Stillwater is known for hosting popular annual festivals, including Lumberjack Days, Stillwater Harvest Fest and the Rivertown Fall Art Festival.

But those events have nothing on the World Snow Sculpting Championship, which starts Wednesday in downtown Stillwater.

“It’s our biggest draw by far,” said Robin Anthony-Evenson, president of the Greater Stillwater Chamber of Commerce & Foundation. “There’s just so much talent. What they can do with snow is just unbelievable.”

Last year, the event featured 12 sculptures and brought more than 60,000 people to town. Anthony-Evenson expects even more to come to Lowell Park this year to see 16 sculptures created by teams from 16 different countries.

A record 36 teams, representing 24 countries, applied to compete in the event, which runs Wednesday through Saturday. This year’s lineup includes Canada, Denmark, Ecuador, Great Britain, India, Lithuania, Malta, Mexico, Mongolia, New Zealand, Peru, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, Switzerland and the United States.

Organizers decided to add four teams to the event, which is sanctioned by Finland-based Association Internationale de Sculpture sur Neige et Glace. “We turned down so many and so much talent last year, and we figured, well, it is the World Snow Sculpting Championship,” she said. “We should have the biggest one.”

Breckenridge, Colo., holds an annual International Snow Sculpture Championships that features 12 teams, she said. “We wanted to be bigger and better and have more teams,” she said.

More teams, however, means more logistical issues, including arranging for visas and finding additional interpreters. Four countries — Ecuador, Thailand, Taiwan and Mongolia — are sending teams that “don’t speak any English at all,” Anthony-Evenson said.

How it works

The three-member snow-sculpting teams will be competing for $4,000 in prize money and the title of “World Champions,” Anthony-Evenson said.

Sculptors will have 68 hours — starting at 9 a.m. Wednesday, Jan. 14, and ending at 2 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 17 — to carve their sculptures out of 10-by-10-by-10-foot blocks of snow. Teams are allowed to work until 3 a.m. each day and can start anytime after 6 a.m.

Spectators can watch the entire process, visit with the teams and vote for their favorite sculpture; the team with the most votes will win “The People’s Choice Award.”

The competing teams also will have the opportunity to vote for their three favorite sculptures; the top vote-getter will win “The Artists’ Choice Award.”

The prize money will be distributed thusly: $1,500 for first place; $1,000 for second place; $500 for third place; $500 for “The People’s Choice Award,” and $500 for “The Artists’ Choice Award.”

Each team also receives a $3,000 travel stipend and has room and board covered while they are in Stillwater, Anthony-Evenson said. Local businesses are offering nearly $200,000 in in-kind donations to cover the teams’ lodging and food, she said. “We can’t do it without them, there’s no way,” she said. “The (teams) are wined and dined in a big way.”

Related Articles

Pine Needles residency program refocuses as next group of artists and writers sought

He builds tables for Dungeons & Dragons players. They sell for over $10,000 a pop

Bemidji grad dances in Snoop Dogg’s epic halftime show on Christmas Day

Photos of the year: Pioneer Press photographer John Autey reflects on 2025

Longtime fine art destination Grand Hand Gallery moving down Grand Avenue

Other donations of note: Hudson, Wis.-based Striker Brands apparel company is donating bibs and winter gear, and Red Wing Shoes is donating boots for all the sculptors. “They’re each going to walk away with, like, $1,500 worth of winter gear,” she said.

A volunteer snowmaking crew from Afton Alps is creating a mountain of manmade snow in Lowell Park for the event. The crew hopes to make enough extra snow to construct a free sledding hill on Mulberry Point, north of Lowell Park near P.D. Pappy’s. A limited number of tubes and sleds will be available for visitors to use; visitors also are welcome to bring their own sleds, Anthony-Evenson said.

