Best of Mankato 2013

BEST OF

MANKATO 2013

Minnesota State University, Mankato

Page 2 • MSU Reporter

Best of Mankato 2013

msu college 1. arts and humanities

2. college of business

Growth, success and professionalism are just a few of the things the college of business holds at a high value.

There will always be those out there that keep the wheel turning and for students enrolled in the departments of accounting & business law, management, finance or marketing & international business, the gain is worth any pain.

3. social and behavioral sciences The finer things in life are what the college of arts and humanities is about.

Expression and communication are key to any successful new generation and with exemplary departments like music, english, art and mass media, among many others, the right side of the brain is sure to get its moneys worth here at MSU.

People are strange, but simply trying to understand why that is so would take an entire course of education. Enter the college of social and behavioral sciences. Corrections, history, economics, political science, and psychology are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to unraveling the mystery, but they’re an excellent place to start.

Best of Mankato 2013

a s ’ t i . e i t dead

movie theater

cinemark movies 8

If you find yourself spending the day at the Riverhills Mall, why not tie it all together with the latest flick to hit screens?

Cinemark Movies 8 calls Mankato’s biggest mall home and has consistently provided audiences with stunning picture and sound on its eight total screens. Matinees on weekdays, reasonable commercial runtimes and decent concession prices certainly don’t hurt either.

The vibrant colors of the theater’s massive lobby never fail to ignite excitement for the audio-visual journey that’s one ticket rip away.

MSU Reporter • Page 3

carmike stadium 6

Sometimes you can’t find a more fitting location. Take, for example, Carmike Stadium 6 movie theater, located not so coincidentally on Stadium Road. The close-to-campus theater has found a great deal of audience success with their specialized stadium seating since they updated to the new layout in 2005.

The seating, along with the theater’s super bargain matinees (all tickets are $5.50 from 4-5:30 p.m.), six digital screens, cozy environment and easily reachable location would be a strong indicator that Stadium has housed many great movie members for audiences.

Page 4 • MSU Reporter

Best of Mankato 2013

local bar

1. blue bricks

2. pub 500

If other bars in the downtown area are too crowded to order a drink, Pub 500 is the place to go.

Within seconds of walking in the door you’ll already have a drink in your hand as if you were the king of the world.

This well-known establishment is Mankato’s gymnasium of the drink. With three large high ceiling rooms equipped with hard wood floors, two wooden bars, green felted pool tables, dartboards, and many various tables and booths to lounge out in, this place provides an atmosphere ideal for the young college go-getter. Come choose from the great selection of tap or bottled beers while munching on their delicious burgers and wings. Or come and enjoy cheap happy hours with your friends. Just make sure you don’t lose yourself in the fun.

Great Selection Easy Access Friendly Staff 1501 N. Riverfront DrIVE, Mankato

507-388-5555

3. red sky lounge

On any given day of the week, excluding Sundays and Mondays, you can catch a show while catching a buzz off their happy hour specials. A fine place for music, drinks and a good time.

Best of Mankato 2013

MSU Reporter • Page 5

liquor store

1. mgm

Like a gigantic palace of fine spirits and wine, this place takes the cake when it comes to Mankato liquor stores. It isn’t a warehouse; it’s a convention. With a massive, colorful selection of spirits and a red light district display of beers, it can supply an army of avid drinkers for days without any resupply. Low, mid and top shelf spirits tower over shoppers like Redwood trees, cases of beer stack like plates, and all the accessories you want sit close to registers. If you have the time (or don’t), come to this extravagant place and get lost in its jungle of spirits and fine drink.

2. stadium spirits

Let’s say you just received an F on your midterm exam and all you want to do is quickly pound the agony out of your brain without having to fiddle with your car keys. Stadium Spirits is the place to go. Just seconds from the Taylor Center, this liquor store conveniently caters to students in dire need of relief. Whoever put this liquor store here is a genius.

