May 2010 SCCA NEWS

Seward’s Business Community www.sewardbusiness.org

May Meeting 2010

Board of Directors
Presentation by Scott Seiler from Seiler & Associates Chair:
on Employment Law Jim Welna
Welna II Hardware
Wednesday, May 19th, 2010 / 11:45:am – 1:00pm
Movement Arts Center / 2211 E Franklin Ave Vice Chair:
Rick Siewert
Scott Seiler is a south Minneapolis lawyer recognized nationally for his Siewert Cabinet
counsel and practical application of state and federal employment laws. His
Treasurer:
experience includes hiring, discipline, termination, harassment, diversity,
Max Duckler
severance, and general policy issues. In addition to providing a primer on
CaptionMax
employment law, Scott will give an in-depth presentation on new
employment laws and their potential impacts on employers. Suzanne Weinstein
Coastal Seafoods
Tracy’s Saloon will provide lunch for $10. *Lunch is optional*
Jennifer Larson
Communications Design
To RSVP, please contact Megan: 612.435.0279 / megan@redesigninc.org
Tracy Singleton
Birchwood Cafe

Hans Steege
April Meeting Notes Dero Bike Rack
Presenter: Ruqia Mohamed, Somali Youth Network Council
Location: Seward Towers West, 2515 9th St S Joe Buck
by Megan Sheridan Buck Bros. Construction

On Wednesday, April 21, members of the Seward Civic and Commerce Asso-
ciation met in the auditorium at Seward Towers West to eat Somali food and Monthly Meetings are
held on the 3rd Wednesday of
learn about the Somali Youth Network Council (SYNC).
each month from 11:45 - 1pm.
It was another packed meeting and the tardy plate situation left ample time Upcoming Dates
for networking before the presentation began. Those in attendence in-
cluded: Jim Welna, SCCA Chair and owner of Welna II Hardware; Suzanne May 19th
Weinstein, SCCA Board member and Coastal Seafoods owner; Jenny Larson, June 16th
SCCA Board Member and photographer/graphic designer; Sheldon Mains, July 21st
SNG President; Mike Rollins, SNG Staff; Nasra Noor, SNG Staff; Hans Steege,
co-owner of Dero Bike Racks; Michael Bischoff, non-profit consultant; Ruth
continued on page 4
SCCA Mission: to provide a forum for Seward area businesses to plan, discuss, advocate and network for mutual benefit.
Page 2 Member Updates
Making Old New
New Member Profile: Brownsmith Restoration, 2001 Milwaukee Avenue
by Noelle McComb

Brownsmith Restoration is tucked along historic Milwaukee Avenue. The small, cozy office inhabited by
owners James Brown and Michael Smith is just a home base for their growing business. Their business is
unique because of their impeccable attention to historic detail and design.

Brown and Smith teamed up in 2006 to restore a 1880s folk Victorian farmhouse in Red Wing, MN, which
launched their business. Soon after, they received an award from the Historical Preservation Society of Red
Wing for the complete remodel of a 1920s Craftsman house. Their business opportunities expanded with
their move to the metro area.

For both Brown and Smith, remodeling and restoration is in their blood and has grown into a labor of love.
Brown grew up helping his father with custom home building in Montana. At age 15, Smith began work-
ing with his grandpa, a long-time builder and craftsman. When Brown moved to East Phillips, he enjoyed
remodeling his own home and helped Smith restore his St. Paul home. After this, the two saw a future in
restoration.

Their passions of “renovating old homes, period design, and finding creative solutions to the challenges of
historically accurate restoration,” fulfill their purpose to making homes beautiful. The business partners
have different roles, including full service general contracting and construction management. Brown knows
the nuts and bolts of the construction process and oversees contracting, as primary job site supervisor.
Smith plays a large role in the design process and construction management, and as a realtor he is able
to assist clients in finding and buying old, foreclosed houses in which they then hire Brownsmith for the
remodel. Their eye and skill allows them to reveal hidden potential to clients.

Their knowledge and experience has transformed and grown their business. Many of their projects have
been in the Merriam Park area. Their client base thrives off of customer referrals. One of their large jobs
produced 10 other jobs. Many of their clients are first-time home buyers, but their clientele is continually
expanding to other cohorts. Their clients appreciate their opinions, commitment to period design, and their
ability to form relationships.

Not only is their business growing, but it is also creating new, future endeavors. They have plans for a book,
which will take a historical look at housing types popular during specific eras. It will show why homes were
built in certain designs and address what kinds of homes will be in the future. They also hope to add new
construction to their services by creating small, energy efficient urban developments inspired by old Sears’s
kit houses.

Brown and Smith enjoy their location in the Seward neighborhood. For Brown, it is a return to working in
the Seward community, as well as an addition to his involvement in the community. The neighborhood fits
well with their business goals. “They [Seward residents] have the right mindset, they choose to live in the
city, even if they could afford other places,” Brown says.

