From their “Park Bench Perspective,” Carlos and Mike Hammer reminisce about growing up in St. Louis Park and early work experiences, starting with a childhood paper route and frustrations with school fundraisers, including a story about Melissa McCarthy opting to write a check rather than sell magazines. They compare fundraisers like paper drives and Girl Scout cookies and joke about shrinkflation. The conversation shifts to first jobs: Hammer dishwashing at the Ambassador Motor Hotel (union breaks, heavy pots and pans) and briefly working at Jolly Troll before quitting due to a creepy manager; Carlos describes working at TGI Fridays as a teen, cutting his thumb and receiving a disability payout, then being fired over an earring, and quitting Plums after 17 straight days. They mention other jobs (Shakey’s, Snyder Drug, Tom Thumb, Domino’s) and discuss restaurant theft, service, and management lessons. Carlos announces a new podcast with Joe Reilly, “Forgotten Television,” debuting with The White Shadow, teases another podcast with Hammer, and they plan “Jobs Part Two,” while plugging Hammer’s handyman/construction work and Carlos’s writing project “The Ghost of Lake Osseo.”

00:00 Park Bench Intro
00:31 First Money Jobs
01:03 Fundraiser Rants
04:03 Girl Scout Shrinkflation
05:24 First Real Restaurant Jobs
09:04 TGI Fridays Thumb Story
11:55 More Teen Jobs List
13:12 Dominos Before GPS
15:26 Restaurant Theft Wisdom
20:26 New Podcasts Announcement
21:29 Jobs Part Two Tease
24:11 Wrap Up and Contact

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St. Louis Park Summertime Perspectives (and the “Bare Ass Pool” Story)

Carlos Figueroa and Mike Hammer talk on Park Bench Perspectives about May leading into summer in St. Louis Park, recalling elementary track meets (relays, sack races), a tougher era of safety (asphalt playgrounds, no bike helmets, lawn jarts), and the start of summer baseball with Little League drafts, uniforms, opening day, and a memorable visit from a Japanese Little League team whose disciplined play and submarine pitching were intimidating. They reminisce about the last day of school paper-throwing chaos, summer park programs with the “green box” of games (four square, capture the flag, Knox hockey), neighborhood mischief, Cub Scout paper drives and liability fears, exploring marshland, and local traffic changes advocated by “Disco Dave Hammer.” They also cover the rec center pool, beaches and cabins, teen driving and partying stories, and invite listeners to share St. Louis Park trivia—jokingly titling the episode “Bare Ass Pool” after discussion of nude swim classes in earlier decades.

00:00 May Bench Banter
01:07 School Track Meet Memories
02:13 Dangerous Games and No Helmets
04:13 Little League Draft Days
05:32 Japanese Team Showdown
08:05 Last Day School Chaos
10:53 Summer Parks and Green Box
12:01 First Kisses and Window Breaking
14:44 Neighborhood Games and Lawsuits
16:49 Cub Scouts Paper Drive Hustle
19:16 Cub Scouts and Summers
19:28 Neighborhood Exploring Tales
20:19 Phone Book Anderson Joke
20:37 Hampshire Road Changes
22:02 Snowballs and Speeders
22:53 Highway Frogger Food Runs
23:43 Mark Globus Memories
25:09 Rec Center Pool Days
28:50 Beaches Falls and Cabins
30:01 Boy Scout Camp Mischief
31:06 Road Trips and Teen Years
33:24 Driving Drinking Concert Chaos
35:58 Podcast Wrap and Call In
37:44 Bare Ass Pool Trivia
39:10 Bench Season Goodbye

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On Mother’s Day, hosts Mike Hammer and Carlos Figueroa return to their “park bench perspective,” invite listeners to leave Fan Mail or voicemails on their Buzzsprout page to share St. Louis Park stories, and dedicate a mom-centric episode to their late mothers, Judy and Maria. They discuss grief and the ongoing one-way “conversation” after a parent’s death, including therapy practices like talking at the cemetery and writing letters, and reflect on how their moms quietly supported families and neighborhoods through work, Scouts, sports, and hospitality. The conversation touches on generational realities such as women’s limited ability to sign contracts before 1974, financial strain after divorce, and the importance of checking on others. They also share personal memories, including Marty Hammer’s severe accident and ICU ordeal, Maria’s lonely phone calls, and Judy’s “not today” refrain near the end of her life.

