This mysterious tiny building in Minneapolis has a heartwarming backstory

About this episode

The episode explores the heartwarming story behind a small white shack in Minneapolis that was once a thriving newsstand run by a legally blind vendor.

A small white shack near the entrance to Interstate 94 has puzzled Minneapolis commuters for years. It's boarded up, rarely noticed, and easy to dismiss as an abandoned shed. But behind it lies a heartwarming city story. After a Curious Minnesota listener asked about the structure, reporter Alicia Eller discovered it was once a thriving newsstand run by Arne Paulson, a legally blind newspaper vendor whose determination inspired an entire community. Café owners, waitresses, and neighborhood regulars raised money and built the stand for him in 1963, helping him launch a business that served Minneapolis for more than a decade and a half. Host Erica Pearson and reporter Alicia Eler explore Arne's life, his impact on the neighborhood, and why this modest little building remains standing today as a quiet reminder of a different era.

People in this episode

Host: Erica Pearson

Guest: Alicia Eller

Topics covered

• history
• community
• inspiration
• local stories
• blindness
• business

Keywords

• Minneapolis
• Arne Paulson
• newsstand
• community support
• blind vendor
• local history
• Curious Minnesota

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Curious Minnesota

Places: Minneapolis, Interstate 94

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