Big Turn Music Fest - 2018
We had the pleasure of participating in the inaugural Big Turn Music Festival (BTMF) in downtown Red Wing on February 16-17, 2018. This festival spans multiple venues, featuring musicians or bands performing short sets in various locations, from retail storefronts to churches. It brought a lively and festive atmosphere to what are typically some of the coldest and quietest days of the year.
As one of the smaller venues, with a capacity of 39, we hosted eight groups over two nights. We reached full capacity several times, and the music was truly exceptional. We look forward to doing this again next year.
Back to energy efficiency
Two years ago we tried LED holiday lights and we were very disappointed. The white lights had an odd blue-ish hue and the lights really did not have very much 'throw'.
Last year we went back to traditional incandescent lamps and the building looked terrific. But, because the lamps are not energy efficient, we had to minimize the amount of time they were illuminated.
This year we went back to LED lights. The lights need to be replaced every year because the squirrels like to chew through the insulation. We opted for a longer icecicles and we are very pleased with the advances of LED technology.
Fall is our favorite time of year
Downtown Red Wing looks spectacular in the fall. The colors absolutely pop and the well preserved buildings look fantastic.
Go forth and conquer
Recognizing Our Local Talent: Devin and Hailey
We are very fortunate to have a steady source of dependable and reliable workers from the local vocational college.
Minnesota State College Southeast Technical has a unique guitar and mandolin building program. These students typically have an uncommon attention to detail and are always mechanically inclined.
We came to know Devin and his girlfriend Hailey this past year while Devin attended the guitar program. Devin is holding his final electric guitar project and Hailey is holding his mandolin project.
We hired Devin last year, and he was a terrific employee. He finished his program and immediately landed a job in St. Paul at a guitar shop.
We are delighted to have gotten to know both of them and wish them good luck!
The Red Wing Innovation Incubator
Red Wing Innovation Incubator: Supporting New Businesses
As mentioned previously, much of the year has been taken up with the generation of the Red Wing Creative Economy report.
Related, and even more of a time sink, has been the initiation of the Red Wing Innovation Incubator.
This is a physical space dedicated to helping grow and mentor new businesses in the Red Wing Community.
This activity is being driven by Red Wing Downtown Main Street, and our involvement is because of a firm belief that the stronger the local economy is, the stronger our business can become.
Visit the website and see what the hubbub is all about: Red Wing Innovation Incubator.
Busy, busy, busy…
Busy Behind the Scenes
It's been busier here than it might seem.
Earlier this year, we embarked on an exciting project to measure the local Creative Economy and compare it to other communities. With this information, our goal is to make well-informed recommendations for the future.
This project is crucial to our business for obvious reasons, but it's also vital for the community, as this sector of the economy is experiencing rapid growth.
We couldn't—and shouldn't—undertake a project of this magnitude alone. We've partnered with the Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation, Red Wing Downtown Main Street, Inc., Anderson Center at Tower View, Red Wing Arts Association, ArtReach, and the Sheldon Theatre of Performing Arts.
Being in such good company adds credibility to the final report.
We are proud of the final report and encourage you to download your own copy.
Catch-up/ketchup
Reinventing and Expanding Our Horizons
We've been very busy reinventing ourselves here at the shop. To start, we've been focused on unveiling Red Wing Digital. This print-on-demand product offers unique large-format presentation options, including the Panel Print and the Acrylic Print. While the Acrylic Print has taken longer to get ready for production, we're excited about its potential.
Additionally, we have a new business partner, Fine Art Prints on Demand, a UK-based company. We've been quietly working and growing this side of the business (printing and framing fulfillment) for several years. FAPoD is our third customer in this area.
These developments have driven our third initiative: moving our production to a larger facility. We've narrowed down our options and expect to make some final decisions soon.