Recommended Mandolin Dealers in North Dakota–Minnesota Area

[RoyO]

My current mandolin collection of one (Michael Kelly Legacy FS) is crying out for another acquisition (oval holed) so I'm planning a mandolin shopping trip to the Minneapolis area soon. My route will take me through Fargo, North Dakota, St. Cloud, Minnesota and on to Minneapolis.

Internet searches have brought up Minneapolis stores like Willie's and The Podium which appear to me to be guitar heavy with possibly limited mandolin knowledge.

Can anyone recommend any quality mandolin–friendly shops along this route or in the Minneapolis area?

Roy

[Jim Garber]

I think all dealers would be guitar heavy. Hey, despite the name, I believe that Mandolin Brothers has a lot more guitars than mandolins. I am sure that some of our midwesterners can attest to which dealers know about mandolins.

[Chief]

The Homestead Pickn' Parlor in the Minneapolis area used to have a nice mandolin selection. Haven't been there in years, but perhaps somebody from the Twin Cities can confirm. Hopefully, they're still open.

[allenhopkins]

The Homestead Pickn' Parlor in the Minneapolis area used to have a nice mandolin selection. Haven't been there in years, but perhaps somebody from the Twin Cities can confirm. Hopefully, they're still open.

They have a website, (http://www.homesteadpickinparlor.com/) which mentions that they're a Weber dealer. Also, Marguerite's Music (http://www.marmusicmn.com/) in Moorhead MN, just over the border from Fargo, claims to be "the largest music dealer in the Midwest" and carries Michael Kelly and Kentucky mandolins. The Podium (http://www.thepodium.com/) in Minneapolis is a Collings dealer, has some Trinity College, and has also apparently stocked Big Muddy mandolins, though I don't see any on their current website.

Hope this helps.

[chris scott]

Hi Roy, The last time I was at the podium they had a fair selection of mandos. Eastman, Collings, and I think a
big Muddy. The Homestead Pickin Parlor had a few Webers and some packrim mandos that I can't remember the brand. This was about a year ago so things may have changed. Good luck, Chris.

[Mandobart]

If you're anywhere close to Madelia, MN, you've got to check out Tom Jessen of Cricketfiddle (http://www.cricketfiddle.com/). Here's one his latest offerings:

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[RoyO]

Thanks to all for their recommendations. With this dealer list in hand, I'm sure to find what I'm looking for.

[David Rambo]

Groth Music in Bloomington has 2 of Tom's mandolins there now. (as of last week, anyway) An "A" style octave mandolin, and a "F" style mandolin. They also have a few other brands, also. Tom also has a 10 string mandolin/mandola cross for sale at his home in Madelia.