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Nov 18, 2007 11:03 pm US/Central
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Finding Minnesota: Sven And Ole's Pizza
GRAND MARAIS, Minn. (WCCO) ―
The landscape of Minnesota's North Shore offers a place where nature lovers and outdoor enthusiasts can enjoy the playground provided by Mother Nature.
Grand Marais, Minn. is a great mix of the good life to be found up north. Smack dab in the middle of it is a Minnesota must-do.
"Yes, you can't miss Sven and Ole's if you're in Grand Marais," said one visitor.
It probably won't be found on a map of parks and attractions, and it's nothing fancy.
"Unless you walk right by it, you could actually miss it. That would be dreadful," said another visitor
"It's the only place you can get an Uff Da pizza!" said one woman
It's a North Shore institution: A pizza joint, started by a couple of Scandinavians.
"The dough was actually based off my mom's bread dough," said Sid Backland Jr., who started Sven and Ole's with his brother Terry.
It all started in 1981, with an effort to make some extra dough when Sid and Terry were college students home for summer break.
"I wasn't coming back. There was nothing here for me," said Sid.
Twenty-six years later both have made their lives in Grand Marais. Terry now sells real estate; Sid runs Sven and Ole's. Sid gives full credit to his brother Terry for the bumper stickers that have made this place somewhat famous.
"I thought it was the dumbest idea," said Sid. "That just isn't going to work. Ah, I was kind of wrong."
The walls of this place preserve the Backland family history. The menu, and the mood, displays a little of the Scandinavian roots of this area. On the menu, pizzas pay homage to Minnesota's distinct accent.
"Yeah sure, you betcha, speaking Minnesota, Uff Da terms," said a woman visiting Sven and Ole's.
"We have the vild one. That has wild rice," said Sid, describing one of the pizzas. "Sckicken and wild rice."
"You heard that all the time, yah the vind is really picking up out there on the lake. It was always that clipped English," said Sid. "Its part of us, its part of what we know, part what grew up with."
As for the name Sven and Ole, it's more legend than literal.
"Basically it's a caricature of some actual relatives. Not our actual grandparents," said Sid.
Eager tourists hoping to meet the good old boys may have to settle for a North Shore story rather than an introduction.
The character of Sven and Ole's is no doubt a draw but so is the pizza.
North Shore deep dish, thick or thin crust, it doesn't really matter. Make a stop at Sven and Ole's and one will be getting a slice of the good life to be found up north.
(© MMVIII, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)