3. park lane

This place is your friendly neighborhood supplier that treats you like a local. Come in for a quick purchase and a friendly chat with the nice cashiers. You wont regret it.

Meet the Stylists at Campus Coiffures

DayBreak Internet Cafe 251 Bunting Ln, Mankato 507-720-6486

Mon-Fri 6am-10pm Sat 8am-8pm Sun 9am-5pm

Free WiFi with purchase.

FROM LEFT TO RIGHT: Ashley (712) 209-6714, Carrie (507) 327-9496, Becky (507) 469-0500, Jenny (612) 581-7784, Lexi (507) 380-3363 and Ken (507) 345-5789.

New Haircuts & Color Styles for Spring, Summer, and Fall Brought from one of the largest U.S. hair conventions in Chicago.

French Hair Salon on Campus

345-5789

251 Bunting Lane, Suite 100 (behind Pioneer Bank & Jake's Pizza)

Coffee, Coffee drinks, Smoothies, Teas, Sandwiches, Snacks, and More!

One coupon per person.

Expires 8/31/13.

Buy 1, Get 1 Free Drink! of equal or lesser value

Page 6 • MSU Reporter

Best of Mankato 2013

Best Pizza

1. pagliai’s pizza

2. Dino’s pizzeria

Looking to the Big Apple for inspiration, Dino’s New York style pizza has been nothing less than a hit with Mankato residents. Located on Belgrade Avenue since 2006, Dino’s Pizzeria features signature wines, strong atmosphere, and regular specials, including free delivery on certain carryout and delivery specials, have people singing its praises.

3. jake’s stadium pizza Recently celebrating its 41st anniversary in business, Jake’s Stadium Pizza has much to celebrate with their delicious thin crust pizza recipes and poorboys having satisfied the appetites of University students and southern Minnesota residents alike for nearly half a century.

Mankato’s oldest pizzeria, Pagliai’s Pizza has promoted quality and quantity since 1969. Located in the heart of downtown Mankato, Pagliai’s expansive and scrumptious variety of pizzas, sandwiches, pastas and salads have left little doubt for why they have been around so long.

Local Restaurant

1. tav on the ave

2. Number 4

Variety is the name of the game with Number 4. Traditional pub food is offered but so are several other things you may never have even imagined, putting their culinary values on balancing tastes from the four corners of the world. But if duck isn’t on your palette for the day there’s always Burgerfication ($6.95 or two for $12) every Monday and their daily drink specials.

3. Olives

Tav on the Ave’s signature wings have helped fly them to victory.

The sports bar, first opened in 1988, has been named one of the five best places to pig out during training camps by CBS Sportsline writer Clark Judge. With their reputation as the first to serve buffalo wings in Mankato, ice cold tap beer, and other meals ascending above the standard bar food, it’s easy to imagine that most people would be alright pigging out at Tav regardless of events.

On the ground level of the Mankato Hilton Inn lies one of the pinnacles of fine dining in this great city. Olives, a member of Massad’s, specializes in both Mediterranean and American cuisine and breathes sophistication and discipline.

Best of Mankato 2013

local band

1.

OCHO

MSU Reporter • Page 7

music venue

This easy-going artist equipped with only his guitar and his folk-like voice has definitely been a Mankato staple for years. If you listen to his music for more than one song, you will agree that his material is easy to fall in love with. He has the ability to tell a story almost like a rapper. His fast paced lyrics, which are easy to understand, mesmerize listeners beyond vitality. The next time he’s playing in Mankato, be sure to see him.

2. good night gold dust

I’ll say it before and I’ll say it again: with her soothing voice, lead singer Laura Schultz captivates audiences’ hearts. It’s surfer blues at its finest.

3. the bitterroot band

Minnesota folk music with the power to make you smile on a rainy day. The band quickly gained recognition after their formation in November 2011. These guys are certainly a group that makes fantastic songs to sing along to.

