Construction on a new $22 million shared commercial kitchen in north Minneapolis began on Wednesday.
Collective Kitchens is a food incubator project created by the North Economic Opportunity Network, or NEON. The organization helps underserved and low-income entrepreneurs start businesses to build wealth within the community.
“This building is going to be more than just a physical space, it’s about creating generational wealth, building careers and leaving behind an enduring legacy,” said Mariam Omari, a co-founder of K’s Revolutionary Catering in north Minneapolis.
Omari has been a NEON client for several years. She says her business is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year and has found success with the support received from NEON.
“They help to build an ecosystem to support entrepreneurs, entrepreneurs like us, an ecosystem that's going to be able to weather any storm that we have coming,” Omari said.
Collective Kitchens has gained support from elected city and state officials.
Sen. Tina Smith attended Wednesday's groundbreaking ceremony. She said Minneapolis’ northside has had deficits of resources and opportunity to grow and thrive. Parts of north Minneapolis are food deserts, regions where people have limited access to healthy, affordable foods.
“This kitchen is going to be a place where new businesses are generated, where people get training, where there’s new economic activity and there's more opportunity,” Smith said.
State Senate President Bobby Joe Champion, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey and NEON President Warren McLean also spoke on behalf of Collective Kitchens.
Many community members and NEON clients hold much anticipation and enthusiasm for the project.
Michael Feng owns BianDang, a Taiwanese pop-up food truck. He said the new kitchen will help him to grow his business.
“Being able to just kind of house our trailer here on site and with their incubator ... providing guidance for whether it’s wholesale or just any avenue that we decided to go on, this would be, a great opportunity,” Feng said.
The kitchen will be located on West Broadway Avenue next to the Capri Theater.
“This building is going to be more than just a physical space, it’s about creating generational wealth, building careers and leaving behind an enduring legacy,” said Mariam Omari, a co-founder of K’s Revolutionary Catering in north Minneapolis.
There's some interesting reading over at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_capitalism about intergenerational wealth, including critiques.
Of course, it's not much help to build intergenerational wealth if it gets forcibly taken away when you do too well.