For more information, visit their website, http://www.brownsmithrestoration.com/.
 SCCA NEWS Page 3

Cake Eaters Invade Seward! Seward Garage

Feature: Cake Eater Bakery, 2929 E 25th Street Sale Days
by Laura Mathews
Friday, May 14 &
Walking into Cake Eater Bakery is like walking into a sunny summer’s day, no
matter the weather outside. With its bright orange and pink walls, fanciful art
Saturday, May 15
and gregarious baristas and bakers, Cake Eater’s ambiance says, “Let’s have 9 am – 5 pm
fun!” Cake Eater’s bakery case is full of imaginative cupcakes, muffins, scones
Last year there were over
and other treats. The flavor offerings change daily, and often feature interest-
70 sales and hundreds of
ing combinations and juxtapositions, like a recent scone: blueberry honey goat shoppers coming to Seward.
cheese. There’s no room for bland food in this little shop. Treats range all the It’s a great opportunity
way from sweet to savory and Cake Eater offers up a great selection of vegan to have a weekend sale
and gluten-free options too, so that everyone can join the party! or other promotion!

Sheela Namakkal and Emily Moore You can also place an ad

Harris are the team behind Cake Eater ($25) on the sale map. The
Bakery. This friendly duo have been map will be distributed to
working to make Cake Eater a reality all the sales and posted
since August, although Sheela has been on SNG’s website.
mastering the art of cupcakes and all
things baked through her catering com- For more information,
contact Mike Rollin at
pany, Miel y Leche, since 2007. Opening
SNG by April 30.
a bakery was always part of Sheela’s plan, but she’s not giving up catering any
612-338-6205, x 119, or
time soon. Both businesses have been integrated into the storefront, so you mike@sng.org.
can stop in to order a custom birthday cake, and stay for a cup of coffee and
that muffin that caught your eye.

While Sheela makes magic in the kitchen, Emily runs the front-of-house show,
providing great coffee, espresso and tea and keeping a top (and a bottom line)
on the creative explosion that is Cake Eater. The pair worked together to
envision the bakery and its design. Finding the Cliquot Club space was a good
fit for them. They wanted to be in a residential area, and they feel like they’ve
really found a supportive community here in the Seward Neighborhood. The
space is small, and that’s the right size for this cozy bakery. Much like the cup-
cakes, the storefront is so many good things all in one small package.
Cake Eater Bakery is located at 2929
East 25th St and is open 7am – 7pm
Mon-Thurs, 7am – 8pm Fri, 8am – 7pm
Sat and is closed Sundays. Currently
flavors change daily, although week-long
cupcake flavors will be implemented
soon. Check out Cake Eater’s Facebook
page for daily flavor updates. And don’t
forget to stop in or call (612 354-7178)
for your catering and party needs.
Cake Eater Bakery’s retail space on E 25th St
Write an SCCA
Newsletter Article!
Is there a business in
Seward that has always
intrigued you? Interested in
getting to know what goes
on inside other
neighborhood businesses?
If so, you would make a
perfect author for an SCCA
newsletter article!
No writing skills necessary,
just an interest in your
fellow business owners
contact Megan: 435-0279
megan@redesigninc.org
Page 4 SCCA NEWS
April Notes continued from page 1
Romano, Longfellow Business Association; Paul Landskroener, home-based attorney; Steve Peacock, Direc-
tor of Community Relations at Augsburg College; James Brown, Brownsmith Restoration; Dr. Gary Miller,
Mary Tum and Cassie Trenhaile from Dr. Gary Miller’s chiropractic office; Bryan Karel, Garlock-French Roof-
ing; Katya Pilling, Associate Director of Seward Redesign; Noel Nix, Intern at Seward Redesign; Linda Cof-
fin, owner of History Crafters; Kirin Loomis, Speak to Solve; Tom Peden, World Endeavors; Joe Buck, Buck
Brothers Construction; Hussein Abdullahi and Kelly Russo from Wells Fargo Bank; Nina Chenault of the
Movement Arts Center could not attend, but passed along an announcement.

Ruqia began the presentation with a background on the conflict in Somalia. Civil war erupted in Somalia in
1991 and brutal fighting has continued ever since, disrupting basic food production and services in what the
New York Times dubbed the ‘worst humanitarian crisis in the world.’ The civil war has generated countless
refugees, many of whom have relocated to Minneapolis.

As we all know well, though, this new home is not devoid of its
problems. Immigratns deal with isolation due to the language
and culture barriers. Immigrant youth, in particular, are facing
issues of identity crisis, lack of education, crime and radicaliza-
tion.

The Somali Youth Network Council (SYNC) was created to

address and alleviate some of these issues. SYNC is a youth-
established coucil designed to educate, empower and provide
resources to Somali youth and their families. SYNC accom-
plishes this through outreach, awareness, education, advocacy,
support resources and a dynamic social justice to transform
their lives. SYNC’s primary goals are to

1) Identify and implement youth development strategies

that are culturally specific and can be replicated, and

2)Provide opportunities for Somali youth leadership

development that will increase awareness of self and
better the community.
SYNC carries out these goals through various programs including the Summer Salaam Project, training and
outreach, and parent workshops. The Summer Salaam Project works with at-risk and high-risk youth to
provide inter-generational and recreational opportunities to resist the pressure to join gangs. The train-
ing and outreach programs cover issues of leadership, academic success, violence and drug prevention, and
family stability. The parent workshops provide parents with information about the school system, American
culture and issues that their children face.

