In my wandering around town, heading to the market, the laundry, or the pub, I suppose, I perked up when I saw that the superette on the corner of Selby and Dale closed its doors. One moment it was full of soda, cigarettes, chips, sunglasses, and all kinds of mismatched junk peering out the front windows. The next it was empty as day. This place is across the street from Mississippi Market and Paisano’s and in the same building as Muddy Pig, and it’s really attractive, with big windows and a prime location that would let people inside sit contented and watch the world go by.
In the fantasy version of my life, I have a ton of cash and I rent the space to create what I’ve always envisioned, in my clever but idea-overloaded mind, as “my cafe.” It’s called Flâneur, serving high-class bohemian food with excellent coffee, tea, and a collection of apéritifs and digestifs. Flâneur encourages extended periods of flânerie, loosely defined as the strolling of urban 
streets. But a flâneur is also a connoisseur. He (or she, as the flâneuse might have it) has a keen understanding of where a good experience might lie, whether it’s following the most interesting street or stumbling into the best cafe. In the spirit of it, at my counter, you might order a sandwich and a pastis — liqueur that comes with a small carafe of water, a brilliant pairing that can make your drink last for almost as long as you choose. To use Cafe Maude’s language, my cafe would be a spot of civilized leisure.
For better or worse, Flâneur must remain a fantasy, at least at this address. The space has been rented. A sign in the storefront announces a June 2009 opening of Living Bread, which the Internet tells me is a store that promises to put “Catholic life at your fingertips.” This strikes me as odd still. I can’t imagine a shrine to Catholica in such a prominent intersection. Aren’t religious supply stores usually, I don’t know, not so . . . obvious? As a good flâneuse, though, I’m thrilled that it isn’t a national sandwich chain, and that my neighborhood will soon have yet another storefront to amble into. And maybe if I’m lucky, I’ll even be able to replace my broken Jesus nightlight.
Edible Cities 
Yeah, a Catholic goods store at that particular spot pretty much screams “Mob front” to me.
Or not. It is near the Cathedral, after all… Hmm.
I agree, Stef. When the Cathedral is in full swing, my entire neighborhood is parked up for a 5-block radius. Last night, I had to park illegally until all the Christianfolk went home.
The guilelessly earnest look to the sign and proximity to the Cathedral make it plausible that the shop is legit. Not necessarily a good idea (St. Patrick’s Guild is not that far away, so what is Living Bread’s competitive advantage?), but legit. I noticed the sign as I was walking to Muddy Pig on Sunday and wondered myself what the deal was.
I’d much rather that Carrie’s idea were put into action. Sounds rather like what Fin de siècle Viennese coffee houses were like (or so I’m told; I’m not *that* old). Now, alas, Viennese coffee shops seem more like self-simulacras.
Do you ever listen to KFAI? That’s my main connection to Mineapolis/SP.
Enjoyed your site.
Phil – Well, if the shop is trying to bring that kind of stuff to life (hence the name Living Bread) I guess it makes sense to put it next to a pizza/hoagie shop, a bar, and a Thai restaurant, right? And I know what you mean about the coffee shops. Authenticity seems so slippery these days.
Tancred62 – I don’t listen to KFAI much, but I have a friend who has DJed there who tells me good stories about the place. Thanks for reading and commenting.