The Return of the Black-owned Corner Store in North Minneapolis - you don't need a passport to open a corner store

The Return of the Black-owned Corner Store in North Minneapolis – you don’t need a passport to open a corner store

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“My thoughts exactly. It’s been a long time and I was getting tired of current local corner store owners telling me if I wanted to use my credit card, I need to spent $5 bucks (that’s crap!). The historical significance of Bill and Chef with partners are doing is showing Black ownership in the Black community – a long awaited pleasure missed in north Minneapolis.”

By Donald W.R. Allen, II – Editor in Chief/The Independent Business News Network

Minneapolis, MN (IBNN/Business News/July 9, 2012)…In the late 80’s Minneapolis saw a sharp decline in corner stores owned and operated by hometown Black men and women. Everyone knew Mr. Ruben on the corner of 4th Avenue South and East 38th Street – or how about Mr. Crown’s Record Store and Barbershop on the north corner of 4th and 38th. We can’t leave out the legendary Tiger Jack on the corner of Dale Street and St. Anthony in St. Paul whose son Lucky has kept the corner live and vibrant for more than 40-years. If you’re old enough to remember this, then you’ve actually listened to music from a 45 record disc.

Skyline Market is the brainchild of entrepreneur and educator Mr. William English and restaurateur and business owner James “Sunny/Chef” Baker, who owns Sunnyside Café and Elite Catering at 1825 Glenwood Avenue North, on the corners of Morgan Avenue and Glenwood – right next door to the new convenience store.

William (Bill) English told IBNN in an exclusive interview, “We have to see what sells good in this area. Our goal is to have the regular convenience store items; milk, eggs, cereal, bread – but also have some fresh vegetables and fresh foods, like chicken, and other meats available for the community.”

Skyline Market will also host monthly classes on how to cook a healthy meal within your budget.

English told IBNN, “It’s one thing to just open up a store; its another thing to make sure north Minneapolis has healthy choices when it come to eating. The people in this community are low income and depend on WIC and their EBT cards to purchase food. Skyline Market wants to eventually be an alternative to Cub Foods to eliminate the lengthy bus trip for the young and elderly.”

The opening of Skyline Market in north Minneapolis is historical because it marks the return of the Black owned corner store that has all but become extinct in the last 25-years. In the Twin Cities, it has been easier for immigrants to open corner stores that for natural born United States citizens – this has been a trend all over the country.