West Broadway Business and Area Coalition

What We Do

The West Broadway Business and Area Coalition (WBC) works to support local business owners and businesses in several ways. We serve as a resource to connect technical assistance providers, offer financial resources through a partnership with the City of Minneapolis, advocate for businesses along the West Broadway Corridor, and connect business owners to develop stronger networks in North Minneapolis.

Membership supports these activities and other programs put on by WBC, including the Northside Business Luncheons, FLOW Northside Arts Crawl, Black Friday on Broadway and Open Streets West Broadway.

• WBC, in partnership with 

  Northside Funders Group helped restore 122 North Minneapolis businesses impacted by COVID19 with $517,980.
• Raised $2.3 million in partnership with Northside Funders Group to support businesses impacted by Covid19 and the uprising following the murder of George Floyd.
• Awarded $528,994 in relief grants to 35 North Minneapolis businesses post-uprising.

Mission

The West Broadway Business and Area Coalition’s mission is to create an inviting and vital West Broadway Corridor and to transform the Northside into a thriving economic community.

WBC builds capacity of businesses and entrepreneurs, highlights the positive and cultural assets of North Minneapolis, and engages the community in the ongoing revitalization of the West Broadway area. WBC curates community-identified activities designed to transform West Broadway into a thriving commercial corridor that meets the goods, service and entertainment needs of neighborhood residents, businesses, and visitors. Learn more about our current programs.

History

The West Broadway Business & Area Coalition was formed in the spring of 2007, as a result of the joining of the West Broadway Business Association and the West Broadway Area Coalition.

The West Broadway Business Association (WBBA) was established in 1942 and served as a non-profit organization drawing membership from local businesses along the West Broadway Corridor. Its primary focus was to serve as a “chamber of commerce,” to support local business growth.

The West Broadway Area Coalition (WBAC) served with the mission to add life and vitality to the West Broadway corridor. The WBAC’s primary focus was connecting with the residents of North Minneapolis in order to grow jobs, assist new and existing businesses and improve safety and the physical environment of the West Broadway Corridor. After years of working together on a wide variety of community issues, the two organizations consolidated their efforts under one organization forming the West Broadway Business & Area Coalition (WBC).