The St Louis Park Experience: Posters, Postcards, and Parents

Memorial Day Bench Talk: Dad Jokes, Raccoons in the Attic, Fireworks, and Barter

Send Comments and Feedback [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2604835/fan_mail/new] Memorial Day Bench Talk: Dad Jokes, Raccoons in the Attic, Fireworks, and Barter On a Memorial Day in Minnesota, Carlos and Mike Hammer record “Park Bench Perspectives,” starting with a dad joke from Brady about “paranormal jeans.” They trade stories about critters in attics, including Mike’s suspected squirrels that turn out to be raccoons, a late-night raccoon at his daughter’s window, and using lights and loud music (AC/DC) to drive them out, plus a teen memory of using pellet guns on squirrels. Carlos shares a childhood incident where a squirrel fell into the shower. They reminisce about changing local wildlife, Westwood Nature Center, Dayton’s Memorial Day/Jubilee Sale ads, and Fourth of July fireworks, including large personal displays in Wisconsin. The conversation shifts to barter economics, estimates vs. bids in handyman work, coincidences in repairs and health, and frustration with vaccine misinformation.  They close by promoting footpainauthority.com and announcing a growing podcast network, including “Forgotten Television” and a new show, “Role Reversal,” about caring for aging parents. 00:00 Park Bench Intro 00:39 Memorial Day Banter 00:43 Dad Joke Detour 01:30 Critters in the Attic 03:51 Wizard of Oz Surprise 04:42 Raccoon at the Window 06:21 Blasting Music to Evict 07:08 Pellet Gun Flashback 07:27 Shower Squirrel Chaos 08:35 Wildlife Then and Now 08:55 Westwood Nature Center 09:23 What Memorial Day Meant 10:16 Dayton’s Sale Nostalgia 11:10 Fourth of July Memories 11:42 Fireworks Then vs Now 12:37 Backyard Fireworks Tales 13:52 Cleanup and Getting Older 14:25 Barter Economy Dreams 16:52 Handyman Deals and Estimates 19:10 Coincidence and Vaccine Rants 21:24 Workplace Shots and Meeting Culture 22:39 Plugging Businesses and Podcasts 23:45 New Show Role Reversal 24:35 Next Episodes and Sign Off Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2604835/support]

First Jobs and St. Louis Park Rituals

Send Comments and Feedback [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2604835/fan_mail/new] From their “Park Bench Perspective,” Carlos and Mike Hammer reminisce about growing up in St. Louis Park and early work experiences, starting with a childhood paper route and frustrations with school fundraisers, including a story about Melissa McCarthy opting to write a check rather than sell magazines. They compare fundraisers like paper drives and Girl Scout cookies and joke about shrinkflation. The conversation shifts to first jobs: Hammer dishwashing at the Ambassador Motor Hotel (union breaks, heavy pots and pans) and briefly working at Jolly Troll before quitting due to a creepy manager; Carlos describes working at TGI Fridays as a teen, cutting his thumb and receiving a disability payout, then being fired over an earring, and quitting Plums after 17 straight days. They mention other jobs (Shakey’s, Snyder Drug, Tom Thumb, Domino’s) and discuss restaurant theft, service, and management lessons. Carlos announces a new podcast with Joe Reilly, “Forgotten Television,” debuting with The White Shadow, teases another podcast with Hammer, and they plan “Jobs Part Two,” while plugging Hammer’s handyman/construction work and Carlos’s writing project “The Ghost of Lake Osseo.” 00:00 Park Bench Intro 00:31 First Money Jobs 01:03 Fundraiser Rants 04:03 Girl Scout Shrinkflation 05:24 First Real Restaurant Jobs 09:04 TGI Fridays Thumb Story 11:55 More Teen Jobs List 13:12 Dominos Before GPS 15:26 Restaurant Theft Wisdom 20:26 New Podcasts Announcement 21:29 Jobs Part Two Tease 24:11 Wrap Up and Contact Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2604835/support]

