In an effort to uplift small businesses and support under-represented groups, the City is planning to open a small business development center. The center will support under-represented groups including Black, Indigenous and People of Color- and women-owned businesses, youth and artists. It will be on the east side of Bloomington in the former fire station, 2050 86th Street East, which is within a half-mile of public transit.
“We hope this new center will serve as a space for aspiring entrepreneurs by providing educational and financial resources,” Special Projects and Initiatives Manager Barb Wolff said. “We hope the center will help create long-lasting jobs that will benefit the community and drive economic growth in Bloomington.”
The new center is in alignment with the City Council’s strategic priorities of equity and inclusion, community amenities, environmental sustainability and high-quality service delivery.
The need for a small business development center was born out of the work of the City’s racial equity strategic planning committee. It was reconfirmed by the recent business survey conducted by Morris Leatherman Company, with 84% of respondents saying that the creation of a City-led business incubator is a good idea.
The City is working with with an advisory committee to develop suggestions for operations, space use, programming, services, activities, criteria and branding. For more information, visit blm.mn/sbdcinfo.
