Uptown has been home to a lot of business openings lately. Here's what's been going on within a half mile of Hennepin and Lake over the last two months.

‍In November, Arts + Rec opened up their indoor space, including the new mini golf, theater, and restaurant. Plans were revealed for a new Boludo restaurant at 2935 Girard Ave S.

In December, Pinoli opened for takeout in the old Amore Uptown space (in-person coming soon) to bring even more stuff to the Lake & Irving block that's seen Les Sól, Legacy, and Bevel open in the past year. bb.q Chicken opened in the old Andy's Diner space, Ties Uptown opened at 1400 Lagoon Ave S, and Help Boardshop opened up an entire indoor skate park in Seven Points.

In January, the Slurp Noodle Shop pop-up opened at Bryant and Lake, Green Room, a new music venue, announced they're coming to 2923 Girard Ave. S. Breakfast Klub opened their purple-bathed restaurant at 1301 Lagoon Ave S. and Justin Sutherland is opening his Northern Soul restaurant in the Tie's space and working on a concept for Daisy's, a bar slated for the old Cowboy Slim's space. The Bohen, the new apartment building that looks over the Old Chicago/restaurant graveyard next to the Greenway (and whose construction has been blocking part of a lane of Hennepin for seemingly several decades) is slated to move people in beginning in mid-February.

Whew, I'm exhausted. There has been lots of hand-wringing about The Future Of Uptown, and while there are still several vacancies along Hennepin, there is all of a sudden a whole lot happening in the neighborhood.I don't like declarative statements like Uptown Is Dead or Uptown Is Back, but if you had to pick one, well... you tell me.