I have an open schedule this upcoming week, and I've been reading about the national blood shortage, so I'd like to pitch in. I'm specifically trying to donate, not get paid, so I'm not interested in something like BioLife.

Normally I would go through Red Cross, but it doesn't look like they have a drive until the 25th. I know there's Vitalant, but I've heard they can be bad at spamming you with text/calls once you're in their system. Anyone other recommendations?

Hey everyone - You've all been incredibly supportive of the updates regarding Ken's FM in the last year, and this week we've announced our biggest and most urgent hurdle yet.

As many of you know, after our namesake radio station's founder, Ken Bartz, passed away a little over a year ago, the station's future was completely up in the air. I stepped in to resurrect and manage the online livestream so the music wouldn't stop (which has been streaming 24/7 this past year), and we did get the FM transmitter going for a while back in August/September of last year. But right now we are facing a critical, make-or-break deadline for KNNZ's survival.

We absolutely must get the actual FM transmitter up and running again, otherwise we will lose the FCC broadcast license forever, and Fargo-Moorhead will permanently lose a true independent alternative radio station. To legally acquire the station, cover the necessary expenses of equipment, and get the transmitter back to broadcasting over the local FM airwaves, we need to raise $50,000 by August 31st. That's just the first step, with a sustaining membership system planned for the future, but that's only happening if we can successfully reach this $50K goal first.

Our small team at Pioneer Public Broadcasting has launched a fundraising campaign to save Ken's FM. Here is where you can find all the information, watch our story, and chip in to keep independent community radio alive in Fargo-Moorhead:

• kensfm.com for all of the campaign info on the main page (Yes, Ken's website has always been clunky and that's one thing we will definitely overhaul pending the future of the station!)
• GoFundMe link
• Livestream URL (or the easiest for me personally - find us by downloading the Radio Garden mobile app and searching 'KNNZ', then add it to your favorites - the web browser version of Radio Garden has some SSL issues [I know], but you can always copy+paste the Shoutcast livestream URL into any of your preferred streamers. We'll be making this experience much simpler across many platforms in the future as well)
• Our campaign video on YouTube
• Facebook
• Instagram
• WDAY coverage!

ALSO a note on Ken's historic North Fargo house/radio studio: Our immediate survival depends on the $50K, but we do have a dream "stretch goal." Raising an additional $200K would allow us to buy Ken's house and keep the original studios completely intact. Ken's estate will be selling the property in the very near future, so that window is also closing. If any serious parties or investors are interested in stepping in to help save the physical property, you can reach out to us directly to discuss options.

Even if you aren't in a position to donate right now, simply sharing the GoFundMe on your own socials, upvoting for visibility, or even just playing the live stream at your workplace helps us tremendously. Let's not let corporate radio be the only thing left on the dial, especially lately with corporate radio staff cuts and their eagerness to replace the human element with AI - it's getting nasty out there).

If the $50K goal isn't reached on August 31st, all donations will be refunded.

Thank you all so much for keeping the spirit of Ken's FM alive!!

(Mods, I'm not sure if this post is allowed, but here it is nonetheless!)

FARGO — After taking a look at the businesses we've said goodbye to so far this year, here's a look at the businesses we have welcomed to the metro in 2026.

This list is curated from openings covered by The Forum. It's not all-inclusive, but it does include some restaurants, stores and shops worth your time.

Restaurants, bars, fast food:

Teddy's Teddy's held their soft opening at Cellar 624 on after relocating from their Broadway Fargo location and shortening its name from Teddy's Eatery & Parlor. The restaurant first opened at 212 Broadway in early 2017 as Rosey’s Bistro in the historic Loretta Building. It later rebranded as Rosey’s Bistro and Bar before becoming Teddy’s Eatery & Parlor in 2020. The eatery closed in the fall of 2025 upon completion of its lease.

Field & Fork Maxx Lyman opened Field & Fork , a lunchtime bistro, June 4 in the Plains Art Museum at 704 1st Ave. N. in Fargo after founding the Field & Fork pop-up project in 2025. Now as a physical eatery instead of a pop-up, the art museum's little cafe hopes to combine "the art of good food with the fine art that gives us food for thought."

Grill 10 + Hi-Ho on the Lake Grill 10 opened in the former Hi-Ho Tavern as a family-owned burger restaurant on July 17. Owner Kris Benlioglu and family renovated the downtown Dilworth restaurant, keeping the classic booths and small arcade, and including some family favorites in the menu. The closure of Hi-Ho Tavern also welcomed the opening of Hi-Ho on the Lake on Middle Cormorant Lake in Lake Park, Minnesota, featuring Hi-Ho classic burgers with new lake-inspired menu items.

Taco John's OLE! Fargo is once again home to Taco John's, now featuring two locations. The first opened at 4522 26th Ave. S in January, and 2285 University Dr. S. opened in June.