00:00 Park Bench Return

00:43 Listener Voicemails Invite

01:50 Mothers Day Reflections

03:29 Grief Coping Tools

04:37 Moms Who Show Up

05:32 Pick A Pop Memories

07:09 Divorce And Resilience

09:00 Check In On People

10:13 Entrepreneur Mindset

15:23 Sales Luck And No

17:40 Create Your Own Luck

18:50 Handling Rejection

19:11 Rejection Isn’t Personal

19:57 Sales Process and Asking

20:43 Fair Deals and Karma

21:17 Hidden Fees and Tipping Screens

23:55 Back to Mothers and Similarities

24:41 Judy’s Compassion and Passivity

25:54 Aging Parents and Doctor Visits

27:49 Marty’s Accident and Aftermath

33:19 Shoutout to Moms

33:36 Maria Story and Not Today

36:25 Final Farewell

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Posters, Pop Cans, and Park Bench Perspectives

Mike Hammer and Carlos Figueroa reminisce on a “park bench” about teen bedroom posters (Farrah Fawcett, Led Zeppelin, Lamborghini, Easy Rider), poster-shopping at places like the Fun Shop and Ridgedale, and trivia that Fernando Valenzuela’s poster surpassed Farrah’s in sales. They recall collecting RC Cola baseball-player cans by digging through Westwood Deli’s stock, confirm RC Cola still exists, and detour into a Vegas blackjack memory. The conversation shifts to beer and bar memorabilia, including distributor neons and personal wall art like a Rat Pack “Royal Flush” poster and a signed Ramones album. Carlos shares a 2003 story of receiving Bubba Gump souvenir glasses from Mike’s sons during a difficult period. They discuss St. Louis Park history (name from the Minneapolis & St. Louis Railroad; early downtown near Walker/Broadway and Wooddale), the value of the postal service, letters/telegrams, and reflect on parenting, especially Judy Hammer’s resilience and “showing up.”

00:00 Park Bench Intro
00:41 Cuban Family Story
01:24 Teen Posters Debate
02:43 Poster Shopping Memories
05:12 Iconic Posters Trivia
06:08 RC Cola Can Collecting
09:24 Vegas Drinking Detour
11:18 Beer Signs Bar Swag
16:01 Bubba Gump Glasses
19:23 Movie Posters Talk
21:44 Warriors Nostalgia
24:35 St Louis Park Origins
26:39 Elmwood Origins
27:59 Postal Service Debate
29:13 Stamps And Seniors
32:25 Postcards And Letters
34:44 Telegrams And Keepsakes
36:25 Yearbook Secrets
37:40 Judy Tough Love
42:27 Showing Up Parenting
46:26 Youth Sports Costs
50:41 Wrap Up And Plugs

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Lady Gaga, Keg Parties, and Park Bench Perspectives

From their park bench, Mike Hammer and Carlos Figueroa catch up about Mike attending a  Lady Gaga concert and joking about painkillers for his bad knee, then give a shout-out to classmate Ron Barry’s “BarryFin Day” podcast. They discuss building a listener community around their shared hometown of St. Louis Park, Minnesota, and begin reminiscing about favorite local places and teen hangouts: Park National and Carlson fields near the water tower, the Cedar Lake Road train trestle keg parties and police run-ins, Meadowbrook and Cedar Lake “Bareass Beach,” Knollwood Mall, Burger King across Highway 12, Brookview Golf Course, Coast to Coast Hardware, Cooper/Cooper Cameo theaters, and learning to drive at the Honeywell lot. They invite listeners to be guests, tease future St. Louis Park history topics, plug FootPainAuthority.com, and note Carlos’s novel “The Ghost of Lake Ossis” and  baseball-law newsletter.

