Issuu

WCCO-TV anchor A.J. HILTON tells Minnesota’s stories and shares his love of music

ON THE BEAT

Menus in dim lighting. Text on my phone. The fine print I used to squint at or skip altogether. I always had to pause and find my glasses before I could really see what was in front of me. It was a small thing, but it added up. After my RLE procedure, I don’t think about any of it anymore. I just see clearly, near to far, without stopping or second guessing. No readers. Just clarity.

SCHEDULE YOUR RLE CONSULTATION TODAY Give us 30 minutes. We’ll give you new vision. See if RLE is right for you.

CONTENTS 8 Time Keeper Thompson Watch Repair sells, repairs and maintains vintage watches.

10 Knit Together Rose Yarn Co. attracts generations of knitting and crocheting enthusiasts.

12 Cultivating Art Peonies bloom year-round in Katrina Pete’s cards, home décor and paintings.

16 On the Beat WCCO-TV anchor A.J. Hilton tells Minnesota’s stories and shares his love of music.

26 Brewing up Success Tapestry Coffee expands in Lakeville.

4 6 30 32

Editor’s Letter Noteworthy On the Town Last Glance

Knit Together, page 10

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F R O M T H E E D I TO R

There’s something about this time of year that just makes me nostalgic, and I think that feeling accidentally made its way onto the pages of this issue. I didn’t set out to make this issue an ode to all things analog, but I wanted to write about the popularity of “granny” crafts, because there’s an art to getting into one of Rose Yarn Co.’s (page 10) popular knitting and crocheting classes. (Tip: Get on its mailing list and watch your inbox like a hawk for the store’s monthly newsletter. If the class fills up before you can click through, get on that waitlist because even if a spot doesn’t open, they’ll reach out to you before registration for the next class goes live.) I recently took its Learn to Crochet Class, and it’s been so much fun practicing a brand-new skill. Then I stumbled across Thompson Watch Repair (page 8), a small business dedicated to repairing and restoring vintage watches. I found it fascinating to learn the lore about each model. I can see why watches become both collector’s items and fashion statements. By the time I sat down with WCCO-TV morning anchor (and Lakeville resident) A.J. Hilton (page 16) and he started talking to me about his record collection and the importance of owning physical copies of music, I realized our arts and culture issue had become a celebration of days gone by. I’m definitely not mad about it. While my current watch tells me if I slept well (Spoiler: I didn’t!), it definitely lacks the soul of a vintage Seiko, and on good days, I get to spend a few minutes knitting or crocheting to calm my busy brain. But one thing I accidentally stopped doing when I had children is actively seeking out new music. Chatting with Hilton about music reminded me that I need to dig out some of my old CDs and revive my tired playlists. I haven’t bragged about listening to a band before they “made it big” in decades, and I think I need to rectify that issue. If you’re feeling that nostalgic, change-is-in-the-air energy that autumn always seems to bring, I hope this issue helps you rekindle an old passion or find a new one.

Liz Po tas e k liz@localmedia.co

Readers, you’ll notice an exciting change in this issue—our exclusive focus on Lakeville, an increasingly dynamic community with a wealth of stories to share. In addition to the renewed emphasis on Lakeville, we are proud to highlight that we’ve significantly increased our distribution into the community, so more than ever, Lakeville recipients of our community lifestyle magazine will be treated to a bimonthly publication that is solely dedicated to their community. We look forward to sharing even more of Lakeville

On th e Cove r:

P ho to by:

A.J. Hilton, page 16

Chris Emeott

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within our pages. Article ideas? My mailbox is open at liz@localmedia.co.

