Northfield Downtown Development Corporation

As reported in today’s Northfield News, Las Delicias, a family owned and operated restaurant that has served Northfield for seven years, is closing.

According to the article, the Barrientos would like to stay in Northfield and open a new restaurant. However, there are not many spaces available and none have a kitchen, a costly addition to any space.

I have heard rumors that for both of the spaces available in downtown Northfield, the old Bagel Brothers and the old Art + Framing, there were would-be restauranteurs hoping to expand the local eating options. Unfortunately, the cost of adding a kitchen, between $75,000 and $150,000, and the sharing of that cost between landlord and tenant, caused negotiations to break down and the spaces to remain vacant.

The Northfield EDA has a Downtown Revolving Loan Fund that is available for loans up to $75,000, with sufficient collateral or equity match by the borrower. Once again, I heard rumors that both the Rueb-N-Stein and Bierman’s Furniture, long-standing and successful local businesses, found the process and requirements of this loan fund to be somewhat onerous.

For emerging entrepreneurs, financial assistance from a group established for and committed to economic development should have more flexibility and fewer requirements than a for-profit bank. For the possibility of the long-term rewards of economic vitality, there must be some willingness to take on risk.

…in Downtown Northfield.

Yeah, it can get a little crazy this time of year. Sending out cards, attending holiday parties, and finding that perfect gift for dear old Aunt Betty can be a sometimes exhausting rush.

Take a couple of hours off from the annual flurry and spend a little time with your friends and neighbors, all to familiar and comforting music and just minutes away.

International stars Bob and Ann Gregory-Bjorklund come home to perform at the Grand Event Center. Singing at least seven decades of popular American tunes, alternating between the romantic and light-heartened, the couple will provide a much needed change of pace tonight from 7 to 9 pm. Tickets are $7 for adults and $5 for students and are available at the door.

That’s Bob and Ann, at the Grand Event Center, 316 Washington Street,

…in Downtown Northfield.

Photo courtesy of Dan Iverson/Northfield News.

The NDDC’s work to collaborate with the Chamber of Commerce on economic development initiatives continued with the third quarterly meeting between the organizations’ boards of directors.

The effort began a year or so ago with informal lunches between the board presidents and executive directors. The decision to pursue a more formal and systematic approach to collaboration came earlier this year.

At this week’s meeting, Pat Vincent, Jeff Hasse, Rick Riesenberg and Kathy Feldbrugge represented the Chamber while Keith Covey, Dan Bergeson, Tristan Cox, Joe Grundhoefer, Dave Shumway and Ross Currier represented the NDDC.

The Chamber started by outlining their priorities for the year. They listed economic development, particularly annexing and rezoning land to create a new business park near Highways 35 and 19, Transportation, particularly a traffic study of Highway 19, communicating with legislators and membership, as their top priorities for ‘07.

The NDDC supported the creation of a new business park (although we also wanted potential sites to be evaluated for comparative cost of infrastructure and believe that intensified use of existing commercial and industrial properties within the city should be part of the effort), supported the effort to improve Highway 19 (although we also thought that Highway 19 should be considered in the context of other major east-west routes in the area and believe that internal linkages should be part of the transportation effort for both increased safety and vitality), and we have tended to put more emphasis on working with local officials as opposed to communicating with state legislators (perhaps we are already learning something from each other).

The groups agreed to send a joint letter on Highway 19 and hold a joint meeting on the Mill Towns Trail in January. If our economic development stakeholders have any other issues that should be tackled in 2007, please share them with our organizations. There’s still time to get these topics on our agenda.

December’s Third Thursday Performing Series Event, a collaboration between the NDDC and the Grand Event Center, will be Bob and Ann at the Grand. Here in Northfield you know Ann and Bob as directors, costumers and teachers more than singers. There’s much more to Bob and Ann than meets the local eye.

Bob and Ann Gregory-Bjorklund began performing together in 1977, a year after they were married. Little did they know that their lives would eventually take them to Dundas, Minnesota, where they now live. Between 1977 and the present their performances under the name “The Cat’s Pajamas” have taken them around the world. They traveled on five USO Tours in the late 70’s and early 80’s to Europe, Alaska and the Pacific Rim. Basing their business in the Twin Cities, they found a niche in the field of corporate entertainment, performing on both local and national levels for such companies as Honeywell, IBM and 3M. Their vocal quartet appeared at a number of prominent venues in and around the Metro area.

But their hearts and hearth have been in Northfield (okay, and Dundas). So they’re particularly pleased to bring their voices to you at the Grand on Dec. 21st, 7 to 9 pm, with a wide variety of songs and comedy from Broadway to the 50’s to the Marx Brothers, with a bit of the Holidays thrown in for good measure.

So, come on down(town), and enjoy Bob and Ann at the Grand.

Okay, let’s be clear, the NDDC didn’t invent the concept of shopping locally to strengthen your own community’s economy. In fact, we didn’t even invent the idea of running an ad campaign to encourage people to shop locally for the holidays.

So, we’ll give credit to that guy in the pink shirt and his bank. The 1st National Bank has been running an ad campaign for several years now that highlights local businesses during this critical time of the year. Here’s just one example of the campaign that we at the NDDC just love.

So don’t just take our word for it, listen to Dave Shumway too, there’s good places and people here in Northfield. And remember, for a truly happy holiday season for everyone, shop locally.