Think and plan big. Then go small. Thursday, all through the business day, marks another small business crawl through downtown Hudson, with an evening after-party at Ziggy’s music club. There are dozens and dozens of businesses residing in these parts, in almost that many different sub-categories. My main take on all these types is listed below.
Here is a suggested day planner: We start with my sponsors for this piece, since as far as investment in their concept and its creation and continuation, they have put their money where their mouth is, thus showing true professionalism — which they also bring to selling their product or service.
So start your trek with a sandwich, very inexpensive so you’ll have more dough to spread around for later, to provide sustenance for going around the blocks, at HudCo To-Go. Then go next door and pick up a remembrance at the all-gift-items-you-need shop, Beloved Makers. You could do worse than to do the same with the nick-knacks at Micklesen Drug Store. And get a rose or great floral arrangement by any name, for further reliving of the day’s events, with your special someone, at Hudson Flower Shop. Help support the planet and even its greenery at the ultimate fair-trade store with a big heart, The Purple Tree. But back to honoring your special someone, the Jeweler’s Bench makes even makes their own pieces, so think what you can do with that, and get something for your pet also, at Angel’s Pet World. And top off your experience with evening wear for the next time around, for him at St. Croix Provisions and her at Rue Marche. Fuel for your ride home at the Sub House, hearty fare for less.
— This Saturday, at two hour bookends around the noon hour, is a Scandinavian Food Fest that reads like a Swedish music set list, serving not only lefse (obligatory) but sandbakkets, falligmann, krumkaka, rommegrot and ruttlepolse, and partway there with limpe bread not biscuit. You almost expect a full set by the a cappella folk band Metalklapa. (Bosnian, but hey, still European.)
A guy posted online that he had caught his (sic) punpkin smasher on camera, and it was a deer. Slaying this dreaded vandal brings to mind a whole slew of specials I saw listed for Fleet Farm starting at the end of September and going mongo with hunting and more gear, such as firearms to shoot, trailers to haul, decoys to catch and tens to sit in. —
.And if you have any time left, housed in the same building, chill out at High North Dispensary, then get something snacky at The Lotus Creamery. There’s even Johnson’s Body Shop, if your car rattled a bit while getting here, or peddle an alt-ride at the bike shop, and add a couple of convenience stores.
Whew. That’s a lot. But there’s more, although not all are official participants in the actual organized event. But still with cool stuff.
The first several businesses that are listed, will also help preside over the Trick Or Treat on Locust Street, on the day before Halloween — especially well-timed this year, by the luck of the draw — from 4-7 p.m. Also on a Thursday.
But here is the promised categorization, showing all you can do on the small business crawl, finding virtually everything you might need in just a few block area. This is more like a month’s worth of shopping, not a day, but squeeze in as much as you can.
Barber shops and beauty salons and spas, antiques and gift shops and curiosities places, dresses and shoes and coats, restaurants and cafes and delis, bars and music and dancing nightclubs, tattoo venues and eyewear and exams, distillery and craft brewery and liquor stores, old and newer book sellers and gaming and a library, wellness shops and fitness and travel destination booking, candy and bakery and artisan bread makers, and various other retail outlets.
Add to that, in the same several-block-area, banks and law offices and legal services, professional buildings and apartments and condos, dental and fraternal services and construction, and computers and technology.
And of course, at the end where your trek started, the Hudson Area Chamber of Commerce and Tourism Bureau.
That’s all folks, but it’s plenty.