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Minneapolis' first mobile flower truck, called Ma Jolie Marché Mobile and owned by Amy Abt, cruises in a Volkswagen pickup as beautiful flower arrangements are sold. (Source: Christina Schneider)
Friday, July 20, the City Council approved an Innovative and
Emerging Small Business Pilot Permit Ordinance. This new permit will help innovative business models to launch that would not have been previously
allowed under current ordinances, such as the prohibition on outdoor
retail. This permit allows small business owners with novel ideas
to operate for up to a year as a pilot while the City considers the changes
that would be needed for long term operation. While food and
alcohol related businesses are excluded from this pilot, entrepreneurs are
encouraged to be creative in bringing their ideas to market. Testimony
from the public hearing included a mobile
flower truck, among others. For questions or to get started with your
innovative business idea, contact the Small Business Team.
Small Business Team Program Assistant, Angie Earley, at the Hennepin County Central Library assisting small business owners and entrepreneurs. (Source: The City of Minneapolis)
So far this summer, the Small Business Team has responded to
over one hundred requests for assistance from business owners and entrepreneurs
on everything from adjusting to the new minimum wage, to understanding the
process for opening a restaurant, to dealing with disruptions from road
construction. If you would like to connect with the Small
Business Team for help with your business issue they are available by phone, email,
and in-person at community office hours hosted at libraries across
Minneapolis.
You may also get a visit from the team. Staff and interns will be out visiting
restaurants to share information about the minimum wage and convenience stores
regarding tobacco ordinances, as well as sharing how the City can help
businesses adapt to these changes.
You can find the schedule for community office hours on the
Business Portal here. For questions, call (612) 673-2499 or email the Small Business Team.
 During
the last several years, the City of Minneapolis, Minneapolis Park and Recreation
Board and the Upper Harbor Terminal (UHT) development team did extensive community
outreach to gather input as to how they would like to see
the UHT site redeveloped. This engagement was followed by several months of
work to research practical considerations and explore options. The draft
redevelopment concept that has resulted from this process is now ready for more
specific community participation. The team wants to hear from you how well the
draft plan responds to earlier input.
photo: Upper Harbor Terminal aerial view. (Source: The City of Minneapolis)
Community
Input Meetings
Wednesday, August 15
11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Park
Board headquarters, 2117 W. River Road N.
Thursday, August 16
6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Park
Board headquarters, 2117 W. River Road N.
Tuesday, August 28 (hosted
by Above the Falls Community Advisory Committee)
6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Park
Board headquarters, 2117 W. River Road N.
Saturday, September 8
(hosted by Council Member Phillipe Cunningham)
11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
North
Market, 4414 Humboldt Ave. N, Community Room
Staff Open Hours
Monday, August 20
4:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Good Deal Oriental Foods,
1800 Lowry Ave. N.
Tuesday, August 21
1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Webber Park Library, 4440 Humboldt Ave. N.
Wednesday, August 22
1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Serendripity Spot, 3300
Lyndale Ave. N.
The
meetings will include a presentation of the draft plan followed by a Q & A opportunity and discussion. Stay informed with resource materials and an online survey
posted on the project website. And you can sign up for email
updates here.
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 Join Urban Land Institute (ULI Minnesota)
for a tour of the new murals that decorate Lake Street’s Mercado Central on August 16, 2018
starting at 3:45 p.m. Along with touring Mercado Central itself, which is a wide
variety marketplace of 35 businesses, the tour features the talented Chilean-Venezuelan
muralist, Pablo Kalaka. Mercado Cooperative and Lake Street Council selected
Pablo Kalaka to paint the mural for the Mercado Central Façade Improvement in
South Minneapolis. Meet the artist and hear his inspirational story behind the lively
mural titled, “Todos Vuelven,” (meaning “All Return”) which explores the collective
soul of Latino culture. GoodSpace Murals and Lake Street Council will be
present to address the importance of community-based public art and community
cultural development. After the tour, Shaw-Lundquist Associates and Roehrschmitt Architecture will sponsor
a happy hour.
Register
here and use event code 8117-1942. If
you have questions, call 1-800-321-5011. Click here
to watch a short interview with artist Pablo Kalaka about his Mercado Central
murals.
image: Mercado Central rendition of the murals created by artist Pablo Kalaka. (Source: The City of Minneapolis)
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 Jaequan Faulkner, the owner of Mister Faulkner’s Old
Fashioned Hot Dogs, is a 13-year-old entrepreneur who has been in business
since 2016 selling hot dogs outside his Minneapolis home. When Jaequan was
reported for operating his hot dog stand without a license, the Minneapolis
Department of Health and B-TAP
partner, Northside Economic Opportunity
Network (NEON) joined together to assist Jaequan. Instead of shutting down
his hot dog stand, they helped him obtain a license and provided business
assistance. The inspectors even chipped in to cover the cost of Jaequan’s
permit. NEON offered business advice on how to work a cash register, ordering a
bigger hot dog machine, helping fill out paperwork for the City, and setting up
an actual business. NEON will continue their assistance by helping Jaequan
develop an advisory board, as well as provide help with strategizing. They are
also helping manage the GoFundMe page
that was created by a group of Minnesota Business owners who came together to
support Jaequan’s business.