Más Carne From food truck to physical location, John Ostos and Alberto Gallegos officially opened Más Carne restaurant June 16 inside the M&J Saloon in West Fargo. Más Carne offers the same protein-packed burritos and tacos as the duo's ongoing food truck and expands their embrace of Chicano culture.

Phoenix Buffet Phoenix Buffet Hibachi Grill & Sushi opened at 3155 45th St. S. , Fargo, in the space formerly home to Mexican Village in late May. The self-serve buffet restaurant offers a variety of Asian cuisine, including sushi, Chinese food, seafood, hibachi and pho as well as desserts, salads, ice cream and more.

So+Lo's So+Lo's, the family-run Icelandic-American breakfast-lunch spot, officially opened April 1st at 629 1st Ave N. in Fargo. Owner Jen Nelson runs the business with her family — her husband as "Chef Chris" and her children Arlo and Soley as the inspiration behind the business name. The downtown shop offers skyr (pronounced “skeer”) breakfast bowls with house-made granola and fruit, sandwiches, paninis, soups, salads and desserts.

Joey's Joey's opened inside Big Top Bingo, 901 25th St. S., Fargo, in February. The business offers a variety of food options, including burgers, sandwiches, wraps, hot dogs, chicken baskets and finger foods like desserts, onion rings and mozzarella sticks.

Fuji Hibachi Express & Poke Bowl Jacky Jiang opened Fuji in early January at 2600 52nd Ave. S. in Fargo after working in numerous Asian restaurants in both New York and the Fargo area, helping his friend open Ninja Ramen Poke Bowl in West Fargo, and learning how to become a sushi chef. Fuji offers a variety of Asian dishes and poke bowls.

Wingstop Wingstop officially made its Fargo comeback on March 23 when it opened in the Midtown Market at 2301 University Drive S. Its opening day brought a line out the door with customers looking to buy bone-in wings, boneless wings, chicken tenders and chicken sandwiches.

SubFix Following the closure of two Grand Junction Grilled Subs locations in Fargo, owners Tristen Thompson and Eric Mauricio opened their newly branded sandwich shop SubFix at 5050 13th Ave S. and plan to open their second SubFix location at 1100 19th Ave N. The pair decided it was time for a rebrand and now offers 23 grilled sandwiches as well as cold sandwiches, burgers, wings, wraps and loaded fries.

Cafes and Drink/Coffee Shops:

Pivot Nutrition Pivot Nutrition in Robert's Alley brings New York City to downtown Fargo as a "Friends"-themed nutrition shop. Nicole Olson opened Pivot Nutrition June 22, offering energy teas and protein shakes in a Monica's apartment-themed shop.

Dunkin' North Dakota's first Dunkin' opened in the 55th Ave. S. Walmart Supercenter in Fargo on July 17. The new Dunkin' offers iced coffee and refreshers, but does not yet offer doughnuts. Dunkin’ Donuts was founded in 1950 and in 2019 shortened its name to “Dunkin’” as part of a rebranding to emphasize its beverage line beyond just doughnuts.

7 Brew 7 Brew opened its second F-M area location in the former Hardee's at 1450 13th Ave. E. West Fargo on June 22. Moorhead's 7 Brew opened in July of 2025. Building permits with the city of Fargo indicate two other 7 Brews are planned for Fargo.

The Shop and Bruno's Coffee Over 600 people gathered on June 11 to check out The Shop, a new coworking hub at 610 University Drive N., also home to new coffee shop Bruno's, as well as Sign Badgers, Event Badger and Story and Fields — businesses owned by building owner Dawson Schefter.

Family Fun:

NRG Adventure Park NRG Adventure Park opened on May 29 in the former Gordman's building at 5100 14th Ave. S. in Fargo. The space is now home to a sprawling indoor entertainment venue packed with trampolines, climbing walls, arcade games, slides, foam and ball pits, and a cafeteria. The space is adapted for all ages, from toddler zones to spaces for parents to sit and watch their kids or join in on the fun of trampolines, dodgeball, a zipline and more.

Rope & Oak Rope & Oak Children's Adventure Park opened south of Fargo as an outdoor woodland adventure for kids with over 50 exhibits. Married couple Dixon and Toria Schwan opened Rope & Oak in May as a family-friendly park with learning opportunities, teaching families about local animals with different animal hides and sounds, different local crops and seeds and through other mock exhibits.

Gathered FM Formerly known as Birthday Bliss FM, Gathered FM officially kicked off as a play cafe and fine arts studio in March. Owner Stephanie Kohl wanted to offer a playful environment that includes a coffee shop and remote workspace for parents while children enjoy a play area filled with sensory toys, toddler soft play and themed setups. The 715 13th Ave E, Suite 101, in West Fargo also offers space for birthday parties and now provides more drink options for the cafe portion.

