Book excerpt: "As it cuts across South Minneapolis, Lake Street reflects the city's diversity and its rich history. ... Lake Street evolved into a major transportation route after the turn of the century. ... But Lake Street's role as a major commercial corridor did not last. Buffeted by the forces of suburbanization after World War II, businesses along the corridor began to close, leaving Lake Street pockmarked with vacant, blighted buildings. Then, starting in the 1990s ... an energetic group of new arrivals to the United States began renovating Lake Street's deteriorating storefronts for their family-owned businesses. Lake Street's rejuvenation has continued into the current century ..."--Back cover