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To many Minnesotans, Eau Claire, Wis., is a low-key college town about 90 minutes drive east of the Twin Cities. 

But a recent downtown revitalization has turned it into a hip food and beverage destination. 

Rachel Hutton, editor of Minnesota Monthly magazine, joined All Things Considered host Tom Crann to set the scene.

From a big-picture perspective, Hutton said, the internet drove the revamped downtown in Eau Claire. Creatives and entrepreneurs used to think they needed to work in a big city, but the web has given them a platform to get attention from almost anywhere.

That's helped a few Eau Claire natives stay in their hometown and still pursue their careers, she said. 

The Lismore hotel

The Brewing Projekt

The Oxbow hotel

The Joynt

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To many Minnesotans, Eau Claire, Wis., is a low-key college town about 90 minutes drive east of the Twin Cities. But a recent downtown revitalization has turned it into a hip food and beverage destination.

Appetites: Destination dining across the St. Croix

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