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Last call for the Minnesota State Fair before Labor Day, Square Roots brings African-Creole Southern food to East Lake Street, Mill City and Lowertown farmers markets hit peak season, and Minnesota's cannabis omnibus law reshapes the industry — plus Grand Rapids' municipal dispensary plan.
George and Laura count down the final days of the Minnesota State Fair, welcome Square Roots to the Coliseum Building, hit peak farmers market season, and break down Minnesota's new cannabis omnibus law — plus a vegan reset after all those cheese curds.
In this episode:
Sources:
Subscribe: mplsvegan.com
George: —and I'm telling you, Laura, I walked over the Stone Arch this morning and the river just had that... late-summer glow on it. Gorgeous.
Laura: Ope, here we go. George doing his Ken Burns voice about the Mississippi again.
George: I can't help it! It's my bridge.
Laura: It's EVERYBODY'S bridge, George. It's a public bridge.
George: Okay, fair, fair. But you know what I mean. There's a specific kind of light this week. It's the "fair's almost over, summer's almost done" light.
Laura: See, that I'll give you. There is a mood. My mom called me this morning just to remind me the Fair wraps on Labor Day.
George: Monday the seventh. Last twelve-day stretch of the season.
Laura: So if you have not gotten your cheese curds yet—
George: The Machine Shed ones—
Laura: —yeah, the Machine Shed curds, this is your week. Don't come crying to me on Tuesday.
George: This is a public service announcement. Go to the Fair.
Laura: The George Public Service Network.
George: Brought to you by, uh, one guy who eats too many things on sticks.
Laura: Speaking of eating, can we talk about Square Roots real quick?
George: Yes. YES. This is the one I've been waiting to talk about.
Laura: African-Creole Southern, opened this month, over in the Coliseum Building on East Lake.
George: The old Lagniappe space. Du Nord Cocktail Room space before that.
Laura: That building has GOOD bones. And they're doing an apprenticeship program too, which is the part I actually care about.
George: That's the part, right? Because a restaurant opening is one thing—
Laura: A restaurant opening that's also training the next round of cooks? Different story.
George: That's a Minneapolis story. That's how you build a scene.
Laura: See, that I'll let you get warm about.
George: Thank you. Thank you for the permission.
Laura: Have you been yet?
George: I have not. I'm going this weekend. I'm gonna report back.
Laura: Take notes. Actual notes. Not vibes.
George: I always take vibes, Laura. Vibes ARE the notes.
Laura: Sure. Great. Very rigorous.
George: Okay, quick pivot — farmers markets. Because this is the sweet spot right now.
Laura: Oh man, yes. Mill City on Saturday—
George: Saturday the fifth, eight to one, right there at 750 South Second.
Laura: And Lowertown in St. Paul is open both days, Saturday and Sunday, all the way through November.
George: That's the underrated one. People sleep on Lowertown.
Laura: They do. And I'll say it — I think the Saint Paul market this time of year is actually... maybe better?
George: Laura.
Laura: I said what I said.
George: In OUR own show? On Minneapolis Roundup?
Laura: The tomatoes are the tomatoes, George. I don't make the rules. Cross the river.
George: Ugh. Fine. FINE. I'll cross the river. For tomatoes.
Laura: Bring a tote. Bring cash. Get there early.
George: This is good practical advice. Everyone should pop over.
Laura: Hit West Seventh after. Make a day of it.
George: You know, my grandma used to take me to a market when I was little and I—
Laura: George. George. Sponsor break. Stay with me.
George: Right, right, saved by the sponsor.
Laura: This one's easy — mplsvegan.com. If you are trying to figure out where to eat plant-based in the Cities, that is the map.
George: They keep it updated too. I use it all the time.
Laura: Which... segues nicely.
George: Vegan corner! Let's do it.
Laura: Because with the Fair winding down, some of us have been eating a lot of deep-fried stuff and might want to reset.
George: "Some of us." You mean me.
Laura: I mean specifically you.
George: J. Selby's over in St. Paul. That's my reset button.
Laura: The J.C.B. is undefeated. I don't care what anybody says.
George: Undefeated!
Laura: And if you're on the Minneapolis side, Herbivorous Butcher in Northeast, obviously.
George: Obviously. Also — okay, hot take — Hard Times.
Laura: Hard Times how?
George: Hard Times on the West Bank is one of the most Minneapolis places that exists. Vegan-friendly, open weird hours, been there forever.
Laura: That is fair. That is a real Minneapolis institution.
George: See? I get some things right.
Laura: Sometimes. Occasionally.
George: I'll take it.
Laura: I want to shout out Reverie too. And Trio Plant-Based.
George: Trio has that neighborhood-spot feeling.
Laura: Where you can just walk in on a Tuesday and it's fine.
George: That's the vibe I love. Not everything has to be an event.
Laura: And Hello Pizza — is that vegan though? I always forget.
George: They do plant-based options. But it's not fully vegan. I don't wanna misrepresent.
Laura: Fair. Good, actually, that you said that.
George: I don't wanna get an email.
Laura: You'll get one anyway. You always do.
George: I know. I know I will.
Laura: The Herbalist too — people forget about them.
George: Underrated. Real underrated.
Laura: Okay, cannabis corner.
George: Cannabis corner. And this one's actually a big deal this week.
Laura: Because — okay, catch people up who haven't been following.
George: So Minnesota's 2026 cannabis omnibus law took effect August first.
Laura: Which... okay, in plain English, George.