00:00 Park Bench Intro
00:25 Catching Up
01:02 Lady Gaga Night
02:10 Show Highlights
03:03 Bad Knee Remedies
03:52 BarryFineDay Podcast Shoutout
05:18 Hometown Favorites Setup
05:39 Little League Landmarks
06:53 Train Trestle Keggers
08:01 Keg Party Economics
10:30 Basement Parties And Cops
13:04 Meadowbrook And Beach Spots
14:02 Next House Party Tease
14:11 Running From The Cops
14:41 Why We Do Dumb Stuff
15:06 Prefrontal Cortex Myth
16:25 Staying Curious As Adults
18:04 Talking Yourself In Or Out
19:11 Risk Calculations And Law School
21:08 Norwood Mall Memories
22:19 Golden Valley Adventures
22:44 Golf Courses And Marty
23:59 Coast To Coast Hardware
25:56 Cooper Theater And Honeywell
27:17 Inviting Friends On The Show
27:51 Next Episode Tease
28:24 Projects And Sign Off

https://www.buzzsprout.com/2246264

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From their “park bench perspective,” Carlos and Mike (“Hammer”) welcome Mike’s Gen Z daughter, Georgia, to discuss generations and music. They joke about Gen X vs. baby boomers, naming conventions like Gen Alpha/Beta, and how streaming and Bluetooth changed music discovery compared with radio. The group sets homework for a cross-generational song exchange to review next week: Carlos assigns The Ramones’ “I Want to Be Sedated,” Mike assigns Neil Young’s “Comes a Time” (favoring the Live Rust version), and Georgia assigns “Stateside” (Zara Larsson remix) and Olivia Dean’s “Man, I Need.” They also touch on music videos, artists’ views on digital music and Guitar Hero, pop-culture drama, and how music shaped family memories, including funerals and concerts Georgia attended as a child.

00:00 Park Bench Intro
00:31 Meet Georgia
00:53 Generations Explained
02:28 Music Swap Setup
04:17 Old School Picks
07:38 Modern Pop Pick
10:10 Mike Picks Neil Young
12:40 Second Georgia Song
14:30 Pop Culture Tease
14:46 Pop Culture Tea
15:20 Fleetwood Mac Drama
16:51 Music and Grief
19:58 Signs and Synchronicity
20:30 Billie Eilish Question
22:12 Mom's Music Influence
24:42 Katy Perry Obsession
27:43 Wrap Up and Song List

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/43TAzoJWwrwFcvM9Zry110?si=ueoRSc5uS_KJuGEsnueIbg

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Rockin' the SLP Park 2

Carlos Figueroa and co-host Mike Hammer chat on Park Bench Perspectives about how music and pets mark life’s timeline while reminiscing about growing up in St. Louis Park, Minnesota. They joke about their limited musical talent, Carlos’s LaBelle’s electric guitar that Mike borrowed for lessons, and invite listeners to submit a jingle for the podcast. Memories include hearing “Come Sail Away” at the Piccadilly Circus arcade at Ridgedale, bus adventures to Southdale and skipping school for a Twins opening day at Met Stadium, and Mike bringing home a puppy from 31 Flavors in an ice-cream pail. They discuss Walkmans, punk/new wave, a signed Ramones “End of the Century” cover from cousin Susie, Neil Young’s Live Rust, changing attitudes toward alcohol and marijuana, house parties and bands, and the Zenith house era with dogs Cosmo and Windsor, then close with listener feedback requests and Mike’s insole business plug.

00:00 Welcome to the Bench
01:12 Guitar Dreams and Lessons
02:23 Need a New Theme Song
02:53 Music and Memory Triggers
04:31 Arcade Days at Ridgedale
05:25 Bus Adventures and Mischief
06:54 Puppies at 31 Flavors
10:11 Moped Plant Caper
13:00 Headphones Punk and Mr Baum
14:09 Ramones Devo and Cousin Susie
15:37 Babysitting Chaos and Apple Tossing
17:11 Big Kid Pranks and Chubby Checker
17:39 Pickup Game Memories
18:09 Neil Young Tape Era
19:49 Reefer Madness Talk
20:45 Stoner vs Drinker Labels
24:30 Ride Shares and Cabs
25:27 Band Names and Trivia
26:54 Local Venues and Bandshell
28:42 House Shows and Parties
30:31 Zenith House Stories
32:07 Wrap Up and Thanks