Taste of the Nations

Flags from Mexico, Ecuador and the United Kingdom, representing some of the 16 teams competing in this year’s World Snow Sculpting Championship, line Mulberry Street in downtown Stillwater. (John Autey / Pioneer Press)

Organizers spent last week getting downtown Stillwater ready for the big event. Flags from each of the competing countries line the streets of downtown Stillwater, and 16 restaurants in the St. Croix River Valley are featuring menu items from the selected countries, Anthony-Evenson said.

“Teams want to come here to compete in the event because of the way they are treated,” she said. “It’s very, very hometown, but it’s also international. They’re very excited to be in our country.”

Each team had to submit a sketch of their proposed sculpture as part of the application process; the sketches show sculptures that “blend cultural traditions, technical mastery and boundless imagination,” Anthony-Evenson said. “The artistry and dedication of these teams elevate snow sculpting to the level of world-class performance.”

Sixteen restaurants — one representing each team — are participating in a Taste of the Nations as part of the event. “Taste” runs until Jan. 25 and features restaurants in Stillwater, Bayport and Hudson, Anthony-Evenson said.

Customers can pick up a Taste passport at any of the participating restaurants and have it punched any time they order a featured Taste item. People who collect all 16 punches can return their completed passports to the Greater Stillwater Chamber of Commerce office at 333 Main St. N., Stillwater, for entry into a drawing for a prize package containing $20 gift cards from each of the participating restaurants, Anthony-Evenson said.

Feller, located within the Lora Hotel in downtown Stillwater, is featuring lamb buuz, traditional Mongolian steamed dumplings.

Feller staff picked three countries to possibly feature, and they were assigned Mongolia, said Kadie Frey, general manager of Lora Hotel & Event Center.

“I literally listed them off to our chef and he said, ‘Whatever three are the hardest,’ just for the challenge,” Frey said. “We always like to try different things.”

Executive Chef Chris Whalen is “very diverse as far as what he can cook,” said Jason Miller, Feller’s general manager. “Chef, with his love of cooking lamb and chops and items like that, it was right up his alley to elevate a traditional Mongolian dish with his flair and panache.”

Miller said the event is a great way to get people to come to Stillwater in the winter.

“It’s one way to get the locals out of their hibernation, but also get some folks who typically wouldn’t come out but want to try something fun,” he said. “They can bounce around different restaurants. It really creates a community atmosphere.”

The teams from Great Britain, New Zealand, Mongolia and Taiwan are staying at the Lora Hotel, Frey said. “We invite them into the restaurant for a drink, or coffee in the morning, just to, you know, meet and learn more about them and their countries as well,” she said. “Our director of rooms is very, very into it. She’s making them all gift baskets.”

Big Guys BBQ Roadhouse in Hudson was assigned Switzerland as its featured country. The restaurant, which is owned by Jethro and Amy Lund, is selling a Swiss-inspired grilled sausage and potato pancake dish for $17 and a special “Swiss Kiss” cocktail for $8. The cocktail, created by General Manager Matt Yacoub, features “Stoli Vanilla, Crema De Coco, Swiss Miss Hot Cocoa mix and a splash of chocolate milk blended together,” said Amy Lund.

“Having people from around the world experience our community is incredibly special, and we’re proud to represent local food and hospitality,” she said. “Food is such a big part of how people remember an event, and we love being part of that experience — welcoming visitors and helping make their time in Stillwater truly memorable.”

Partnering with Mia

Event organizers this year also have partnered with the Minneapolis Institute of Art for the first time.

Related Articles

Skywatch: Orion, victim of a sting operation

Bruno Mars to play his first local show in eight years at U.S. Bank Stadium

Reservations now open for Valentine’s Day dining at Marjorie McNeely Conservatory

Country star Chris Stapleton books July show at new Shakopee amphitheater

Household cats encouraged to compete for royal titles at Saintly City Cat Club show

At a panel at 4:30 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 11, at Mia’s Pillsbury Auditorium, sculptors from Denmark, Mexico and Turkey will “share insights into their creative processes, their global artistic influences, and the teamwork and innovation required to transform blocks of snow into monumental works of art,” organizers said.

