Recent content from Gita Sitaramiah

Here are ways Minnesota couples can save on weddings in the craziest YOLO year ever
Manage the big ticket items or opt for a micro wedding.

Sun Country first-quarter earnings fall despite rising demand
Revenue hit a record level at the Twin Cities airline, but higher fuel costs eroded profits.

Delta's bet on 'premium' seats and prices is paying off
An airline that once counted on business travelers found a way to make leisure passengers pay more.

Lunds & Byerlys groceries to be delivered by Target-owned Shipt
The partnership between grocery competitors will boost Lunds & Byerlys' delivery order capacity.

CWT lifts Andersen from president to chief executive
He has been an executive at the firm formerly known as Carlson Wagonlit since 2008.

Delta Air Lines pilots picket at MSP for improved schedules
The airport is the sixth Delta hub where pilots have picketed as contract talks are underway.

Jon Charles Pfau, hairdresser known for his 'Blow Dry Bootcamps,' dies at 57
Jon Charles, whose eponymous salons had closed, was behind Marty's Barbershop in the North Loop's MartinPatrick3 boutique.

CB2 to close in Uptown Minneapolis to make way for apartments
The modern furniture retailer's closing comes as the owner of the Seven Points shopping center plans a grocery-anchored apartment development.

Delta resumes daily nonstop service to London from MSP
Airlines are expanding flights to other European destinations in time for summer.

Business surges at auto repair shops as Minnesotans try to make vehicles last longer
As new and used car prices rise, some vehicle owners are turning to making the best of their current vehicles.

After hitting record sales in pandemic, Dairy Queen updates its burger lineup
"Loaded A.1." and other new "Stackburgers" hit menu as DQ tries to maintain momentum.

Minnesota hotels and restaurants slowly recover from pandemic
About 37% said it will be next year before they are operating at pre-pandemic revenue levels.

As weddings boom, diverse Twin Cities vendors connect to reach multicultural couples
The new Colorful Weddings collective is hosting its first event Sunday.

Where Twin Cities area drivers are finding the best deals on gasoline
The highest price in the region this week appeared at a station in New Hope. The lowest was in Burnsville.

Famous Dave's owner changes its name again, buys Mexican restaurant chain in Phoenix
The Minnetonka-based company now known as Famous Hospitality announced a profitable fourth quarter.

Fans drive from across the Twin Cities metro to get this $13 pint of ice cream
From a storefront in Hopkins, Zach Vraa offers pints of ice cream, an adventure and a story to tell. All for $13.

Famous Dave's and Rainforest Cafe founders take on pizza
Veteran restaurateurs to turn former St. Louis Park drive-in into first location of planned franchise.

6 ways to dress for less as prices rise and workers return to the office
Beware of splurging on a new wardrobe for an office culture that's new or changed.

Sun Country sees travel demand surge as omicron recedes
The airline's financial chief said Sun Country is now seeing bookings surpass pre-pandemic levels.

Edina businesswoman describes digital payments scam that cost her $2,000
Wells Fargo, other banks warn customers to be alert against imitators who seek digital access codes.

As pandemic wanes, inflation changes lives of Minnesotans
The jump in consumer goods prices is forcing people to make huge adjustments — two years after the onset of the pandemic did: "We've had two years of uncertainty, loss, anxiety and fear and now inflation, too."

Another sign of travel rebound: Delta to resume first-class hot meals on flights
Delta will again offer first-class hot meal service on flights longer than 900 miles.

Founder's dilemma: Who can take over Midwest Mountaineering?
Rod Johnson wants to find a general manager who may someday want to own the iconic outdoor goods store.

Twin Cities businesses benefit as pet owners spend like parents
It's not just the pope who has noticed that people are spending more on their pets.

Delta Air Lines to resume daily transatlantic service from MSP this year
The Twin Cities dominant carrier expects to recover to pre-pandemic levels next year in this market

Sun Country shares rise as executives see full planes, solid fares this spring
With the fading of the omicron variant, demand for air travel is rising quickly, Sun Country executives told analysts Tuesday.

Even as Spirit, Frontier combine, the low-fare game at MSP is still shaped by Sun Country
Spirit and Frontier accounted for less than 3% of business at Minneapolis-St. Paul International last year.

Inflation hits smaller cities, rural areas harder than Twin Cities
Less-populated areas of the Midwest are seeing prices rise faster than urban areas and the coasts.

For Minnesota businesses, here's how a confusing week over COVID-19 rules ended up
The mayors of Minneapolis and St. Paul went one direction, while Minnesota health officials and the U.S. Supreme Court went another.

New owner of Cub Foods put it on sale, then decided to keep it
Here's how the top grocery chain in the Twin Cities won over its new owner by steering through competitive threats, the pandemic and riot damage.