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Park Bench Perspective: First Albums, Concert Memories, and Music Discovery

Carlos Figueroa and Mike Hammer discuss music from their “park bench” perspective while joking about Carlos’s recent knee surgery and lack of musical talent. They reminisce about early records and where they bought them (Shopper City, Down in the Valley), including first albums like The Who’s Tommy, Fleetwood Mac’s Rumours, Sean Cassidy, and Saturday Night Fever, and talk about influences such as an older sister and radio. They cover favorite artists and genres spanning the Rolling Stones, Doors, Led Zeppelin, REO Speedwagon, Queen, Prince, punk (Ramones, Sex Pistols, Iggy Pop), and rap, and recall concerts and ticket-buying experiences including Paul McCartney, Neil Young (with the Shocking Pinks), Devo, George Strait, and Paul Simon/Bob Dylan. They briefly detour into early cable TV and music video channels, plug Foot Pain Authority insoles and Hammer’s Substack, and invite St. Louis Park musicians to join future episodes.

00:00 Park Bench Intro
00:32 Knee Surgery Catchup
01:06 Why Music Matters
02:24 First Albums Debate
05:05 Early Influences Stories
07:44 Guilty Pleasures And Queen
09:27 Punk Rap Country Mix
11:01 Concert Memories McCartney
12:50 All Night For Neil Young
14:19 Neil Young Breaks The Rules
15:21 Tailgate Heat and Chaos
16:11 Neil Young Live Memories
17:02 Kidhood Movie and Music Discovery
17:39 Hunting Punk Imports
18:34 Old School TV Tech
21:15 Cable Hacks and Early Videos
23:24 Prince and MTV Era
24:27 Albums and Genre Detours
26:39 First Concerts and New Venues
28:47 Adult Shows and War Stories
29:19 Sponsor Plug and Substack
30:44 More Music Ahead Closing

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On this episode of Park Bench Perspectives, Mike Hammer and Carlos kick off spring by talking baseball—how T-ball and Little League shaped their Minnesota childhoods, expanded their friendships and rivalries, and later became a bond through their own kids. They reminisce about the Twins as a constant “soundtrack to life” on WCCO, old players and eras, and the appeal of small-ball fundamentals like bunting, stealing, and hit-and-run. They share stories about curveballs, pitching machines (“Juggs”), town ball traditions, and a Little League moment when Mike was told to pitch inside and hit a batter. The conversation also touches on MLB’s financial imbalance, fears of a future work stoppage, and a plug for FootPainAuthority.com plus Mike’s Substack and Carlos’s in-progress novel.

00:00 Bench Intro Theme
00:50 Show Welcome Banter
01:08 Future Topics Tease
01:48 Spring Means Baseball
02:04 T-Ball Childhood Days
03:33 Girls In The Game
04:23 Twins Return And Fears
05:31 Town Ball Tradition
07:07 Twins Memories And Voices
09:51 Stealing Home And Small Ball
13:15 Cheating And Pitch Guessing
16:01 Curveball Shock Story
17:24 Pitching Machines And Fungo
19:45 Beanball Confession Setup
20:20 Little League Hit Batter
22:20 Baseball Radio Memories
22:45 Why Baseball Works
24:54 Pitch Clock Debate
26:16 Seat Upgrading Game
28:18 Dodgers Money Problem
30:27 Beep Baseball Origins
34:33 Backyard Baseball Days
37:22 Sponsors And Signoff

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Park Bench Perspectives: Growing Up in a Smaller World

First off Mike Hammer and Carlos Figueroa really appreciate all the great feedback.  We recorded this episode before receiving comments but rest assured SLP Food Part 2 is on the agenda for next week.

