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OfferiEligibility / oan/ Eligibility
Cooperative Mercado Central
1515 East Lake Street, Minneapolis (view map)
Contact Becky George
(612) 728-5485
The creation of Mercado Central – a homelike, commercial community gathering place – at the intersection of Bloomington and Lake in Minneapolis led to a complete transformation of this formerly blighted area.
Mercado Central was created in 1999 by a committed group of Latinos who worked together and listened to the needs of the entire community. With support from NDC, this assets-based, grassroots organizing among Latinos helped to establish creative structures to maintain community ownership and control of the Mercado.
The formation of Mercado Central was complex. It involved the real estate development of an actual building (partners included Project for Pride in Living (PPL), Whittier CDC, and NDC; strategic business development; and development of a community gathering space and leadership structure.
Today, the business owners at Mercado Central generate more than $1.2 million in annual sales and have created nearly 90 jobs. There are 43 entrepreneurs in business at the Mercado, including 10 of the founding owners from 1999.