COVID-19 rapid tests in high demand as omicron takes hold in Minn.
Tests are a hot item for Christmas this year, but availability is spotty as families seek reassurance before holiday gatherings.
Last-minute rush is on, but shoppers and retailers are happy
Even the emergence of a new coronavirus variant didn't stop crowds of shoppers from packing into stores in the final days before the holiday.

Sun Country Airlines pilots approve new contract
Pilots accepted a contract that will provide raises of 35% to 45% in 2022.

Delta Air Lines to strip SkyMiles rewards on basic economy tickets
Beginning next year, the airline will no longer allow basic economy fares to earn points, but it is giving customers a more flexible way to cancel those tickets.

Nation's first Shake Shack drive-through restaurant finds success on opening day in Maple Grove
The chain is running two kitchens in the new location to serve customers.

Sun Country Airlines, pilots agree on contract terms to boost pay
If approved, airline will have some of the highest-paid Boeing 737 pilots in the country.

It's holiday party season, but Minnesota's events scene is coming back in scattershot style
Many people are hosting smaller gatherings, but the region's biggest events are yet to come

New mini-golf restaurant Arts & Rec will open at Uptown's Seven Points
A new restaurant with mini golf, a rooftop sculpture garden and a performance space is in the works at the Uptown shopping center.

Shake Shack opens its first drive-thru in Maple Grove next week
The company is experimenting with ways to shave time off its made-to-order process, which causes customers at its walk-up restaurants to wait.

Frattallone's Ace Hardware stores sells its 22 locations
The family-owned hardware store has sold all of its Twin Cities stores to a Tennessee company.

The steadiest long line on Black Friday in Minneapolis was at a store that's about to close
Hundreds lined up all day at Kitchen Window, a fixture on the Uptown retail scene for 35 years.

Black Friday brings out deal-seeking Minnesotans
Shoppers found deals, and even crowds in some places, as they tackled their holiday lists. The action yielded insights on how Minnesotans feel about the economy and the pandemic.

Famous Dave's BBQ founder inducted into National Native American Hall of Fame
Dave Anderson launched Jimmie's Old Southern BBQ Smokehouse in recent years.

Shoppers fill Minnesota stores as a pivotal moment in the retail recovery arrives
The mood is mixed as more potential buyers head into stores than last year. But a leading survey showed holiday spending won't change much.

Twin Cities clothing stores get a boost from neighborhood shoppers
After getting creative with deliveries and online offerings, Twin Cities retailers see return of local customers.

Minnesotans had to get creative to save their small businesses
When the pandemic hit, many small business owners had to create their own opportunities: "They've really been remarkably resilient."

Lunds & Byerlys offers same-day pay for workers who want it
The Twin Cities supermarket chain will let employees decide when and how often they want to be paid as a perk to attract more workers.

Survey: Minnesotans, how do you plan to shop on Black Friday?
The Star Tribune wants to know how readers plan to shop this holiday season.

Holiday pop-up markets are back this year, attracting shoppers around Twin Cities
The concept originated in Germany and is now common around the world, a low-cost way for local artisans and makers to get their wares in front of shoppers.

Cub Foods starts its own online orders business, with pickup and deliveries
Cub said it will still allow Instacart, but it is using incentives to attract shoppers directly to its service.

Holiday air travel prices rise, and Sun Country execs say flights are filling
For the first time in the air travel comeback, Sun Country's quarterly sales outpaced the comparable period of 2019.

Twin Cities foodies discover that dining out won't snap back to 2019
As restaurant owners grapple with higher costs and worker shortages, diners can expect price increases, shorter hours and more limited menus.

Sun Country Airlines to be official carrier of Major League Soccer
Sun Country's chartered flights for Major League Soccer teams will start next year.

Dairy Queen goes to court over Blizzard name
A federal judge will decide whether to stop a Massachusetts company from selling Blizzard spring water.

Rollover of TCF customers to Huntington Bank hits some glitches
TCF customers report that debit card purchases were being denied in the switch to Huntington's systems. And some said they couldn't access online banking.

Sales soar as Minnesotans shop for 'a grand Halloween weekend'
Shoppers started early and haven't let up at specialty retailers for Halloween, which has become one of the year's big retail events.

Minnetonka Moccasin apologizes for not acknowledging its reliance on Native Americans
The Minneapolis footwear maker for several years has been discussing steps to reconcile its use of Native American designs and ideas.

Financial Planning Day resumes in St. Paul this weekend, with virtual sessions also available
How to start an emergency fund and manage student loan debt are some of the key topics at the annual event hosted by Minnesota financial planners.

50th and France is quickly moving on from the pandemic
A wave of luxury apartments, shops and restaurants have energized an urban shopping district.

Robots now deliver food, bus tables at Sawatdee
The Thai restaurant is using robots to run between the dining room and kitchen at its locations in Minneapolis and Maple Grove.