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Beyond Shinders??

post #1 of 8
6/7/09 at 4:30pm
Thread Starter 
OK, no one gives a shit about the Twin Cities, but I'm sure many of you enjoy your local newsstands. Shinders had several outlets all over, my favorites being downtown St.Paul and Minneapolis. Shinders had the best selection of mainstream and hard to find comics/periodicals/zines,etc. And they had a selection of the indie comix back issues, which no one else seems to bother with around here.

They were around for decades, until the family sold it to a relative-by-marriage who apparently ran it into the ground quite rapidly. He was also allegedly arrested on weapons and gun charges. Poof! All 13 stores closed.

Now somehow I missed the fact that in the last year or two, some former employees are opening outlets called Beyond Shinders. I haven't been to any yet but I soon will, these guys need support. I know it won't be the same but I miss just browsing and finding new things at brick-and-mortar stores.

Any of the local MN chewers check these out yet?
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post #2 of 8
6/7/09 at 4:39pm
I used to work at Shinder's in the early 90s (while I was in college). I could tell you some interesting stories sometime about what went on there, but it was (for the most part) a pretty well run business. I know that some people had problems with him, but Joel Shinder was always a really nice guy to me.

I'll need to look into this Beyond Shinders, Dragon. I'd be curious to see who the 'former employees' are that are running the show; if they are who I think they are, they should really know what they're doing.

Out of curiosity, are they also selling porn?
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post #3 of 8
6/7/09 at 6:11pm
Shinders was awesome back in the day. Lots of memories of taking the bus from the burbs to downtown to skateboard around and then end up at Shinders for a few hours.
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post #4 of 8
6/7/09 at 8:52pm
I had no idea. Weird. I guess I haven't done much shopping for stuff I don't need since I lost my job. I try to make time for Cedar Cliff Collectibles in Eagan every month or so. Good stock and prices, gruff owner.
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post #5 of 8
6/7/09 at 10:40pm
Thread Starter 
A Star Tribune article from last year says it's Larry Powley and Dan Mitchell who are running things. I don't know how business is doing since they opened some stores last year, as I mentioned I saw no mention of their opening, they just slid under the radar. I kept waiting for City Pages to do a piece on the collapse of Shinders, did they? They should have, that's where a lot of people used to grab City Pages.

Although I miss the days of competing free weekly mags, I've had it with City Pages "look at us we're so edgy and daring, fuck you if you don't like us" attitude and antics. They still have great articles from time to time, but someone should really provide a counter voice to the same one note liberal hipster bs. I think City Pages is emblematic of the type of people who really want to be relevant in say, NYC or something, than stuck in our quaint metropolis.
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post #6 of 8
6/7/09 at 10:50pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Fat Dragon View Post
Although I miss the days of competing free weekly mags, I've had it with City Pages "look at us we're so edgy and daring, fuck you if you don't like us" attitude and antics. They still have great articles from time to time, but someone should really provide a counter voice to the same one note liberal hipster bs. I think City Pages is emblematic of the type of people who really want to be relevant in say, NYC or something, than stuck in our quaint metropolis.
As a former freelancer for CP back in the early part of the decade, I can wholeheartedly attest to what you say. As for right now, They're kind of struggling to find their place because the internet does snark so much better, and public perception still equates them as that bad, insufferable sort of hipster everyone's been trying to grow out of for the better part of five years or so (as opposed to the Rake's more evolved version). Plus Google does movie listings quicker and easier, and that's what most everybody I talked to picked it up for back in the day.
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post #7 of 8
6/8/09 at 11:31pm
Wow, I have many good memories of shopping at Shinders. It was also a good spot to hang out at when you were waiting for the #5 bus on 8th street. I need to look into this Beyond Shinders store.
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post #8 of 8
6/13/09 at 11:00pm
Thread Starter 
I went to the Minneapolis branch on Friday, it's a few doors down from Sex World.

I probably won't be going back unless they beef up their inventory. Their small magazine selections are housed in those temporary cardboard display units. A tiny comic section, some older stuff, but no underground stuff. There is an adult section in back, but I didn't go in there. No really I didn't.

I may be wrong but I don't think there are too many places around here that have the underground/alternative,etc. comics. Big Brain has some, but they don't have a lot of cheap back issues, and I don't like their attitude.
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