Friday, August 24, 2012
August 2012 Newsletter
September Networking Event
Tuesday, September 4 from 4:30pm to 6:30pm
Common Roots Cafe
2558 Lyndale Ave S
Minneapolis, MN
(612) 871-2360
www.commonrootscafe.com
Networking Events are held the first Tuesday at member businesses around the Twin Cities. Non-members are welcome to attend up to three events. Members are encouraged to bring guest attendees at any time.
No RSVP required.
A Note About our Host
Common Roots Cafe serves good food made from scratch with local and organic ingredients. Since opening their doors in 2007, Common Roots has created monthly-changing menus that highlight the best local ingredients and emphasize fresh, seasonal flavors. They offer breakfast, lunch, and dinner with sustainable wines and eight local beers on tap. The cafe was recently named the Best Locavore Cheap-Eats by the Star Tribune and topped the list of Best Local/Organic/Sustainable Restaurant by vita.mn readers.
Common Roots also has a full-service catering operation, serving all kinds of events from office lunches to weddings. They have 6 event planners on staff to coordinate events and were recently named Best Up-and-Coming Caterer by Minnesota Meetings and Events magazine.
Common Roots’ commitment to sustainability is central to what they do and a core reason for their existence. They believe that everyone should know where their food comes from, so they track all of their purchases to show ingredient sources to their customers and community. Every month, they publish this information on their website. In July, 90% of their purchases were local, organic, or fair-trade and 51% were grown, brewed, or raised within 250 miles of the cafe.
Find out more at www.commonrootscafe.com, facebook.com/commonroots, and twitter.com/commonroots.
Become a Member of MetroIBA Today!
Business memberships start at just $150 annually ($50 extra for each additional storefront). Don’t own a business but want to support the buy local movement? Become a Citizen Member for $50.
Go to buylocaltwincities.com and click on the JOIN button. You can renew your membership there too!
Or...if you really want to put your money where your house is, consider a gift to MetroIBA.
We work hard to create a more prosperous and durable local economy that supports our local entrepreneurs, advances citizen engagement in guiding our community’s development, and prevents the displacement of our independent businesses by chains and the internet. We’re helping keep the Twin Cities area unique, vibrant, and more self-reliant.
Tax-deductible gifts to MetroIBA may be made through our fiscal agent, the American Independent Business Alliance. Make your check payable to AMIBA (write FBO MetroIBA in the memo area) and send it to:
Metro IBA
2190 Como Ave.
St. Paul, MN 55108
Celebrate Your Independents 2012 Wrap Up
Congratulations to Kristin Ostendorf of St. Paul and Erin Swenson-Klatt of Minneapolis, who won the two grand prizes of $1250 each in gift cards to indie member businesses!
Kristin Ostendorf (top) and Erin Swenson-Klatt (bottom) claimed the grand prizes for Celebrate Your Independents 2012
Thanks to the following merchants for donating gift cards and special offers to over 900 registrants.
Barbette
Bay Street Shoes
Bibelot Shops
Black Dog Café
Bread & Pickle
Bryant Lake Bowl
Castle Building & Remodeling
Electric Fetus
Eye Deals
FirstTech Computers
Ingebretsen’s
Key North Boutique
Kitchen Window
Linden Hills Co-op
Micawber’s Books
Midwest Mountaineering
Pat's Tap
Peapods Natural Toys & Baby Care
Red Stag Supperclub
St Paul Corner Drug
Strauss Skates & Bicycles
Smitten Kitten
Warners' Stellian
Wedge Co-op
Wet Paint Art
TC Media Alliance Get Connected! Event
As part of Twin Cities Daily Planet’s Get Connected! series, MetroIBA presented on the topic of how to use social media to build community. Thanks to Open Arms of MN for hosting and providing delicious refreshments. And thanks to our expert panelists, Josh Becerra of Monkey Island, Loren Schirber of Castle Building & Remodeling, and Marcos Lopez-Carlson of the Twin Cities Media Alliance.
Click here to read the highlights of the event: http://bit.ly/RQvq9v
Learn About the New EEOC Guidelines
Want to know how the new EEOC Guidelines will affect your business on tax bonding, hiring, and work opportunity tax credits? Join Congressman Keith Ellison to learn more.
Tuesday, August 28 from 1:00 to 2:30pm
Congressman Ellison’s District Office
Mpls. Urban League Building
2100 Plymouth Ave N
Minneapolis, MN
Park B4 Dark
The Third Thursdays Summer Series in St. Anthony Park continues for one more evening of food, wine, music, and mingling on August 16 from 5-8pm. Thanks to MetroIBA members Park Midway Bank and St. Anthony Park Community Foundation for making this annual festival of independent businesses possible.
Member News
Women in Business Roundtable
MetroIBA Executive Director Mary Hamel was honored to be part of a round table discussion on Thursday, August 9 at SubText: A Bookstore, co-hosted by Nina’s Coffeehouse. Congresswoman Betty McCollum and Representative Jan Schakowsky, Chief Deputy Whip and Federal Energy/Commerce Committee Member sought input from local business owners on the administration’s policies with regard to small business.
Arafina Named One of the 50 Best Boutiques in America by Elle Magazine
http://bit.ly/QmTuen
Traditions Classic Home Furnishings Interviewed by The Wall Street Journal on Credit Card Fees
http://on.wsj.com/OQqGM3
Kudos to Warners’ Stellian on Anoka County Expansion! http://www.startribune.com/business/163195426.html
Did you know…
MetroIBA Members are eligible to belong to our members’ only email listserv? This is a way to communicate with your fellow members on news specific to local business owners. Whether it is promoting an upcoming sale or event, asking for advice, or hearing the latest MetroIBA news hot off the press, you will be in the loop on the MetroIBA listserv. To register, contact mary@metroiba.org.
Member Badges Are In!
If you would like to display your MetroIBA affiliation on your company’s website, contact mary@metroiba.org.
Seeking a Volunteer/Intern
We are currently looking for a volunteer/intern to take photos at events and format our newsletter each month. This would be a great opportunity for a business, communications, or journalism student. If interested, please contact mary@metroiba.org.
Thank you Volunteers
Paula Luxenberg – Newsletter Editor
Michele Slifer – Directory Content Editor
Thank You
New Members
Kuk Sool Won
SubText Books
Thank You Renewing Members
AM950
Bargain Upholstery
Bay Street Shoes & Accessories
Budge Law Offices
Cooks of Crocus Hill
Eastside Food Coop
Ethos Business Law
Expedite Direct Mail & Fulfillment
HandyMan Matters
Mama's Pizza
May Day Café
Open Arms MN
Park Midway Bank
Rainbow Treecare
Sanctuary
Smitten Kitten
Strategic Financial
Weinblatt & Gaylord
Thank You
Citizen Members
Jill Driscoll
Chris Green
Gabriel Skelly
©2012 MetroIBA, 2190 Como Ave., St. Paul, MN 55108.
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