A staple of the Twin Cities bluegrass and folk music community will pluck the strings for a final time at the end of the month.
Marv and Dawn Menzel opened the Homestead Pickin' Parlor in Richfield nearly 47 years ago. But with rising rent costs and retirement long overdue? The picking will stop.
"It's kind of a mixed blessing that the rent went up and we were unable to continue seeing our way clear of continuing a business," says Marv. "Yeah, we're OK with it. The universe was talking to us."
So what's next for the pair?
"We do have twin granddaughters out in Colorado that we do plan on seeing more often," Marv explained. "We'll be able to go to more concerts."
Marv Menzel just turned 82 and co-owns the store with his wife. That next chapter of his life - and going to see shows - is what he's looking forward to the most.
"You know, we'd be here working when there's concerts going on and not unable to attend," he says. "So we'll be able to take in some more music than we have."
The multi-purpose music store has sold those staples of bluegrass - the banjo and the mandolin - and offered lessons, in-house concerts, and printed music along with records and anything else a fan wanted.
Mostly, it's just been a hub for the bluegrass and folk music community since 1979.
Their final day of business is July 31.
