Anyone who says Albert Lea isn’t cool hasn’t been to the 100 block of South Broadway recently, where two new stores are forging a new image for downtown.

Sunday, July 08, 2001

Anyone who says Albert Lea isn’t cool hasn’t been to the 100 block of South Broadway recently, where two new stores are forging a new image for downtown.

Coming home to Albert Lea after living in the Twin Cities for six years, Gilbert Johnson missed the coffee-shop scene. So he opened Gos-Sip with his sister Heidi Johnson about a month ago. With shelves full of games and books, calm lighting and Johnson’s casual attitude, Gos-sip fills a niche that has been empty in Albert Lea, he said.

&uot;You can go anywhere and get coffee,&uot; he said. &uot;But I don’t think there’s any other place in town you can get the atmosphere.&uot;

Gos-Sip has so many different coffee drinks, Italian sodas, teas and specialties, they have a separate drink menu. Customers have told Johnson his shakes and malts are already famous around town, he said. They also make deli-style sandwiches on home-made breads, &uot;Made-Wrongs,&uot; bakery items and pastries.

They are one of only a couple businesses open after midnight on the weekends. Open until 2 a.m. Fridays and Saturdays, Johnson said he wanted to provide locals with an alternative evening option.

&uot;There really aren’t that many things to do that late at night,&uot; he said. &uot;Trails is probably the only thing you can go to.&uot;

Johnson hopes to add live music, poetry and literature readings including open-mic nights once the business gets established.

But just because it’s a hip place to be doesn’t mean the coffee shop is just for kids, Johnson said.

&uot;Honestly, don’t have an imagined customer base,&uot; he said. &uot;Everybody is treated the same when they come in the door, whether they’re nine or 90. Kids are a big draw for us…but the older generations that come in are just outstanding.&uot;

At the Third of July Parade, Johnson and his sister rode in their uncle’s low-rider and handed out hundreds of magnets and chips.

&uot;I talked to a lot of people,&uot; he said. &uot;Jeez.&uot;

Gos-sip is located at 115 South Broadway, and open Tuesday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Friday from 9 a.m. to 2 a.m.; Saturday from 11 a.m. to 2 a.m.; and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. They are also available at other times for meetings and groups, by calling 373-4722.

&uot;I’m pretty much open to whatever,&uot; Johnson said. &uot;I don’t like to be closed.&uot;

A couple doors down at the Beefy Meat Shop, Andrew and Aaron Madrid are peddling youthful fashions and accessories by Billabong and Hurley along with their own line vintage clothes, to the tune of Stevie Wonder on 8-track.

The brothers have cargo shorts displayed on the hood of an old Ford truck, and dressing rooms made of corrugated tin. They designed and painted the walls and their logo, which is plastered on stickers, hip little tank tops, and other products. They hope to open their store sometime this week, after the rest of their stock comes in.

The two are young, irreverent, and dead-set on making their business work.

&uot;We’re trying to start a garment cartel in the upper Albert Lea area,&uot; Andrew said.

&uot;We don’t have that many brands yet,&uot; Aaron said.

&uot;No,&uot; Andrew interrupted, &uot;We have many. Don’t worry about it.&uot;

The clothes are anti-fashion fashion. What everybody is wearing, but not &uot;popular,&uot; they said.

&uot;We don’t have fashion sense, but we rely on it,&uot; Andrew said.

&uot;We’re fashionably sensitive, but too cool to care,&uot; Aaron agreed.

The brothers said the Beefy Meat Shop will be the business that changes Albert Lea, offering clothes that young people want, but have been unable to get locally. Customers will be stunned to find this degree of hipness in Albert Lea, they said.

&uot;We just want them to know we have clothes, and they’re young, and they should come and get them,&uot; Andrew said. Then, with a sidelong glance at his brother, he said: &uot;Expect surprises constantly.&uot;

The Beefy Meat Shop, located at 127 South Broadway, will open this week. Summer hours are 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday. Their phone number is 377-3429.