“At Mia, we believe art lives everywhere — inside our galleries, throughout our communities, and even within snow and ice,” said Rob Bedeaux, Mia’s head of marketing. “This partnership brings winter to life.”

“Creativity transcends borders,” Anthony-Evenson added. “Our partnership with Mia strengthens this mission and allows us to celebrate artists who bring extraordinary vision, skill, and cultural depth to a medium shaped by the elements themselves.”

World Snow Sculpting Championship

When: Wednesday through Saturday, Jan. 14-17

Where: Lowell Park in downtown Stillwater

More information: worldsnowcelebration.com

In Russia’s public museums today, antiquarian statuary depicting naked Roman or Greek figures is condemned by the Kremlin as violating the country’s “deep moral traditions.” Sharing unauthorized information about Vladimir Putin’s Ukraine war is punishable by up to 15 years’ imprisonment. All things Western are canceled.

Russia is a tyranny, which makes some of us feel naive. Three decades ago, we fooled ourselves all that was over. When meeting Mikhail Gorbachev and Boris Yeltsin — leaders of their country during its democratic false dawn — I, like many people, supposed them to represent the future.

Instead, of course, they have proved to be the past. In 2026 their memories are reviled by their countrymen. Russia has reverted to what it has been for most of its history: a cruel, corrupt, mendacious, xenophobic, bungling, dangerous autocracy.

Democracy in retreat

As we enter the 21st century’s second quarter, it would be nice to suppose that such a nation is unusual. Unfortunately, every survey of world governance shows democracy in retreat. Meanwhile, dictators prosper and multiply. According to Gothenburg University’s Varieties of Democracy index, only 29 countries can now be identified as fully democratic, while 45 nations shifted in 2025 toward dictatorship. An estimated 70% of the world’s peoples, controlling almost half of its gross domestic product, are governed by autocrats.

The U.S. has officially stopped caring about the democratic credentials of governments which it chooses to support or oppose. In July Secretary of State Marco Rubio instructed U.S. diplomats to forgo expressions of opinion about the “fairness or integrity” of foreign elections; and about other nations’ “democratic values,” or lack of them.

Donald Trump’s administration is not to blame for the rise of autocracies. In former democracies, that trend is rooted in popular disillusionment with traditional elites. But it is dismaying to witness Washington’s abandonment of any pretense of concern about human rights and the rule of law. Saudi Arabia’s Mohammed bin Salman is welcomed at the White House. The Trump family enjoy hugely profitable commercial relationships with repressive Gulf dictatorships.

Right-wing nationalists may well secure power in some big and important European countries, a development driven partly by dismay about mass immigration, and partly by economic stagnation. Elected governments have been failing to deliver what voters want, above all prosperity. Last February’s Make Europe Great Again rally in Madrid was attended by far-right representatives from all over the continent.

In the years ahead Trump favorite Viktor Orban, ruler of Hungary, may be joined in power by France’s Jordan Bardella or Marine Le Pen, and possibly by Britain’s Nigel Farage. The White House is promoting Germany’s far-right AfD.

Most of Africa and the Middle East is governed by rulers who bar genuinely contested elections. Partnerships between illiberal states are burgeoning. In September China’s President Xi stood on a platform in Beijing alongside Putin and North Korea’s Kim Jong Un.

This last, overlord of a country run like a concentration camp, pioneered the exploitation of criminality to fund his regime: from currency counterfeiting to internet fraud, online-hostage taking and reckless weapon sales.

Mainly for the money

Among the fraternity of dictators such revenue streams have now gone mainstream. Many treat the entire assets of their countries, especially mineral resources, as personal property. Wealth was once a mere by-product of tyranny. Hitler, Mussolini, Franco and communist leaders of the Cold War era lived comfortably enough and made some money — in Hitler’s case, from royalties on his writings. But ideology and megalomania drove their ambitions.

