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Stillwater’s Main Street will soon be getting some national exposure.

On July 3, “Good Morning America” plans to broadcast live from Stillwater’s Main Street as part of its “Main Street USA” series this summer. Stillwater will be the first city highlighted in the weeklong series, which will profile “some of America’s most iconic main streets,” a spokesman for “Good Morning America” said.

Robin Roberts, George Stephanopoulos and Michael Strahan won’t be making the trip, but ABC News correspondent Alex Perez will be broadcasting live. Perez, who has been with ABC since 2012, also appears regularly on “World News Tonight,” “Nightline” and “20/20.”

“We’re really excited to host,” said Mayor Ted Kozlowski. “I like showing off our town. It’s a great chance to showcase downtown Stillwater. All of our business owners are putting up flags and spiffing their places up so we can show everyone how cool we are.”

“Good Morning America” producers have been spotted making the rounds in Minnesota’s birthplace over the past few weeks, but it wasn’t clear Friday what businesses will be highlighted. Will they get a haircut at Prohibition Barbers? Drink a latte at The Daily Grind? Get a knitting lesson at Darn Knit Anyway?

One featured location will be the city’s newest outdoor art gallery called Union Art Alley, located between the 100 block of North Main and North Second streets, Kozlowski said.

The show’s “Main Street USA” segment will air during the show’s second hour, which starts at 8 a.m. CST. The show is broadcast locally on KSTP-TV.

People who want to attend the taping of the show are asked to arrive in downtown Stillwater by 6:30 a.m.; the tentative broadcast location is the intersection of Main and Commercial streets.

“We would love for lots of people to show up,” said Kozlowski, who is scheduled to be interviewed live. “I’m super excited to see a whole bunch of happy people in downtown at 6:30 a.m. on a Monday.”

On a more serious note, Kozlowski said, the national exposure will be a boon.

“It’s really nice to have a wildly popular TV program acknowledge how awesome our town is,” he said. “It’s cool that millions of people are going to see our historic, vibrant and diverse Main Street.”

It’s been 21 years since “Good Morning America” was in Stillwater. On April 30, 2002, the show’s then-hosts Diane Sawyer and Charlie Gibson came to town and broadcast live from the Lowell Park Gazebo and the Main Street Cafe.

“Good Morning America” producers say they are excited to be kicking off the show’s “Main Street USA” series in Stillwater.

“We’re headed to the Main Streets across this country that put the ‘A’ in ‘GMA,'” said Simone Swink, the show’s executive producer. “We look forward to showcasing the people, businesses and stories in each community.”

Gutting a home and starting from scratch is a big feat for anyone, but for Colleen Doran it was an exciting opportunity to design a home for her and her husband exactly how she imagined.

She focused on making the 6,325-square-foot home on the edge of downtown Stillwater more cohesive, adding luxurious updates while preserving the historical home's character. The earliest tax record for the house is 1878 and is listed as the year the house was built. However, local historians believe it was built as early as 1858.

At one point in the house's history, it became two homes with the front part leased out. The spaces lacked flow when the couple moved in 2½ years ago.

They knocked down walls, took out one of two staircases and connected the second-level living areas, she said. The renovations opened up the space.

Now, views of the lush green St. Croix River Valley can be enjoyed from several places throughout the North Hill neighborhood home, just steps away from Pioneer Park. There are also views of the historic Stillwater Lift Bridge, the St. Croix Crossing bridge and nearby marina.

"It's great to be able to stand here in the middle of so many rooms and spaces and feel the flow and movement," Doran said. "Standing here I can see [outside in] all four directions, the trees, flowers and water. It's a remarkable space to be in."

Renovation

The home has been renovated many times. Doran had loved remodeling her previous houses and was up to the challenge.

In the foyer, she designed a compass with black and silver tiles. "This house sits on the lot at exactly due north. You walk in and you're at exactly north and I wanted to honor that," she said. "I know someone who built it was careful to have the [entryway] point north."

Many of the walls and ceilings were torn out, replaced and reinsulated. The couple added steel beams to ensure that the structure would hold together, now that the two homes were joined into one.

But with all the improvements, Doran and Smith made sure that the new materials they introduced would complement the home's historic nature. For example, new millwork was careful to match existing door frames and wallboards.

They also updated the home for modern-day living. That's especially evident in the kitchen, which is now fit for a chef. There are two of just about every appliance: refrigerators, sinks, ovens and even dishwashers.

