The Northrup King Building in NE MPLS is a rather famous and frequented artist studio building. Whole weekend long events use it as the center point. Everyone in the are community seems to know someone who has a studio at the NKB.
So, how can two relatively smart ladies on a bright and sunny Sunday afternoon fail to find this building?
Turns out Jane and I were only a few 100 feet from the building at one
point, but we turned the other way and became further confused by
stupid dead-end Jackson street.
We left with the address, 1500 Jackson St. NE. No need to look at a map, it is in a familiar part of NE to be sure. The streets are the names of Presidents and the numbers get either bigger or smaller. It is a huge building. I think we have been there a few times before.
We drove to University, went to 15th Ave, took a right drove to the end of that street, did the jog over to 14th, but then went right again and not left. Ended up back Broadway and then found Jackson continued on that side, that was useless.
We went back towards the 331, pulled over to ask a Dad out biking with his three young children. He walked up to car window and said in a joking tone, "I am sorry, but I am married. Otherwise, I would love to."
He did not elaborate on what he would "love" to do...you will have to fill that in on your own.
We asked him how to get the Northrup King Building. He immediately began saying something about going down Broadway and turning on Kennedy. He tried to confirm his vague directions with his children. His children ranged in age from about 3 to 6 years of age. They still had training wheels on their bikes. How could they possibly know whether their father's ramblings about which street and which building it was and how to get there were accurate?
Still, he was persistent and tried his best to provide direction. Ultimately, only convincing himself of his accuracy and usefulness.
Not convinced, we pulled up in front of the 331 and asked again. Two typical boys, black tees, dirty jeans, converse, 20 or 30 something, who can tell anymore, came up to the car window. They said, "You are looking for some men? We are right here."
They were cute enough, but we were not looking for boys and drinks, we were looking for my friend's jewelry sample sale.
We asked them how to get to the Northrup King Building. They puzzled for a minute. They said, it was up Broadway and something...then yelled to a girl for further clarification on their ramblings. She, being a waitress at the 331 and I know for a fact a long-time art-type person gave us directions very confidently.
The directions were to a completely different building in a completely different part of NE. She said, got down Broadway to Stintson and then turn right and then right again.
Now, those of you familiar with the area will know that going all the way to Stintson means you are at Hennepin East and no where near the Northrup King Building.
So, having nothing better to do and no clearer idea, we took a lovely driving tour of all of NE. We followed that with some yummy snacks from Azia. No jewelry show, no Northrup King Building and no longer will ever bother asking directions in NE.
