Shop your community values on Small Business Sat., Nov. 26

By TESHA M. CHRISTENSEN

Shop your values this holiday season and stay local on Small Business Saturday, Nov. 26.

“Small Business Saturday supports the growth of our local economy and the individuals that are dedicated to making our neighborhoods thriving places to eat, shop, play, and live,” observed Theresa Swaney of the Lake Street Council.

Photo right: Heid E. Erdrich speaks to a crowd at Moon Palace Books on Oct. 12 during in celebration of Sun Yung Shin’s new book “Unbearable Splendor.” The first 25 customers at the book store on Small Business Saturday, Nov. 26, will receive copies of the Winter Catalog (with a coupon), a free downloadable audiobook copy of “The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian,” and a free copy of “We Should All Be Feminists.” (Photo submitted)

She pointed out that in 2015, consumers spent over $16 billion on Small Business Saturday.

“While it is not necessarily a reject of big box stores entirely, Small Business Saturday represents a commitment to our neighborhoods and supporting local business owner’s passions,” said Swaney.

At Urban Forage Winery and Cider House (3016 E. Lake St.), the owners live and shop for supplies in the area. Bottles come from Fridley. Labels are printed in Minneapolis. The yeast and various winemaking supplies come from St. Paul.

Photo left: There are about 2,000 businesses along Lake St., and the majority are small businesses. “Lake St. is a great culturally diverse mix of businesses and has always been a start point for immigrants and minorities,” said Theresa Swaney of the Lake Street Council. “We have a large percentage of Latino, Somali, and women-owned businesses on Lake St.” (Photo submitted)

“People should shop locally first because we have a really good product!” said Urban Forage Winery and Cider House owner Jeff Zeitler, who opened the facility in December 2015. “There’s no reason to ship cider from England or New Hampshire or Oregon to have a really good quality cider. We make it right here! Minnesota produces wonderful apples, and our cider shows it.” He suggested giving their apricot cider or strong mead as a local, artisanal gift this holiday season, and keep money in the community.

What is Small Business Saturday?

First there was Black Friday, then Cyber Monday.

Nov. 27, 2010 was the first ever Small Business Saturday, a day earmarked to celebrate the Shop Small movement to drive shoppers to local merchants across the U.S.

More than 200 organizations have joined American Express OPEN, the company’s small business unit, in declaring the Saturday after Thanksgiving as Small Business Saturday. Shop small and earn big with an enrolled American Express® card this holiday season. Through Dec. 31, cardholders will earn 2X rewards when they Shop Small.

Find qualifying American Express Card-accepting neighborhood merchants featured on the map at www.smallbusinesssaturday.com.

Local small businesses also support important policies

Main Street Alliance is also encouraging people to patron the local shops, restaurants, and service providers that create local jobs and invest in their community.

Photo right: The Hub (3020 Minnehaha Ave.) is partnering with The Official Intergalactic Surly Regional HQ on a special demo ride on Small Business Saturday, Nov. 26 from 3-7pm. It will feature fat/plus mountain bikes from Surly, Heller, Jamis, and Felt. (Photo submitted)

The Main Street Alliance works to lift up the voices of small business owners on important policy issues, many of which benefit the communities they serve. In Minnesota, the MSA is fighting for a common-sense, practical approach to earned sick and safe time as a new baseline standard.

“Offering paid sick time is a workplace practice that acknowledges and makes room for managing the sometimes unpredictable needs of other human beings. Paid sick time also helps create protection for employees whose managers may lack the skills, training, authority, or empathy to have created an environment where illness or emergency can be managed more collaboratively, and having a clear paid sick time policy provides people managers with a consistent starting point for initiating absenteeism-related conversations with employees in circumstances where such discussion is warranted,” remarked Julie Kearns, owner of Junket: Tossed and Found (4049 Minnehaha Ave.).

2,000 businesses in the Lake St. corridor

There are about 2,000 businesses along Lake St., and the majority are small businesses.

