How can you support local businesses?

Chad Kulas

DIRECTORY OUT

The 2026 Midway Chamber Directory is out! Use it to do business locally and shop in your neighborhood! Plus, read about what’s happening, and find community resources.

Audio

How can you support local businesses_Chad Kulas.mp3

As my nose and itchy eyes can attest, spring is here. And like every year in Minnesota, the winter thaw unveils excess trash that has been hibernating underneath the snow for months. Thankfully there was the annual spring cleanup April 25, where hundreds just in the Midway helped fill trash bags. Thank you to district councils throughout Saint Paul for helping organize.

The warmer weather also means residents are more likely to go on walks, bike rides and reacquaint themselves with neighbors. As you make plans to enjoy the warmth, think about how you can support local businesses. With difficult times for our economy, hurt even more by tariffs and Operation Metro Surge, it is a time to show your support before some are forced to make difficult decisions. We have many restaurants, bars and taprooms with patios, and for those that don’t you can still enjoy the outdoors by ordering takeout. A new taproom, S.A.W. Brewing, is planned to open in the old Burning Bros. Brewing space this spring. Like its predecessor, it will specialize in gluten-free beer.

As spring is a sign of new and renewed life, two noteworthy announcements came over the past month regarding important parcels. The new Hamline Midway Library is now planning to open this summer. The news is exciting as it means the project is ahead of schedule by many months. The new library will be located on the site of the previous branch and be more accessible and feature several programs. We will learn about the exact opening date by the end of June.

Another recent announcement is that Dr. Bill McGuire will purchase the former CVS site. After the decision was made to tear down the existing building, it was natural to wonder how long the site could sit empty before someone acquired it and created plans. The news has been welcomed by many, who are happy to have an answer so quickly and by someone with other projects at the intersection. The plan calls for market-rate housing and first floor retail.

As flowers and plants bloom, it reminds me of another new beginning in the neighborhood. Plants by Design, a business founded in 1992 that provides plants to commercial spaces, recently moved to new space at 2117 Charles Avenue. According to their website, Plants By Design “designs, installs and maintains lush, living plants in indoor and outdoor commercial spaces and helps create a much more vibrant feel to many public places.”

Enjoy the warmer temps, and when you do help support your neighbors!