"My husband is a chef; he's worked in so many kitchens. He said no matter where he goes he's going to build his kitchens exactly like this," she said. "It's so easy to cook in and to plate everything up and send it out."

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On the move

Now, although it's bittersweet, the couple have decided to say goodbye to their five-bedroom, seven-bath home. With their children and grandchildren in Minneapolis, the couple want to move closer to them.

Listing agent Abby Dean said the place is a "storybook" property with the perfect blend of modern and historic.

"The owners did a tremendous job redesigning and renovating the home to the highest level and luxury," Dean said. "It has spacious and gracious living spaces that flow beautifully for entertaining and everyday enjoyment."

In addition, she said, the sprawling property is one of the largest lots near downtown Stillwater, consisting of 1.7 acres that include breathtaking gardens and private woods.

Numerous outdoor spaces provide an ideal setting for entertaining many guests — Doran hosted her daughter's wedding reception. Outdoor features include a large fire pit, a seating area near a small natural waterfall and a hidden fairy-like garden that has a one-room treehouse. Then there's the dry stack limestone walls that line the property, giving it flair, Doran said.

Doran said she can't take credit for all of the landscaping. Much of it was built upon over the years by previous owners. She believes 150 of the 200 plants were planted in the past 50 to 75 years.

There are also beautiful lilies in at least 15 colors. "We have tiger lilies — bright pink and yellow ones," Doran said. "The other day we saw these pale pink ones with red dots."

Abby Dean ([email protected]; 651-430-2100) of Coldwell Banker Realty has the $1.9 million listing.

Correction: Previous versions of this story misidentified the year the home was built.

‘Good Morning America’ surprised a Stillwater business owner and community booster during a live, national broadcast on Monday morning.

The ABC morning show kicked off a weeklong series — highlighting some of the most iconic Main Streets across the country — with its stop in the Washington County river town.

Residents from across Minnesota poured into downtown Stillwater early Monday, carrying signs saying “Mainstreet U.S.A,” “This is our home” and “We heart MN!”

GMA hosts Robin Roberts, George Stephanopoulos and Michael Strahan weren’t in attendance, but ABC News correspondent Alex Perez was broadcasting live from downtown Stillwater.

“Stillwater, Minnesota has one of the most amazing, beautiful main streets across America,” Perez said, “You’ve been here once or a million times, it always feels like home.”

What happened next on Main Street in Stillwater came as an apparent surprise to viewers and attendees.

Perez turned to the crowd and asked for Sara Jespersen, owner of the Lumberjack and Mad Capper in downtown Stillwater, to come forward.

“Sara Jespersen makes everyone feel welcome,” a video montage began.

The video showed murals around Stillwater that Jespersen organized in an effort to beautify the town as well as photos from a snow sculpting competition she started to help energize Stillwater’s economy during the pandemic.

“Thank you for all you’ve done for this community for so many people, and the legacy you’re leaving is amazing,” Stillwater Chamber of Commerce Robin Anthony-Evenson said.

As the video montage ended, the crowd began cheering and chanting, “Sara, Sara, Sara!”

“I never don’t have words,” Jespersen told Perez, “but I don’t have words — I’m really overwhelmed! There’s so many people here that are so wonderful, I’m very touched.”

Jespersen received an honorary plaque which will hang at the Stillwater Union Art Alley commemorating her contributions to the town. Jespersen worked with ArtReach St. Croix to create the in a rundown corner of Stillwater. The space, which used to be filled with trash, is now a popular hang out spot showcasing murals by local artists.

Stillwater businesses and residents are bracing for a major disruption downtown this summer.

Starting July 17, the day after Lumberjack Days, Main Street will be closed from Myrtle Street to Olive Street for two months as crews finish work on the $3.6 million Chestnut Street Plaza. Traffic will be detoured around the area.

The work, including installation of utilities, a traffic signal, lighting and sidewalk, was supposed to have been done this spring, but the late winter and spring flooding curtailed those plans, said Shawn Sanders, the city’s director of public works.

Officials decided to wait and close Main Street – also known as Minnesota 95, the main thoroughfare through downtown – until after the Fourth of July and Lumberjack Days celebrations. Lumberjack Days, the city’s annual summer festival, runs July 14-16.

“We decided to wait until those major events were over, and the contractor found that to be acceptable,” Sanders said. “There is no good time to be closing Main Street down during the year, and we acknowledge that, but it’s just something that’s got to happen.”

