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Portraits from 6ft is a project of photographer Carina Lofgren that captures Minnesotans' everyday lives amid the Covid-19 crisis. During this time of uncertainty and social distance, this project brings people together by sharing unique stories from our community. The LBA and our partner organization Redesign are working with Carina to document Longfellow businesses impacted by the pandemic.
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Thanks to Redesign and the City of Minneapolis for funding this project through OneMpls and the Great Streets Business District Program.
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Lige's Beauty & BarbershopNeed a little burst of sunshine? Head over to Lige's Beauty Salon & Barbershop at 3609 E Lake Street. Siblings Jo Ann, Delois and Clarence Lige have been creating beauty and building community since 1993. Originally from Little Rock, Arkansas, Jo Ann moved to Minneapolis in 1978. After finishing cosmetology school, she worked years at various other salons before she and Delois decided to start their own shop. The one thing they knew? They did NOT want to be on Lake Street (which was rougher around the edges back then). But after a client recommended a space on the 3600 block of East Lake, they found a deal they couldn't pass up and have made their home on that block for the last 18 years.
When the Covid-19 pandemic hit over a year ago, Lige's Beauty closed along with all other salons. The Paycheck Protection Program was not originally available to self-employed individuals and so unemployment assistance was a lifeline that allowed the Liges to continue to pay rent and meet their expenses. They have since reopened and while not all customers are ready to come back, there have been some regulars to keep business steady. Jo Ann even has one client in her eighties who has been coming to get her hair done since 1982! The hallmark of Lige's Beauty Salon is not limited to great hair care. Jo Ann, Delois and Clarence exude an atmosphere of warmth and welcome. You'll find great conversation and chances are when you're done being pampered, you may want to stay a little longer before heading home. Lige's Beauty & Barbershop has a new website where you can find all you need to make your next appointment. |
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CAPI USACAPI USA was founded as a food shelf in 1982 to serve refugees arriving in Minnesota from Southeast Asia in the aftermath of the Vietnam conflict. Nearly 40 years later, CAPI still reaches the community through the three pillars of Basic Needs, Economic Empowerment, and Civic Engagement; serving immigrants, refugees, and native-born Minnesotans—95% of which live at or below the federal poverty guidelines.
Ekta Prakash moved to Minneapolis 20 years ago as an immigrant from India and has served as CAPI's CEO for the last 14 years. Her leadership has carried the organization through the challenges of this past year. Through the COVID-19 crisis, Ekta's number one priority was to avoid layoffs, keep staff on the payroll and continue providing critical resources to their clients and the community-at-large - over 10,000 individuals. CAPI and their partners quickly pivoted to a Triage Service model to ensure that their BIPOC communities were connected to the essential services they needed including: Unemployment Assistance, Tax Filings, Job Placement Assistance, Housing/Rental Assistance, and more. After the social unrest last year, CAPI and their partner organizations (along with tremendous volunteer support) partnered together to provide multiple outdoor basic needs and food distributions at CAPI’s location at 3702 E Lake Street. Amidst the pandemic and unrest, Ekta's mother also passed away. She describes the last year saying, "We are living in a time and moment that cannot be erased from our memories. There was no time to grieve in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, the social unrest and murder of George Floyd. As a leader of a non-profit, I never got a chance to stop, reflect back, or revive myself. But, my grief became my power, and my power become my passion and this became my dream for my staff, team and everyone who was impacted." Though things may feel chaotic, Ekta and her team at CAPI hope to offer hope and stability to their clients and those hit hardest by the consequences of COVID-19. Learn more about CAPI and opportunities to support their mission. |
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KMS Air Duct CleaningKen McCraley is the owner of KMS Air Duct Cleaning and KMS Construction located on Snelling Avenue. He's been in business for 27 years and in Longfellow since 2009. KMS does commercial and residential air duct cleaning and was hard hit by the effects of Covid-19 when the statewide stay at home order prevented Ken and his crew from entering into residential customer's homes. At the start of the pandemic, Ken had to layoff 11 of the 47 employees on his team. They are now back up to 41 and still have hopes of bringing the remainder of folks back to work. Ken is a firm believer that small businesses employ diverse communities and it is important to support them.
Like many others, Ken is still getting used to the new normal and incorporating changes into the business for potential long term success. KMS specializes in air duct cleaning, but can also clean your furnace, air conditioner, dryer vent, fireplaces, chimney and more. Please consider KMS if you need air duct cleaning or construction services: www.kmsclean.com. |
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Eat for EquityEat for Equity is a food based non-profit with inclusion, equity, sustainability and generosity at its core. They moved into the space adjacent to Du Nord Craft Spirits (2610 E 32nd St) in the early days of the pandemic to operate Eat for Equity Catering and partner with Du Nord Craft Spirits to provide food in their tap room. Before the pandemic, 100% of revenue for the catering company came from events and the organization had to creatively pivot to continue their goal to serve and feed this community.