Today, while many autocrats proclaim their commitment to the  common man, they are chiefly in it for the money. Putin, creator of a mafia state, is one of the planet’s richest men. Many African and Middle East leaders are unimaginably wealthy, their fortunes often curated by Western bankers and lawyers, including some of Wall Street and the City of London’s biggest names.

The central question is whether the rise of autocrats is reversible. The historian Stephen Kotkin, a biographer of Stalin, argues that the world’s “strongmen” are much weaker than they appear, partly because repression is the enemy of economic and technological progress.

In an essay in the latest issue of Foreign Affairs, he writes that the authoritarians suffer a “debilitating incapacity stemming from corruption, cronyism and overreach.” Kotkin argues that their advance can be rolled back, if Western democracies display the guts they lacked when — for instance — in 2001 they admitted China to the World Trade Organization, and more recently through their inertia in the face of Russian sales of hundreds of billions of dollars’ worth of sanctioned oil and gas to China, India and Turkey.

The U.S. advantage? An open-market economy

Kotkin believes that the U.S. will escape becoming a dictatorship, because at the nation’s heart is a huge, stupendously successful open-market economy. The country lacks anything like the machinery of repression common to Russia, China, Iran, North Korea.

“The U.S. has periodically rediscovered and renewed itself, sometimes in profound ways, and it must do so again,” he concludes. “Its authoritarian adversaries are displaying audacity and resolve, but the nature of their regimes always presents an opportunity.”

I admire Kotkin’s optimism. None of us must despair. But I cannot share his confidence. It is for sure that tyrannies such as Putin’s in Russia will some time fall. It seems doubtful, however, that they will be replaced by something or someone better. A new generation of dictators looks more probable. No one is mourning the fall of Venezuela’s Nicolas Maduro, but many of us are deeply fearful about what may follow him, and the outcome seems most unlikely to be democracy.

As for America, alongside Trump stand his close allies the tech giants, of whom Elon Musk is only the most conspicuous. To us Europeans, it seems terrifying that the government couples itself to Musk and his peers in rejecting as “censorship” checks upon online content that threatens the mental health of future generations.

The administration has joined the Magnificent Seven tech companies, which wield greater power than most nation-states, in fighting regulatory control of artificial intelligence. Their armaments — the tools and content which the tech moguls sell — are arguably more menacing than nuclear weapons, because they are usable. Indeed, they are used daily all over the world.

I wholeheartedly agree with Kotkin, however, that the U.S. can yet be saved from authoritarianism. This will require a new presidential trustbuster, with the will to break up the tech giants, as Theodore Roosevelt demonstrated when crushing the U.S. industrial monopolies in the first years of the 20th century.

Civilized values worth fighting for

Moreover, America’s justice system must be delivered from partisanship and corruption. In 2015 a group of legal scholars analyzed the previous decade’s decisions of the Venezuelan Supreme Court and found that it had handed down 45,474 rulings, all supportive of dictator Hugo Chavez, who had packed its membership. Sound familiar?

The U.S. cannot and should not aspire to generate regime change abroad, which experience and prudence show to be beyond its means. It may yet regain its stature, however, as an exemplar of freedom and justice. It would be a good beginning for U.S. banks and law firms, together with their European counterparts, to forsake systemic complicity in the activities of tyrants.

As for the governance of the West, honorable politicians and public servants, such as do still exist, face a huge challenge: to convince voters that democracy remains the least bad system of government available; that autocrats are invariably enemies of the people, however they dress themselves up; and that in 2026 civilized values are still worth fighting for.

Max Hastings is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist. His histories include “Inferno: The World At War, 1939–1945,” “Vietnam: An Epic Tragedy 1945–1975” and “Abyss: The Cuban Missile Crisis 1962.”

Related Articles

Binyamin Appelbaum: Barring investors won’t fix the housing crisis

Bruce Yandle: Tax refunds are coming. Will they be vaporized by inflation?

