Supporting small businesses

We can’t overstate the value of entrepreneurs bringing new ideas and creativity into our community. Minnesota’s business landscape has always been fueled by home-grown start-ups, particularly in retail, medical technology, and agriculture. Some of these visionaries and companies have gone on to become giants of industry and philanthropy for our city and state.

Minneapolis needs to become more attractive for business owners to “set up shop,” which creates jobs and fuels future investment. We need small businesses so our neighborhoods can thrive. Local shopping reduces our carbon footprint, increases sales tax revenue for the city, and boosts foot traffic, which makes the community safer and gives us a chance to meet our neighbors.

I recently attended the grand opening of Shop My Closet, a small resale and consignment store in the Seven Points Mall on Hennepin (the old Benetton space). Shop My Closet was a beneficiary of the Hennepin County Elevate program, which offers come-alongside services to help new small businesses launch and thrive.

Shop My Closet hosts a variety of resellers and provides studio space for people to market their wares. Stop in, shop for a new look, live sustainably, and support Uptown!