1. red sky lounge

The bar area itself is like modern piece of architecture. It’s almost as if Frank Lloyd Wright designed the thing as a side project. And for kicks, Dan Flavin (famous light artist) came in and set up the colorful dim light display that hangs from the ceiling from attached wires. Also, the bathroom sinks are co-ed, which makes for a great place to meet a new special somebody. Plus the low stage allows fans to get close to the performers, so close you can lick ‘em.

2. verizon wireless center

Surprisingly enough, this venue attracts some of the biggest names in music: Elton John, The Rolling Stones, Kiss and many more. It’s like the Target Center of Mankato. It’s big enough for huge names and yet it’s conveniently located downtown.

3. what’s up lounge

A small and smokey place with Oleander’s Saloon right below. This is a great place for bands to entrance their fans without all havoc breaking loose. You wont miss a note inside this venue.

Page 8 • MSU Reporter

Best of Mankato 2013

chain restaurant

international food

1. chipotle

Ah, the fat burrito joint right across Warren Street from campus that feeds literally hundreds, if not thousands, of Maverick boys and girls on a daily basis. For less than $10, one can bite into a glorious silo of a burrito exploding with quality meats and cheese. The best part: sour cream pulsating into your mouth like a stream of heaven. The only dilemma is choosing between the top and bottom of the burrito as being the best part. And if you don’t want a burrito, there are magnificent alternatives. Tacos are my favorite. If you don’t like this place, then you should be committed into an asylum.

2. buffalo wild wings

There are 20 signature flavors of buffalo wings to choose from. You can be a wimp with salt and vinegar, or you can be a champion with the infamous Blazin’ wings. It’s up to you.

Regardless, all flavors are good enough to feed the queen of England.

3. olive garden

Take a quick ride to this restaurant and enjoy a delicious Italian meal without completely breaking your bank. Try the breadsticks; they’re to die for.

The Home of

the Mile Long Buffet

$6 buffet for students who present their student i.d.

COLLEGE NIGHT SUNDAYS | 4:30-8PM

BUFFET HOURS: Monday-Friday 11am-2pm & 4:40pm-8pm

BRING A FRIEND!

Saturday & Sunday 11am-8pm

507-386-7077 1551 Tullamore St. mankato

1. mazatlan

This is as authentic as you’re going to get when it comes to Mexican cuisine in Mankato.

Despite the food being a marvel in tortilla cheesy goodness, the majority of the servers are bilingual masters of their craft. When you step into this establishment you are no longer inside the midwestern river city of Mankato, U.S.A., you are in the Mexican resort of Mazatlan.

Each table is glossed over southern artwork; servers treat you like bleed green, yellow and red; margaritas are bigger than fishbowls. Once you have made the journey here, you’ll never turn back. Try the chimichangas, they’re are amazing.

2. pho saigon

This place is a lot fancier on the inside than what you see from the out. It has your typical Vietnamese cuisine inside a high-class interior. It makes a great place to bring that special someone and eat delicious foods that you don’t normally eat.

3. mexican village

For a fun atmosphere, exceptional food, and a bunch of crazy Mexican memorabilia on the walls, this is your place go. The best part is immediate seating. I’ve literally never had to wait for a table when going to this restaurant.

Pop Some Tags!

Got $20 in your pocket?

We Got Your Grandpa's Style!

Stop in and donate as you leave town for summer!

Sioux Road (Across from Shopko)

(507) 388-3867 Monday 9:30 - 6:00 | Tues.-Fri. 9:30 - 8:00 Sat. 9:30 - 6:00 | Sun. 12:30 - 4:30

Best of Mankato 2013

apartment complex

MSU Reporter • Page 9

coffee shop

1. college town

Mankato’s first-ever gated community for young adults, College Town is the ideal place to live if you want to be surrounded by your peers in individual home units, “free from crazies, cranky people, and easily irritated neighbors,” according to College Town’s website. The community is on the Mankato bus route and offers residents access to a lounge area, a hot tub and tanning.

