Minneapolis kicks off Black Business Week

Janice Downing and Alicia Belton are co-owners of S.H.A.K.E, a co-working and event center located inside the Coliseum Building on East Lake Street. Downing said the vision for the building extended beyond creating commercial space.

“When we first envisioned this space, we wanted to be more than just brick and mortar. We wanted to develop a community and be a hub for big ideas, collaboration, and growth,” Downing said.

She said seeing the building filled with entrepreneurs during Black Business Week is evidence that vision is becoming reality.

“These businesses are the heartbeat of our local economy, and we are proud to provide a space where ideas will thrive,” she said.

Minneapolis leaders officially launched the city’s sixth annual Black Business Week on Monday at the Coliseum, highlighting new investments in small businesses and celebrating the growing role of Black entrepreneurs in the local economy.

The event features free workshops, networking opportunities and educational sessions designed to connect entrepreneurs with resources and encourage residents to support Black-owned businesses.

Mayor Jacob Frey said the city created Black Business Week to recognize Black entrepreneurs and expand access to business resources.

“The original intent of getting Black Business Week set up was not just to patron and celebrate Black businesses from around the city, but importantly recognizing that these are not just like the CEOs and the entrepreneurs and the business minds of tomorrow, but these are the CEOs and the entrepreneurs and the business minds of right now,” Frey said.

Frey said the city is investing in Black-owned businesses through several funding initiatives, including $7 million for the Small Business Resiliency Fund, $4 million in license fee relief and $600,000 to support free community events. He also said the city is working to improve access to capital, financing and technical assistance for entrepreneurs.

“We’re investing in these communities that have made Minneapolis extraordinary to begin with,” Frey said.

The weeklong event includes free events focused on entrepreneurship, business development and supporting Black-owned businesses.

The kickoff comes as small businesses across the Twin Cities continue to navigate economic uncertainty. Some business owners have reported challenges tied to the recent increase in federal immigration enforcement activity, including fewer customers, staffing concerns and financial strain. The broader challenges facing small businesses have added urgency to conversations around access to resources, capital and community support.

Square Roots is a restaurant and workforce development initiative opening in early August in the Coliseum. Community director Jared Brewington said the restaurant will offer lunch and fine dining dinner service while also creating paid workforce opportunities for young adults.

“One of the things that we do is we provide accessible cuisine to the neighborhood and community at accessible pricing, offsetting what would be fine dining prices with dignity and openness to the community,” Brewington said.

Brewington said Square Roots will provide an 18- to 24-year-old workforce with a six-month training program focused on food service skills and certification, with the goal of connecting participants to jobs in the community.

Media entrepreneur Sheletta Brundidge said Black Business Week provides critical visibility for small businesses, particularly as many Black entrepreneurs continue to face barriers to financing and investment.

“Black women get less than two percent of all venture capital dollars, but yet we’re starting more businesses than any other group in the country,” Brundidge said.

She said the week helps entrepreneurs gain exposure and connect with new customers.

“Without Black Business Week, we do not exist. We do not continue to thrive. We just survive. We barely make it,” Brundidge said.