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VOL. 4 NO. 5 October/November 2026

PUBLISHER Susan Isay EDITOR Liz Potasek MANAGING CREATIVE DIRECTOR Renée Stewart-Hester MANAGING EDITOR Hailey Almsted DIGITAL EDITOR Madeline Kopiecki COPY EDITORS Kellie Doherty and Sherri Hildebrandt STAFF WRITERS Kassondra Burtis, Stacy Dahl, Findlay Drabant, Emily Gedde, Maura Keller and Alexandra Tostrud CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Ashley Christopherson, Dennis Feller, Sam Koehn, Scarlett Larson, Angie Lueschen, Stacy Price and Tana Wold DIGITAL INTERN Kate Overend EDITORIAL INTERNS Catherine Chapman, Isabella Kunc, Abigail Larson and Kate Thompson EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD Kati Bachmayer, City of Lakeville; Jeanne Hutter, Lakeville Chamber of Commerce; Angie Lueschen, Lakeville Lions Club; and Grace Olson, Lakeville Area Schools SENIOR MANAGING ART DIRECTOR Sarah Dovolos ART DIRECTOR Allison Nolden ASSOCIATE ART DIRECTOR Jamie Klang GRAPHIC DESIGNER Yaz Lo LEAD STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER Chris Emeott PRODUCTION DIRECTOR Brittni Dye PRODUCTION MANAGER Lisa Stone PRODUCTION COORDINATOR Mimi Coz SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Lauren Bjorgo, Cynthia Hamre, Wendy Hendricks and Sara Johnson ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Rochita Chatterjee, Alyssa Grages and Gina Neumann

PRESIDENT Pete Burgeson To subscribe to Lakeville Magazine, please visit localmedia.co. For customer service inquiries, please contact hello@localmedia.co, or call 612.208.6248. ©Local LLC 2026. All rights reserved.

N OT E WO RT H Y

Holiday Sips Thanksgiving seems to come earlier every year. While everyone is checking off their grocery lists, don’t forget about the cocktail list. This recipe gives a twist on the classic Mule and combines cozy holiday flavors with just the right amount of seasonal spirits to please any crowd. To be true to the Mule, a copper mug is best, but a simple short glass or coffee mug will work too. This recipe is versatile, so you can choose whichever caramel sauce, apple cider and ginger beer brands you love best. Salted Carmel Apple Mule » » » » » »

caramel sauce (for glass rim and drizzle) sea salt (for glass rim) 1.5 oz. Smirnoff Kissed Caramel vodka 3 oz. apple cider ½ oz. lime juice 4 oz. ginger beer

Rim the drinkware of choice with caramel sauce and sea salt. Fill with ice; add vodka, apple cider, lime juice and a drizzle of caramel sauce. Stir. Top off with ginger beer. Optional: Garnish with an apple slice, caramel candy or cinnamon stick. Give the cocktail a fun spin by alternating a slice of apple with a soft caramel candy on a cocktail pick and resting it on the rim of the mug.

Sam Koehn is the assistant manager of Lakeville Liquors Keokuk. Find more holiday sips at lakevilleliquors.com.

Written by a Minnesota author known for her Northern Gothic thrillers, The Witches of Santo Stefano by Wendy Webb delivers enchantment, mystique and secrets. When Cassie Graves discovers that her husband is having an affair, it seems like her life is spinning apart. Wanting to feel a connection to her family, Cassie looks through

heirlooms and discovers that the small and ancient town of Santo Stefano, Italy, may be the thread that will tie her story together. On her journey, she realizes that mysterious and magical things may be hiding all around her, and that her legacy is even more powerful than she could have imagined. Fans of magical fantasy, historical

fiction, mystery and realism are in for a treat. For more thrills and chills, look for Webb’s other novels, The Haunting of Brynn Wilder and Daughters of the Lake.

Stacy Price is an adult services librarian at the Heritage branch of the Dakota County Library. Read more at dakotacounty.us/library.

