News

The City of Minneapolis values both a strong business community and a cleaner environment. The Green Business Matching Grant Program acts on this value by investing in businesses that reduce pollution in Minneapolis creating a healthier place to live, work, and play.

Applications are due at 4:00 p.m. on Friday, April 22, 2016.

http://www.minneapolismn.gov/environment/green/index.htm

Small Business Listening Session

Thursday, January 14 
11:30-1
Bryant-Lake Bowl
810 W Lake St

Remember Working Families Agenda from this fall? The city is no longer seeking to implement the full proposal. They are continuing the discussion on paid sick leave however. They've formed the Workplace Regulations Partnership, and the group has begun to meet. 

The association is closely monitoring the actions and discussions of the Partnership, and will be reaching out to you soon for feedback.

As the City Council rolls out information on their Working Families Agenda proposal, many businesses have questions and concerns with the methods proposed. SWBA is hosting a meeting tomorrow morning for you to voice your concerns, and encourages all to attend. We also highly encourage you to attend as many of the meetings scheduled as possible:

Palmisano/Johnson/Quincy meeting

Wednesday, September 30, 2015
66:30-7:30 PM
Mayflower Congregational United Church of Christ (106 E Diamond Lake Rd)
https://www.facebook.com/events/516214705210845/

SWBA Meeting with Glidden

Thursday, October 1, 2015
10 - 11:30 AM
City Church Commons Room
1501 W 54th S

Ward 13, Palmisano Meeting

Tuesday October 6, 2015
3-4 PM
Lake Harriet Spiritual Community (4401 S Upton Ave.)
Council Member Linea Palmisano hosting.

Longfellow and Lake Street Council Mtg

Thursday, October 8, 2015
8:30 - 9:30 AM
U.S. Bank (2800 E Lake St, 55406)
Council Member Andrew Johnson will be speaking.

MPLSWorks Workers Forum Meeting

Thursday, October 1, 2015
6:30 PM
Central Area Neighborhood Development Assn (3736 Chicago Ave S)
Council Members Bender, Cano and Glidden,

Lyndale Business Association Meeting

Tuesday, October 13, 2015
12-1 PM
Fifth Precinct Police Department (3101 Nicollet Ave)

Introducing the Southwest Business Association

The Nicollet-East Harriet Business Association would like to introduce you to our new name. Taking a cue from our expanded service area and our popular “Experience Southwest” brand, the organization is excited to announce its new name: the Southwest Business Association.

Those of us who call Southwest Minneapolis home are proud of our neighborhoods. We are drawn to this area for a couple of key reasons, one of which is the healthy and vibrant independently owned small shops and restaurants that flourish in small pockets throughout our area. These businesses are owned by our fellow neighbors and employ Minneapolitans, and if you frequent them you likely have met and built a relationship with the owner. They support our local schools and communities because they are a part of them. They help define our walkable and bikeable neighborhoods. Our local businesses are as much an amenity as are our public parks.

This vibrant and healthy small business economy didn’t just happen organically or by chance. Beginning in 2006, a group of local business owners had a vision to improve our local business districts and formed the Nicollet-East Harriet Business Association. This group of businesses originally resided on or near Nicollet Avenue in the East Harriet Farmstead neighborhood. Their combined effort, along with grants from the City of Minneapolis’ Great Streets program, made a vast difference in the community changing corners such as 38^th and Nicollet into local and regional destinations.

As the years have gone on, the Association has grown to take on larger issues, significantly expanded its service area and assisted businesses from the much broader Southwest Minneapolis area with over 200 business members. Association leadership recognized that a change in name was needed in order to more accurately reflect its members and purpose. We are pleased to announce the Nicollet-East Harriet Business Association will now be known as the Southwest Business Association.

Neighbors will still find our local event and business listings at www.experiencesouthwest.com. Businesses and other individuals interested in learning more about Association initiatives can click on “members” at www.experiencesouthwest.com, visit www.swba.experiencesouthwest.com directly, or email staff at info@experiencesouthwest.com. Phone and address remain the same.

Southwest Business Association

PO Box 8932
Minneapolis, MN 55408
612.823.3472
info@experiencesouthwest.com
www.experiencesouthwest.com

Online Health Inspection Reports

Health inspection reports will be made available online this fall. To help users understand the reports, information about health inspections and the reports will be put on the city's website.

Join us to review a draft of information for the city's website.

Monday, September 21
9:00 - 10:00 a.m.
Minneapolis Central Library, Doty Board Room
300 Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis, MN

The Minnesota Food Code has been under revision for the past several years. Draft language has been posted online for each chapter. The draft proposed language can be found here for review.

The Minneapolis Health Department will be hosting another community forum for food establishments to provide comments about the proposed language in the fall. Watch for more information. In the meantime, you can submit comments or questions to the Minnesota Department of Health here.

As part of our upgraded member services for 2015, it was really important to add a way for our busy business owners to connect with one another and ask for advice on industry specific news. To accomplish this goal, we went on the hunt for a tool to provide members-only forums, a member directory and additional administrative tools to maximize the benefits we can offer to you.

We've found one, and are in the process of moving our online home to our new tool. You'll be able to find and register for meetings and events, connect with fellow business members, get answers to the tough questions you come across from association leadership and much more. Check back for more details soon!