Nolan Finley: Under Trump, U.S. is again the world’s policeman

Abby McCloskey: The GOP’s identity crisis is deepening by the day

Matt K. Lewis: Democrats could avoid a lot of trouble with a little ego management

In today’s restaurant culture, between breakfast cafes and neighborhood dinner joints, a good lunch can be hard to come by. But if there’s one place that’s arguably designed around serving lunch, it’s the downtown skyways.

Over the past six months or so, I’ve endeavored to eat at every independent lunch spot in the skyways, and many of them several times over. (I skipped the chains. Sorry to all the Subway-heads out there.)

There are, of course, plenty of worthwhile meals to be had at street-level restaurants and cafes that can be accessed via the skyways (see: 1881 Eating House at Union Depot; HepCat Coffee at Osborn370; the Saint Paul Grill at the Saint Paul Hotel), and longtime skyway staple Pino’s Pizzeria has since moved down to the street level and remains very much worth a visit.

However, this guide focuses specifically on the skyway level, organized by building.

Securian Financial 401 Building

Skyway Grill: No funny business: It’s a grill in the skyway. The wide variety of burgers are all top-notch, as is the gyro, which was one of my favorite lunches of 2025. Two of owner Scott Johnson’s favorite menu items are technically breakfast foods, but he serves breakfast all day, so I think it counts: He recommends The Boss (sausage, egg, jalapeño bacon, pepperjack and chipotle cream cheese on an everything bagel) or The Scoots, an potato-and-egg scramble he used to make at home when his son was younger. Good stuff. (Suite 223; 651-243-4578; skywaygrillanddeli.com)

A pesto chicken panini is held up in front of the sign for Maison Darras, a restaurant in the downtown St. Paul skyways, on June 11, 2025. (Jared Kaufman / Pioneer Press)

Maison Darras: After nearly two decades as a daily presence behind the counter, founding owners Xavier and Dee Darras quietly sold their longtime French lunch spot last month, but the new owners plan to keep things consistent. And lucky for us, because this has been one of our favorite skyway lunch spots for years now. Just on the well-curated panini menu alone, there’s something for everyone; not to mention the salads and soups. (Suite 205; 651-666-7463; facebook.com/maisondarras)

Pizza Deliciosa: Sometimes it’s a pizza or pasta day, you know? And at $3.99 for a quite large slice, it’s one of the best values around, too. (Suite 207; 952-297-0005; pizzadeliciosa.com)

A bowl of pho from Mai Lam Vietnamese Restaurant in the St. Paul skyways is served on Nov. 4, 2025. (Jared Kaufman / Pioneer Press)

Mai Lam: There’s no shortage of Asian options in the St. Paul skyways, and Mai Lam has some staples like General Tso’s chicken, but you should skip to their Vietnamese menu. Go for a banh mi, stir-fried noodles or a bowl of pho: The broth is sweeter and more onion-forward than many others I’ve tried around town at street level; it’s a chilly day go-to. (Suite 203; (651-330-7965; mai-lam.com)

Town Square

Mi Mexico Querido: If there were a prize for the most colorful skyway lunch spot, Mi Mexico Querido would have it in the bag. A brief closure in early 2025 was worrisome, but they’re once again going strong with bold entrees that, I think, rival sit-down Mexican spots. (Suite 202; 651-237-3770; mimexicoquerido.com)

Steven D’s: Sadly we’ve lost more skyway restaurants than we’ve gained recently, so it’s delightful to see a new kid on the block. A couple months ago, Kim Reid and Steve Fiebiger spun off their food truck into a full-fledged lunch counter in the old Cassie’s Deli location, a sizable space in a prime corner. Their menu is classic American (think burgers, grilled chicken, salads and the like) but the real move is the soup selection Fiebiger makes every morning. If vegetable beef barley is on the menu, it’s going to be a good day in my world. (Suite 227; 651-399-7459; facebook.com/StevenDsmn)

Entree options await hungry customers at Ho Fan, a restaurant in the St. Paul skyways, on July 31, 2025. (Jared Kaufman / Pioneer Press)

