The stores are beginning—beginning—to resemble the hip commercials for JC Penney. JCP’s first “Shops” are now open at 700 stores nationwide, including 13 Minnesota locations.

Beware the Target bill this week. The Shops at Target debuts Sunday, May 6 with fresh, affordable products Target has co-created with five stand-out specialty stores from around the country. There are nearly 400 items in all, ranging from $1 for a nail file to $159.99 for a pouf for the home.

Allison Kaplan recently visited the new mega Menards in Golden Valley and says, "I’m still trying to find my way out of the spray paint section. No joke – there are 17 shades of black, alone."

It’s been there for years–tucked inside the American Swedish Institute‘s historic Turnblad Mansion on Park Avenue in Minneapolis. The ASI Museum Shop catered to its members, with traditional Swedish gifts, books, and traditions and a huge selection of ornaments at holiday time. But no one else knew about it–or more importantly, thought to shop there.

You may think summer is beer season, and maybe it is with all the lawnmower-beers and deck-chairs with kan koozies, but I think of summer beer season as a little, shall we say, light. Now fall beer season, that’s something complex and brainy, what with all the stouts and porters coming back like a hot pair of riding boots, not to mention some rauschbiers and harvesty hopped beers that just pair nicely with flannel and a wind-whipped fall day.