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Mysterious, Magical Reading

51 Years of Building Success: Consistent, Reliable, Exceptional Lakeville Strong In October 1949, a violent storm swept across the Lakeville countryside, leaving destruction in its wake. Powerful winds tore roofs from homes, splintered barns and flattened fields ready for harvest. For many farm families, years of hard work seemed lost overnight. As the extent of the damage became clear, Gov. Luther Youngdahl mobilized state assistance and encouraged farmers, needing help with harvesting and recovery, to contact the Farmington government office. The response was immediate. At the Glen Bosacker farm west of Lakeville, 40 neighboring farmers gathered to tackle the enormous task of rebuilding. For two days, they cleared debris, raised barn walls, repaired structures and helped restore hope to a family in need. While the men worked, 19 women prepared and served hearty meals, ensuring every volunteer was cared for. A photograph taken during the effort captured 40 men standing atop the rebuilt barn roof—a remarkable image of determination, teamwork and trust. More than a snapshot of recovery, it became a symbol of what made Lakeville strong. This is the story of a community that refused to let disaster define it. When hardship arrived, neighbors did not stand by and watch—they rolled up their sleeves and went to work. That spirit of neighbors helping neighbors remains one of Lakeville’s greatest traditions and a lasting reminder that the strength of a community is measured by how its people care for one another.

Photo: Lakeville Area Historical Society

Dennis Feller is a member of the Lakeville Area Historical Society. Discover more history at mnlahs.org. Proven Quality. Proven Trust. Since 1975.

PIKE LAKE LANDING

Cty Rd 21 & Cty Rd 42 in Prior Lake. Starting in the mid $900’s. Model open Thurs - Mon, 12 - 5 pm. info@ronclark.com • RonClark.com Call Tracey 612-860-3065 Farmers come together to fix storm damage in October 1949.

Information deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Contractor Lic # 1220

Time Keeper Thompson Watch Repair sells, repairs and maintains vintage watches. By Liz Potasek

Top: Tyler Thompson is certified by the Swiss American Watchmakers Training Alliance, which involves 3,000 hours of training. Bottom: The Valjouz 23 VZ is a legendary manual-wind column-wheel chronograph movement produced by Valjoux from 1916–1974.

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Photos: Chris Emeott

One thing Tyler Thompson has learned over the years is that watches serve many purposes. They can be a link to the past, a status symbol, a collector’s item or even a fashion statement. They also keep time. “The cheapest Timex you see at Sam’s Club keeps 30 times better time than a Rolex, a brand-new Rolex,” Thompson says. “Because the Rolex is mechanical, it beats eight times a second. The Sam’s Club watch is chords and then tuning fork, and then that vibrates at 32,768 times a second. So the time base is just way different. But people still like mechanical watches.” That’s why Thompson Watch Repair in Lakeville had a steady stream of customers on a recent Tuesday, even, maybe especially, in the age of smart watches and cell phones. Over the course of one morning, one customer came in with a recently inherited watch from his grandpa. (“Just be careful where you take grandpa’s watch,” Thompson told him, noting that it can be easy to break a watch trying to replace the battery without specialized experience.) Another customer wanted to talk about makes and models, asking Thompson what he thought about a Grand Seiko. (“Buy used,” Thompson advised, noting that a watch loses its value as it’s worn, similar to a new car.)

The store offers watch repair and maintenance and also sells vintage watches. Thompson has a soft spot for vintage Seikos, which his grandpa introduced him to. He has customers from around the country who mail him their vintage Seikos for repairs and maintenance. His favorite watch is Seiko’s “Captain Willard,” a dive watch worn by Martin Sheen’s character in Apocalypse Now. Thompson’s career started with a gift from his grandpa: a vintage Bulova Accutron nicknamed the “Devil Diver.” “This watch doesn't tick; it hums,” Thompson says. “It runs on a little tuning fork. That was a big deal when that came out, because before then, you only had the oscillating wheel back and forth.” Thompson wanted to know how to best take care of the watch, so he started researching it. “The more I learned about watch repair, the more I enjoyed it,” he says. He began collecting watches and learning as much as he could about how they worked. He started repairing watches at Macy’s and then with a local jeweler, and during COVID19, he launched a business, making weekly visits to local nursing homes to repair the residents’ watches. Thompson formalized his education at the Watch Technology Institute at North Seattle College, graduating in 2023. He pursued a Swiss American Watchmakers Training Alliance certification, which takes two years and involves 3,000 hours of training. He’s also officially authorized to repair Tag Heuer and CWC watches, which involves having both the right knowledge and right equipment. He moved Thompson Watch Repair to Lakeville in 2025 after operating the shop in Duluth, Prior Lake and Seattle. With each repair, Thompson seeks to give new life to an old timepiece, replacing old parts while maintaining the look and character of each piece. “That’s a mark of being a good watchmaker,” he says. “You should be able to go in and out of something like a ninja without being detected.” Thompson Watch Repair thompsonwatchrepair.com @thompson_watch_repair

WILD

SCENIC

Along the banks of the wild and scenic St. Croix River sits a historic town waiting to deliver your next Wisconsin weekend. Whatever your scene, discover it in Hudson.