“Lake St. is a great culturally diverse mix of businesses and has always been a start point for immigrants and minorities,” said Swaney. “We have a large percentage of Latino, Somali, and women-owned businesses on Lake St.”

Photo left: The Stringdingers will be part of the Third Annual Minneapolis Rock Art Experience on Sat., Nov. 26 at The Hook and Ladder Theater (3010 Minnehaha Ave) from 4 to 9pm. The live music begins Live Music at 8pm. Also playing will be Luke Warm and the Cool Hands with Ryan Young (CD release party) and The Gentlemen’s Anti-Temperance League. Arrive earlier to enjoy local artists and their creations for the music world that will be on display and for purchase. It’s Minnesota artists, Minnesota musicians, and Minnesota beer at a new Minnesota music venue. More details at http://thehookmpls.com. (Photo submitted)

In the Lake St. corridor, many residents are entirely dependent upon the wide range of small businesses—by choice or by necessity. Because of this, pockets of commercial activity have sprung up to support this dependence, including the Downtown Longfellow area at the intersection of 27th Ave and Lake St.

“Not only can you eat, shop, and play but you can also buy your groceries, go to the library, mail your packages and get your clothes dry cleaned,” stated Swaney.

Small business owner Zeitler appreciates how progressive the community is, and how involved people are in their neighborhood.

“Longfellow and Seward have the feel of a small town,” observed Zeitler. “They’re more sophisticated that most small towns, but the neighborhoods are friendly and have a little bit of a Lake Wobegon feel. I also love being a part of the revival of Lake St. There were lots of vacant storefronts—we were one of them—a few years ago that are now thriving businesses.”

Variety of local gifts, events

What sorts of gifts can residents find along the Lake St. corridor? According to Swaney, check out:

• Home goods at Forage Modern Workshop (4023 E. Lake St.) and Corazon (4646 E. Lake St.)

• Pop culture items at Northern Sun (2916 E. Lake St.)

• Outdoor and sports gear at Repair Lair (3304 E. Lake) and The Hub (3020 Minnehaha Ave.)

• Coffee related items at Peace Coffee (3262 Minnehaha Ave.)

• Clothing and jewelry in Lyn-Lake

• Vintage items from the Minnehaha Mile, stores like Junket (4049 Minnehaha Ave.) and Time Bomb (4008 Minnehaha Ave.)

• Garden supplies at Minnehaha Nursery (4461 Minnehaha Ave.)

• Holiday shows at Hook & Ladder (3010 Minnehaha Ave.), Heart Of the Beast Theater and the Jungle Theater

• Norwegian gifts from Ingebretsen’s (1601 E. Lake St.)

At Moon Palace Books (3260 Minnehaha Ave.), the first 25 customers on Small Business Saturday will get a free downloadable audio book copy of Sherman Alexie’s “The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian” and a free copy of Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s “We Should All Be Feminists.”

The bookshop moved around the corner earlier this summer with the help of a volunteer book brigade that moved 10,000 books. “It took three hours and 60 volunteers, and is why we totally and completely love this neighborhood. So many good people willing to help,” said Moon Palace Books owner Angela Schwesnedl.

Next door, the Trylon microcinema (3258 Minnehaha Ave.) is holding a benefit for its 2017 expansion on Nov. 26. The Trylon has 50 rocker seats, a 20-foot screen and a pair of 35mm projectors that were donated by the University of Minnesota. During the benefit, thousands of used DVDs and Blu-ray discs, many sealed Criterion and rare UK discs (UK BR and DVDs will only play in an all-region player), will be for sale, beginning at 9am.

The Hub (3020 Minnehaha Ave.) is partnering with The Official Intergalactic Surly Regional HQ on a special demo ride featuring fat/plus mountain bikes from Surly, Heller, Jamis, and Felt. Meet at The Hub at 3pm, and ride from 4-7pm. Lights will be provided, and demos of the following models will be available on a first-come, first-serve basis: Surly Ice Cream Truck, Surly Karate Monkey 27.5+, Surly Krampus Felt DD10, Jamis Roughneck and Heller Shagamaw. All bikes are welcome.