in the bag: Step N' Stretch

Business:  Step N' Stretch
Location:  Burnsville and Minnetonka
Wink?  Yes

Purchases:  Dance shorts, tights and Footundeez (helps protect the balls of a dancers feet for dancing barefoot).

Step N' Stretch
13903 Aldrich Avenue South
Burnsville, MN 55337

Reason for shopping:  In preparation for a performance I was involved in, I needed some dance essentials as part of our costuming.  Step N' Stretch has 2 different locations, Burnsville and Minnetonka and it just so happens that I used to work by their southern location and currently live by their western location.  My first trip to SNS was in search of new tights and shorts and Liz, the assistant manager of Burnsville, was extremely helpful from the get-go.  I walked in and was immediately greeted and offered help.  Since I'm a girl who usually shops with purpose (a.k.a. not much of a browser), I loved that Liz grabbed 3 different options for shorts that fit my criteria and educated me on her thoughts on each brand and/or style.  My biggest requirement was good fit and coverage and Liz knew where to search among the million different styles and fits they carry.  I ended up going with a mid-priced short which was her original recommendation and I was very pleased.  I've got some junk in the trunk and danced with confidence knowing I wasn't flashing the unsuspecting crowd.

Personally, I think shorts should be outlawed.  I had to choose one and the winner was the top left pair.

My 2nd encounter was the day of the performance (procrastinate much?) and I was in dire need of foot support after rehearsing on the not-so-great wooden floors of our venue.  I ran to the Minnetonka location after rehearsal and again, was immediately greeted and asked if I needed help.  Katie, the helpful associate, pulled different size options for me and encouraged me to try multiples on to find a more comfortable fit.  I'm glad I took her advice otherwise the first pair I thought were right were in fact a big larger than I really needed. 

FootUndeez

Local Love:  Step N' Stretch has been a staple in the Minnesota retail dance industry and have been in business for over 15 years.  It is very apparent that their staff are friendly, helpful and most importantly, very knowledgeable in helping anyone from novice hobby dancers to professional veterans.  Minnesota is definitely the place to be if you want to be a competitive or non-competitive dancer and Step N' Stretch has definitely played a vital role in outfitting these talented dancers.  I love local businesses and SNS is here to stay.

{dancin}

winkMSP

nom nom: The 5-8 Club

Business:  The 5-8 Club
Location:  South Minneapolis
Did they earn a wink?  YES

The Occasion:  A Juicy Lucy experience.

The Food:  I ordered an original Juicy Lucy with American cheese and onion rings (The 5-8 Club makes THE BEST onion rings).

Image via Mark Libell

The Service:  I don't know what it is, but I am not a fan of strangers who address me as 'honey' or 'sweetie.'  I only really like it when my mother calls me that so when I first became a patron of The 5-8, I had to accept that their resident server liked to address all 5-8 lovers as 'honey and 'sweetie.'  Though she used friendly words and gave prompt and accurate service, in my opinion her personality actually wasn't very friendly.  No smiles, I always felt as though I was bothering her when I asked for something and overall I just didn't get a good vibe from her.  Though I am not a fan of their longtime server, I would always come back to The 5-8 because, lets face it, they make a pretty mean Juicy Lucy.  Their onion rings are pretty awesome too.

So on my most recent visit, I was pleasantly surprised to be greeted by a server wearing a smile and who didn't address me as 'honey' OR 'sweetie.'  She was genuinely friendly and came across as someone who actually like her job and liked working at The 5-8.  Being a self-seat restaurant, we grabbed the first available table and our new server was prompt in her greeting and I was pleased with the service I received that day.

I am kicking myself for not remembering her name!

Image by Ann Olson

My Only Gripe:  There has been a long debate on who has the best Juicy Lucy's in town and The 5-8 did not have it this day.  The cheese from my Juicy Lucy wasn't as melted or "oozy" as you see in the image below.  It had a slightly firmer consistency, the type not conducive to what one would describe as belonging to a Juicy Lucy.  *sad face*

Still Love Em':  Sometimes we dine at a restaurant because of the food while forgiving the bad service, and sometimes it is the opposite.  I hope next time I will finally have the best of both worlds at my favorite Juicy Lucy restaurant.  My opinion is highly debated but I stand my ground.  

{ja-ja-ja-juicy}

winkMSP