MINNEAPOLIS — It wasn't hard to find great spots in the Linden Hills neighborhood. This section of south Minneapolis sits between France Avenue to the west and parts of Bde Maka Ska and Lake Harriet to the east.
Neighborhood concerns
A couple of viewers told us on Facebook that they're worried about the changes to homes in the neighborhood, with old homes being torn down and new ones being built. They're concerned those newer homes are taking away the character of Linden Hills.
State Representative Frank Hornstein has lived in Linden Hills for 30 years and says this has been a concern for many years among residents.
He says one of the main challenges for Linden Hills is maintaining that small-town neighborhood feel even though it's so close to Minneapolis.
"There's always pressures and development pressures and what is appropriate development and what isn't, and these are things that our neighborhood council and our city council are very concerned about and on top of," said Hornstein.
The Neighborhood Dog
People also told us to visit Settergren Hardware on 43rd Street. It's been family-run for four generations.
And inside you'll find the so-called town Mayor, Jager, the dog. Jager is inside of the store most days greeting shoppers or just relaxing.
Jager is a Munsterlander, which is a rare breed of dog. Jager is 13 years old and people in the community love him.
"He feels what you're feeling and he knows what you're talking about. Kids love him, he's really calm, they can pet him and they just like laying down next to him and loving him and he loves them back. He's a great dog," said Mark Settergren, who adds that Jager is near retirement and is hoping one of Jager's grandpups will become a regular in the store.
"We are like that community hub so we get people coming in asking us what's going on in the neighborhood, what's the building over there doing, what's the place to eat, you know, everyone comes to us. Kids get lost they show up here, dogs get lost they show up here. It's a fun place to be," said Settergren.
Hidden Gems
It's easy to find great places to check out in Linden Hills, from food to shops to the beautiful lakes.
We started our trip at Great Harvest Bread Co. where they're rolling dough early in the morning. We tried their Finnish Pulla and it was delicious.
Across the street, on Upton Avenue, we had ice cream for breakfast at Sebastian Joe's, which is a local favorite. They also serve coffee too, so you don't have to start your day too sweet.
Other people suggested we visit the bookstore Wild Rumpus, and Clancey's Meats & Fish, and Turtle Bread.