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Knit Together Rose Yarn Co. attracts generations of knitting and crocheting enthusiasts.

When Rose Yarn Co. opened in Lakeville in 2022, owner Jennifer Murphee was confident there was a need for a store like hers in the South Metro. As an avid knitter and crocheter, she had to drive to Northfield or to the Twin Cities to stock up on quality yarn, and she wanted to create a local community for fiber artists. What was harder to anticipate was just how great that need would be for her store. Soon after opening, it became clear that it needed more space. “We were always limited,” Murphee says. “It was getting 10

crowded for people [who] were shopping.” After three years, Murphee moved Rose Yarn Co. to a two-and-half-times larger space that would accommodate more people. The demand for classes, social stitching and shopping has easily kept pace. “This has been ideal, because we can have 25 people in here for social stitching and still have room,” Murphee says. Rose Yarn Co.’s story reflects a wider trend: a growing interest in “granny” hobbies, like crocheting, cross stitching, embroidery and

knitting, especially among younger people who have grown up steeped in technology. “I think it is extremely therapeutic, especially for people’s mental health,” Murphee says. “It is so good for you to get off your device … Get off your devices, and stop doom scrolling. There’s always stuff going on in the world that’s negative. My goal is to have a peaceful place to get away from that.” In fact, it’s not uncommon for customers of Rose Yarn Co. to stop by on a lunch break, squish some yarn, sit down and knit for lakevillemag.com

Photo: Chris Emeott

By Liz Potasek

Jennifer Murphee, owner of Rose Yarn Co., stocks the shop with a colorful inventory of natural fiber and acrylic blend yarns. The shop is a destination for knitters and crocheters, offering classes, social stitching and supplies.

Dental care just down the street. Park Dental Lakeville

a few minutes and then return to their busy day, Murphee says. With walls of colorful yarn, whimsical notions, crafting kits and cozy seating options, Rose Yarn Co. is inviting to fiber artists. Murphee seeks to stock the store with high-quality knitting needles and crochet hooks, as well as natural fibers. She’s also expanding the store’s selection of acrylic blends. “Part of my mission is to make it accessible to everyone, so I do carry a wide range of price points,” Murphee says. Murphee is a serial crafter, who learned to crochet from one grandma and learned to cross stitch from the other. She’s also explored embroidery, scrapbooking and weaving. She found knitting later in life when she was working as a paramedic and looking for a healthy outlet to help relieve stress. She happened to read a book with knitting as a part of the story, and then coincidentally picked up another book with a main character who dyed yarn. It piqued her interest, and she checked out a bunch of how-to knit books from the library and taught herself how to knit. “It’s so cliche, but knitting literally changed my life,” she says. When Murphee worked as a paramedic, she never knew what traumatic situation she’d be walking into, and after the emergency was over, she could still feel the stress and adrenaline coursing through her body. She learned that if she took a few minutes to sit down and knit, it allowed her to decompress, and small knitting projects were easy to transport and pick up or put down as needed. Through classes, social stitching and special events, like bingo and holiday celebrations, Murphee seeks to foster community at her store. She’s watched friendships form over a shared interest in fiber arts, as people strike up conversations about what they’re working on. “I have a regular who’s a teenage boy,” Murphee says. “I have regulars who are women up well into their mid- to late-80s, and they will all sit around the table together and talk and laugh and have fun.”

17436 Kenwood Trl 952-241-5899

Rose Yarn Co. roseyarn.com Rose Yarn Co.

Photo: xxxxxxxxx

Cultivating Art 12

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Written by Maura Keller — Images courtesy of Katrina Pete

Peonies bloom year-round in Katrina Pete’s cards, home décor and paintings.

