Great service. Great stuff. Great place. I always have a great experience when I visit Mend.read more

Finally, a fly shop in Minneapolis. And finally, a review of it on Yelp (years after it opened)…read more Mike, the owner and sole employee, is always in there. He's got a big beard and a big personality and isn't a salesman. He'll tell you exactly what you need if you want help--sometimes recommending the lower priced items over higher priced items because he's a genuine dude out to make fly anglers vs. make a buck. I've bought countless bugs from him. A rod. A waist pack. I think a t-shirt at some point. I've drank his free beer at the occasional, random store parties he decides to throw on a whim. It's a beautiful store. He even sells American made jeans if you decide that on your way to the river, you not only need bugs but also some raw denim for whatever reason.

Want to run an ultramarathon in Minnesota? You're in luck! This race is a good one and supports the…read morelocal community too. I was looking for a Minnesota ultramarathon event for my 2nd round 50 states marathon quest and came across FANS 24 / 12 hr ultramarathon. It's held annually normally at Normandale Lake Park in Minneapolis, MN typically either May or June time frame. FANS stands for Further Achievement through Network of Support, which basically is a mentorship program for local area MN high school students to bridge high school and college. Funds raised from the FANS ultra races go to support this amazing mentorship program. With that said, I decided to pick this race for my Minnesota. I registered online and the registration fee can vary when you register. As mentioned above, every penny goes to the FANS scholarship program. You can also help fundraise too. I arrived at Normandale Lake Park on a brisk Saturday morning in June. There was a threat of thunderstorms, but thankfully nothing showed up. We used the park loop around the lake as our course, which was less than 2 miles around. The mission was to clock as much miles / loops You can do in your allotted time you signed up for. Easier said than done! The scenery was nice and there was ample inspiration throughout the day. I just needed to pick up At least a marathon distance for me to include this race in my quest goal. Ended up with 50km, which is also nice. The park was serene and well maintained. I enjoyed the aid stations and the main timing area, where you end up meeting the coolest people. The overall experience here at the 2024 FANS 24 / 12 hr ultra was fantastic and amazing. The race atmosphere was electric and there was a bunch of participants who eventually made it to 100 miles that weekend. I was in awe really. The aid stations were continually stocked with runner's favorites and it was a pleasure to be able to do this versus not. The loops were not too long but had some varied scenery so that we weren't too bored with that. At the end of the day, it was the total mileage that is what we came to Minneapolis for. 50km isn't too bad honestly. Just depends on your goal and what you want out of the race. The weather was near perfect, although I wanted it to be colder during the day. It was around 60's F and the warmest it got was around 80 mid afternoon before it cooled down for the evening. There was a tent city where many families and friends of those who were participating set up tents. They provided aid and other forms of assistance and support for the runner. For me though, I was glad that the race had a "tent for the tent less", which basically is a tent where I could just put my luggage there for the duration of the event. They had packet pick up the day before and on race morning. I decided to pick up on race morning. After getting settled and meeting friends, we were escorted to the start line 5 min before the official start, and then off we went in a mass start. It was a magical thing. The FANS 24 / 12 hour ultramarathon is held annually at Normandale Lake Park in Minneapolis, Minnesota usually in May or June. They have online registration, which requires a credit card. They also encourage you to fundraise for the FANS scholarship too, but it's not required. As far as race day parking, Normandale Lake Park has one large parking area, which most people use and is basically directly across tent city, packet pick up, and the medical tent. If you don't drive, there is always Uber and Lyft if you need it. After the race, if you stick around and they do encourage you to stick around, they serve breakfast to all participants and race volunteers. This year's FANS scholarship recipients were on hand to help Serve and distribute the food and drinks to everyone. They also got up to speak about how the scholarship program has helped them individually to bridge high school into College. It was nice and rewarding to come here to race for a good cause. And so, if you are looking for a starter ultra distance race event or planning to go further than your last known distance past the marathon, consider this ultramarathon in Minneapolis, MN. Weather can be a little iffy, but it can be amazing when everything is ideal. Of course, pouring rain isn't too good but somehow people love it. This race is a good one for your first ultra marathon. Give it a try. 5.0 stars for the overall experience. Run more! Support local! A+

A nature spot by Totino Grace School. Mature trees around a couple of ponds and wooded area. It's…read morerustic but a nice hike.

