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Minnesotan To Meet: First Avenue's Dayna Frank

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- While many stars are born, others are made. No building could tell that story better than First Avenue.

From the outside walls to the performers who take the stage, it's the spot that put Minneapolis on the map in world of music. But it's the person running the venue who is truly a shining star to her family and hometown.

Dayna Frank was almost forced to take over First Avenue.

"It was given as an ultimatum to me and my sister. 'Either one of you takes it over, or I'm going to put it on the auction block,'" Frank said.

Her father bought the building in 2000 and rescued it from bankruptcy in 2004.

"There got involved in a lawsuit and he ended up with the operations and the name 'First Avenue,'" Frank said.

After years of asking the two sisters to get in the family business, Frank's father had a stroke in 2009.

"I just realized that if I didn't do it, no one was going to do it and the fate of First Avenue was kind of questionable," Frank said.

The Golden Valley native did not want a national company to take over something that makes the Twin Cities so unique.

"It's really special for Minneapolis to have an independently owned and operated club that's been around for decades," Frank said.

It meant putting the club before her personal life. Her wife Ember Frank and two sons still live in Los Angeles, where she previously had a career in the entertainment industry. She now commutes to see 2-year-old Ace and 5-month-old Rex, but the distance doesn't stop her from managing it all. The 35-year-old, is now a force to be reckoned with in Twin Cities nightlife, just don't give her the credit.

"I've learned from the people who have been working here and making this place run for 10, 20, 30 years," says Frank, "I'm just trying to not screw it up."

She and her staff of 250 also run the Depot next door and took over the Turf Club in St. Paul when it came up for sale.

"We have the (7th St.) Entry, which is 250, and the Main Room, which is 1,500, so we knew we needed something in between," says Frank.

There are now seven stages between all the venues to showcase 1,200 acts a year. Frank says they can't compete with some of the clubs who have huge money and can book big names, so she relies on her talented team.

"You have a staff and a crew of people who have made First Avenue their life," Frank said. "You don't see that in a lot of other businesses."

It also helps that current artists like Lizzo create so much buzz, selling out shows at First Avenue and then performing on "Late Night with David Letterman."

"I think it's really magical that Minnesota always seems has a great community of artists and musicians," Frank said.

For many, there has been no bigger name than Prince, who rocked the space for most of the '80s. Prince remains one of Frank's biggest regrets.

"I missed Prince's show in July 2007," says Frank, "I was in L.A. and I didn't have the money to come home for it."

Not living like a rock star just might make Dayna Frank larger than life.

"I have 250 employees who are counting on First Avenue to pay their mortgage and feed their families," Frank said. "I need to make sure that First Avenue is going to be here for the next 40 years."

Besides now tweaking operations at the Turf Club, they're also focusing on outdoor summer shows.

Just this last summer they showcased the Replacements at Midway and Trampled by Turtles at Canterbury Park.

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