Lynn and Paulette met in Paris, married and moved to Minnesota in 1953. The two of them opened a bar called The Purple Goblet, which was known for its Tuesday night chamber music and its weekend jazz that included bands like Gene Harris and the 3 Sounds.

When Lynn and Paulette sold The Purple Goblet, they used the proceeds to open The Podium in Dinkytown. They located their shop across the street from the now legendary 10 O’ Clock Scholar, a coffee shop popular among artists like Dave Ray, Spider John Koerner, Tony Glover, John Kolstad, Bonnie Raitt, Willie Murphy, Peter Ostroushko and Bob Dylan.

The Podium started out selling sheet music, but soon added acoustic guitars to its offerings. Before long, the crowd from 10 O’ Clock Scholar was visiting The Podium regularly to hang out or pick up the occasional set of strings.

The Podium has always sold American-made acoustic instruments, but in 2000 the shop made a major commitment to selling the finest American handmade guitars available. We sell these instruments locally, nationally and internationally. Part of what led us in this direction was the explosion of great American luthiers producing more world-class instruments than ever before. Our goal is to focus on finding the right instrument for each person who visits our store. If you are a musician, you will find kindred spirits among The Podium's staff members and teachers.

Lynn Thompson passed away in 1985, but Paulette stops in at least once a week to say hello to her “family” on her way to the local café. In 2000, Jeff Molde purchased The Podium. Although some of the faces and instruments have changed, The Podium still has a small, family-owned feel … and that’s the way we like it!