I took my child here for a birthday party, and it is the coolest place! There is a whole ninja…read morewarrior course, plus like a small indoor playground. My daughter had a great time; during the birthday party the kids were led through a whole course and loved getting their energy out. They also have a private room for the treats portion of the party. I highly recommend them!

If you have a Ninja in your family, this is a fantastic spot for a birthday party…read more We hosted a Birthday party here and were genuinely impressed by the level of care and communication from the staff, both leading up to the event and on the day itself. Everything went well throughout and their staff were easy to work with, which goes a long way when you're planning a kids' party. We rented the space for two hours. The first portion included a choice between an instructor-led ninja class or a Nerf party -- we chose the Nerf option, and it was a hit with both the birthday Ninja and our guests. After that, the kids had freestyle time to explore and play throughout the gym. One thing I really appreciated was that the gym was closed to the public during our party, so it was just our group and the instructors. Safety was the top priority, and the instructors were patient, attentive, and great at keeping everyone engaged. No one felt left out, overwhelmed, or bored. After the gym time, we moved into a private party room that we were free to decorate. The space was spotless when we arrived and already equipped with picnic tables, a food and cake table, a full-size fridge, and even backup supplies like paper towels and disposable cutlery. We didn't need the extras, but it was reassuring to know they were there. There were also no restrictions on outside food, which made planning much easier. We ate, sang happy birthday, and relaxed while the kids continued having fun. Once we wrapped up, the kids were welcome to hang out in the arcade area or head back into the gym while waiting for pickup. Cleanup was our responsibility, which felt completely reasonable and in line with most party venues. Overall, I'm so glad we chose to celebrate here. The staff was welcoming, organized, and attentive, and the experience felt like a solid value for the price. I wouldn't hesitate to come back -- either for open gym time or another celebration!

Basic parkland at the end of a dead end road (Xebec St NE) off the busy Bunker Lake Boulevard…read more 16.5 acres (mostly wooded) with a nice playground & basic ball field. Right now there is a port-a-potty between the playground & ball field. Picnic tables are available, park near the field or playground

Great spot to throw a birthday party or a pick nick with the kids volleyball pit basketball…read morebaseball field indoor restrooms there are a few walking trails and a up to date and nice size playground and plenty of shade

Knockersquad Rocks! Knockersquad was the activity we had on-site for our all-staff corporate…read moremeeting. Our team LOVED it! It was hilarious to watch and even more fun to participate in. We played for about two hours and everyone was able to jump in and out as they wanted to, allowing anyone to play. Colin and Stu are fantastic. These guys are professional, prompt, and fun to be around. This made our corporate event top notch! We highly recommend these guys.

We had a company event at the Harriet Island Pavilion with the Big River Pizza truck and Knocker…read moreSquad as our main activity. Everyone had a blast! It's tiring and hot, but totally worth it. They had two people there reffing for us and they make everything super simple. They know it's tiring, so they just have you play in 5 minute stints and then have you switch up the teams. We took a 30 minute break after the first hour and they stuck it out with us. At their suggestion, we played another game called Sharks and Minnows and everyone loved it. Some people joined in that hadn't played soccer the first time. Even those who decided not to participate were cheering and hollering from the sidelines. It is hilarious to watch your coworkers get bounced around and knocked over in a giant bubble!

Hi-Five Sports Zone is the best!! Our five year old does the Little Ballers basketball program and…read morejust had his birthday party there. Coach Reggie and Coach Steve do an amazing job keeping the kids engaged and ensuring everyone is having a blast. Their programs are so well organized and they provide everything you need for the birthday party except the food! I highly recommend both the Hi-Five sports programs and having birthday parties at Hi-Five!

I booked Hi-Five Sports Zone for my son's 7th birthday party and had 17 kids there. The staff was…read moreso good at organizing the games, keeping the kids attention and most of all making it so fun! The kids had a blast and I got to watch all fun. I would definitely recommend Hi-Five Sports Zone to anyone for a kids birthday. They also provided bottles of water, plates and napkins and silverware, pizza cutter, lighter for the candles...it was great, I literally only needed to bring the cupcakes and candles (and had the pizza delivered).