For artist Katrina Pete, inspiration often begins in the garden. Surrounded by peonies, songbirds and the changing rhythms of Minnesota’s seasons, Pete has built a thriving artistic career creating expressive paintings that celebrate the beauty of the natural world. Her vibrant floral and bird artwork has appeared on Hallmark greeting cards, home décor products and fine art prints, while also earning a devoted following among students who take her online and in-person painting classes. Pete’s path to becoming a professional artist was anything but conventional. Growing up in Burnsville, she developed an appreciation for both creativity and science. After graduating from Lakeville High School in 2003 and pursuing a degree in medical laboratory sciences at the University of Minnesota, she spent 12 years working in the medical field. Yet she never stopped painting. “I continued to take watercolor workshops and joined the Minnesota Watercolor Society and learned from many wonderful artists,” she says. Today, nature remains at the heart of nearly everything Pete creates. Her paintings are deeply influenced by a childhood spent outdoors and in the gardens tended by generations of her family. “I have fond memories of my Grandma’s gardens, my parents’ garden growing up and exploring the outdoors with my family,” Pete says. “Working with my hands in my own garden invites all five senses to come alive, and I try to incorporate that in my work too.” Rather than simply documenting flowers, Pete strives to capture the feeling of being immersed in a garden. “I want to paint my garden as it feels to me, using expressive brush strokes to show movement of stems and leaves as the sunlight filters through,” she says. That sense of movement and energy has become a hallmark of her artistic style. “I really enjoy the painterly look, creating movement through brushwork whether it’s in watercolor or oil,” she says. Left: Artist Katrina Pete seeks to capture the feeling of being immersed in a garden through her work, including this piece, Heirloom Peonies. Right: Katrina Pete’s work is inspired by her garden, as well as growing up in her parents’ and grandma’s gardens.

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“I always try to keep the same bit of looseness throughout.” Pete’s work eventually began attracting attention beyond galleries and art fairs. While still working as a laboratory scientist, she sold prints through an Etsy shop that steadily gained popularity. “My little shop was doing well, and Hallmark reached out to see if I’d like to create some greeting card designs,” she recalls. The opportunity opened the door to a new side of the art business: licensing. Pete created several projects for Hallmark and soon learned how artwork could be adapted for a wide variety of consumer products. She later developed designs for Pottery Barn Kids and began working with an art licensing agency to expand her reach. “I love to see my artwork come to life on fabric and kitchen textiles, like oven mitts and tea towels and dinnerware,” she says. Her artwork has since appeared on products ranging from fabrics and pillows to dish towels and stationery. More recently, Pete collaborated with Blick Art Materials, a partnership that held special meaning as the store is a particular favorite of hers. Building a successful career in the arts can be challenging, but Pete believes one key to sustainability is maintaining variety in her work. “For me, I like to have lots of things going on at the same time,” she says. One month might be devoted to developing a new licensing collection, while another focuses on creating educational content for students. During spring and summer, much of her attention shifts outdoors. “In the spring and summer, I try to maximize my time painting the garden,” she says. “I add peonies and new flowers each year and just paint as much as possible.” Minnesota’s changing landscape provides endless inspiration, especially after a long winter. “The seasons here are huge,” Pete says. “I add new peony tubers in the fall and wait all winter long to see them bloom.” When spring finally arrives, she documents the fleeting blossoms through photography and painting. “I paint both from life and from photos, since peony season is short,” she says. “But I feel much more energized in the spring and summer, and this is when most of my paintings and collections develop.” Teaching has become another rewarding chapter of Pete’s career. Through classes offered both online and in person, she helps aspiring 13

Middle Top: Minted Space Adventure Wall Art® by Katrina Pete for Pottery Barn Kids. Pete enjoys working with watercolor, as well as oil paint. Middle Bottom: Autumn Joy Oven Mitt by Katrina Pete for Good’s Store. Right: Minnesota Wildflowers Tea Towel featuring Pete’s watercolor florals and illustrations are available at katrinapete.com.

Images: Kay Dee Designs; Katrina Pete for Pottery Barn Kids

Left: Katrina Pete’s Painterly Blooms Collection, a series of oil paintings focused on flowers.

