WOMEN-OWNED

Support a women-owned businesses in Uptown

Here's a partial list to get you started

Posted

Meet some of Uptown's women business owners, courtesy of the Uptown Association. Women's History Month may be over, but you can support  women-owned businesses can be year-round.

Kim Bartmann | Barbette
Kim opened Barbette In 2001, the first fine-dining casual restaurant in the Twin Cities with Chef Lisa Carlson. Over the years, she has opened an additional eight restaurants throughout Minneapolis, and planning another one soon, Pinoli, an Italian restaurant, directly across the street from Barbette. Kim finds owning her own business means more work and responsibility, but, not more free time which people often think. Kim adds, "Luckily it also means I get to meet a lot of very interesting characters, which is extra fun in Uptown!"

Barbette
1600 West Lake Street | Minneapolis, MN 55408

Janise Johnson | Bodyology
After a very difficult pregnancy and weight gain, which led to post-partum depression with her second child, Janice decided to drastically alter her lifestyle. With hard work and motivation, she lost the extra pounds, but discovering non-surgical skin tightening procedures gave her the extra self-confidence it took to becoming the amazing person she is today. This procedure motivated her to take on training to learn about non-invasive body changing practices, so much that she opened Bodyology in 2021. Janice states, “It's important to for all people to have access to affordable resources, and noninvasive body changing procedures to feel better about themselves and restore their confidence.”

Bodyology
2736 Hennepin Ave Ste 2 | Minneapolis, MN 55408

Sarah Botcher | Black Walnut Bakery
Black Walnut Bakery and Café opened its doors on November 1, 2019, located in the heart of Uptown Minneapolis. Sarah Botcher, the owner/baker, has always had a love for baking and dreamed as a child of owning a bakery and living in an apartment upstairs. That vision ebbed and flowed throughout her life and it was a trip to France in 2012 that sparked the inception of Black Walnut. Connecting with people for her is such an important part of the equation of running a meaningful and successful business. Sarah’s baking and life tip, in her words, “Mistakes are part of the process of learning how to bake. Just don’t repeat the same mistake twice. Same is true in life.”

Black Walnut Bakery
3157 Hennepin Ave | Minneapolis, MN 55408

Kate Sidoti | Brim
Kate, co-founder, and executive chef, and her husband met on Lake Bde Maka Ska, live near the lake, and opened Brim in 2018 to serve delicious food with a view of the lake. She loves the Uptown community. This joy, as well as her food philosophy, is why the restaurant is called Brim. Their menu features dishes that are filled to the 'brim' with as much local, organic, plant-focused goodness that she can make from scratch and fit inside. In addition, the menu is always gluten-free. According to Kate, "When what you eat is good, you can fill up and feel good from it. Healthy food doesn't have to be sad. In fact, if you do it right, you might just end up wanting it all the time. And you might want a beer with it, too!"

Brim
2919 Knox Avenue South | Minneapolis, MN 55408

Jessica Burge | Café Meow
Café Meow opened in Uptown in February 2018. The cozy café not only serves locally made treats, and quality organic and Fair Trade Certified coffee and tea, but also features an attached cat lounge with adoptable cats from local rescue organizations. As a small business owner, Jessica feels the responsibility to provide the Uptown community a place they can go and leave with more happiness than when they arrived. Jessica states, “Being a business owner is a lot of responsibility and to be successful, a lot of love and passion goes into it, every day!”

Café Meow
2323 Hennepin Ave | Minneapolis, MN 55405

Amy Reher | Granada Theatre & Uptown Lobby Bar & Restaurant
A labor of love, sweat, and COVID pandemic timing, Amy revitalized this historic 1927 classic Spanish-Revival theatre into the perfect place for live music, one-of-a-kind parties, private events, and a restaurant/bar, which opened in August of 2020. Amy was born in Uptown, enjoyed her young adult years in Uptown, and later gave her son the unique and diverse sense of community by raising him in Uptown, gives her a close personal connection to this area and motivated her to restore and re-open the beautiful building that had sat dormant for many years. The re-opening of the Granada Theatre has reinvigorated the Uptown community with many new openings that have followed. Amy says, “Being able to create a brick-and-mortar business from what has been a culmination of so many of my past experiences and ventures only seemed natural.”

Granada Theatre & Uptown Lobby Bar & Restaurant
3022 Hennepin Ave Ste 2 | Minneapolis, MN 55408

Jennifer Lisburg | La La Homemade Ice Cream & Luncheonette
This month La La Homemade Ice Cream celebrates its 30th year of being in business. La La is not just Jennifer’s business - it is her life. She loves offering a variety of delicious items made from her own hands from ice cream and baked goods, to a food menu of American fare for contemporary tastes. La La Homemade Ice Cream & Luncheonette has something for everyone, no matter your dietary restrictions or palate. La La also offers off-site event catering.

La La Homemade Ice Cream & Luncheonette
3146 Hennepin Ave | Minneapolis, MN 55408

Ruby Stinson | Legacy
Ruby opened Legacy in February with her mom, Daune. Prior to owning Legacy, she worked in the fashion industry in New York, specifically in the luxury market. She has always felt that the care and customer service upheld in the luxury sector of the market should and could be mirrored in stores with a lower price point. She felt there was an opportunity to bring this to the thrift/vintage world. Legacy offers timeless clothing with history, at a low price point and in an elevated environment with tailored customer service. They recently moved into Uptown and the relocation is extremely important and is close to home for them. She grew up shopping and hanging out in Uptown. She says, "We work with lots of local talent to cultivate an environment that is atypical of retail, but that upholds the spirit of the community!"

