Chad Kulas named Midway Chamber Executive Director

Kulas says local businesses face both great opportunities and threats from light rail

By JAN WILLMS

Light rail is going to be the defining characteristic of University Ave., according to Chad Kulas, the new executive director of the Midway Chamber of Commerce.

He said there are both great opportunities and threats presented by light rail, whether talking about businesses, individuals or residents of the area.

“It was more of a challenge for the Midway Chamber in the past, because the organization had to be so active in making sure light rail plans would be positive for the business community,” Kulas said. “But right now, it’s such a great time because we’re through the construction, it’s opened up, and that’s a great opportunity. But there’s also the threat that if we don’t act in the right way, it could become a negative more than a positive.”

Kulas said that most of the parking spaces along University Ave. were taken out. “That’s a huge hit not only for businesses and the people who go to those businesses but for the community in general,” he said. “Also, some of the regulations that have occurred around the transit stops are not very business friendly. But the key is to find a way to navigate around those and to find the positives; we need to make sure that while everything is still fresh and new, we can get things moving in a positive direction.”

Kulas, who started his position in June, comes to the job with a lot of background experience that has helped prepare him for this spot. A journalism graduate from the University of St. Thomas, his previous careers have included being an assistant to the mayor and manager of government relations for St. Paul Area Chamber of Commerce.

“Being at the City of St. Paul for four years, not only at the mayor’s office but in licensing,” he explained, “has helped me understand how the city works. I’ve worked with so many departments, and that’s good. I know some of our members are dependent on working with different city departments, and that can be tough to navigate, so my background has been helpful.”

Another aspect of his background that has helped is the fact that he was a Frogtown resident for nine years. “For six of those years I was on the District Council board of the Frogtown Neighborhood Association,” Kulas said. He claimed that being on the board, as well as living in that neighborhood, gave him more of an idea of what is going on in that part of town.

“A lot of times when a chamber executive gets hired, he or she tends to either have the government experience or they are from the community,” Kulas explained. “I have both, and that really led to this job being an ideal fit for me right now.”

Reflecting on the history of the Midway Chamber, which had its beginnings back in 1919, Kulas said the organization had a lot of the same issues then as it does now. “Everything old is new again,” he noted. He recalled that it used to be the streetcar going down the Avenue; today it’s the Green Line. “There are a lot of parallels,” Kulas said.

He said that much of University Ave. has a kind of post-war baby boom look, when it was competing with the suburbs. That brought big box retail and big parking lots.

“Now we want to see more transit-oriented development,” Kulas said, “with the parking more hidden. The city’s trying to push for more new developments where you can fully access light rail.”

He said that as far as competition for University Ave., it depends on the kind of business. “If you’re talking about a clothing store, the competition is more in Rosedale or malls like that,” he stated. “But if you’re talking about places like Vandalia Towers, that’s going to be a cool place, a lot of businesses going in there are types that would typically go to a downtown area. In some ways, because of the transit options we have along the Avenue, I think we’re becoming more similar to more highly dense urban areas like a downtown.”

Kulas said the construction of the light rail was difficult for many of the businesses, but a recent study in the Business Journal showed that overall the Green Line has been positive. “The study showed that there were more businesses that started up then went away during this time,” he said.

He added that he makes it a point when he sees a business to ask how it has been affected by the light rail. “Episcopal Homes said it has been great,” he said. “Some of their residents use it every day. Some of the others understand the benefits of the long term, but they all took a hit when the construction was happening, so they have to dig out of that. “

The Midway Chamber of Commerce currently has over 320 businesses as members. Kulas said his predecessor did a good job of increasing membership, especially with promoting events. “Our events have become very successful, and the direction I have been given is to continue to increase the membership.”

Kulas said one of the challenges the Midway Chamber faces in increasing its growth is that there are so many organizations out there, with many ways for businesses to network, get advice and find information. “For us, like any other member-based organization, the challenge is proving to people that we are the group that you want to spend your time and money with,” he said.

“I think now that light rail is done, and our events are in a good place, it is a good opportunity for us to grow,” Kulas continued. He said that one way the association needs to position itself is that as the Midway Chamber, it is midway between two downtowns. “If you want to do business, or you want to associate with people between both downtowns, this is a great spot to be,” he said.

He added that what the Chamber has to offer is different for every member. “Our greatest asset is that a lot of business owners attend our meetings, and they are easy to talk to and easy to approach; networking is really good here,” he said. “I hear from a lot of our members that it was very easy for them to get to know people pretty quickly in the Chamber. And if you need help with insurance or an attorney or any other area of your life you have a built-in network of people you can trust.”

Kulas said that on Oct. 29, the Midway Chamber is offering its second taste event. During construction, Lunch on the Avenue was offered every other Thursday, with business people invited to a different restaurant to purchase lunch. After the light rail opened, it was called Lunch on the Line. They celebrated their 100th lunch last October with a tasting event offering food from 16 different restaurants. “People are getting excited for the one this year,” Kulas said. It will be open to the public as well as Chamber members.

Kulas said the Midway area is looking forward to a rapid transit bus line that will go from Snelling through Rosedale, crossing into Minneapolis, and connecting with the Blue Line over to Hiawatha. He also noted the Bus Barn site has been getting a lot of free advertising, whether soccer goes there or not. “The longer that site is in the news, the more likely a developer can realize its potential and invest,” he said.

Kulas noted that his personal goals include increasing the membership, expanding the participation of businesses east of Lexington and reaching out to increase the diversity of members in the Chamber.

“This is a very exciting time for St. Paul, University Ave. and the Midway,” he said. “I look forward to seeing what the future holds.”