TO MEET · 08/23/2013
Town Hall Lanes with Drew Wood
“The coffee shop owner knows the musician, who knows the chef who knows the brewer, and he knows the shoe maker who knows the journalist that also knows the coffee shop owner, you know?” Drew Wood, editor of the Twin Cities edition of Thrillist, said to us of his city. “There’s this sense of unity to the whole scene of people making it happen and existing within it,” he explained. 
Drew’s responsible for staying on top of the latest and greatest of the Twin Cities food and drink scene, and when writing as travel editor, seeking out new and unusual things to do around the world.”My days and weeks usually look like they’re going to go one direction, but end up going a totally different one,” he told us. For example, he was recently planning to visit a new brewery in Lino Lakes, then spend the afternoon editing another piece. Instead, he ended up writing about a company that’ll send your ashes into orbit for under $2,000 then photographed the Minneapolis version of the Cronut, called the Cro-Knot.
He grew up in a suburb of Minneapolis, and aside from a stint in California for school, he’s always lived in the area. “At the end of the day I’ve always thought the Twin Cities was dynamic and had something novel and radical to offer the world,” he told us.
Take for example Town Hall Lanes—the spot where we spent the afternoon with Drew and Greg from Urban Bean sampling craft beer (something that’s really on the rise in Minneapolis) while bowling. Note: Drew’s explanation of the community in Minneapolis really became apparent during our meeting. Urban Bean was our jumping off point and Greg, who knows Drew since he’s in his shop so regularly to write, decided to tag along.
For avid bowlers and folks who might not want to venture into the serious craft beers, there’s a Super Strike Light Lager on tap—you can have a few glasses and still bowl a decent game. As for food, Drew knowingly recommended that we test out the burgers and flatbread.
Whether it be for a casual lunch bowl, or just to grab a beer, we definitely recommend making a trip to Town Hall Lanes. It’s off the beaten path, but is quickly becoming a neighborhood staple!
Drew is wearing the Zagg in Tennessee Whiskey and Winston sunglasses in Striped Sassafras
Photos by Collin Hughes