This summer, Jaequan will be selling his hot dogs Monday
through Friday from 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. at 1510 Penn Avenue North. Stay
updated on other events and places Jaequan will be selling his hot dogs at on
his Facebook page.
Read
more from CNN.
photo: Jaequan and Uncle Jerome Faulkner work with NEON for more guidance on how to start and grow a business. (Source: NEON Blog)
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 The groundbreaking ceremony for the development project, Hook
& Ladder, was held on June 21, 2018. Construction for the Hook &
Ladder apartments began in early July and is scheduled to open in the fall of
2019. Hook & Ladder will provide two buildings with 118 units of sustainable,
energy-efficient and affordable rental housing. One of the buildings will have
Passive Housing certification, which is an ultra-tight building requiring
little energy for heating and cooling and a high quality air ventilation
system. This is the first Passive House apartment building in Minnesota. Both apartments
will use green building techniques and have an exterior with aesthetic unique
to the Northeast Arts
District.
Along with being eco-friendly, the apartments include 108
one-, two-, and three-bedroom units affordable to households with incomes at or
below 60% of the area median income (AMI) (about $36,000 - $46,000 per year).
And ten three-bedroom units will be affordable to families earning 30% or less
of the AMI (about $20,000 - $25,000 per year).
The City supported the project in many ways: $3,625,000 from
the Affordable Housing Trust, $15.9 million in bonding authority; and
allocation of Low Income Tax Credits that generated $10 million in private
equity investment, as well as $1.9 million grant funding from Met Council and
Hennepin County for environmental cleanup, solar array, and storm water
management.
image: Rendering of the Hook & Ladder Apartments located at 2212-2320 Jefferson St. NE; will provide energy efficient and affordable housing for families earning 30%, 60% and less of the AMI.
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 Public comments received online through July 22 are posted on
the Minneapolis 2040
website. The webpage presents an unedited raw data report, and serves as an
interim look at public comments.
With the public comment period over, staff are now reviewing the
public comments and revising the draft plan. A revised draft will be released in
late September, with consideration by the City Planning Commission in late
October and the full City Council in December. The approval process will
include a formal public hearing, where anyone can submit written comment or
speak in person.
Comments that have been collected through emails, meetings, and
the online mapping tool will be published at a later date.
STEP-UP interns, STEP-UP employers, and CPED staff visiting Coen + Partners on the Worksite Walking Tour. (Source: City of Minneapolis)
On Tuesday, July 17, STEP-UP staff guided elected officials, program partners, funders and others on the annual tour of STEP-UP worksites, giving them a glimpse into the STEP-UP intern experience.
The focus of this year’s tour was Downtown Minneapolis. This summer, there are over 200 interns employed at worksites in Downtown Minneapolis. The tour included three sites, all located on or near Nicollet Mall, including Damon Farber, Coen + Partners, and Xcel Energy, with special presentations from two worksites , Minneapolis Public Housing Authority and Fashion With A Cause, an innovative partnership with Target Corporation, UMN Design School, and Minneapolis Community Education that teaches fashion design.
From working as a design and marketing intern to being an office assistant, interns shared the highlights and challenges of their summer job experiences. Their employers and supervisors also shared what they have taken away from the experience.
This summer, over 1,500 youth and young adults aged 14-21 are employed by STEP-UP at one of 209 government agencies, nonprofits, small businesses, and top corporations throughout the Twin Cities Metro Area.
Learn more about STEP-UP
 The 16th annual STEP-UP End of Summer Celebration will be on Thursday, August 16, 2018 from 2:30 p.m.- 4:00 p.m. It will be held in the Guthrie Theater on 818 South 2nd Street, Minneapolis at Wurtele Thrust Stage. Attend the event to celebrate the accomplishments of over 1,500 interns and their supporters citywide. The program will include a special welcome from Mayor Jacob Frey, live entertainment, reflections from interns, and Supervisor and Employer of the Year awards.
Register here.
 .
On Tuesday, September 18 from 3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., meet local employers, learn about job opportunities and other helpful resources. Whether you’re job searching, looking for a new career path or needing assistance to take the next step, this Fair is for you. No registration necessary and no cost. The Fair will be held at the Minneapolis North Workforce Center on 800 West Broadway Avenue.
