-per-year, 15-year lease of the building to the ESFL, which will run until 2029. Meanwhile, the new Arlington Hills Community Center, housing the relocated Arlington Hills Public Library, opened at Payne Avenue and Maryland Avenue on May 22, 2014. Today, the East Side community retains both a public library and a repurposed historic landmark, fulfilling complementary roles in serving the neighborhood.
The ESFL envisions a future deeply rooted in its role as a gathering place for shared learning, cultural exchange, and mutual support. While the historic building’s current lease secures its presence until 2029, the library aspires to purchase the property outright, ensuring its long-term preservation as a vital community hub. This vision reflects the collective investment of community members, whose ongoing support has been integral to the library’s resilience.
The ESFL also aims to expand its reach, connecting with not only the diverse residents of the East Side but also audiences across greater St. Paul and beyond. Through carefully curated programming, the library continues to celebrate and amplify the voices of historically marginalized communities.
Programming at the ESFL ranges from art workshops and performances to book readings and History Day help. Photos by Brian Peterson (Star Tribune), Karen Organization of Minnesota, and the ESFL.
Adapting to challenges of funding and capacity, ESFL relies on a shared ethos of mutual support to sustain its mission. Volunteers, donors, and participants alike continue to rally to keep its programs thriving.
Conclusion
Payne Avenue is more than a historic commercial corridor; it is a living testament to the power of mutual support and community investment. The stories of these nine locations illustrate how residents, businesses, and organizations have embraced diverse strategies to circulate care in place — whether by nurturing local talent, creating spaces of belonging, or preserving collective memory. These investments are not only acts of resilience but also reflections of a shared vision for a vibrant and inclusive future.
As Payne Avenue evolves, it remains rooted in the values that have sustained it for so long: creativity, solidarity, and a deep sense of home. This StoryMap celebrates the community's ongoing efforts to honor its past while boldly imagining new possibilities, reminding us that resilience is not just about overcoming challenges but about creating opportunities to thrive together.
Images of Payne Avenue (Photos by Ranoromiangaly Andriamihaja-Rabe)
About Us
This project was conducted under the supervision of Professor Dan Trudeau and teaching assistant Zippa Curiskis ‘25 by the students of the course Qualitative Research Methods in Geography at Macalester College. The nine students of this course consisted of both geography majors and non-majors across a variety of backgrounds and class years.
- Ranoromiangaly Andriamihaja-Rabe ‘27 learned more about investment opportunities for youth through researching Sister Jean Thuerauf and interviewing Tanika Reese at Cookie Cart.
- Emmett Clancy ‘25 spoke to Karibu Deli & Grocery owner Abdi Ali about his upbringing in the neighborhood and involvement in the community.
- Caroline Fitzpatrick ‘26 researched the impact of a local barber shop, Gentlemen Cuts, by interviewing bold founder Mr. Red.
- Magdelyn Herzig ‘26 connected with the land of the Payne-Phalen neighborhood as she researched how community farming programs, through Urban Roots, inspire youth.
- Researching family grocery stores, Riley Hodin ‘25 learned how different immigrants to the East Side expressed themselves and shared their culture through food.
- Ryan Przespolewski ‘25 followed the legacy of Hamm’s Brewery to showcase current development and business at Saint Paul Brewing by interviewing Stephanie Harr.
- Learning more about our partner organization, Aidan Reynolds ‘25 interviewed Saengmany Ratsabout, executive director of the East Side Freedom Library, about the community space and cultural education.
- Joel Sadofsky ‘25 researched the immigrant settlements of Swede Hollow and spoke to Matthew Anderson at the East Side Neighborhood Development Company to better understand economic exclusion and integration.
- Focusing on the history of the land, Maggie Walker ‘27 explored the importance of Dakota sacred sites, primarily Wakan Tipi, in the surrounding St. Paul area.
Back (left to right): Dan Trudeau, Sidney Stuart, Riley Hodin, Clarence White, Aidan Reynolds, Peter Rachleff, Joel Sadofsky, Emmett Clancy, Ryan Przespolewski. Front (left to right): Maggie Walker, Ranoromiangaly Andriamihaja-Rabe, Caroline Fitzpatrick, Zippa Curiskis, Magdelyn Herzig
Acknowledgments
We are grateful for the contributions, participation, and assistance of many individuals who helped make this project possible, including Abdi Ali, Matthew Anderson, Stephanie Harr, Skyler Hawkins, Molly Murphy, Peter Rachleff, Saengmany Ratsabout, Mr. Red, Tanika Reese, Sidney Stuart, & Sam Wegner.