Good morning, Duluth! In today’s edition: New restaurants serving comfort classics, top baby names revealed, a flash tattoo fundraiser, and more. Let’s get to it!

— Cait Baker

🏆 Most popular this week

Curated by popular demand — here are this week’s most-clicked events, local spots, and stories.

Cold-weather cravings satisfied: Three new Duluth restaurants brought comfort classics in 2025, including PhởHolic’s new London Road location, November’s Sol Hong Kong Cafe, and the Duluth Whiskey Project known for cocktails and comfort-driven fare — check out the full lineup.

Indoor dinks, anyone? Whether you’re chasing round-robin chaos or sneaking in a lunchtime game, Duluth Indoor Sports Center serves up eight indoor courts, open play, rentals, and lessons. Forgot gear? They’ve got free loaner paddles and balls, so you can walk in, warm up, and swing.

Newborn name highlights revealed: Essentia says 1,685 babies were born at St. Mary’s Medical Center in 2025, and top names mixed classics with trends, with Theodore and Evelyn among the favorites — see the top baby names.

How daily life could shift: New laws in Minnesota and Wisconsin took effect Jan. 1, including changes to MinnesotaCare eligibility, the launch of Paid Family and Medical Leave, and tighter cellphone limits in public schools — see what’s changing in both states.

Safety tips and conservation: A mountain lion appeared on Duluth Heights trail cameras, prompting the district to keep students indoors. Officials said it was likely a Nebraska-tagged cougar tracked since September — see safety tips and updates.

Growth on the horizon: Duluth Coffee Company is moving its Superior Street cafe to a larger downtown space as part of its plan to build a full coffee community. A temporary cafe next door opened Jan. 2 for three months while the original is gutted and expanded, with renovations expected around summer 2026. Get all the renovation details.

Are you overpaying? The national average for car insurance is around $175 per month. I was paying over $300 for ONE car until I checked out various quotes, switched providers, and ultimately cut my premium in half. If you haven’t checked in a while, you’re probably losing money too — this free comparison tool makes it easy.

Gold & silver are hot: Gold just had it’s best year since 1979. Silver did even better, climbing nearly 150% in 2025… and analysts expect the momentum to continue. If you’re curious about adding precious metals to your portfolio as a market hedge, American Hartford has a helpful guide that covers everything you need to know. It’s free — and definitely worth a read.

A new haircare solution: My hair’s been thinning and I’ve been quietly ignoring it, hoping it’ll fix itself. Plot twist… it hasn’t. When I finally started looking into what I should do, there were so many options I didn’t know where to start. I stumbled on Keranique, and its simplicity really sold me. One kit, no pills, no choosing products, and no confusion whatsoever. It’s also on sale with a money-back guarantee (although I doubt you’ll need it).

📆 Sneak peek at next week

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🌿 Refresh in the Greenhouse @ Growing Duluth | Monday (1/12) at 9:00 AM – If your living room office has started to feel like a cave, trade the couch for a heated greenhouse and some oxygen-rich company. Hourly tables for working, reading, meditating, or finally starting that project. Think tropical escape, minus TSA, sunburn, and sand.

🖋 Flash Tattoo Fundraiser @ Gitchee Gumee Tattoo | Monday (1/12) at 11:00 AM – If you’ve been waiting for a sign to get inked, make it this one-day flash at Gitchee Gumee Tattoo supporting Second Harvest Northland. No appointments, just show up, cash only, 50% donated, so you can snag a tasteful Superior-inspired doodle and feel morally superior, too.

🏺 Clay Play: Build a Ceramic Fruit Bowl @ Duluth Folk School Main Hall | Tuesday (1/13) at 5:30 PM – Nothing beats making something you’ll use. Roll, drape, and shape a clay fruit bowl from scratch, finesse the rim, add a foot, pick a glaze. They supply everything, they fire it, you grab your masterpiece in two weeks, and act like you’ve always done ceramics.

🥕 Roots Market @ Hoops Brewing | Wednesday (1/14) at 3:00 PM – If you need a midwinter excuse to leave the house, Roots Market, an indoor winter farmers market, pops up at Hoops with local brats, gluten-free treats, beans, preserves, and clay ware. Shop, linger, catch up with neighbors, then reward yourself with a beer, because balance.

🧘 SomaYoga for Menopause @ Svalja Whole-Being | Wednesday (1/14) at 6:00 PM – Whether you’re sweating through sweaters or forgetting why you walked into the kitchen, this four-week SomaYoga series tackles peri to post with strength, balance, function, and restoration. Expect real talk, handouts, and community. Join Sara Duke at Svalja or on Zoom, yoga pants optional.

🥗 Duluth Vegan Cooking Group Quarterly @ Salem Covenant Church | Thursday (1/15) at 6:00 PM – Bring your best plant-based dish and join the quarterly vegan potluck at Salem Covenant Church youth room. Swap recipes and stories, no meat, dairy, eggs, fish, or honey, bring an ingredient list and a reusable plate, and feel free to bring your skeptical uncle.

🚀 Drop-Off Workshop: Space Explorers @ Duluth Children’s Museum | Friday (1/16) at 5:00 PM – Need two hours to eat a meal in peace? Park the 5–10 crowd at Duluth Children’s Museum for Space Explorers, where they’ll launch stomp rockets, make galaxy art, do space experiments, and enjoy a snack, while you enjoy adult time, $30 or $25 for members.

Wanna see more? Browse our full events calendar →

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📻 Duluth report

Weather forecast

Today – High: 22°F – Low: 13°F – Precip: 21%

A slight chance of snow before 5pm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 22. Northwest wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%. Later: Partly cloudy, with a low around 13. Northwest wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph.

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Tomorrow – High: 23°F – Low: 21°F – Precip: 6%

Mostly sunny, with a high near 23. West wind 5 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph. Later: Partly cloudy, with a low around 21. West wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph.

Most popular house this week

Modern townhouse privacy on London Rd sits on a double-wide wooded lot with a bold exterior. A heated 2-car garage and a mudroom set the tone, with a modern staircase beyond. Large sliders frame trees, and the kitchen brings stainless appliances, a gas stove, and a backsplash window. Dining flows to a living room with a gas fireplace. Lake Superior shimmers from the front patio, and a fenced back deck suits evenings. A main-level half bath completes things.

Upstairs are 3 bedrooms and a laundry closet. The primary suite adds a walk-in and private bath with a custom tile shower. Another bedroom shows an exposed beam, the third faces the forest. HOA-maintained exterior.

Take a peek inside →