Business Training & Resources
Planning for Profitability Workshop
Wednesday, August 15, 2018
3:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Doty Board Room
Minneapolis Central Library
300 Nicollet Mall
Are you a restaurant that needs help planning for and complying with the new minimum wage? In the session facilitated by Cue the Accountant, you will learn how to plan for wage increases and look for ways to offset additional costs, creatively and efficiently schedule labor, build a model to support paying minimum wages, and get connected to free, one-on-one financial consulting through the City of Minneapolis. Register here.
Small Business, Big Impact: Telling Strategic and Compelling Stories
Saturday, September 8, 2018
9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Brandspeak Communications | 201 6th Street #200
Are you a small business in Minneapolis looking to attract customers, inspire employees, and build your brand? Learn to better target an audience, develop a communications strategy with key messages that resonate with each audience, communicate stories online, and more. You will walk away with a communications plan, messaging template, immediate feedback about current and planned communications, and up to two hours of post-workshop follow-up with the trainers. Capecci Communications will be facilitating the workshop. Registration closes Tuesday, August 14.
10 Things You Should Know for People Management
Tuesday, September 11, 2018
9:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.
Fueled Collective at the Grain Exchange
400 South 4th Street, Suite 401
The session is facilitated by Davis Law Office and will focus on managing the people involved in your organization: employees, partners, vendors, and independent contractors. Specific topics include employing non-citizen workers, setting up successful partnerships, and adjusting to recent changes in wage and earned sick and safe time regulations. Registration closes Monday, September 10.
Developing Capabilities Statements for DBE Construction Businesses
Spanish session: Wednesday, September 5, 2018
English session: Wednesday, September 26, 2018
8:30 a.m. - 11:00 p.m.
Crown Roller Mill Building - Innovation Center
105 5th Ave South
The workshop is facilitated by Socios Consulting. Learn how to draft a capability statement, gain the ability to market your products and services with the statement, access the latest information on the City of Minneapolis’ major construction projects, and improve your understanding of government contracting and procurement. Registration closes Monday, August 27.
Co-operative Technical Assistant Program (C-TAP)
Co-op Feasibility Training: Thursdays,
September 20 - November 8
5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m., location TBD
C-TAP provides the basic tools needed to
assess a cooperative idea and outlines the appropriate steps to form a
cooperative in Minneapolis. The program includes Co-op Feasibility Training and
technical assistance for new and existing co-ops (feasibility, retention and
expansion). The Co-op Feasibility Training enables participants to complete
a Co-op profile, which is a tool used to
evaluate the feasibility of a co-op idea and/or to refine the model for
cooperatives already in the process of incorporation. The class meets one
night per week for eight weeks. Registration closes Thursday, August 30.
 The services are provided by the City of Minneapolis Business Technical Assistance Program (B-TAP).
Events
Make
On Lake: Art Walk + Party
Saturday, August 11, 2018
5:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
East Lake Street
Minneapolis |
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Join the art walk block party and enjoy food, art, music, activities and paletas. Read more about the projects and the artist's bios here.
More Information
Welcome to North Minneapolis: Explorations
of a Rich Heritage Bus Tour
Saturday, August 25, 2018
10:15 a.m. - 12:15 p.m.
Utepils Brewing
225 Thomas Avenue North
Minneapolis, 55405
Learn about the unique tapestry of people, cultures, and events on “The Northside” as you are guided on a bus journey by a historian and story teller. You will become familiar with notable places and events that have impacted the lives of residents through generations. Struggles for social justice and other past and present issues on the forefront of our daily life will be shared. Hear about individuals who continue to live in, or have returned to, their North Minneapolis roots to develop enterprises that provide a promising future for upcoming generations.
More
Information
Open
Streets Franklin
Sunday, August 26, 2018
11:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Franklin Ave E
from Portland Ave to 28th Ave S
Enjoy a family fun weekend outing and be engaged with your community and your city by walking, biking, community building, and playing at the Open Streets Minneapolis event. The event is powered by over 100 volunteers.
More
Information
New/Expanding Businesses
Food/Beverage
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Tech
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In the News
Minneapolis ranked top tech talent market in Midwest
Read in the Finance & Commerce
Reports: Minneapolis drawing more bank office space
Read in the Finance & Commerce
Dockless bikes coming to Minneapolis after Nice Ride,
Motivate deal
Read in the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal
Electric scooter startup Bird launches in Minneapolis
and St. Paul
Read in the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal
Lime, Another Scooter Rental Company, Launches In
Minneapolis
Read in the CBS Minnesota
Neighbors: THOR Companies makes a giant investment in
the place Richard Copeland calls home
Read in the North News
Hi-Lake intersection will soon sprout wings with lift
from GoodSpace
Read in the Messenger
APWA Awards City of Minneapolis, SEH with 2018 Project
of the Year
Read in the OA Online
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