1. Caribou

Caribou Coffee, though not a local business, is popular among college students who don’t like studying at the library. With an additional kiosk in the River Hills Mall, Caribou is convienient, fast and predictable. Located in 15 U.S. states, Caribou Coffee is committed to a socially responsible supply chain and a healthier planet. Daily trivia questions and fun cups with answers to the question “What do you stay awake for?” adds to the marketing of the brand.

2. summit & jacob heights

An affiliate of American Campus Communities, the Summit and Jacob Heights offer several student-friendly amenities such as a 24 hour fitness center, hot tub, free tanning, and sand volleyball court. Depending on their needs, students can choose furnished or unfurnished apartments.

3. highland hills

Located just steps away from the MSU campus, Highland Hills is an affordable option for students who want to stay close to campus without living in the dorms. With more than 700 units, Highland Hills offers 13 different floor plans ranging from studios and one bedrooms to five bedroom apartments.

521 S. Front St. | Mankato 507-625-5090

BEST OF MANKATO

2012 WINNER: BEST KARAOKE SPOT KARAOKE HOURS: Mondays & Wednesdays • 10pm-2am

2. coffee hag

Located in Old Town Mankato, the Coffee Hag is a popular venue for open mic nights, concerts and poetry readings. Offering fair trade, organic and vegetarian options is one of the shop’s key features and there is an extensive specialty drink list during the holiday season.

3. fillin’ station

The Fillin’ Station, located on Front Street, is known for their expresso drinks as well as their friendly and competent staff. Customers also love the atmosphere of the shop and the ecclectic mix of individuals who choose to buy their coffee there, from business professionals to yoga students.

Page 10 • MSU Reporter

hair salon

Best of Mankato 2013

tanning salon

1. sun tan city

From the humblest of beginnings, Sun Tan City started as a few tanning beds in the back of an existing video store. The chain now has more than 200 tanning locations in 16 states. The franchise’s mission is “to get you, the client, the results you want” through the use of superior equipment, skin care research and a well-trained staff. Mankato’s Sun Tan City is located at the intersection of Madison Avenue and Sioux Road.

2. electric beach

Locally owned Electric Beach is a member of the International Smart Tan Network and prides themselves on a professional staff that can guide customers through the process of tanning in order to prevent sunburn from natural UV Rays. Electric Beach is located at the intersection of S Victory Drive and Hoffman Road.

1. liv aveda

Liv Aveda, a full-service salon and spa, offers hair, nail and facial care services as well as massages, body waxing, makeup and spa packages. Prices vary according to the skill level of the professional staff members, and gift certificates can be purchased on their web site. They also have a frequently updated blog that features new products and information about specials and events taking place at the salon. Need another reason to support this business? They just threw an Earth Month Party in which all proceeds went to benefit the water quality of the Minnesota River and its tributaries.

3. planet beach

Located in University Square, Planet Beach offers more than just tanning services. In addition to traditional and spray tanning, Planet Beach provides massages, skin care treatments, teeth whitening and weight management services.

Grizzly's has GREAT Lunch, Dinner & Drink Specials!

2. raydiance

Raydiance Salon opened In September 2005 and focuses on inspiring creativity through hair and art while positively impacting the community. The salon provides hair, makeup and waxing services along with carrying several hair and skin care products. The salon is located in Civic Center Plaza Suite 101.

3. great clips

With two locations in Mankato, one downtown on Riverfront Drive and one on the hill near the mall, it’s no wonder Great Clips made it on the list of the best hair salon in Mankato. Open evenings and weekends, Great Clips doesn’t require an appointment and offers affordable, quality haircuts. Great Clips is the world’s largest salon brand, with more than 3,000 salons throughout the United States and Canada.

Visit us at 1700 Madison Ave, Mankato

507-385-1600

Best of Mankato 2013

MSU Reporter • Page 11

thrift shop

1. mrci

The MRCI Thrift Shop is a nonprofit fundraising project of the MRCI Auxiliary, which seeks to create opportunities for people with disabilities in order to support their participation in the community. Profits from the sale of new and used items go to assist adults with disabilities.