“Working with my hands in my own garden invites all five senses to come alive, and I try to incorporate that in my work.” Katrina Pete

artists build skills and confidence. Watching students grow is one of the most satisfying parts of the experience. “I always love when a student learns something new,” she says. “Or if there’s a type of flower they really want to learn how to paint, and I can show them a new technique they can apply. It’s wonderful to see an artist grow more confident in their work.” Looking ahead, Pete sees new opportunities on the horizon. As her children approach school age, she plans to devote additional time to community art events, educational offerings, licensing projects and painting collections. She hopes to launch a new watercolor class lakevillemag.com

next spring, participate in additional art fairs and reconnect with the Minnesota Watercolor Society. While Pete’s career continues to evolve, the inspiration behind her work remains unchanged. The gardens she tends, the flowers she patiently waits for each spring and the beauty she discovers throughout Minnesota continue to shape the art she shares with the world. Katrina Pete katrinapete.com @katrinapetewatercolor

WCCO-TV anchor A.J. Hilton tells Minnesota’s stories and

Photo: xxxxxxxxx

shares his love of music.

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Written by Liz Potasek — Photos by Chris Emeott

On the Beat As a middle schooler growing up in Apple Valley, WCCO-TV anchor A.J. Hilton watched Bryant Gumbel on NBC’s Today Show every morning before school. One morning as Hilton watched Gumbel nimbly weave through a delicate interview, he realized he wanted to do the same thing one day. “If I can talk to people, tell them what’s going on in the world, kind of have some fun with it and help people tell their stories, that’s what I want to do,” he says. After graduating from Apple Valley High School in 2000, Hilton studied broadcast journalism with a minor in African American Studies at the University of Minnesota, graduating in 2004, and got a job in broadcast journalism at a news station in Alexandria. His career has taken him to TV stations all over the country, including in Florida, Michigan and Tennessee. He returned to Minnesota to work for WCCO-TV in 2022 and settled in Lakeville. He’s currently a weekday morning news anchor at WCCO. We caught up with Hilton to chat about his work and his passion for music. This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

So are you a coffee or a tea drinker? I’m assuming caffeine’s involved.

What does a typical work day look like for you?

I love music. I’ve got three turntables. I DJ on the side, sometimes, too, for fun.

I set two alarms: one at 2:15 a.m., one at 2:30 a.m. for my work phone and my personal phone. I get up. I do some stretching. I’ll eat something light while I read, meditate or just get my mind right and ready for the day. I’ll look at the newspaper. Look at my phone for headlines to see what I missed overnight. Typically, I’ve watched the news from the night before. I may flip on the news really quick to see what happened overnight. I’m in the shower by 3 a.m., out the door by 3:20 a.m. or 3:30 a.m. I try to get to work by 3:45 a.m., but typically, it’s about 4 a.m. Then I’m ready to go on air at 5 a.m. lakevillemag.com

I drink water. I don’t need caffeine. It’s weird.

LAKEVILLE TAKES

Your career brought you all over the country. Were you trying to get back to Minnesota or did it unfold naturally?

Go-to Dairy Delite order: I just had the most amazing milkshake of vanilla ice cream and root beer float ice cream combined together. I’m a different person. Whenever I go to Dairy Delite, I always get milkshakes. I love [its] vanilla milkshake.

I didn’t think I’d ever get back to Minnesota because it’s such a great market. Minneapolis/ St. Paul was always on my dream list. It’s home, and the [TV news] market here is so good. It is so competitive. Then there’s just stories here that you just don’t see other places. It was different here. It was special here. What are you most proud of in your journalism career overall?

I think that I have been able to establish and inform [the] community wherever I’ve been, giving people a feeling that they belong. I want to make people feel like they are connected to something. Despite all the awful things that are happening in the world, I try to give people a sense of hope and a sense of community. What do you like to do in your free time?

Favorite restaurant: Ole Piper. I love those pizzas. The thin crust pizzas. Best place to hang out: Grand Prairie Park Biggest change since you’ve moved back to the area: Going to football games at Lakeville High School [from Apple Valley], it was just cornfields. Now, it’s houses. And there are two high schools.

