Weekend Getaway: Re-live your college glory days in Dinkytown, Minneapolis

March 28, 12:00 PMMinneapolis City Guide ExaminerLori Wilson

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In front of Tony's Diner

Ahh, college. For some, it was a time of academic reflection: for others, late-night debauchery. Or perhaps a bit of both. For many of us, we traded in sweats for skirts and suits once we entered the real world. But we never forgot how to have fun, and Minneapolis is never short of options. If you need a weekend get-away from work deadlines and stress, Dinkytown is the perfect place for you to live (and drink) like a student all over again.

Dinkytown is not only for college students, but also for the young at heart. Yet it's not just the busy nightlife that draws people to the ‘home of the U’. Thirty-nine unique restaurants line the main drag of Dinkytown in close proximity to the Maariucci Arena, Williams Arena, Ridder Arena, and the U of M Aquatic Center. This commercial and residential district caters to all kinds of crowds and palates. With the sports arenas so close, the bars and restaurants is a perfect start and ending point for Gopher and sports fans. It is also home to a variety of boutiques, coffee shops and Bob Dylan’s apartment where he paid a mere $30 a month. Dinkytown also comes with one amenity perk that downtown Minneapolis does NOT have: Free parking.

Dinkytown is made up of four main streets on the north side of the University of Minnesota East Bank campus. The area is only a few blocks away from the University, making it the place to be for week-day studying and weekend partying. Get a bite to eat at locally loved restaurants like Al's Breakfast (reportedly the narrowest restaurant in Minneapolis where life regulars practically snuggle with co-eds), or The Steak Knife (fantastic greasy food for cheap, especially popular for late night eating). Walk down 4th street to The Varsity Theatre, a Dinkytown music venue with a little bit of anything for everyone. Their diverse music scene draws in crowds from all around the Midwest. Bands like The Fray, Imogene Heap, Brazilian Girls, SIA, Missy Higgins, OAR, Nikka Costa, and many more have all performed on the Varsity stage.

So what's up with the name? The origin of "Dinkytown" has been clouded in a swirl of debate and long-time confusion. Several theories were brought to light by a group of students working on a Bob Dylan exhibit at the Weisman Art Museum in 2006:

Theory 1: This is a pretty easy one. Dinkytown is self-contained to a four-block radius and three main streets: University Avenue, 4th Street, and 5th Street. The name "dinky" makes total sense considering the size of the town.

Theory 2: Quite a few years ago, Dinkytown was home to a small theatre called "the Dinky". Locals coined the theatre with the name because it only had four rows of seating.

Theory 3: You can actually see the third theory for yourself if you walk in the alley between Shuang Cheng and the popular Loring Pasta Bar. A mural in the alley depicts the origins behind the name. An old clothing store in the area held the Slavic name “Grodnik”, meaning "small (or dinky) town." The owner who also operated the building held the surname "Grodnik".

Theory 4: Probably the most popular and accepted theory comes from the days when trolleys and rail cars were commonly seen and used in the area for short supply runs between closely spaced cities and towns. What name did these small trains go by? You guessed it. Dinkys.

Every so often I’ll highlight a new area of Dinkytown in detail. It’s difficult to capture the essence of Dinkytown in just one broad scope. Stay tuned for my take on its sights, sounds and smells with insider perspectives from current students.

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