MRCI’s clients participate in their own support through employment in community businesses or at the MRCI facilities. To assist them in their work, the Auxiliary supplies buses and vans, special equipment, Located next to Mongolian Grill, Plato’s Closet buys and sells gently used clothing, shoes capital improvement funds and technological support and accessories. Targeting teens and twenty somethings, Plato’s Closet buys well-known from the money raised through Thrift Shop sales.

The first shop opened in 1964 and was located on brands and the latest styles to keep up with their trendy consumers. Unlike most thrift stores that rely on donations, Plato’s Closet will pay customers for the clothing they no Liberty Street in downtown Mankato. The current longer wear, including brands like Forever 21, American Eagle, Express, Roxy and Lucky, 12,000 square foot building, located on Sioux Road, among several others. opened in 1992.

Fun fact: MRCI was the first, at least in Mankato, to take Macklemore and Ryan Lewis’ song Thrift Shop and use it to advertise their business (Word on the The Salvation Army is an international organization that is an evangelical part of the universal street is that a Reporter Advertising Sales RepresentaChristian church. Most recently, the Salvation Army has come out in support of the survivors tive gave them this idea). and first responders in Boston and Texas. The Mankato Salvation Army Thrift Store is located on the corner of Star Street and Tullamore Street, off Madison Avenue.

2. plato’s closet

3. salvation army

place to workout

Entertain, drink & eat. all in one place!

Wednesday-Saturday 11pm-Close • kitchen open all day •

Mediterranean Cuisine

SUNDAY SERVICES: 8:30 am........................ Family 9:45 am.................. Traditional

1. ymca

The Mankato Family YMCA, located on Riverfront Drive, offers high quality programs and services to promote and develop a healthy spirit, mind, body and social well-being for all.

Members can benefit from the Y’s fitness classes, personal training services, an aquatic center and several basketball leagues.

2. home/outside

While working out at home can require the purchase of some equipment, it is perfect for those who don’t like to workout in public. With the Minnesota winter slowly comming to a close, you’re sure to see many more people ditching the treadmill in favor of rollerblades or the open road.

3. otto recreation center

Located in the heart of MSU’s campus, Otto Rec Center is the perfect place for students to grab a workout before or after class. Add in free fitness classes and the newly-installed rock climbing wall and there isn’t much else a student could ask for. The main downside? Because it is free for students, the rec center is often packed.

11:00 am........... Contemporary 1250 Monks Avenue - 345-4011 On the corner of Monks Avenue and Balcerzak Drive.

Close walking distance from MSU! www.bethelbaptistmankato.com

345-5420 330 Stadium Road

Like Us on Facebook for Daily Specials & Happy Hour www.jakesstadiumpizza.com

Page 12 • MSU Reporter

Best of Mankato 2013

msu sports team

2. Football

1. men’s hockey

There is nothing better than loading up on burgers and Budweiser with a group of friends and going to the Verizon Wireless Center to watch our boys skating around their adversaries like a swarm of hockey bees. It is a great time to go and partake in the madness while watching a fine WCHA team in action. The crisp aroma of ice, the sweet taste of tall boys, and the uproarious crowd intimidating the away team is the epitome of a great spectacle. Be sure to sing along to Neil Diamond’s “Sweet Caroline” when the time comes.

Football players are massive brutes – punishers, if you will – and watching them up-close and personal at Blakeslee on a brown autumn Saturday is an exhilarating experience. They feed our addictions to touchdowns with flying colors.

3. Men’s basketball

Let’s face it, MSU has a phenomenal basketball program that usually always acquires a high caliber of players. Remember, Glen Taylor, owner of the Minnesota Timberwolves is Maverick alum – that speaks for itself. Plus, we made it to the DII Final Four only two years ago.