We Remember Summers in St. Louis Park

Send Comments and Feedback [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2604835/fan_mail/new] St. Louis Park Summertime Perspectives (and the “Bare Ass Pool” Story) Carlos Figueroa and Mike Hammer talk on Park Bench Perspectives about May leading into summer in St. Louis Park, recalling elementary track meets (relays, sack races), a tougher era of safety (asphalt playgrounds, no bike helmets, lawn jarts), and the start of summer baseball with Little League drafts, uniforms, opening day, and a memorable visit from a Japanese Little League team whose disciplined play and submarine pitching were intimidating. They reminisce about the last day of school paper-throwing chaos, summer park programs with the “green box” of games (four square, capture the flag, Knox hockey), neighborhood mischief, Cub Scout paper drives and liability fears, exploring marshland, and local traffic changes advocated by “Disco Dave Hammer.” They also cover the rec center pool, beaches and cabins, teen driving and partying stories, and invite listeners to share St. Louis Park trivia—jokingly titling the episode “Bare Ass Pool” after discussion of nude swim classes in earlier decades. 00:00 May Bench Banter 01:07 School Track Meet Memories 02:13 Dangerous Games and No Helmets 04:13 Little League Draft Days 05:32 Japanese Team Showdown 08:05 Last Day School Chaos 10:53 Summer Parks and Green Box 12:01 First Kisses and Window Breaking 14:44 Neighborhood Games and Lawsuits 16:49 Cub Scouts Paper Drive Hustle 19:16 Cub Scouts and Summers 19:28 Neighborhood Exploring Tales 20:19 Phone Book Anderson Joke 20:37 Hampshire Road Changes 22:02 Snowballs and Speeders 22:53 Highway Frogger Food Runs 23:43 Mark Globus Memories 25:09 Rec Center Pool Days 28:50 Beaches Falls and Cabins 30:01 Boy Scout Camp Mischief 31:06 Road Trips and Teen Years 33:24 Driving Drinking Concert Chaos 35:58 Podcast Wrap and Call In 37:44 Bare Ass Pool Trivia 39:10 Bench Season Goodbye Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2604835/support]

Mother’s Day Park Bench Perspective: Remembering Judy and Maria

Send Comments and Feedback [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2604835/fan_mail/new] On Mother’s Day, hosts Mike Hammer and Carlos Figueroa return to their “park bench perspective,” invite listeners to leave Fan Mail or voicemails on their Buzzsprout page to share St. Louis Park stories, and dedicate a mom-centric episode to their late mothers, Judy and Maria. They discuss grief and the ongoing one-way “conversation” after a parent’s death, including therapy practices like talking at the cemetery and writing letters, and reflect on how their moms quietly supported families and neighborhoods through work, Scouts, sports, and hospitality. The conversation touches on generational realities such as women’s limited ability to sign contracts before 1974, financial strain after divorce, and the importance of checking on others. They also share personal memories, including Marty Hammer’s severe accident and ICU ordeal, Maria’s lonely phone calls, and Judy’s “not today” refrain near the end of her life. 00:00 Park Bench Return 00:43 Listener Voicemails Invite 01:50 Mothers Day Reflections 03:29 Grief Coping Tools 04:37 Moms Who Show Up 05:32 Pick A Pop Memories 07:09 Divorce And Resilience 09:00 Check In On People 10:13 Entrepreneur Mindset 15:23 Sales Luck And No 17:40 Create Your Own Luck 18:50 Handling Rejection 19:11 Rejection Isn’t Personal 19:57 Sales Process and Asking 20:43 Fair Deals and Karma 21:17 Hidden Fees and Tipping Screens 23:55 Back to Mothers and Similarities 24:41 Judy’s Compassion and Passivity 25:54 Aging Parents and Doctor Visits 27:49 Marty’s Accident and Aftermath 33:19 Shoutout to Moms 33:36 Maria Story and Not Today 36:25 Final Farewell Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2604835/support]

The St Louis Park Experience: Posters, Postcards, and Parents

Send Comments and Feedback [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2604835/fan_mail/new] Posters, Pop Cans, and Park Bench Perspectives Mike Hammer and Carlos Figueroa reminisce on a “park bench” about teen bedroom posters (Farrah Fawcett, Led Zeppelin, Lamborghini, Easy Rider), poster-shopping at places like the Fun Shop and Ridgedale, and trivia that Fernando Valenzuela’s poster surpassed Farrah’s in sales. They recall collecting RC Cola baseball-player cans by digging through Westwood Deli’s stock, confirm RC Cola still exists, and detour into a Vegas blackjack memory. The conversation shifts to beer and bar memorabilia, including distributor neons and personal wall art like a Rat Pack “Royal Flush” poster and a signed Ramones album. Carlos shares a 2003 story of receiving Bubba Gump souvenir glasses from Mike’s sons during a difficult period. They discuss St. Louis Park history (name from the Minneapolis & St. Louis Railroad; early downtown near Walker/Broadway and Wooddale), the value of the postal service, letters/telegrams, and reflect on parenting, especially Judy Hammer’s resilience and “showing up.” 00:00 Park Bench Intro 00:41 Cuban Family Story 01:24 Teen Posters Debate 02:43 Poster Shopping Memories 05:12 Iconic Posters Trivia 06:08 RC Cola Can Collecting 09:24 Vegas Drinking Detour 11:18 Beer Signs Bar Swag 16:01 Bubba Gump Glasses 19:23 Movie Posters Talk 21:44 Warriors Nostalgia 24:35 St Louis Park Origins 26:39 Elmwood Origins 27:59 Postal Service Debate 29:13 Stamps And Seniors 32:25 Postcards And Letters 34:44 Telegrams And Keepsakes 36:25 Yearbook Secrets 37:40 Judy Tough Love 42:27 Showing Up Parenting 46:26 Youth Sports Costs 50:41 Wrap Up And Plugs Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2604835/support]