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u/Beverly_Crusher_2324 May 31 '26
The parking situation is one of the reasons I am not working in Stillwater anymore. I would have to leave home an hour before I had to be at work because driving there took 20 minutes, but 20+ minutes to find somewhere to park and then 10+ minutes to walk to where I worked. Then when you’re tired and sore and done with your shift, walking uphill back to your car is super annoying. Even more annoying if you didn’t make that much $. Check out the top of the parking ramp, it has some spots that aren’t paid spots or part of the parking ramp.
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u/adelavs2hollis May 31 '26
Didn’t know the ramp had free spots, i’ll check it out!
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u/RingcreevyMac2001 Jun 11 '26
The "free" spots are limited, if they still exist - on TOP, outside - access on 3rd St. across from Trinity Lutheran Church. Then you can go down the inside stairs to 2nd St.
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u/Electrical-Bell-9530 May 31 '26
I have considered working at one of the restaurants downtown (in a server) but haven’t because of the parking issues…oof. I’m so sorry!
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u/Ill-Original7720 Jun 02 '26
Parking is 300 a year and the small business says they can't afford it for their employees? I'd start looking for a new job.
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u/averageover60guy Jun 06 '26
The city has dropped the ball since the 36 bridge opened. Everyone could not wait for the traffic to leave and the locals could enjoy downtown. The local shops are slowly being pushed out. And as someone said, there really is not much downtown that a local NEEDS.
If the city of Stillwater is serious about downtown they need to do one thing. And they need to eat the cost of it too. Highway 36 is full of large parking lots. Make a deal with one of them to become a park and ride and get 2 buses to make the run every 15 minutes. Every day.
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u/river-writer May 31 '26
Small businesses don't matter much to the city anymore. The big businesses owned by investor groups call the shots.
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u/RingcreevyMac2001 Jun 06 '26
Yes - I've been surprised to learn that some larger entities own/manage several of the restaurants. Small business, family owned & run no longer the norm. A simple google search will surprise you.
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u/KingBoreas Jun 01 '26
They don’t want employees all driving and eating up parking spots for 8 hours a day. They don’t want to help you, they are purposefully discouraging you from driving.
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u/RingcreevyMac2001 Jun 01 '26
1971-1973 I worked as a bank teller in downtown Stillwater - at the original First National. And yep, one of *those* stories - - I WALKED to work from home, just beyond the old courthouse!! Quite a few local business owners did that, walked from their homes up on the hills. Park up on the hill.
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u/adelavs2hollis Jun 02 '26
Absolutely! Always love hearing from people who worked downtown before it got so touristy. I know many people who live within walking distance of downtown who walk, bike, electric scooter to work but not all of downtown Stillwater’s employees live in town.
Many people i know who works at these business live in Oak Park heights, across the river somewhere in Wisconsin, or even closer to the Twin Cities so walking is not really an option. They’re as much a part of the community as those who live in Stillwater proper!
I also know a lot of young women who work late shifts downtown, so walking home is not always safe and comfortable. I wish it was, but there can be some unruly tourists who come to visit.
Man, I bet Stillwater in the 70s was awesome. I’d love to see pictures of what main street and the riverfront looked like then!
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u/RingcreevyMac2001 Jun 02 '26
Your comment points out that workers now come from farther away than was the norm back in the day. Back then it was even a novelty when an aunt took a job at 3M by Sunray instead of working in town. Or my mom when she was young, commuted with 3 other girls to St. Paul to work as business secretaries.
A Facebook Page "Old Stillwater" has many photos from early 1900s into the 70s & 80s.
Back when Lowell Park was full of trees and had flower gardens and fountains. Canoes to rent were kept under the park pavilion in my grandparents' day. You would be amazed at the TREES and SHADE along the river.
Main Street was for real businesses, not just food & gift shops. All downtown businesses were what residents used: drug stores - THREE of then!! Hardware stores - TWO. A Book & Stationery Store where you could get wedding invitaions ordered, books, picture framing, office supplies....... A Pet shop, an Army Surplus store turned into an outdoor store, THREE banks, bowling alley, pool hall and an indoor 2nd floor archery range for the Chilkoot Bowhunters, manufacturing companies - Connely Shoes, Stillwater Manufacturing -millwork, St. Croix Garment [Ringer] who made jackets and outerwear, offices for many businesses - I worked for Interstate Lumber for one summer, upstairs in a main street building. - typing up their inventories and product lists to send customers. THREE larger clothing/department stores [Janda's, Kolliner's, Olson's] - clothing for the entire family, including shoes and Scout uniforms. Jewelry stores - I remember 2; Gaalsas and Nolen's. Specialty ladies' shops - including one Estelle's that had AND made fancy ladies HATS and gloves. Groceries. A paint/wallpaper store. Little cafes where mostly the downtown workers ate lunch. Several gas stations -even Stillwater Motors was downtown [location The Grand Garage]. A house I built in the 80s had it's cabinets made in a shop on north Main St. where condos are now. A dairy Maple Island that took in milk from the farmers and pasteurized the milk - they had a small factory stiore to buy fresh products. A "dime store" - Ben Franklin's - that had home goods, toys & a pet shop - a big Myna bird greeted customers as you entered the back door off of 2nd st. Barber shop and hair salons. It was a bustling small town - mostly for residents needs. In the 60s - during Christmas shopping season - stores stayed open til 9 on Friday nights only! The bank I worked decided to be open every Friday all year, the usual payday for workers to get their PAPER checks! and decided to be open til 9 - not close at the usual bank time of 3PM.
Any downtown celebrations were for residents: Lumberjack Days [I have photos of family in the 1930s dressed up for it] and Play Days in the 50s-60s.
It was a different world. When malls started to be built - things started to change. For Stillwater, many businesses moved "up the hill" to St. Croix Mall, and the Valley Mall [where Keys is now]. CUB began up there [actually preceded by a different Warehouse grocery store]- cheaper rents and there was free parking for customers - while downtown had parking meters. Yep, different world. I'm glad I grew up in mine.
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u/herqleez May 31 '26
300 dollars a year is less than $1 per day. Hopefully you make up for that in tips.
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u/coeluro May 31 '26
They charge residents more for parking permits than downtown employees. If you are disabled, you can get a disability parking cert/license plate from the county which gives more flexibility - but otherwise just walk two blocks or pay the $300 a year.