Park Bench Perspectives, as two longtime friends chatting on a virtual park bench about their lives, the St. Louis Park, Minnesota community they grew up in, and current events. They discuss how friendships can resume effortlessly after years and reflect on how their childhood world felt geographically small, expanding through bikes, sports, and later broader social circles, contrasting that with how the internet expands kids’ worlds today. They reminisce about the Eliot neighborhood and Eliot Elementary, teachers and school memories, hiding chocolate milk, and sports and biking adventures, including Evel Knievel-inspired jumps. They recall anxiety about mixed-grade “Team Room,” Eliot’s closure, being merged with rival Cedar Manor, and resulting friendships. They touch on social anxiety, learning about people through conversation, bar-industry dynamics around “freebies,” and invite viewers to comment and join the community.

00:00 Theme Song Intro

00:39 Welcome to the Bench

01:02 Why the Bench Matters

01:33 Old Friends Chemistry

03:02 Growing Up Pre Internet

03:45 Eliot Neighborhood Boundaries

04:33 Sports and Skating Days

05:47 Bikes and Dirt Jumps

07:20 Eliot School Memories

07:38 Chocolate Milk Heist

09:57 Name Stories and Chuck Norris

11:27 Teachers and Team Room Anxiety

13:23 Childhood Crush Memories

13:33 School Closure Shock

14:05 Rival Schools Merge

15:58 Classroom Chaos Stories

17:18 Friendships Over Time

18:16 Small Talk And Anxiety

20:18 Avon Collectibles Tangent

21:08 Bar Friends And Freebies

23:39 Growing Up And High School

24:05 Community Call And Signoff

Sponsors

Foot Pain Authority

If your feet are barking louder than your opinions, check out Foot Pain Authority for insoles and relief. Mention that you “heard about it on the bench.” 

https://www.footpainauthority.com

From Carlos

Carlos also shares an update on his upcoming psychological thriller, The Ghost of Lake Osakis, andI write essays on my Substack about institutions, technology, and change.  https://substack.com/@carlosmfigueroa

Join the conversation

What St. Louis Park restaurant do you remember most? Drop a comment and tell us which places still live rent-free in your memory.

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Fan Feedback, St. Louis Park Food Memories, and Pig Roast Stories

Mike Hammer and Carlos Figueroa open the episode by reading early listener feedback, including a Minneapolis commenter questioning whether Hammer is the real 1984 graduate, which they clarify by distinguishing him from an older Mike Hamer. They discuss how suggestions are expanding their focus beyond their childhood neighborhood and recall St. Louis Park-area staples such as Beaks Pizza (including an all-you-can-eat contest and a late-night cash-register robbery), Lincoln Dell deli, Schlotzky’s, My Pie, Clark’s submarine sandwich, and the McDonald’s by the high school during open campus and smoking-era rules. They share stories about skipping school to make pizza, Rocky Rococo’s heart-shaped pizza while watching Luke and Laura’s wedding, Carlos’s family pig roasts and an epic joint graduation party, plus the Lions Club pancake breakfast and paper route memories. Carlos plugs his Substack and a baseball-law feature, “The Ballpark Barrister.”

00:00 Show Intro and Tease
00:18 Theme Song and Greetings
00:54 Fan Mail and Feedback
01:10 The Mike Hammer Mystery
02:22 Listener Ideas and Expanding Town
03:41 Beaks Pizza Memories
04:47 Pizza Contest with Joe
05:50 Beaks Robbery Story
07:02 Lincoln Del Deli Love
08:41 More Local Eats Roundup
09:14 McDonalds Open Campus Days
10:32 Skipping School for Pizza
11:45 Homemade Crust Hacks
12:03 Open Campus Pizza Runs
12:41 McDonalds and Cafeteria Classics
14:11 Rocky Rococos Memories
16:11 Pig Roast Block Party
18:28 Graduation Party Chaos
20:04 Lions Club Breakfast Talk
21:15 Bennigans and Paper Route Donuts
22:55 Substack Plug and Sign Off

Sponsors

Foot Pain Authority

If your feet are barking louder than your opinions, check out Foot Pain Authority for insoles and relief. Mention that you “heard about it on the bench.” 

https://www.footpainauthority.com

From Carlos Figueroa

Carlos also shares an update on his upcoming psychological thriller, The Ghost of Lake Osakis, andI write essays on my Substack about institutions, technology, and change.  https://systemsunderpressure.substack.com/s/the-ballpark-barrister

Join the conversation

What St. Louis Park restaurant do you remember most? Drop a comment and tell us which places still live rent-free in your memory.

