Federal Money Gives Brooklyn Park’s Small Business Incubator a Boost
Federal lawmakers are celebrating a Brooklyn Park project designed to help local entrepreneurs for years to come.
Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minnesota) joined Rep. Dean Phillips (D-3rd District) and a collection of Brooklyn Park city officials Saturday morning, to celebrate the city’s forthcoming Small Business Development and Acceleration Center near the intersection of West Broadway and Brooklyn Boulevard.
“There are too many people in our community, especially communities of color, women, veterans, who face structural challenges,” said Rep. Phillips. “Especially those who wish to become entrepreneurs, accessing capital, and mentorship and opportunities. And that’s why when Brooklyn Park brought this project to us as an opportunity, I was thrilled to go to bat, along with Senator Klobuchar, and get it done.”
President Biden recently signed an omnibus budget that included $1 million in federal funding for this project.
A rendering of what the Brooklyn Park business incubator would look like.
Brooklyn Park’s Economic Development Authority purchased the Northwind Plaza strip mall last fall for just over $7 million.
Two vacant storefronts are now in the process of being converted into a business incubator that will provide accessibly-priced space for businesses and entrepreneurs in the area.
“Future shop owners, food truck operators, insurance brokers, real estate agents and countless others, will show up here every day to work, and I’m really excited,” said Brooklyn Park Mayor Lisa Jacobson. “They’re going to be here with each other to collaborate, to brainstorm, to learn from one another, to never feel like they’re alone.”
The city will start doing specific tenant selection for the business incubator starting in June. The hope is to have around 60 businesses operating in this space once it opens in the winter of 2023.