Legacy
1610 West Lake Street | Minneapolis, MN 55408

Amy Vang | Little Luxuries Nail Salon
Little Luxuries has been a collaborative project for owners Amy Vang and Nou Yang. The mother-and-daughter duo from North Carolina, with over 30 years of experience collectively in the industry, opened their Uptown salon in 2018. They specialize in trendy nail art and designs and provide an experience, unlike any other nail salon, and offer organic, cruelty-free, and non-toxic products. Their mission is to provide people with the ultimate nail experience and resources that will give a sense of someone's own 'Little Luxuries'. Amy says, "I love people, I love the service industry, and I love making people feel good about themselves."

Little Luxuries Nail Salon - Uptown
1426 West Lake Street | Minneapolis, MN 55408

Michaella Holden | Lucent Blue Events + Design
Michaella Holden opened Lucent Blue Events + Design in 2018. As a mom, owning her own business gives her the flexibility to make choices about how much work she takes on, and what kind of projects she does. The industry is very fast-paced, and as a parent of young kids, it is important to her to be able to set boundaries around her time. Michaella's mission is also to champion other, younger women entering the field. Michaella says, “We know we stand on the shoulders of others and try our best to pay it forward.”

Lucent Blue Events + Design
3001 Hennepin Ave | Minneapolis, MN 55408

Jen Huang | Kiku Bistro
Fourteen years ago, Jen opened Kiku Bistro, and it has become a staple in Uptown. Owning a business means everything to her, she takes on all responsibilities, from overall management, operations, and all the risks to ensure the business stays profitable and sustainable over time. Jen states, “It's challenging (especially the last few years), but also rewarding at the same time. I honestly couldn't do it without the support of their loyal customers over the years.”

Kiku Bistro
2819 Hennepin Ave | Minneapolis, MN 55408

Juell Roberts | Peoples Organic
Juell Roberts, is the owner and operations manager of Peoples Organic in Uptown, which opened in 2014, in addition to locations in Edina, IDS Center, & Eden Prairie. Having over 20 years in the restaurant industry has taught her how to grow businesses and reach customers. Juell says, “At Peoples Organic we celebrate the simplicity of nutritious and organic food, pure water, and healthy beverages. We practice sustainability and support our local & organic farmers. We believe that fresh, pure ingredients create the most memorable and nurturing meals. Our healthy menu includes vegan & gluten-free options packed with nutritious, good-for-you vegetables, whole grains, and proteins, we never sacrifice flavor." In addition, she adds, "It's an honor to serve customers. In five minutes, we have the privilege of making someone's day a little brighter and with that, you have great responsibility!"

Peoples Organic
3001 Hennepin Ave | Minneapolis, MN 55408

Laura Merino-Franco | Primitiva Collective
Primitiva Collective is a boutique made up of an intentional community collection of women artisans, local to Minnesota, which opened in May 2022. The collective comprises 40 talented women makers and artists, who, as entrepreneurs at heart, take pride in creating one-of-a-kind gifts with their own hands. Laura states, “Although being women in business can be challenging, we find it incredibly empowering to challenge the traditional retail model and showcase the exceptional results that can be achieved through collective effort.”

Primitiva Collective
3001 Hennepin Ave | Minneapolis, MN 55408

April Simek | Salons by JC
April opened Salons by JC in August 2019 in the heart of Uptown at Hennepin Ave and Lake Street. Salons by JC is a nationally known salon suite brand that is locally owned and operated. April owns 3 Salons by JC locations in the metro including Uptown, Edina, and Minnetonka. She is committed to offering an inclusive/premiere atmosphere in Uptown for health, wellness, and beauty professionals to take control of their careers/businesses through business support, education, and empowerment. April says, "Salon suites offer the luxury of privacy for these professionals and their clients to have an amazing experience each and every visit. Each salon suite owner has the opportunity to decorate their space to show their personal style and operate their business the way that best serves them and their clientele."

Salons by JC
3014 Hennepin Ave | Minneapolis, MN 55408

Erin Ryan-Mosley | Third Space Café
Erin Ryan-Mosley owns and operates Third Space Café in Uptown. The cafe opened on October 1, 2021, and is thriving as a place for great coffee and community connection. Her passion for coffee is reflected in a timeline she sketched for herself, on the back of a napkin 8 years ago, ending in the ownership of a coffee shop. Erin is focused on making sure she and her team deliver on their promise of offering the neighborhood a great 'Third Space' (the space away from work and home).  Her mission is to "Connect to our community, inspire ideas, and improve lives. Each day we are dedicated to providing a high-quality product, friendly and welcoming service, and the physical space, the 'third space!'"

Third Space Café
2930 Lyndale Ave South | Minneapolis, MN 55408

Judy Longbottom | UPS Store Uptown
Judy has opened, owned, and is operating two UPS locations, Edina (1999) and Uptown (2002). Judy states, “Owning a small business is an incredibly rewarding experience with lots of excitement and a few challenges along the way”. Judy feels incredible pride that 20+ years ago, she took a leap of faith to try her hand at being an entrepreneur and business owner.

UPS Uptown
2801 Hennepin Ave | Minneapolis, MN 55408

Editor's note: Did we miss one of your favorites? Drop us a line and tell us about it, either below in the comments or email news@swConnector.com.

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