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Fan Feedback, St. Louis Park Food Memories, and Pig Roast Stories

Mike Hammer and Carlos Figueroa open the episode by reading early listener feedback, including a Minneapolis commenter questioning whether Hammer is the real 1984 graduate, which they clarify by distinguishing him from an older Mike Hamer. They discuss how suggestions are expanding their focus beyond their childhood neighborhood and recall St. Louis Park-area staples such as Beaks Pizza (including an all-you-can-eat contest and a late-night cash-register robbery), Lincoln Dell deli, Schlotzky’s, My Pie, Clark’s submarine sandwich, and the McDonald’s by the high school during open campus and smoking-era rules. They share stories about skipping school to make pizza, Rocky Rococo’s heart-shaped pizza while watching Luke and Laura’s wedding, Carlos’s family pig roasts and an epic joint graduation party, plus the Lions Club pancake breakfast and paper route memories. Carlos plugs his Substack and a baseball-law feature, “The Ballpark Barrister.”

00:00 Show Intro and Tease
00:18 Theme Song and Greetings
00:54 Fan Mail and Feedback
01:10 The Mike Hammer Mystery
02:22 Listener Ideas and Expanding Town
03:41 Beaks Pizza Memories
04:47 Pizza Contest with Joe
05:50 Beaks Robbery Story
07:02 Lincoln Del Deli Love
08:41 More Local Eats Roundup
09:14 McDonalds Open Campus Days
10:32 Skipping School for Pizza
11:45 Homemade Crust Hacks
12:03 Open Campus Pizza Runs
12:41 McDonalds and Cafeteria Classics
14:11 Rocky Rococos Memories
16:11 Pig Roast Block Party
18:28 Graduation Party Chaos
20:04 Lions Club Breakfast Talk
21:15 Bennigans and Paper Route Donuts
22:55 Substack Plug and Sign Off

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From Carlos Figueroa

Carlos also shares an update on his upcoming psychological thriller, The Ghost of Lake Osakis, andI write essays on my Substack about institutions, technology, and change. https://systemsunderpressure.substack.com/s/the-ballpark-barrister

Join the conversation

What St. Louis Park restaurant do you remember most? Drop a comment and tell us which places still live rent-free in your memory.