Eat for Equity transitioned quickly to provide a weekly meal box pickup so that customers could pick up a week's worth of prepared meals for their households. Meal kits and grocery boxes are offered at affordable prices, including a limited amount of pay-what-you-can boxes so that everyone in the community is able to be nourished. Executive Director, Emily Torgrimson sums it up: "We are glad to be in this neighborhood, at the heart of the uprising in Minneapolis. We are trying to be of service to our community, be safe, and stay in business. So much of what we imagined for this space is on hold or may no longer be possible. And also much more than what we imagined for this space is now a possibility. We are asking questions about what our community needs, trying to use our space and resources to meet those needs, and trying to hold onto connections and awakenings that have been made possible by all this change." |
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Ricardo Levins Morales Art StudioRicardo Levins Morales is an artist and organizer with a studio located on Minnehaha Avenue. Like many small business owners, his day-to-day operations have changed since the COVID-19 pandemic, and more recently, the political uprising following the murder of George Floyd. Through these changes, he continues to raise awareness of the systemic oppression that existed long before the recent crises.
“The art I create - and that we distribute - is intended to be medicinal, supporting people's resilience in the face of oppression. In the current situation we've been making more social media images, coloring pages and both downloadable and salable posters that address the pandemic and its impacts in ways that both inform and comfort. The pandemic has made it obvious (to those who might have missed it) that inequality and injustice are disease vectors. My art supports people's struggles for adequate housing, wages, healthy food and a clean environment - the true building blocks of public health.” Support Ricardo's work via his online retail: www.rlmartstudio.com |
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Meseret's Ethiopian RestaurantMeseret Asfew is the owner of Meseret's Ethiopian Restaurant at 38th and Minnehaha. Her grand opening was only a year ago and due to the Coronavirus, she feels like she is starting over from scratch. "I lost many customers because of COVID-19, including many regulars. Some of my customers who I've built friendships with I don't get to see anymore, and that's really hard. It's difficult to deal with the uncertainty. Many really nice community members have still be coming, and I am thankful for their support. The virus is not only bad for our physical health, but our mental health too. I keep reminding myself that I am thankful for the customers I have and for the opportunities to continue cooking for my community."
Meseret's is open for Take-Out! Right now, the easiest way is to call the restaurant at 612-354-4419. Stay tuned - her new website with online ordering will be launching soon at: www.meseretethiopianrestaurant.com. |
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The Lift GarageCathy Heying runs the The Lift Garage, a nonprofit auto repair shop located at the Lake and Hiawatha intersection. The mission of The Lift is to move people out of poverty and homelessness by providing low-cost car repair. The demand is so great, that even before the Covid-19 pandemic, customers would often wait three months for an appointment.
Since mid-March, Cathy and her team have had to figure out a way meet their mission while also keeping staff, vendors and customers safe. They’ve streamlined online and phone payments, set up drop boxes for keys and parts, and take extra care to wipe down every set of keys, parts, and vehicle before and after working on it. Like many business owners these days, Cathy is overwhelmed and struggles to keep morale up, but focuses on the positive, stating, "I am so grateful for the team I have who are willing to come in and work hard every day under hard circumstances and risk. I'm so grateful we've found a way to keep people safe while also being here for our customers." Want to support The Lift? Community support and donations help cover overhead costs and are needed more than ever. Visit www.theliftgarage.org and make a donation today. |
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Happy Human FitnessAmber and Jesse Walker are the co-owners of Happy Human Fitness. Haven't heard of them? They're one of many home-based businesses in Longfellow that often go under the radar. Normally, Happy Human provides in-home personal training to busy families and seniors interested in lifelong health and happiness. The Coronavirus has cut revenue in half and limited their normal scope of operations, but they are still able to offer online personal training and training outside in parks or backyards.
Like so many people, Amber, Jesse and their two boys (ages 9 and 4) are experiencing wide ranging emotions and coping day to day can be a challenge. But, their outlook provides grounding in the midst of uncertainty: "People think being a happy human means never having a bad day or being in a bad mood. We think that is an unreasonable expectation. Being honest with yourself and those around you about your moods and struggles is the quickest way back to happiness." For Amber and Jesse, kind words are the fuel that keep them going. If you find Happy Human helpful in any way (classes, Facebook posts, or personal training), let them know. The encouragement is what gives them the passion to run an amazing business - even during a pandemic. |
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Mother Earth GardensPaige Pelini and Karen O'Connor are co-owners of Mother Earth Gardens. In the space of six weeks, they've had to change their way of doing business three different times: from phone orders to creating an online store to opening to the public with the latest executive order. As a result of COVID-19, they've lost a few longer term employees, have applied for assistance, and implemented protocols for sanitation and social distancing while being open to the public to keep both staff and customers safe. In Karen's words: "We are happy to have a purpose. It feels good to be able to give something and to help people experience some beauty and joy. We are doing great because of the community - a wholehearted thank you to our staff and to our customers for working together during this difficult and strange time."
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