The top level of a former drug store in Dinkytown, Minnesota gained recognition as Bob Dylan’s first apartment in Minneapolis and his first taste of independent living. Despite several attempts at redevelopment and three failed businesses since 1998, the once bustling pharmacy now sits empty.
Born as Robert Zimmerman in Duluth in 1941, Dylan spent his early childhood there until the age of six when his family relocated to Hibbing. He completed his education at Hibbing High School in 1959 and then moved to Minneapolis in September of the same year to attend the University of Minnesota. Opting for the lively Dinkytown neighborhood, situated next to the university, Dylan planted his roots in this Bohemian community.
While living in Dinkytown, Dylan rented an apartment above Gray’s Campus Drugs, located at the corner of 14th Avenue SE and 4th Street SE, also known as positively 4th Street. As he began his journey performing in the big city, Dylan’s first stop was the nearby 10 O’Clock Scholar coffee house, lovingly called “The Scholar.” It was during this time that Zimmerman took on the moniker Bob Dylan.