Support the show

In this episode

• Minnesota March weather and the false promise of spring
• Why baseball and spring were inseparable growing up
• Meeting before kindergarten at Elliott Elementary
• Little League, Cub League, Babe Ruth, and neighborhood baseball memories
• Kite flying across from Elliott and the legend of razor-blade kite wars
• Opening Day rituals, stirrups, and looking right in a baseball uniform
• St. Louis Park restaurant memories, including:
• Shakey’s Pizza
• Yangtze Restaurant
• David Woo’s
• Perkins
• Embers
• Mr. Steak
• Jolly Troll
• Bridgeman’s
• Farrell’s
• Carriage House, bowling, pinball, and Saturday hot dogs
• How food places become part of a town’s identity
• Listener callout: favorite St. Louis Park restaurants, past or present
• Sponsor mentions and Carlos’s upcoming novel, The Ghost of Lake Osakis

Notable moments

• Mike and Carlos realizing they forgot to actually introduce themselves
• The case for proper baseball stirrup height, argued like it’s constitutional law
• A wonderfully chaotic detour from restaurants into MSG, hot dogs, and marijuana policy
• The reminder that old neighborhood places were never just businesses—they were landmarks in people’s lives

Mentioned in this episode

• Elliott Elementary
• St. Louis Park baseball
• Sols 
• Koch’s Sporting Goods
• Shakey’s Pizza
• Yangtze Restaurant
• David Woo
• Perkins
• Embers
• Mr. Steak
• Jolly Troll
• Bridgeman’s
• Farrell’s
• Carriage House
• Foot Pain Authority
• The Ghost of Lake Osakis by Carlos Figueroa

Sponsors

Foot Pain Authority

If your feet are barking louder than your opinions, check out Foot Pain Authority for insoles and relief. Mention that you “heard about it on the bench.” 

https://www.footpainauthority.com

From Carlos

Carlos also shares an update on his upcoming psychological thriller, The Ghost of Lake Osakis, and talks briefly about his Substack writing on institutions, technology, and change.

Join the conversation

What St. Louis Park restaurant do you remember most? Drop a comment and tell us which places still live rent-free in your memory.

Support the show

Welcome to Park Bench Perspective: Old Friends, St. Louis Park, and Making Sense of the World

Carlos Figueroa and Mike Hammer introduce their show, “Park Bench Perspective,” describing it as a thoughtful conversation between two lifelong friends rather than a hot-take format, starting with memories of growing up in St. Louis Park, Minnesota. They discuss the town’s sense of community, diversity, and how people were judged by character, while noting how memory is reconstructed rather than replayed. They share nostalgic examples from childhood media and parenting perspectives, and reject simplistic “generation wars” and horoscopes. The hosts begin a “Mount Rushmore of St. Louis Park,” naming Sol from Sol’s Superette, Lyle Hanks, the Coen brothers, Mark Rosen, Al Beugen, and Carlos’s father as influential figures. They close by introducing their current work: Carlos in law, Substack writing, and a novel, and Mike in construction/handyman work, insoles/foot care, a home maintenance guide, and a product-authentication project, plus family details.

00:00 Welcome to the Bench

00:58 Meet the Hosts

01:22 Growing Up St Louis Park

02:25 Friendship and Community

03:45 Nostalgia and Time Travel

04:35 How Memory Rewrites

05:50 Simpler Times Then

06:58 Beyond Generation Wars

08:14 Earliest Childhood Memories

10:06 Mount Rushmore of SLP

15:01 Mentors and Coaches

17:29 Neighborhood Watch and Lessons

19:29 Who We Are Today

20:49 Insoles and Side Hustles

22:58 Wrap Up and Sign Off

You can find Carlos Figueroa's writing at systemsunderpressure.substack.com

Check out Mike Hammer’s massaging insoles at https://www.footpainauthority.com

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