Ho Fan: When lunchtime hits, this spot is always fast and always friendly. The black bean chicken, with green beans and mushrooms, is a favorite. There are some misses — I found the kung pao chicken a bit too soft and too sweet, and the breading on the orange chicken a bit too tough — but their vegetable entrees don’t skimp, which I love. (Suite 225; 651-347-4895; hofanmn.com)

The signature chicken masala dish from Skyway New Masala in downtown St. Paul is served on July 31, 2025. (Jared Kaufman / Pioneer Press)

Skyway New Masala: This Indian/Middle Eastern spot is tucked away near the now-shuttered bridge to the Alliance Bank Center, so it’s a bit hard to find and it’s on the pricier side for skyway lunches, but the hefty portion size makes it worth both the time and money. Their signature dish, the tomato-roasted chicken masala, is delightfully spicy. Oh, and I would buy their cilantro chutney by the bottle. (Suite 216)

U.S. Bank Center

Kitchen 601: Every time I’ve eaten here, the dining room is busier than every other skyway restaurant and business I pass on the walk over. This is inexplicable to me; my experiences here have consistently been characterized by bland food on unnervingly greasy plates, but it is one of the skyway’s most comfortable, airy lunch spots with a wide-ranging menu that’s ideal for groups. (Suite 220; 651-245-9171; kitchen601.com)

Bambú: Tragically, this Asian spot is also tucked in a back hallway en route to the now-abandoned Alliance Bank Center, so what was once a central thoroughfare is now desolate. For this reason, as I have learned, you should order something from the menu board on the wall rather than one of the pre-prepared entrees held hot under the glass; the menu is more creative, anyway. (Suite 285; 651-602-7960; bambuonline.com)

Wells Fargo Place

A meal from Lee’s Express in the downtown St. Paul skyways is served Oct. 30, 2025. (Jared Kaufman / Pioneer Press)

Lee’s Express: Arguably the most hidden-gem of all the hidden gems. You’ll have to head up the escalators toward the third-floor Children’s Museum skyway for some of the best classic beef and broccoli around. The fried rice has a nice smoky edge, too. The hunt is worthwhile. (Suite 318; 651-493-3341; leesexpress.square.site)

First National Bank Building

Catrina’s: Build your own tacos, burrito, bowl, quesadilla or torta sandwich; I personally love the smoky chicken tinga, but you do you. Keep an eye out for their rotating daily specials, too; those enchiladas rock. (Suite 233; 651-330-2418; catrinasgrill.com/skyway)

Bonus: Pioneer Endicott

Legacy Chocolates: The downtown chocolatier makes delightful chocolate- and coffee-based beverages and great pastries. I know this guide focuses on lunch spots, so maybe this is more of a breakfast or dessert option, but — hey, I can eat chocolate for lunch! Who are you, my mother? (Suite 229; 651-340-5252; legacychocolates.com)

More from Double-Decker Downtown

Read our deep dive into the past, present and future lives of the St. Paul skyways, and explore more profiles of skyway businesses:

After 43 years, Paul Hartquist’s personal service keeps skyway jewelry store shining

At Skyway Grill, owner Scott Johnson feeds everyone

Blue Hummingbird Woman brings native culture and wellness to the skyways

Paper is hotter than ever at skyway print shop Cedar Printing

At skyway barbershop, Mr. B aims to empower through haircuts

Through clothing, skyway tailor Patricia Caldwell aims to beautify the world

Cycling Museum of Minnesota brings over a century of two-wheeled history to the skyway

Related Articles

I-94 to close next weekend both directions in downtown St. Paul for bridge work

Household cats encouraged to compete for royal titles at Saintly City Cat Club show

U.S. Bank Center mortgage acquired by St. Paul Downtown Development Corporation

MN Supreme Court reopens Keith Ellison’s wage theft case against Madison Equities

Crackdown on social service providers leaves some without housing assistance

Especially in an increasingly digital age, printed materials often fall to the bottom of people’s to-do lists, said Tyler Hjeltness, the owner of Cedar Printing, a skyway print shop in Securian Financial’s 401 Building.

