What do you get when you combine creativity, ingenuity, and a little elbow grease? A Ghostbusters-themed display window that could rival any display window in New York City, but one that we are fortunate enough to have right here in Downtown Minot
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Melinda Howe, owner of Ascend Wellness, is the brainchild behind this design idea, but her daughter, Abigail Howe, is the artist who brought the vision to life.
An artist since she was a child, Abigail developed her love of artistic expression during her high school career in Maine. From creative arts to murals and set designs for her school theater program, she was fortunate enough to spend her time immersed in the art scene. After high school, she attended Massachusetts College of Art and Design in Boston, where she received a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Photography. This launched her into a career designing window displays for stores such as Anthropologie, where she created displays that caught people’s eyes throughout all the seasons.
About 10 months ago, Abigail moved back to Minot and started working for Ascend Wellness while also building her design business locally and beyond. Her goal is to create unique window displays at Ascend Wellness and other local businesses while encouraging other businesses downtown to expand their own creativity and make their windows really pop. In the future, there might even be an opportunity for the public to vote on displays in a friendly competition.
The Howes are big proponents of Downtown Minot and hope their window displays encourage people to come downtown to shop, look around, and enjoy all there is to offer.
The Ghostbusters theme is evident throughout the window display, with the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man leading the charge in a big way. You’ll also spot Slimer, the green blob of ectoplasm, making his appearance. The display is also interactive, but you have to knock on the window to see it come to life. From skyscrapers to a city scene, you’ll feel the “Who You Gonna Call?” theme throughout the entire display. But it doesn’t stop there. If you look up, you’ll see a giant Tera Dog on the overhang, along with skeletons covered in green slime on the windows of the upper floors.
Checking out this display got me thinking about the building itself because I love learning about the history of Downtown Minot. Located at 108 Main St. S., the building was constructed around 1907 and housed a Masonic Temple on the second floor. The main floor has been home to many businesses over the years, including Unique Cash Grocery, JCPenney, Black Drug, E.M. Mitchell Store, Headquarters Academy Hair School, and possibly more. The basement was home to a restaurant at one time and a men’s clothing store and is currently home to an antique shop that has been there for more than 25 years. A lot of history within walls that likely could tell many stories, if they could talk.
Now home to Ascend Wellness, an Integrative Medicine clinic, the building has undergone extensive rehabilitation, much of it completed by Wayne Howe. With these updates, it will remain a beautiful piece of architectural history in Downtown Minot and will no doubt continue to have amazing window displays for each season as this mother-daughter duo puts their heads together to imagine and create these works of art. If you want to check out more of Abigail’s designs, follow her Instagram at @amhperspective.
Just another reason why Downtown Minot is worth a visit!
