Featured Stories

Garages For Art's Sake

Camille LeFevre Wednesday, June 05, 2013

For artist/gallerist Pete Driessen and the theater artists of Off-Leash Area, turning their garages into art spaces provided opportunities for innovation, experimentation, and freedom, very close to home. And the neighbors don't mind a bit.

Arts and Culture, Creative Economy, Design, Entrepreneurship, Reuse / Rebuild

Southwest, Longfellow

A Line or Two: A Civic Blog for Saint Paul

Jon Spayde Wednesday, June 05, 2013

This week: Mayor Coleman's office launches a blog for the City of Saint Paul that's more about the city as a scene than as a simple civic entity.

Arts and Culture, Coordination/Collaboration, Creative Leadership

A charging station at Saint Paul's RiverCentre

Where to charge your car: Electric-car "refueling" stations in the Twin Cities

Anna Pratt Wednesday, June 05, 2013

Charging stations for electric cars are popping up here and there in Minneapolis and Saint Paul. In fact, the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency is working to install up to 76 electric car-charging stations throughout the metro area, adding to an already expanding network. Here's our guide (a work in progress) to our towns' car-charging infrastructure.

Coordination/Collaboration, Emerging Technologies, Emerging Technology, Strong Local Economy, Sustainability, Transit Oriented Development, Transportation

Mike Smieja and We Can Grow: Building Urban Gardens, Helping Urban Gardeners Thrive

Elizabeth Millard Wednesday, May 22, 2013

The onetime marketing professional made a career u-turn when he discovered how gardening--and cooking and eating healthy produce right from the soil--could change lives. Now his nonprofit startup helps inner-city newcomers to gardening make healthy foods part of their lives.

Creative Economy, diversity, Entrepreneurship, Green Jobs, Sustainability

Travis Peebles and James Rychak of Blazing Saddle Cycle--photo by Bob Perkoski

The Two-Wheel Entrepreneurs: Bike culture spawns businesses nationwide

Lee Chilcote Wednesday, May 22, 2013

While the Twin Cities duke it out with Portland over which metropolis sets the gold standard of bike culture, other cities--some of them unlikely--are becoming serious players in the boom. Cleveland, Detroit, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, DC, and Tampa are among the places where ingenious entrepreneurs are "riding" the new bike culture,

Creative Economy, Entrepreneurship, Strong Local Economy, Transportation

A Line or Two: Minneapolis' Creative Economy by the Numbers

Jon Spayde Wednesday, May 22, 2013

It came into my mailbox the other day--Minneapolis' first-ever study of the impact of the creative sector on the city's bottom line, in terms of sales and employment. There were points of pride, surprises, and caveats, along with ample proof that the arts pull more than their weight in bringing prosperity to the city.

Arts and Culture, Creative Economy, Creative Leadership, Entrepreneurship, Strong Local Economy

The Line is off next week...

Jon Spayde Wednesday, May 22, 2013

...to do a little Memorial Day Weekend celebrating in the absolute certainty that there will be no more snowstorms--and that a delicious Minnesota summer is in the offing. See you when we return on June 5.

Two Food Cities: Restaurateurs Compare Minneapolis and Saint Paul

Holly Dolezalek Wednesday, May 15, 2013

We asked owners and managers of three local restaurants with locations in both Minneapolis and Saint Paul--one long-established place and two trendy newcomers--to compare the two cities from their food-business point of view. The results? Both expected and unexpected. Minneapolis rocks, but downtown Saint Paul is on a roll.

Black students in Minnesota schools are doing better than you think

Caroline Hooper Wednesday, May 15, 2013

The achievement gap between white and black students in Minnesota is real, and a cause for concern. But a Minneapolis schoolteacher adds nuance to the debate by pointing out that black students in Minnesota public schools are doing better than black students nationally.

diversity, Talent Dividend

A Line or Two: Love is the Law in Minnesota

Jon Spayde Wednesday, May 15, 2013

Governor Mark Dayton signed Minnesota's law legalizing gay marriage on a bright, clear day that broke temperature records. The theme of the outdoor signing ceremony was love, just as love had been a major theme of the campaign to get the law passed. Where else might we use this big word?

Coordination/Collaboration, Creative Leadership, diversity

Downtown/Lowertown

"A Very Feminine, Very Driven Business Incubator": The WBDC

Julie Kendrick Wednesday, May 08, 2013

The local office of the Chicago-based Women's Business Development Center gives majority-women-owned ventures here support and connections they might not otherwise have--as long as they can pass a rigorous qualifying process. It's women helping women to shatter the glass ceiling.

Creative Leadership, diversity, Entrepreneurship, Philanthropy, Strong Local Economy

North Side

The May Day Parade: A Slide Show

Bill Kelley Wednesday, May 08, 2013

The May Day Parade and Festival is our Mardi Gras--a heartfelt explosion of color, music, art, fun, and earth-friendliness after the weariness of long winters. Bill Kelley caught the parade action last Sunday in the Powderhorn neighborhood as Minneapolitans dressed up and rocked out to say goodbye to the cold.

Arts and Culture, Coordination/Collaboration, Creative Economy, Creative Leadership, Design, diversity, Sustainability

Powderhorn

Katherine Loflin, Tane Danger, and Susan Brower

A Line or Two: Downstairs at Honey

Jon Spayde Wednesday, May 08, 2013

Monday night I joined urbanist Katherine Loflin, The Line publisher Dena Alspach, colleagues from the Citizens' League, an old magazine-biz pal, and a lively audience for some informal urbanism: an improv comedian emceeing a discussion about why people love/don't love the Twin Cities--and why they stay or go. Craft beer and Asian appetizers were in the mix.

Arts and Culture, Coordination/Collaboration, Creative Economy, Creative Leadership, Strong Local Economy

Downtown

Coworking for Fashionistas: Two designers open "Showroom"

Anna Pratt Wednesday, May 01, 2013

Jen Chilstrom and Kimberly Jurek have just opened (May 1) a new kind of fashion boutique. The Showroom is a combination retail shop/workshop/coworking space where local designers can come, work, exhibit, share ideas, and grow creatively.

Arts and Culture, Coordination/Collaboration, Creative Economy, Creative Leadership, Strong Local Economy

Lake Street, Uptown/Lyn Lake, Longfellow

The Big Picture: Laura Zabel on Art's New Roles in the Community

Jon Spayde Wednesday, May 01, 2013

The nonprofit Springboard for the Arts used to concentrate solely on career development for artists. Now, under the leadership of Laura Zabel, it's become a powerful force in redefining the whole relationship between artists and the communities they live in--and in marshaling artistic creativity to improve those communities.

Arts and Culture, Central Corridor, Coordination/Collaboration, Creative Economy, Creative Leadership, Entrepreneurship, Healthcare, Strong Local Economy, Transit Oriented Development

Downtown/Lowertown