But then, suddenly, a major event or deadline or project presentation is a few days away, and you’ve forgotten to order your programs or marketing brochures or public signage.

“That’s part of our secret to success, is we cater to emergencies,” Hjeltness said. “Five to seven days is a typical lead time for a shop like ours, but we turn ‘em around tight, and we do it with a smile. It makes an impression on people when you can get the impossible done for them when at every other turn they’re told no.”

Hjeltness started working for Cedar Printing’s previous owner, Andy Flamm, in 2016 and bought the now-43-year-old business in 2019. Since then, Hjeltness has expanded the shop’s focus from primarily everyday business printing — think business cards, letterhead, invoices — to additionally incorporate more colorful marketing materials, wide-format banners and storefront graphics.

And interestingly, Hjeltness said he’s seeing a resurgence in how customers value printed objects, to the extent that the company is busier than ever. Currently, Hjeltness and his team are juggling about 60 active projects in various stages, from just-ordered to ready for pickup, and ranging in price from about $40 to several thousand.

“If you get a nice physical piece that somebody really obviously put some time and effort into, it seems to stand out,” he said. “There are things that digital media will never achieve. This is a cliche, but you can’t wrap a candy bar in a PDF.”

On an autumn Thursday afternoon, production manager Justin Kron completed final quality checks on an order of about 700 oversized postcards for a Minneapolis nonprofit. After they’re printed and cut to the right dimensions, he’ll apply a postage stamp to each one by hand.

“A lot of people want their stuff physically stamped because it shows someone cared enough to physically handle it,” Hjeltness said. “It wasn’t just a machine that just spit out a billion things and you’re just one in a billion.”

Meanwhile, print specialist Armand Clark kept an eye on a huge glossy banner for an upcoming event at the Minnesota Children’s Museum that was slowly emerging from a large-format printer. That morning, Minnesota Public Radio “Morning Edition” host Cathy Wurzer swung by to pick up an order. Recently, a renewable energy company based in Chicago hired Cedar Printing to produce and send a multi-state marketing push. Even the signage at the nearby Skyway Grill came out of Hjeltness’ shop.

“So we can be hyperlocal and also national,” Hjeltness said.

Running a print shop requires plenty of heavy, noisy machinery. The guillotine-style paper cutter in the corner weighs about as much as a sedan. An industrial paper folding machine is so loud when it’s running that Hjeltness keeps it in its own small room to reduce how disruptive it would be. So it’s not uncommon, he said, for print shops to be located in industrial parts of town or in out-of-the-way warehouses.

But for him, staying in the skyways is non-negotiable.

“I could technically run this out of a garage somewhere for cheaper rent, but no,” he said. “Being seen and being part of the community is what makes this enjoyable, honestly.”

More from Double-Decker Downtown

Read our deep dive into the past, present and future lives of the St. Paul skyways, and explore more profiles of skyway businesses:

After 43 years, Paul Hartquist’s personal service keeps skyway jewelry store shining
At Skyway Grill, owner Scott Johnson feeds everyone
Blue Hummingbird Woman brings native culture and wellness to the skyways
At skyway barbershop, Mr. B aims to empower through haircuts
Through clothing, skyway tailor Patricia Caldwell aims to beautify the world
Cycling Museum of Minnesota brings over a century of two-wheeled history to the skyway
Your guide to every lunch spot in the St. Paul skyways

Related Articles

I-94 to close next weekend both directions in downtown St. Paul for bridge work

Household cats encouraged to compete for royal titles at Saintly City Cat Club show

U.S. Bank Center mortgage acquired by St. Paul Downtown Development Corporation

MN Supreme Court reopens Keith Ellison’s wage theft case against Madison Equities

Crackdown on social service providers leaves some without housing assistance