1st Place: Kerm’s
2nd Place: Cameraderie
3rd Place: Carson Park Rocket

Kerm’s on Water Street was in a tough position, like some poorly adapted little mammal after everyone else had evolved. It was crazy convenient for Randall Park neighborhood folks, but it was small, and the new sleek mega-grocery stores were so much cheaper. Unfortunately, neighborhood traffic wasn’t enough, and now the only way we can appreciate the delicate fur and gentle yipping of this extinct Kerm’s beast is through history books. Camaraderie was a different story – this Water Street bar and restaurant was in the middle of its cheese-curdish prime when a fire consumed it. The Carson Park Rocket was a mecca of playground equipment – it had three levels, slides, and was made completely out of cold, unforgiving metal. Apparently modern children are more delicate than they once were, because we lost the rocket for more plastic equipment. – Eric Rasmussen