Why is music so important in your life?

Music is so important to me because it reminds me of family. I can still remember my dad playing Al Jarreau’s Look to the Rainbow or Stevie Wonder’s In Square Circle on the drive to or from Target Center. My mom wore out Toni Braxton’s cassette on countless road trips. Marvin Gaye was always in the rotation. Those weren’t just albums—they’re memories. They’re snapshots of my childhood. Like a lot of people, music has been the soundtrack to my life. There’s a song for every 17

Top Left: A.J. Hilton serves as emcee for Lifeworks Services, Inc., a nonprofit dedicated to advancing disability inclusion. Top Right: Moonlighting as a DJ is something A.J. Hilton does for fun. Hilton took this selfie while spinning records at the Midtown Global Market in Minneapolis.

Bottom Right: Sometimes A.J. Hilton brings his passion for music to work. Hilton interviews Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis for WCCO-TV before their grandstand concert at the Minnesota State Fair.

chapter, every celebration, every heartbreak, every victory, everything. Some songs take me back to a specific place or a specific person faster than any photograph ever could. In a world where so much divides us, music remains one of the few things that can bring people together. No matter where you’re from or what your story is, there’s a good chance there’s a song that connects us. What was your first album?

Loaded question! I have a couple of “first albums.” Remember those CD clubs in the ’90s when you could get six CDs for the price of a dollar? I remember my six. » Seal (1994 album), Seal » The Ultimate Collection, Jackson 5 » Off the Wall, Michael Jackson » 20 All-Time Greatest Hits!, James Brown » Schoolhouse Rock! Rocks » (What’s the Story) Morning Glory?, Oasis The first CD I bought in a store: Vol. 2 … Hard Knock Life, Jay-Z. When I got a record player, sometime in 18

the 2010s, the first record I got was Michael Jackson’s Bad. What are you listening to right now?

I have my iPod. I don’t use Spotify. The song I’m listening to right now. Oh! I don’t want to show you. Well, this is my vinyl playlist, so this is all my vinyl records, and right now I’m listening to a song by the Sneaker Pimps. What’s the best thing you found recently at a record store?

The best thing I found at stores was in Amsterdam in January. It’s this rare record. I actually played it for Record Store Day [in April at The Electric Fetus]. The name of the song is Fantasy by Johnny Hammond. It’s an old record. It’s from the ’70s. It still sounds good today. What are your favorite record stores locally?

[The] Electric Fetus is number one. That’s my go-to. Mill City Sound over in Hopkins is another one. Down in the Valley over in lakevillemag.com

Photos: Lifeworks Services, Inc.; Alyssa Lovgren

Bottom Left: As a lifelong music lover, A.J. Hilton celebrates Record Store Day by DJing at The Electric Fetus in Minneapolis.

A.J. HILTON’S FALL PLAYLIST

Photos: A.J. Hilton; Kiya Edwards

My fall playlist reminds me of a crisp Saturday afternoon: the windows open, leaves changing and the turntable spinning. Or maybe it’s taking a drive west on 94 over the bluffs to see the amazing color. It’s a mix of jazz, soul, funk and R&B that reminds me to slow down and really listen. Some songs are nostalgic, some are comforting and a few simply sound like autumn to me. Linus and Lucy, Vince Guaraldi Trio September, Earth, Wind & Fire Valdez in the Country, George Benson I’ll Be Around, Joan Osborne Mister Magic, Grover Washington, Jr. Winter Lane (remix), Nujabes Summer Soft, Stevie Wonder Lazy, Yellow Hammer Killing Me Softly With His Song, The Fugees In the Garden, Potatohead People Hot Dawgit, Ramsey Lewis Dreams, Fleetwood Mac Flower Moon, Durand Jones & The Indications » Autumn Leaves, Seal » Seasons, Thundercat » Sunny Monday, Booker T and the M.G.’s » » » » » » » » » » » » »

I’ve learned the best playlists don’t just match a season— they become part of it.

