Our Mpls businesses face a cultural shift inside a perfect storm, and our city council seems busy rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic without a clear strategic priority to address a huge problem. We are fertile ground for aggressive activists, and it appears May 1 will be another No work, No school and No shopping day. This places huge pressure on business, and lost revenue…while reinforcing the perception that Mpls is a place to avoid. Activists encourage boycotting, which hurts employees. Capitalism is the fuel that generates revenue for social programs…a fact not recognized by Democratic Socialists. Fasten your seat belts, it’s gonna be a bumpy ride!
I wish Mr. Fhima and his fellow restaurateurs well. Restaurants are the soul of our city.
Dining out is a social thing, of course, a backdrop for catching up with friends and relatives. But in the era of smart phones and social media, people seem to be way less social. And with the shift towards remote work, suburban folks don’t have an underlying reason to dine in Minneapolis.
Along with the issues you mention, Terry, it all adds up to a lot of pressures on urban restaurateurs. It’s a quagmire requiring the full attention of our elected officials.
"Our elected officials often seem oblivious to the perceived decline and appear to have priorities out of step with the majority of residents.
Recent actions by the city council feel transactional. Rather than focusing on the health of the city as a whole, they appear focused on serving specific subsets of constituents without considering how those choices color perceptions more broadly. "
We DO have some on this City Council that have worked really hard, for all of the city. Unfortunately, out of the 13 council seats, we are 1-2-3 seats short of having ENOUGH of these CMs, those that want, and are able to, pay attention to what Mpls needs most now. So, this is a numbers problem, simply.
I spend a part of every week, due to family and animal obligations, outside of Mpls. Mpls and the City Council are spoken about a lot, and in the most negative way, ( as so many continue to see these headlines weekly now, and too many have personally experienced the problems.) These are people that have ALWAYS had the deepest love and appreciation for Mpls.
My only hope for the City of Mpls, ( given all that we have seen since Jan...and before) and knowing these problematic council members, too well, is that one or two of them, of this DSA, Wonsley voting block, (the Chugleys), pack up and leave...long before their terms are over.
*I wish we had the ability to launch recall efforts, but I have been advised that we don't have that tool. 🫤
I moved to Loring Park over 11 years ago. About half or more of the restaurants/bars have closed(for multple reasons as mentioned in the interiew and elsewhere), and its spaces are vacant. Most notable closings are the Loring Ktichen, Lurcat, and Eggys. The former ones were destinations for surbanites, the latter for conventioneers so not soley dependent on neighborhood customers. Yes, the restauranteurs bear some responsiblity for the failures but I wish the city and state did more to support our local businesses.
Another great interview, Terry! It’d be great if the current city council paid attention and made sensible changes before more of our favorite spots close or relocate to the suburbs. If things aren’t fixed soon, we’ll not only see more businesses leave, but residents as well, leaving the remaining homeowners to carry an even heavier tax burden. This division impacts everyone, and it begins with our elected officials.
Thank you for listening. I agree! Unfortunately, there was someone mopping during the interview and I wasn't able remove the noise from the recording. When I record in the studio it isn't an issue. Best, Terry
I was kind of amused by the mopping! I almost thought it was on purpose to make it sound like a working restaurant, except I couldn't figure our what sort of food prep it was, and then the mop swung into view! But otherwise I liked the setting -- and he's quite the amazing guy.
"The steady drumbeat of concerning headlines about the current City Council should be taken seriously. Minneapolis residents deserve a governing body that functions effectively – one that respects the charter, respects its members, and respects the people it serves.
Most importantly, they deserve a City Council that is focused on the serious challenges facing our city today. We call on Council President Elliott Payne to honor the responsibilities of his position and provide the leadership this moment requires."
This commentary was submitted by former Minneapolis City Council Presidents John Cairns, Lou DeMars, Sharon Sayles Belton, Jackie Cherryhomes, Barb Johnson and Andrea Jenkins.