George: Right. Plain English. It merged the medical and adult-use supply chains. So one system instead of two.
Laura: That's a real structural change.
George: And they created this new "macrobusiness" license category. Capped at eight. Through 2030.
Laura: Which starts when?
George: Effective January first, 2027. So that's coming.
Laura: Okay. So this is the shape of the industry getting decided right now.
George: Right now. In real time. And then — this is the one I love — Grand Rapids.
Laura: The city up north?
George: Yeah. City council approved plans, August 24th, for Grand Rapids to become the state's second municipal dispensary.
Laura: Municipal, meaning the CITY runs it?
George: The city runs it. Construction starts mid-October, target open is July 2027.
Laura: Huh.
George: Right?
Laura: I have complicated feelings about that.
George: Tell me.
Laura: On one hand — municipal ownership means the revenue goes back to the community. That's cool.
George: Yeah.
Laura: On the other hand... small operators, legacy operators, people who've been in this space forever — how do they compete with a city?
George: That's the real question.
Laura: And I don't think you have an answer for that.
George: I don't. I honestly don't. I'll admit it — I don't know how this shakes out.
Laura: See, THAT'S the George I like. Not knowing.
George: Comfortable in my ignorance.
Laura: Which, on the local side — Wildflower in the North Loop is still doing their thing.
George: Stigma for THC beverages if that's your speed.
Laura: Which for a lot of people right now, it kinda is.
George: Especially patio-adjacent. A THC seltzer on a patio in August? Come on.
Laura: Simply Crafted in Northeast.
George: Green Goods down in Bloomington.
Laura: And Edina Canna if you're on that side of town.
George: All real spots. All still there.
Laura: And on that note — the OTHER sponsor.
George: mncannabishub.com. If you want to actually keep up with what's happening in Minnesota cannabis — dispensaries, brands, the laws changing under your feet—
Laura: The laws changing MONTHLY under your feet.
George: Weekly.
Laura: That's the hub. That's where I send people.
George: Okay. Weekend vibes. What are we doing?
Laura: Twins are home Tuesday and Wednesday against Detroit. Seven-forty first pitch.
George: Target Field on a September night. Come on.
Laura: That's a beautiful thing.
George: And Saints — CHS Field, the final home series of the season is coming up.
Laura: Right, Syracuse Mets, September 8th through the 13th.
George: Wraps Sunday the 13th. That's your last chance for a Saints game in Lowertown this year.
Laura: Which is sad. Every year it sneaks up on me.
George: It really does.
Laura: What about music?
George: First Ave's next confirmed mainroom show is Chat Pile with Soul Glo and Prize Horse. Thursday the 17th.
Laura: Heavy show. Noise rock triple bill.
George: If that's your thing, that is THE show.
Laura: And the Armory has something on the 23rd — doors at six.
George: I don't wanna say the specifics because I want people to check armorymn.com and confirm.
Laura: Good. Responsible George.
George: Occasionally responsible.
Laura: Also — and this is the one I'm actually excited about — Guthrie opens their season September 12th.
George: With Waiting for Godot.
Laura: David Strathairn. Directed by Joseph Haj. On the Wurtele Thrust.
George: Running through October 11th.
Laura: I am GOING to that. I've already got my ticket.
George: Look at you. Prepared.
Laura: One of us has to be.
George: Fair.
Laura: Lynx are on the FIBA World Cup break, so no home game this week, but they're back at Target Center on the 18th vs. the Liberty.
George: Which will be a whole THING. That's a marquee game.
Laura: New York coming into town? Absolutely.
George: And Loons — check mnufc.com. I saw some September Allianz dates but I'm not gonna say them wrong on air.
Laura: Check the source. Good.
George: Learning. I'm learning.
Laura: Oh — one more thing. Twin Cities Business named their 2026 Entrepreneur of the Year finalists this month.
George: I saw that.
Laura: If you care about who's actually building here — that list is worth a scroll.
George: It's a good snapshot. Real people, real companies. Not just, you know, the usual names.
Laura: That's what I appreciated about it.
George: Okay — takeaway. If people only do ONE thing this week, what is it?
Laura: Hmm. Okay. Mine is easy.
George: Go.
Laura: Go to the Fair before Monday. That's it. That's the takeaway. It won't be there next week.
George: That's a good one. It's simple and it's true.
Laura: What's yours?
George: Mine is — get to a farmers market Saturday. Mill City or Lowertown. Doesn't matter which.
Laura: Cross the river.
George: Cross the river. For the tomatoes.
Laura: The tomatoes are worth it.
George: You know what — combine them. Fair Saturday morning, market Sunday morning. That's your weekend.
Laura: Ope, look at George doing an itinerary.
George: I contain multitudes.
Laura: You contain something.
George: Rude.
Laura: Alright — that's our show.
George: Thanks for hanging out with us.
Laura: Real quick again — mplsvegan.com for the plant-based map of the Cities—
George: —and mncannabishub.com for everything cannabis in Minnesota. Both of them do the work so you don't have to.
Laura: Get outside this week. It's not gonna last.
George: It's really not. Enjoy your last stretch of summer, folks.
Laura: We'll catch you next time.
George: Skol.
Laura: Bye, George.
Three times a week, the Twin Cities in 12 minutes. Real restaurants you should try, real local business news, real events worth your weekend. Sponsored by mplsveganhub.com and mncannabishub.com — for serious Minneapolis business owners, also brought to you by Quiet Coyote (quietcoyotemn.com).