The Memo: New patios, OMC and more – Duluth News Tribune

As first reported by KBJR, Spirit Bay Trading is closing its doors Monday, June 22.

The Canal Park staple sells Native American art, jewelry and supplies all fantastic things I would check out anytime that I was in the area.

Spirit Bay's owner, Terry Smith, told KBJR he's nearing retirement and was considering downsizing when the lease was up. Like so many businesses, the pandemic sped up these plans.

Smith is planning to hold an auction to sell remaining items.

On a similar note, Lincoln Park cocktail lounge Noble Pour closed in March. But the space wasn't sitting silent for long.

Owner Tom Hanson also runs the adjacent OMC Smokehouse, which has now taken over the space. They knocked out a wall to expand floor space in OMC, making social distancing easier and allowing them to welcome more customers.

OMC opened its indoor dining Wednesday at 50% capacity, according to its Facebook. And, apparently, you can still enjoy a cocktail in the new space.

Hanson told the News Tribune that the expansion is a big investment, similar to "a poker hand saying, Im making my last bet here."

Minnesota's CareerForce is holding a virtual career fair Monday for those who identify as LGBTQ or are allies.

The career fair features businesses known for their LGBTQ track record. Specifically, businesses were selected for their history of inclusion and support of LGBTQ employees, as evident by their culture and policy.

Each business will share information about available jobs, LGBTQ inclusion efforts and company culture.

The fair is Monday from 10:30-11:30 a.m. Find more information and register on CareerForce's event page, careerforcemn.com/events.

There's been an influx of new spaces for outdoor dining, which should come as no surprise to Minnesotans.

Restaurants weren't allowed to open their indoor spaces until recently, and were limited to serving customers at outdoor patio spaces or via delivery and pickup.

Bridgeman's is one Duluth businesses that's adding patio seating. Fox 21 reported the restaurant had plans to build a patio before the pandemic hit, but the pandemic presented an opportunity to speed up patio construction.

You can enjoy their ice cream in an outdoor setting a fantastic combination starting this weekend, when the patio is slated to be complete, according to Bridgeman's Facebook page.

The restaurant also has indoor seating.

Kelly Busche covers business and health for the News Tribune. She loved outdoor patio dining prior to the pandemic, and is happy to have even more options now.

Read the original:
The Memo: New patios, OMC and more - Duluth News Tribune