Our February issue of Edina Lifestyle is all about spreading local love.
Whether that means buying a new perfume at SENTi, creating a morning drink from Edina Coffee Roasters’ beans, grabbing a cocktail at Coalition or strolling through the gallery at Douglas Flanders & Associates – Edina has many options for those wanting to be local patrons.
Coalition
Coalition is owned by Eli Wollenzien and Deacon Eells. The duo grew up together in Wisconsin and later moved to the Twin Cities to pursue careers in the restaurant industry.
The Minneapolis location opened in 2017 on 50th and France.
The restaurant’s concept is casual fine dining American fare with a substantial wine and cocktail list. Lunch and dinner are served seven days a week.
“Coalition is about the combined efforts of chefs, cooks, servers, farmers, vineyards, and brewers and I see that partnership extending to our guests by providing the highest quality food and service in a warm and welcoming environment,” Eli says.
Coalition on 50th and France is planning to build a 46-seat patio with plenty of greenery that will help accommodate guests in the summer. This should be completed by summer 2023.
3808 W 50th St., Minneapolis. (952) 456-8979. https://www.coalitionrestaurant.com/.
Douglas Flanders & Associates
In 1972, renowned gallerist Dougals Flanders opened what would become Douglas Flanders & Associates, Fine Art Gallery and Consultants.
Having recently celebrated 50 years in business, Flanders & Associates is the oldest gallery in Minneapolis. A long-standing pillar in the national and international art community, Flanders has represented, exhibited and sold works by Picasso, Van Gogh and Warhol, yet has remained fully committed in his support of local artists – many of whom the gallery represents.
It was inevitable that Flanders would become a successful gallery owner. Growing up, his grandparents heavily influenced his artistic development. He visited museums and galleries with his artist grandmother. Summers were spent with his art dealer grandfather in Spain.
Flanders began his professional career in New York under the tutelage of gallerist Denise René. He returned to Minneapolis and on Sept.11, 1972, opened The Unicorn Galleries, a combination art gallery and gift shop located downtown.
A prolific collector since childhood, much of Flanders early inventory and exhibitions consisted of pieces from his private collection.
The gallery’s first exhibition was by Georgia O’Keeffe. Not one work sold. Flanders boldly auctioned off some of his own pieces in order to add to inventory.
In 1981, the gallery made its first of several location and name changes. The gallery operated in various downtown locales, doing business as Flanders Contemporary, Flanders Contemporary Art, and Douglas Flanders & Associates (or “Flanders” as it is affectionately known).
In December 2020, going against all conventions, Flanders opened a second gallery in Edina, complete with a library housing over 2500 publications and artist files. Flanders uptown location closed in 2021.
Douglas Flanders & Associates provides art to museums, corporations and collectors worldwide. With over 15,000 available works, they can find the perfect piece to suit every taste and budget. In addition to sales, they offer a wide variety of art related services, including estate services, framing, exhibition curation and loans.
5025 France Ave S, Minneapolis. 612-920-3497. https://www.flandersart.com/.
Edina Coffee Roasters
Couple Zach and Sara Zschernitz founded Edina Coffee Roasters in 2020 after seeing the value in how coffee is a conduit for bringing people together.
The company launched publicly in February 2021 with a focus on creating a small, approachable lineup of specialty coffees.
“With [our] blends ranging from light and bright to dark, chocolatey and nutty, it was our hope to find a connection with community members through one of our offerings,” Zach says.
They started with an online-only store first, and then expanded into wholesale roasting and in-person pop-ups.
“[We have a] portable coffee cart and [we] serve espresso-based drinks on the spot, crafted with the utmost care and detail,” Zach says.
Edina Coffee Roasters has been set up all over Minnesota now at different events, including farmers markets, craft fairs, art shows, weddings and graduation parties.
Their wholesale network continues to grow, and a full list of partners can be found on ww.edinacoffeeroasters.com.
Contact Edina Coffee by calling (320)293-4302 or emailing hello@edinacoffeeroasters.com.
SENTi
After 23 years in the advertising and marketing industry, Jen Knoch's love of fragrance became a business named SENTi.
It started in 2018, when she traveled to the birthplace of perfume – Grasse, France.
She sought out relationships with Grasse-based perfumers to hear their stories and understand the products’ relation to the land.
This trip inspired her to start a virtual side gig, From Grasse with Love.
For three years, Jen was successfully importing and selling Grasse-made fragrances in the Twin Cities via pop-up stores.
At the end of 2020, Jen was approached by the Nolan Mains developer who offered her a storefront. With this opportunity and her knowledge gained from the pop-ups, Jen wanted to expand her product line beyond fragrance – and the other four senses felt like a natural evolution.
SENTi opened in 2021 and now offers a gallery of sights, sounds, smells, tastes and tactile experiences for your indulgence.
As a brand and store, SENTi channels a welcoming concierge ethos to bring you luxury products that elevate the everyday rituals of your daily life.
3922 W. 50th St., Edina. https://shopsenti.com/.
"Our journey began back when we were dating. We would go on countless dates at coffee shops, and through those experiences, we saw the value in how coffee was a conduit for bringing people together."