“When I put on a record now, I’m chasing that same experience I had as a kid. I enjoy the ritual of pulling the record from its sleeve, dropping the needle, putting on headphones and letting an album play. I still love flipping through the artwork and liner notes. In a world that constantly demands our attention, vinyl reminds me to slow down.”

A.J. Hilton

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Golden Valley. I haven’t been to South Metro Music [in Burnsville] in a while, but those are the big ones that I go to. Why do you feel like it’s important to own hard copies of music as opposed to keeping a digital collection?

This answer goes back to my childhood. On the weekends, there was always music playing in our house. My mom and dad had two speakers mounted on shelves in the family room, and they’d have everything from Yes to Sounds of Blackness playing through their six-disc CD changer while they tackled Saturday chores. Like any kid, there were times I didn’t want to listen to what they had on. I’d grab the oversized headphones, head over to my parents’ record collection and pick an

album—many times based solely on the cover art. Looking back, that’s how I discovered some incredible music. There’s a certain euphoria that comes from playing a record you’ve never heard before and discovering sounds that somehow make perfect sense. It’s hard to describe. But it wasn’t just about the music. I’d open the gatefold and read everything. The liner notes sparked my curiosity. What does a producer actually do? Who’s the recording engineer? How does arranging work? I’d read the lyrics, study the credits and wonder about the choices that shaped the album. Why were these songs selected? What songs didn’t make the cut? Why did they sequence the tracks in this order? Those questions taught me to appreciate music beyond what I was hearing. They helped me understand that every album

is the result of hundreds of creative decisions. I think that gets lost with digital music. While streaming is convenient, it doesn’t allow you to slow down and engage with an album the way a physical record does. When I put on a record now, I’m chasing that same experience I had as a kid. I enjoy the ritual of pulling the record from its sleeve, dropping the needle, putting on headphones and letting an album play. I still love flipping through the artwork and liner notes. In a world that constantly demands our attention, vinyl reminds me to slow down. And there’s something meaningful about owning a physical piece of music. Long after the streaming subscription ends or a platform disappears, that record is still there. I can hold it in my hands. And it gets to tell its story all over again. 21

Written by Elizabeth Millard

SIGHT SELECTION Explore a vision correction option that may have you ditching reading glasses for good.

hile grocery shopping, Kathleen Forrester was about to read a nutrition label when she sighed and put the can back on the shelf—her reading glasses were in the car, she remembered. But that frustration suddenly turned into elation. “It was just a few days after my surgery, so I didn’t expect big results, but I went back and grabbed that can again,” she recalls. “I could read everything perfectly. It was an incredible change.” The procedure Forrester had is called Refractive Lens Exchange (RLE), done at OVO LASIK + LENS in St. Louis Park by Mark Lobanoff, M.D., founder and medical director. Dr. Lobanoff built OVO LASIK + LENS to be one of the most advanced centers in the country with cutting-edge technology and has been named a Top Doctor in ophthalmology. A perfect example of that is RLE, which is considered a groundbreaking outpatient vision correction procedure that replaces the eye’s natural lens with an artificial one—called an intraocular lens—and it can treat astigmatism, farsightedness, nearsightedness and presbyopia, conditions which are usually addressed with contacts or glasses. Here are some key facts about this innovative procedure.

RLE IS DESIGNED FOR LONG-TERM VISION CORRECTION.

Because RLE permanently replaces the dysfunctional lens in the eye, it’s meant to be a lifelong correction, and may even prevent the need for cataract surgery later in life, says Troy Loomis, O.D., optometrist and optometric director at OVO LASIK + LENS, who has had the procedure himself. “Because I had RLE a few years ago, I know what it’s like to say I’m done with glasses, I know the relief that comes with better vision,” he says. Due to its similarity to cataract surgery—one of the most commonly performed procedures in the world—RLE is a highly established and trusted procedure that requires experience and precision. That’s exactly what Dr. Lobanoff provides, Forrester says. “When you’re thinking about a procedure affecting your eyes, it’s natural to be a little uneasy,” she says. “That’s why I went with Dr. Lobanoff, who came highly recommended, and he earns his reputation for being thorough, patient-centered and accomplished.”

Lakeville - October 2026