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Meseret Asfaw, Owner of Meseret Ethiopian Restaurant, worked with the City to renovate her restaurant space.
Meseret Ethiopian Restaurant located at 3867 Minnehaha Avenue is open for business with a range of help from the City of Minneapolis. As business owner, Meseret Asfaw, was building out her new restaurant, she encountered problems and confusion with her contractor and the inspection review process. The City’s Small Business Team coordinated a site visit with multiple City inspectors to provide clarity and resolve issues.
Meseret also received coaching on growing her business through the City's Business Technical Assistance Program (B-TAP) from program partner African Economic Development Solutions. The City’s 2% Loan and Great Streets Facade Improvement Grant programs helped provide funds for the expansion.
Explore more how the City helps small businesses plan, launch and grow in Minneapolis at business.minneapolismn.gov.
The City of Minneapolis and Grounded Solutions Network hosted two community feedback sessions about Long Term Affordable Housing. (Source: City of Minneapolis)
In May 2019, the City launched the Long Term Affordable Housing Policy Study in partnership with Grounded Solutions Network. The study will inform how the City will expand production of long term affordable (LTA) housing to increase and maintain homeownership for at least 30 years to households below 80% of area median income.
The first site visit was conducted on July 17 and July 18, 2019. The City and Grounded Solutions Network hosted two community feedback sessions at the Matthews Recreation Center and the North Regional Library to present on different LTA models and gather comments and questions from participants. Overall, 48 residents, developers, lenders, realtors, community development representatives and contractors attended the events. Grounded Solutions Network will host a second site visit in October to share information about resale formulas and gain community input and feedback before finalizing a recommendation to present to City Council.
The East African Business Forum held on June 27 helped entrepreneurs to learn about the City of Minneapolis’ support for small businesses. Attendees spoke with City staff from several departments and other community partners. Topics included:
- Financing and business technical support
- Permitting requirements
- Complying with City ordinances
- Doing business with the City
At the forum, Mayor Frey and Council Member Warsame announced plans to pursue a new African Market in the Cedar Riverside neighborhood. Attendees asked questions and provided feedback on the new African Market, outreach to the community, and resources to support small businesses.
The 17th annual Step Up End of Summer Celebration will be Thursday, August 15 at the Guthrie Theatre and will be a time to celebrate the accomplishments of nearly 1,400 Step Up interns citywide. The celebration will include a welcome from Mayor Jacob Frey, stories from the interns, Supervisor and Employer of the Year awards, live entertainment from Heart & Soul Drum and Dance Academy and Soul Beautiful Band, and a comedian emcee.
Learn more about the Step Up Youth Employment Program
Events
Eat & Art on Lake
Saturday, August 10, 6:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.
Moon Palace Books
Join this outdoor community meal to celebrate Lake Street’s diverse immigrant and refugee-owned restaurants. The event will feature the artwork of local illustrator, Cori Lin. Spend the evening outside on Moon Palace Book’s patio enjoying a diverse menu of items from Moroccan Flavors, International Cuisine Bar & Grill, Taqueria Las Cuatro Milpas, Willo Somali Bakery and Gandhi Mahal. Beer & wine will be available from Geek Love Cafe.
More Information
Check out the video
Preserve Minneapolis Walking Tours for August
Learn about the city with Preserve Minneapolis. The popular tours of Minneapolis neighborhoods and architecture shed new light on the city’s history, culture and urban design. From the biggest landmarks to little-known streets and districts, learn more!
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Summer Walks Across Seward
August 7, 14, 21, 28
All walks begin at 7:00 p.m. at the various sites
The Seward History Committee has lined up a 6th season of summer evening walks. The walks include:
- Learn about Historical Franklin Avenue
- Learn how local businesses and national agencies are working to be stewards of the water
- Look at new housing construction and learn the methods of construction, materials, styles and costs
- Tour Seward's diverse food scene
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Open Streets Franklin
Sunday, August 25, 11:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Franklin Ave E from Portland Ave to 27th Ave S
Street spots at Open Streets Minneapolis are diverse and creative; street spots feature local businesses, kid-friendly programming, activities encouraging folks to use active transportation or engaging in healthy lifestyles, live performances, music, opportunities to play or create art and even scavenger hunts. Connect with local folks right on the streets!
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Upper Harbor – Community Engagement Learning Table August 2019
Wednesday, August 21, 4:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Northpoint Inc 1256 Penn Avenue North
Join a deeper community conversation about a topic from the Upper Harbor Concept Plan. August's theme is, Housing Options; A Deeper Dive. The 4-hour sessions will occur during the third week of the months of July, August, September and October, and aim to gather community preferences on each topic.
The Learning Table provides the “learning water”; a place to ask critical questions and develop the “learning glue”; a place to develop relationships, create partnerships, and make commitments to explore ideas for incorporation in the Upper Harbor development. Each Learning Table theme is directly related to development topics.
Learn together, Create shared approach, Coordinate efforts.
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Starting a Food Business 101 Classes
Second Wednesday of every month from 6:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
NEON, 1007 West Broadway Avenue North
Have you been dreaming of launching your very own food truck? Maybe you've got an incredible secret sauce that you want to make and bottle or you've wondered if you have what it takes to launch a food business and have questions about taking the next step.
Kindred Kitchen, Appetite For Change, and Northside Economic Opportunity Network are partnering through the Northside Food Business Incubator to offer a series of FREE workshops – Starting a Food Business 101. At the workshops, you will receive the key ingredients needed to start a food business while refining your business model.
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Open Streets University of Minnesota + Motley
Sunday, September 8, 11:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
ROUTE: 14th Ave SE from 5th St SE to University Ave SE; University Ave SE from 14th Ave SE to Oak St SE; Oak St SE from University Ave SE to East River Pkwy
Street spots at Open Streets Minneapolis are diverse and creative; street spots feature local businesses, kid-friendly programming, activities encouraging folks to use active transportation or engaging in healthy lifestyles, live performances, music, opportunities to play or create art and even scavenger hunts. Connect with local folks right on the streets!
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New/Expanding Businesses
Food/Beverage
Health/Fitness
Hotel
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Business Training & Resources
C-TAP Co-op Feasibility Class
The City of Minneapolis is offering a class for groups interested in starting or growing a cooperative business in the City of Minneapolis. The class will equip participants with tools to evaluate their co-op idea and/or refine their model for those that are already in the process of incorporation. Learn more and REGISTER by September 13, 2019
Capability Statement Workshops
Are you a business owner who wants to learn:
- What a capability statement is and how to use it
- Determine your core competencies
- Identify key differentiators
- Define your offer statement
- Create and design your capability statement document
- Have the option to attend a one on one session
The City of Minneapolis created the Business Technical Assistance Program (B-TAP) to offer
consulting services to small businesses. Through the B-TAP Professional Series, MaKee Company is pleased to present a series of interactive workshops to help small businesses develop or fine tune their Capability Statements.
In the News
Minneapolis Celebrates Black Business Week
Read in the Star Tribune
Doosan Bobcat will open global office in downtown Minneapolis
Read in the Star Tribune
Minneapolis/St. Paul among top 10 metros for most profitable small businesses
Read in Lending Tree
Minneapolis just shy of top 10 'Best Big Cities'
Read in Kare 11
MEDA Names Semifinalists in Minority Entrepreneurship Competition
Read in the Minneinno
Minneapolis Black Business Week celebrates local entrepreneurs
Read in the Minnesota Daily
Black business women network, share challenges at Makers and Innovators event
Read in MinnPost
UHT development plan includes space for businesses and marketplace
Read in North News
Murals added to 20 walls in LynLake
Read in the Southwest Journal
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