Oar Folkjokeopus (commonly known as Oar Folk) was a Minneapolis record store that operated on the corner of Lyndale Ave and 26th St from 1973 until 2001. The store was considered one of the staples of the Minneapolis rock scene in the 1980s, along with Jay's Longhorn Bar, and became a popular hub for musicians in the Twin Cities and the Midwest. The store was one of the only stores in Minneapolis, along with Harpo's/Hot Licks and Northern Lights Music, that sold punk rock records in the 1970s and early 1980s, which made it a popular hangout for members of local bands such as Hüsker Dü, The Replacements, the Suicide Commandos, Soul Asylum and many more. Bob Mould of Hüsker Dü called it the city's "preeminent record store" and an important venue for him to find a fellow music-loving community.[1]
Martin Keller, writer for the Minneapolis City Pages, said about Oar Folk: "A lot of people trace the whole rock scene (in the Twin Cities) to Oar Folk. I was living six blocks away at the time, and you'd always run into [Peter] Jesperson there because he worked the counter most days. [Bob] Mould was in and out on a regular basis. It was a real nice hangout."[2] Lori Barbero, drummer for Babes in Toyland said concerning the store: "I have about 8,000 records, and I bought 7,000 of them at Oar Folk."[2] Grant Hart of Hüsker Dü was not so fond of the store: "Oar Folk had a real snobbish attitude. It was a place to be condescended to."[2]
- ^ Bob Mould (15 June 2011). See a Little Light: The Trail of Rage and Melody. Little, Brown. ISBN 978-0-316-17571-5.
- ^ a b c Cost, J., Earles, A., Fritch, M., Hickey, M., Klinge, S., Miller, E., Olson, D., Rowland, H., Ryan, M., and Valania, J.: A Tale Of Twin Cities: Hüsker Dü, The Replacements And The Rise And Fall Of The ’80s Minneapolis Scene, Magnet, June 12, 2005.