Brooklyn Park Small Business Center Celebrates Two Years of Community-Driven Growth
- Rebecca Gilbuena
- 6 days ago
- 3 min read
Since opening its doors in 2023, the Brooklyn Park Small Business Center (BPSBC) has become a hub for small businesses in Brooklyn Park and the surrounding Twin Cities. Born from a community task force and guided by local input, the Center was designed as a membership-based model rather than a traditional leased office space.
Today, it serves as a launchpad for entrepreneurs ranging from home-based service providers to retail vendors, tax professionals and artisan crafters. Executive Director Indred Alexander said the Center’s origins reflect the needs of the very businesses it now serves.
“This was a project that was brought from the community,” Indred explained. “City council and staff listened, and we brought the community together through a task force to design a space that addressed their requests directly. That’s how the Small Business Center was born.”
That vision led to a space intentionally designed for microbusinesses and startups — with small suites, affordable memberships, and shared resources. The Center has an occupancy rate of over 70%, even as small businesses nationwide struggle with cash flow, customer retention, and regulatory challenges.
Lessons from Two Years in Business
Over the past two years, BPSBC has experimented with retail spaces, learning which models work best. Its 100-square-foot “retail bays” cater to entrepreneurs with small inventories and established client bases, such as beauty professionals.
“We discovered that our ideal retail member is someone who already has a following — like barbers, nail technicians, braiders, and natural hair specialists,” Indred said. “They thrive here because their clients come directly to them. By contrast, walk-up traffic has been harder to sustain.”
To address those challenges, the Center plans to introduce weekend exhibitions, themed retail bays, and seasonal pop-ups to attract more community foot traffic, especially during the holiday season.
Building Partnerships and Expanding Resources
Beyond workspace, the BPSBC has emerged as a hub for entrepreneurial training and development. Through partnerships with the Neighborhood Development Center, CAPI USA, Hennepin County’s Elevate Hennepin initiative, and other organizations, the Center now offers business cohorts, consulting, and access to microloans.
“Our third phase is really about programming,” Indred said. “We’re connecting members to resources that help them not only stay here, but also prepare for growth — whether that’s scaling into a bigger space or buying their own.”
Hennepin County’s Elevate program, for example, gives county residents 20 free hours of professional consulting in areas like legal, branding, and marketing. Meanwhile, the RISE networking series and upcoming industry-focused happy hours provide opportunities for collaboration and peer learning.
Looking Ahead
As the Center steps into its third year, the goals are clear: reach full occupancy, expand programming, and continue adapting spaces to meet community demand. Plans are underway to repurpose areas for a creative content studio and larger presentation rooms, as members increasingly request podcasting, video, and digital production resources.
“It feels very rewarding to reach this milestone,” said Indred. “We’ve already seen businesses grow beyond this space into bigger opportunities. That tells us we’re doing what we set out to do.”
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