What's Really Happening on West Broadway?

A recent Star Tribune article was quite critical of the lack of progress on West Broadway, and the director of the West Broadway Business Coalition then published a rebuttal detailing the economic development we have seen.  I thought the first shot was perhaps a bit too bleak, while the WBC account painted a picture that was overly rosy.  The truth, as is often the case, lies somewhere in between.

Since the publication of those articles, I've been thinking quite a bit about what we have in the commercial heart of north Minneapolis.  As I walk, bike, and drive along the corridor, I've been looking at West Broadway through two lenses--what would bring people from outside the area to West Broadway, and what draws me personally to spend money on the avenue.

Admittedly this is subjective.  Plenty of places, like nail salons, hair braiding shops, and urban outfitters are not going to draw business from a straight, white male, and I wouldn't expect them to.  But I think there's something to be said about taking a detailed look at West Broadway, starting at...

Louisiana Fried Chicken = Change in the Neighborhood (Yes, Really)

Post and photos by the Hawthorne Hawkman, image from the Super Itch blog.

I'd been watching the construction of what appeared to be an outdoor patio in the beleaguered Hawthorn (sic) Crossings strip mall with quite the anticipation.  But last weekend when I saw the grand opening signs, with the slogan "Change in the Neighborhood" juxtaposed with more fried food, I have to admit I was a little disappointed.  Boy was I wrong.

This morning I was supposed to go and run a 5k with the Irving Inquisition.  I awoke after a mere four hours of sleep, took one look out the window at the pouring rain, and decided I wasn't quite that dedicated.  I.I. on the other hand, kept true to his new-found commitment to fitness, and has the Northside 5k t-shirt to prove it.  We joined up for a pancake breakfast fundraiser at the YMCA on Broadway and then bombed around for a bit.

All that not running made me famished, and it was time to check out the Louisiana Fried Chicken place...

Broadway Pizza Doesn't Deliver on Broadway

Post and photos by the Hawthorne Hawkman.

This weekend at a social gathering at a friend's place just off of Broadway Avenue, folks were getting pretty hungry.  My salsa had already been devoured, and that just wasn't cutting it.  So we pulled out a phone book (sorry, Ed Kohler) and called a few local places.  We settled on Broadway Pizza, but encountered a significant barrier.  They don't deliver on Broadway.  The address on the box above, right under the part that says "delivery," is only two miles away from where we were, and the Robbinsdale location is right on County Rd. 81.  Two miles in the other direction is the Broadway Pizza on the river in Hawthorne.

Look, I get it.  It's not easy to convince every business to do deliveries in NoMi.  But Olympic Cafe delivers, and so do other places in our neighborhood.  Broadway Pizza proudly states that they got their start in north Minneapolis.  Their website goes on to say that when they had to move because of I-94 construction, they stayed in the community.  I'm thrilled about that, and this neighborhood institution should be applauded for that commitment.  Back before Donny Dirk's or Good Sports opened up, Broadway Pizza was the only sit-down restaurant in our neighborhood.  John Hoff, other neighborhood revitalizers, and I would frequently hold informal "policy booth" sessions there to discuss neighborhood concerns.

But that's precisely why in my opinion the bar is set higher for Broadway Pizza.  They have at least a dozen metro area locations, and they got their start right here in NoMi.  Boasting of a community connection should cut both ways, and I think we should see more on their end.  Furthermore, their restaurant on the Mississippi River has one of the best views of downtown Minneapolis - a view so amazing that nearby residents pay $350,000 for condominiums with the same view.  Yet Broadway doesn't even have a patio or outdoor dining area.

Broadway Pizza ought to know that neighborhood residents are dissatisfied with this lack of service.  So I'm asking readers, the next time you want pizza or other food delivered, or this summer before enjoying what will certainly be a breathtaking view of downtown at Psycho Suzi's, take two minutes and call Broadway Pizza (612-529-4475) first.  Let them know that your dollars are being spent elsewhere because of what they aren't offering for NoMi.

What Broadway Pizza Needs

Post and photos by the Hawthorne Hawkman

When I get together with friends from across NoMi and we solve all the neighborhood's world's problems, one topic seems to come up with increasing frequency: what would make us patronize area businesses? More to the point, since this conversation is probably ALREADY happening at Good Sports, Broadway Pizza, or Donny Dirk's, what would draw OTHER PEOPLE from outside NoMi?

And that brings us to what Broadway Pizza needs: an outdoor patio. My goodness, look at the view! Today was such a gorgeous day, who WOULDN'T want to eat outside, looking at the Minneapolis skyline and the river?! The view at night is perhaps even more astounding, although harder to capture in a photograph. While I'm daydreaming, it would also be cool to light up the Broadway Avenue bridge like we do with 35W.



What bothers me here isn't just the fact that we're missing out on something amazing. The person who brought this to my attention has spoken with Broadway management about this very issue. He was told that they don't have an outdoor patio on this spot because they're worried about drive-by shootings. Really?

I can understand that concern back when Johnny A's and Stand Up Frank's were your two neighboring establishments. But there's really no excuse now. And the fear that nothing good can happen because things were rough before is something that really holds our neighborhood back.

I like Broadway Pizza a lot, and not just because of their great political campaign victory parties. So I'm not looking to publicly shame them in any way. But people should call or stop by and tell the management what a great addition to NoMi this would be. Most importantly, tell them how much more often you'd come by or recommend the place to your friends. Let's make it clear to Broadway Pizza that the outdoor patio would be a financial boon. And by next summer we'll have the best restaurant view in all of Minneapolis.