Digital Division
420 Division St
Morris Building
est. 1879
A.P. Morris settled down here in 1879, setting up shop in his new building and opening up a notions store. After Morris left, the building he constructed became a furniture or hardware store for most of its existence. In the 1970s, however, it was replaced by something that has always been a relative rarity in Northfield’s downtown: a chain. The Minneapolis Rag Stock Company opened a location here in 1978. Founded in 1954 and based out of the Twin Cities, Ragstock now has over 40 locations nationwide.
While this was by definition a chain, this did not seem to make it any less beloved by the town of Northfield. As a Minnesota corporation and a vintage clothing dealer, it still had that Northfield spirit to it. The Northfield Ragstock stuck around until the 2020s, when it was discontinued. Nautical Bowls, which now occupies the space, has quickly become a popular lunch or snack location downtown, particularly for Northfield’s youth and college students.