A new initiative is working to add retail to downtown’s core while providing an opportunity for local diverse small businesses to gain exposure and customers in Minneapolis.
Chameleon Consortium is a non-profit private and public partnership program of the mpls downtown council that is working with more than 20 organizations to help leverage retail, regulatory, merchandising, economic development, small business coaching, banking, marketing and real estate services. The work of Chameleon Consortium is to connect, incubate and accelerate diverse small businesses in current vacant downtown spaces.
The Chameleon Consortium is currently negotiating with property managers at IDS Center, Gaviidae Common and City Center to secure a variety of retail spaces to activate pop-up business activity April 1-26, 2019. This time period will include a unique opportunity to engage visitors during the NCAA men’s basketball Final Four, which takes place downtown April 5-8.
A vibrant city is a successful city. With adding new brand presence from our local business community, the Chameleon Consortium will give visitors more reasons to see Minneapolis as an intriguing place to be. We’ll give people more ways to love the way they live and work downtown, and small businesses will have more opportunities to flourish in a dynamic new environment.
A new website is launching soon to highlight this initiative and offer a way for small businesses to apply online. Until then, if you have more questions or would like to apply to take part as a small business, sponsor or otherwise, please contact Dan Collison at dcollison@mplsdowntown.com.