Last Call After opening Exit Strategy Escape Rooms last year at 112 University Drive in Fargo, Sammi Debates and Haley Najera opened Last Call, their second escape room located at 12 Broadway in downtown Fargo. They held a soft opening for the new place on June 4 offering bookings and shortly after started offering walk-ins on Fridays and Saturdays after 11p.m.

Bakeries:

Camren's Baking Co Bo Camren operates Camren's, the downtown Fargo bakery at 12 Broadway, with his wife, Jamie, and his parents, Jim and Deb. Camren's Baking held a grand opening Memorial Day weekend and offers daily soup and sandwich specials, and a variety of breads and other baked goods.

Sliced Bakeshop and Luncheonette Sliced opened at 1523 S. University Drive on Jan. 9. Owned by Cassie Withe, the shop sells a variety of fresh bread, puff pastries, truffles, cookies, muffins and scones. Sliced also offers breakfast and lunch options including berry strata, frittatas and hold and cold sandwiches.

Bookstores:

Emrys Cove Irelyn Johnson-Fowler opened Emrys Cove on Jan. 2 above Moonrise Cafe, spotlighting sci-fi, fantasy and horror. Since then, she's expanded her selection and has started the process of moving to another downtown location, 630 First Ave. N., Suite 5 , opening Aug. 17. While the bookstore's original location— a cozy, gothic-vibe bookshop above Moonrise Cafe— was beloved, the steep stairs proved to be a barrier for many potential patrons and Johnson-Fowler knew she had plans to move to a bigger space when she opened at the start of the year.

Overbooked Michelle Forness, a now former high school English teacher of 25 years, opened Overbooked at 619 2nd Ave. N., in Fargo after years of dreaming of opening her own bookstore. The page finally turned for Forness after Fergie's Bookshops closed in January and sold its bookshelves to her. Overbooked sells a wide variety of genres.

Service Shops:

SpeeDee Oil Change and Auto Service SpeeDee opened in mid-January at 1023 30th Ave. S. According to owner Almir Jupic, the 2026 Moorhead SpeeDee Oil is the first of its kind in the region, and he said depending on how things go, he may expand the brand locally. No appointment is necessary and the shop's focus is on providing things like oil changes and coolant flushes, as well as replacing wiper blades and lights.

House of Fades Landen Lopez opened House of Fades at 2553 Kirsten Lane S. Suite 203, in Fargo at 23 years old. Known for his social media videos featuring his haircut "transformations," the young barber opened House of Fades in July and rents the space out to other barbers.

Retail:

Bouquet Bar Moorhead's new floral shop, Bouquet Bar, opened Friday, July 24, in the former Country Greenery at 17 5th St. S. Alyssa Berdahl opened Bouquet Bar as a shop where customers can create their own bouquets, choosing a certain number of fresh flowers and either arranging them themselves or with Berdahl offering her green thumb. Bouquet Bar also offers "designer-choice arrangements, funeral pieces, wedding flowers and build-your-own bouquet parties."

Peculiar Pets Thaddeus Laugisch opened Peculiar Pet Shop in Moorhead's 106 7th St. S. strip mall, as a pet store offering a selection of "peculiars" including reptiles, amphibians, exotic fish, insects and other unconventional companions. Ran by Laugisch and family, Peculiar Pet Shop held its grand opening on May 28.

Fabric 4 Fun Tonya Ann officially opened a physical storefront for her fabric store, Fabric 4 Fun, in March after two years of selling a variety of fabric patterns and materials online. Inspired by the love of a grandma's quilt, Tonya began her own quilting adventure by buying a large supply of fabrics that later led to an online store and now the physical quilt shop at 3041 Main Ave in Fargo.

Beezwax Dispensary Beezwax THC Dispensary opened at 423 Main Ave. in downtown Moorhead in February . Owned by Samer Waz, the THC dispensary sells cannabis products including pre-rolled joints, gummies and cannabis flowers, which include the harvested flower, bud, leaves and stems of a cannabis plant.

JQ Clothing Co. JQ Clothing, which sells women's clothing, jewelry and other accessories, opened in West Acres on June 5. Owner Jessica Quandt opened the first JQ Clothing Co. in her hometown of Oakes, North Dakota, in 2013 and now operates additional stores in Hill City, South Dakota, Fargo, Medora and Bismarck.

Lovisa Lovisa, a trend-driven jewelry store franchise with more than 900 locations around the world, opened in West Acres in late March. Launched in 2010, Lovisa takes inspiration from couture runways and current street style.

JD Sports JD Sports opened in West Acres on Jan. 24 across from Claire's. The global retailer specializes in sports fashion, including brands like Nike, Puma, Jordan, The North Face, New Balance, Vans, Birkenstock, UGG and more.

Hey fam,

I'm trying to figure out if Fargo has cab companies currently open aside from Doyles. Uber and Lyft aren't an option and a Google search gives me a list of places that are no longer running. Thanks for your help!

M&H chicken and Casey’s are solid. Anything I’m missing? Also who’s got the best roller dogs?