Local Twin Peaks fans in need of satiating their appetite for cherry pie, donuts, and red velvet drapes needn’t rewatch the series for the umpteenth time to get their fix. A tiny gift shop, styled after the extradimensional Black Lodge’s iconic Red Room, recently popped up on an unassuming corner of south Minneapolis.
Black Lodge Gift is one part pop-up shop, one part art installation. The space is styled with lodge-inspired décor, a white tree with a fleshy mass on top of it (aka the arm of MIKE), a pinecone microphone, a mannequin wrapped in plastic, and, of course, the requisite red velvet drapes and black-and-white chevron floors—ideal for photo ops.
The Kingfield shop, located at 318 42nd St. W., is the creation of Minneapolis visual artist, Nancy Waller. The shop features her adorable, handcrafted plush donuts, pie slices, and Log Lady-inspired logs for sale, ranging in price from $10 to $50.
Waller has previously utilized the storefront for several other ventures, including her longtime retail and novelty shop, Wasteland, which she operated for 25 years before shifting to other focuses. The shop sold her original, environmental-themed artwork made from recycled materials as well as her line of “plushies.” Waller also has a sign painting business, which she put to work with the spot-on Twin Peaks sign she painted to welcomes visitors into the store.
As the Twin Peaks soundtrack plays in the background, I ask Waller about where she got the idea for Black Lodge Gift. “I’ve had this space for 38 years selling my environmental art, but it’s a hard sell,” she says. “So I thought, you know, I’m going to do something completely different. I’m a huge Twin Peaks fan and have been designing products based on Twin Peaks for years, so it seemed like a great idea.”
Despite its small size and lack of online presence, the shop is catching attention from passerby. “This woman came in and said, ‘I thought I saw Twin Peaks out of the corner of my eye and thought I was hallucinating’,” says Waller. “It’s a lot of fun.”
Waller says she plans to keep the shop open through the 2018 Super Bowl to capitalize on the potential for foot traffic. If you go, be sure to bring cash—the plush items are available for cash only (no credit cards accepted).
The shop will be open daily from noon to 6 p.m. or by appointment through the Super Bowl in mid-February, and is closed Mondays. You can contact Waller at 612-825-7977 or by e-mail at nancylynnwaller@yahoo.com.
PHOTO BY PETE SCHROEDER
PHOTO BY PETE SCHROEDER
Nancy Waller with one of her logs