Completing the work before this fall’s Rivertown Fall Art Festival and Harvest Fest also was key, he said.

Waiting until after those events were over in mid-October wasn’t an option because the “weather may be turning cold, and you can’t be pouring concrete in cold weather,” he said. “Two months would put us in December, and that wasn’t acceptable.”

Officials began planning for the area of Chestnut Street between the Stillwater Lift Bridge and Main Street to be turned into a pedestrian plaza as soon as plans were approved for a new St. Croix River bridge to be built south of Stillwater and for the Stillwater Lift Bridge to be closed to vehicular traffic. The new bridge opened in August 2017, but the plaza project was beset by numerous delays, including the discovery of contaminated soil in the project area.

Work underway

But there’s been major progress over the past few weeks, including the planting of oak and elm trees, installation of pavers from the Lift Bridge concourse toward Water Street and installation of street lighting. The concrete sidewalk in the plaza area also is now complete. Benches and tables should be installed soon, Sanders said.

Concrete placement for Water Street is underway and will be completed next week; the remaining concrete will provide the pedestrian link from Main Street to the St. Croix River. Once the remaining concrete is placed next week, crews will begin the final phases of paver installation, Sanders said.

In the meantime, pedestrians should continue to use Myrtle Street or Nelson Street to access the St Croix River and Lift Bridge Loop Trail.

Water Street is expected to open to through traffic on June 24, which will help drivers working around the closure of Main Street, he said.

Mayor Ted Kozlowski said the two-month closure will be painful.

“There’s no other way around it,” he said. “We’re going to try and do it as orderly as possible, but there’s no question it’s going to hurt for a little bit.”

Area businesses plan to stay open during the detour.

“These short term challenges will improve our town,” said Cory Buettner, owner of Leo’s Grill & Malt Shop at the corner of Chestnut and Main streets. “Stillwater has become a four season destination and when phase 2 is complete, we will be even more inviting for locals and visitors.”

Minnesota-born musician Caroline Smith, who performs as Your Smith, and her partner Adam To, formerly a chef at Michelin star LA restaurant Trois Mec, announced Wednesday that they bought Whitey’s Bar, a downtown Stillwater institution of 20 years. They’ll reopen the space as Howard’s Bar on June 7, keeping many of the bar’s historic touches and introducing a new saloon-style menu.

Smith, originally from Detroit Lakes, Minnesota, has been a big presence in the Twin Cities music scene for many years, known for her band Caroline Smith and the Goodnight Sleeps, her collaborations with Lizzo, and her smoky, neo-soul solo work. In 2015, she moved to LA, where she changed her artist name to Your Smith, released two EPs, and met To, who has roots in Apple Valley. The pandemic brought the pair back to Minnesota, where they had a baby and eventually decided it was time to start their own restaurant. When they heard Whitey’s was for sale, says Smith, everything clicked.

“We were like, what an amazing way to raise a baby — above a bar that’s homey, that’s not pretentious, where Adam can cook what he loves to cook. Obviously, Adam can cook Michelin star-level French food, but what he’s really good at making is an amazing burger,” says Smith — not to mention a mean sandwich.

The Howard’s menu will feature American saloon-style classics, says To, like wings, a Cobb salad, steelhead trout dip with the fish smoked in-house, and a local Peterson Craftsman Meats burger. He’ll be rolling fresh pasta sheets for a sweet Italian sausage and ricotta lasagna, and trimming whole ribeyes in-house, which he’ll serve with loaded baked potatoes au jus.

There’ll be no cocktail menu — Howard’s will have a rail bar, with beers on tap. And, of course, pull tabs. “It’s very Minnesota,” says To. “We really want it to feel really comfortable and small-town.” They’ll be sourcing ingredients locally, but keeping prices affordable and the vibe understated and unpretentious. “What’s cool about it is we’re calling it Howard’s Bar — it’s not Howard’s Bar and Eatery. It’s like, boom, you get great food, and really great specials.”

The Whitey’s building dates to the mid-19th century, says To. They’ve replaced the carpeting with a checkered floor, but the integral elements of the bar are staying the same. “We want it to feel like a 70s basement,” says Smith. “We’re warming up the space with warm colors, and doing a lot of old neon signs.”

One thing that certainly won’t change is Whitey’s famous fresh-squeezed juice behind the bar. “The locals are hell-bent on making it known that we are never allowed to do away with that,” says Smith, laughing. “We make a hell of a Greyhound,” says To. “Titos and fresh-squeezed grapefruit.”

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