Our Mpls businesses face a cultural shift inside a perfect storm, and our city council seems busy rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic without a clear strategic priority to address a huge problem. We are fertile ground for aggressive activists, and it appears May 1 will be another No work, No school and No shopping day. This places huge pressure on business, and lost revenue…while reinforcing the perception that Mpls is a place to avoid. Activists encourage boycotting, which hurts employees. Capitalism is the fuel that generates revenue for social programs…a fact not recognized by Democratic Socialists. Fasten your seat belts, it’s gonna be a bumpy ride!
I wish Mr. Fhima and his fellow restaurateurs well. Restaurants are the soul of our city.
Dining out is a social thing, of course, a backdrop for catching up with friends and relatives. But in the era of smart phones and social media, people seem to be way less social. And with the shift towards remote work, suburban folks don’t have an underlying reason to dine in Minneapolis.
Along with the issues you mention, Terry, it all adds up to a lot of pressures on urban restaurateurs. It’s a quagmire requiring the full attention of our elected officials.
Another great piece!
Key points...
"Our elected officials often seem oblivious to the perceived decline and appear to have priorities out of step with the majority of residents.
Recent actions by the city council feel transactional. Rather than focusing on the health of the city as a whole, they appear focused on serving specific subsets of constituents without considering how those choices color perceptions more broadly. "
We DO have some on this City Council that have worked really hard, for all of the city. Unfortunately, out of the 13 council seats, we are 1-2-3 seats short of having ENOUGH of these CMs, those that want, and are able to, pay attention to what Mpls needs most now. So, this is a numbers problem, simply.
I spend a part of every week, due to family and animal obligations, outside of Mpls. Mpls and the City Council are spoken about a lot, and in the most negative way, ( as so many continue to see these headlines weekly now, and too many have personally experienced the problems.) These are people that have ALWAYS had the deepest love and appreciation for Mpls.
My only hope for the City of Mpls, ( given all that we have seen since Jan...and before) and knowing these problematic council members, too well, is that one or two of them, of this DSA, Wonsley voting block, (the Chugleys), pack up and leave...long before their terms are over.
*I wish we had the ability to launch recall efforts, but I have been advised that we don't have that tool. 🫤
I moved to Loring Park over 11 years ago. About half or more of the restaurants/bars have closed(for multple reasons as mentioned in the interiew and elsewhere), and its spaces are vacant. Most notable closings are the Loring Ktichen, Lurcat, and Eggys. The former ones were destinations for surbanites, the latter for conventioneers so not soley dependent on neighborhood customers. Yes, the restauranteurs bear some responsiblity for the failures but I wish the city and state did more to support our local businesses.
Another great interview, Terry! It’d be great if the current city council paid attention and made sensible changes before more of our favorite spots close or relocate to the suburbs. If things aren’t fixed soon, we’ll not only see more businesses leave, but residents as well, leaving the remaining homeowners to carry an even heavier tax burden. This division impacts everyone, and it begins with our elected officials.
I enjoyed this interview, but I do have to mention that the background noise was very distracting.
Hi betty,
Thank you for listening. I agree! Unfortunately, there was someone mopping during the interview and I wasn't able remove the noise from the recording. When I record in the studio it isn't an issue. Best, Terry
I was kind of amused by the mopping! I almost thought it was on purpose to make it sound like a working restaurant, except I couldn't figure our what sort of food prep it was, and then the mop swung into view! But otherwise I liked the setting -- and he's quite the amazing guy.
Related, new piece in the Strib...
Former council presidents: What Minneapolis needs now is leadership from Elliott Payne.
https://www.startribune.com/todd-barnette-mpd-chief-brian-ohara-mpls-public-safety/601751187?utm_source=gift_email
The conclusion...
"The steady drumbeat of concerning headlines about the current City Council should be taken seriously. Minneapolis residents deserve a governing body that functions effectively – one that respects the charter, respects its members, and respects the people it serves.
Most importantly, they deserve a City Council that is focused on the serious challenges facing our city today. We call on Council President Elliott Payne to honor the responsibilities of his position and provide the leadership this moment requires."
This commentary was submitted by former Minneapolis City Council Presidents John Cairns, Lou DeMars, Sharon Sayles Belton, Jackie Cherryhomes, Barb Johnson and Andrea Jenkins.