Ruqia’s presentation was followed by a lengthy discussion on Somali immigrants in general. Questions such
as why Somali immigrants came to Minnesota and how Sharia Islamic loans work, were addressed by Ruqia
and others in attendance.
 SCCA NEWS Page 5

New Additions at the New Co-op

Seward Co-op Grocery & Deli, 2823 E Franklin Ave Façade
by Megan Sheridan
Improvement
Just over one year after opening their doors, the new Seward Co-op made Program
a number of significant changes in the store this April, all with the goal of
Redesign has been granted
improving customers’ shopping experience.
$25,000 in matching funds
from the City of
The most prominent change was the deli area reset. Where the old deli
Minneapolis to do façade
caused bottlenecks and confusion over where exactly to order, the new
improvements along
design allows for better traffic flow and comfortable order and pick-up areas.
Franklin Avenue.
The goal, Erik Hatting, Project Manager, told me, was to create the look and
feel of a coffee shop. Eligible areas include the
The deli also features a new, Franklin Light Rail Transit
expanded and simplified menu. Station area and the
The new menu includes made- Franklin Avenue
to-order sandwiches and Commercial Corridor.
burritos, espresso and other
Redesign will be accepting
specialty beverages, juices and
applications through
smoothies.
May 13, 2010.
Adjacent to the deli, the Co-
To find out if your building
op also upgraded the cheese
is eligible and to discuss
area with a Wood from the your ideas, contact Megan
Hood counter. at 612.435.0279 or
The Co-op is also working to improve the visual appeal of the entire interior megan@redesigninc.org
of the store. For example, the grocery aisles now feature new signs that are
consistent with the rest of the store’s interior signage and are lower hanging
to provide better visibility.
Include your
The Co-op is also in the process of the reducing the number of lights and business in the
improving the overall lighting quality in the store. The Wellness area of the Member Update
store recently removed 42 compact flourescent bulbs and replaced them
Section!
with only 18 high-efficiency LED product lights. The LED lights reduce the
If your business has news to
amount of energy used while improving the quality of light.
share, we want to hear about
it. Let us know if you’ve won
The most impactful visual elements of the reset are artful graphics in the
an award, are offering a new
entryway, north wall and dinning area. The graphics in the dining area feature product or service, moved
the word “NOURISH,” a word that encompasses the co-ops work with food, your space, etc. and we’ll
people and the community. share it here.

Other new improvements include new exterior walkways in the boulevard contact Megan: 435-0279
between parking on Franklin Avenue and the sidewalk. megan@redesigninc.org

Stop by to experience the ever-improving Seward Co-op!

Page 6 SCCA NEWS

Thank you to SCCA members who have contributed in 2010!

2nd Moon Cafe * A-Craft Windows * Air Engineering & Supply * Allweather Roof *
ArtiCulture * At Last Gourmet Foods * Augsburg College * Beaupre Aerial Equipment * Big Print * Blue Nile
Brownsmith Restoration * Bruce Johansen * Buck Brothers Construction * Canyons Structural * CaptionMax
CCI Properties * Charles Levin Architects * Coastal Seafoods * Crew 2: Home Service Specialists
Crown Video & Tanning * Cushman Motor Company * Dave’s Riverside Shell * Decisive Moment
Dero Bike Racks * Devries Bar Grinding * DigiGraphic Photos, Inc. * Employment Action Center
Franklin Accounting & Income Tax * Franklin Housing Cooperative * Garlock-French Roofing * Glacier’s Cafe
Hayat Beauty Salon * HiLine Unique Flooring * Hiawatha Metalcraft * Himalayan Restaurant * History Crafters
Imagin Studios * Infinite Real Estate Group * Jennifer Larson Communications Design * Jim’s Barber Shop
Koyi Sushi Too * Lehn and Posl * Madden Accounting & Tax Service * Midwest Lock & Safe * Mill City Builders
Minneapolis Maintenance * Minneapolis Speaker Company, Inc. * Movement Arts Center * Pizza Luce IV
River Realty * Seward Church * Seward Community Co-op * Seward Market and Halal Meat
Seward Neighborhood Group * Seward Towers East * Seward Towers West *
Shabelle Grocery and Meat Market * Shega Bakery * Sierra Club Northstar Chapter * Speak to Solve
Swirlygig Industries * The New French Bakery * Tracy’s Saloon * True Thai * Twin City Filter Service
Twin Cities Media Alliance * United Noodle * Verde Strategies * Welna II Hardware * Whiskey Junction
Woodland Stoves & Fireplaces * World Endeavors * Worry Free Enterprises * Zipp’s Liqours

Don’t see your name here? Check with Megan about your membership status.

Minneapolis, MN 55406
2619 E Franklin Avenue
Seward Civic & Commerce Association