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St. Cloud Downtown Council
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Monday Morning Memo 8/12/2013
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Downtown Council Membership
by Jill Pauly, Membership & Events Coordinator
Have you driven or strolled Downtown in the last few weeks? Our City's core looks amazing. Downtown Council volunteers and City crews worked very hard this spring to spruce it up, and now we get to see the full benefit of those efforts. The flowers and grasses in our planters are lush and blooming. Downtown Shops and businesses have spruced up their displays while our restaurants welcome guests with outdoor tables and umbrellas.
Key components to making our Downtown a healthy and vibrant place n include the Walk About, clean ups and our Adopt-a-Planter Program , all Downtown Council programs. When our community looks good people want to spend time here. Our goal is to make Downtown a great place to do business as well as live, eat, shop and play. (Walk About photos by Nick Campbell, photographer)
 
 
That's why getting involved with the St. Cloud Downtown Council and Alliance Foundation is so important. Volunteer time and financial contributions make it possible for us to coordinate, conduct and fund these projects along with so many others. In addition to our beautification efforts, Downtown Council staff and members are busy creating workshops, advocating for our members and focusing on business retention, expansion and development.
Whether your business is Downtown or not, it's important to have a healthy regional business core and arts and entertainment district. It helps us hang on to our talented graduating college students as well as retain and grow our locally-owned businesses. The Downtown Council plays an important role in ensuring that we have a great downtown -- one that you and our entire region can be proud of. Join us and be a part of the movement!
Looking ahead
We're working on a member's-only Open House for the September 26thl. Details soon to follow.
We're also in the midst of planning our Winter Nights and Lights Parade. For 13 years the St. Cloud Downtown Council has welcomed thousands of people to Central Minnesota's largest cold weather parade. This year we'll also host our second annual Santa Fun Run.
 | | Graphic Design for this year's Parade logo by Minnesota School of Business Students |
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Applications Due THIS WEEK: August 15th
Community Development Block Grant to Improve Accessibility
 St. Cloud's Downtown is home to a number of multi-story buildings with underutilized space and limited access to the upper and lower floors. The Downtown St. Cloud Accessibility Improvement Program is intended to provide financial support to facilitate the redevelopment of these properties and improve accessibility to all downtown buildings for residents, employees, customers, and visitors. Accessibility improvement grants may be awarded to properties within the C3, Central Business, zoning district. The Accessibility Improvement Program is being funded and administrated through the St. Cloud Downtown Council in partnership with the City of St. Cloud to stimulate new private investment and enhance accessibility. The maximum amount of funding allowed per award is $40,000, which must be matched by a minimum 10% contribution by the building tenant or owner. Further details about the improvement program are outlined below.
To Apply for the Downtown Council Grant:
A property or business owner interested in participating in the Downtown Accessibility Improvement Program must submit a completed, signed application, along with the required submissions to the St. Cloud Downtown Council, 1010 West St Germain Street #250, St. Cloud, MN 56301. If you have questions specific to the program, you can contact Pegg Gustafson, President/CEO at 320-257-8600 or [email protected]. Personal appointments can be made upon request. Application Period:
Applications must be submitted to the St. Cloud Downtown Council no later than August 15, 2013. Click to get the full document about the Downtown Accessibility Improvement Program (AIP). Click to get the Downtown Accessibility Improvement Program Application.
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Featured Member
The Electric Fetus is wrapping up summer with a special event featuring their unique jewelry selection. Through August 18, all jewelry in the store is on sale as part of their  Jewelry Bazaar. The Electric Fetus is known as Minnesota's record store and purveyor of unique gifts for over 40 years. The store is located at 28 5th Avenue in Downtown St. Cloud.
"Sales have been great this summer and we have a lot of exciting things happening in the store. Right now we're making way for our new fall merchandise so we have a lot of things on sale. It's also our big jewelry bazaar. All necklaces, rings and earrings are 40% off and some jewelry items are up to 75% off," says store manager Astra Seitz.. For updates about special offers like the Jewelry Bazaar, check out the Electric Fetus' Facebook or page website.
Central Perk Opening
By Nate Gotlieb, St. Cloud Times [email protected]
Sauk Rapids residents Randi Tapio and Odessa Scherr watched the show "Friends"during theircol�lege years. Now, they are opening a coffee shop that pays tribute to the sitcom. Tapio and Scherr, along with their husbands, Nick Tapio and Alan Scherr, will open Central Perk & Wine Bar on Monday in downtown. Central Perk was the name of the fictitious cof�fee shop that was a gather�ing place for the show's main characters. St.Cloud's Central Perk will serve paninis, soups, sandwiches, salads, cof�fee, tea, wine and Bridge�man's ice cream. The restaurant will have made-to-order and grab-and-go meals, along with pickup and delivery
options for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Sand�wiches, wraps, salads, pastries, fruits and vege�tables will be among the delivery options.
It will have a coffee de�livery service. The wine bar will be open Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights and any night there's a Paramount Thea�tre event, Tapio said. The restaurant will have about 55 wines on its menu. It will have about a doz�en employees and will be able to seat 28 people. The restaurant is at 912 Regency Plaza, located at 912 St. Germain St.
Lillian's Not-to-be-Missed Sidewalk Sale
Foundation Supports Five Art Programs
The Central Minnesota Community Foundation announced today it has awarded $23,000 to five key community arts programs focused on bringing art to life and igniting passion in children.
Two of the programs aim to foster connections by building cultural awareness and understanding. The Chamber Music Society is among those programs. The organization will bring the Daedalus Quartet to St. Cloud for three days to conduct activities for all ages around the theme of "music from exile." The project will involve local refugees from Africa and Asia, as well as Holocaust scholars. The activities will take place in schools, colleges, the public library, the senior center, and the concert venue.
GREAT Theatre also received a grant to present Immigration Theatre. This project focuses on addressing the community's need of understanding and valuing cultural diversity.
The Fund for the Arts award recipients are:
- $5,000 to GREAT Theater for the Immigration Theatre
- $5,000 to Chamber Music Society of St. Cloud for the Daedalus String Quartet Concert & Residence.
- $5,000 to Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Minnesota-Performing Arts & Drama Matters Programming.
- $5,000 to St. Cloud Symphony Orchestra for education programs for schools and students
- $3,000 to Mill Stream Arts Festival for the Fall Festival
Chamber of Commerce Business After Hours Calendar
DTC Member Hosts:Tuesday, August 13, 2013, 4:30 - 6:30 pm Brothers Bar & Grill Thursday, September 26, 2013, 4:30 - 6:30 pm Rengel Printing Thursday, December 5, 2014, 4:30 - 6:30 pm St. Cloud Technical & Community College Thursday, February 20, 2014, 4:30 - 6:30 pm Minnwest Bank Thursday, March 13, 2014, 4:30 - 6:30 pm CentraCare Health Tuesday, April 8, 2014, 4:30 - 6:30 pm Chamber's B.A.H. EXTRA! Thursday, June 5, 2014, 4:30 - 6:30 pm Falcon National Bank Thursday, July 17, 4:30 - 6:30 pm D.J. Bitzan Jewelers
Take Advantage of DTC Membership Perk:
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St. Cloud SWAT Team Took Bronze at World Games
Congratulations!
Ten members of the St. Cloud Police Department's SWAT team have been home for almost a week from the World Police Fire Games in Belfast, Northern Ireland with a bronze medal. Spokesman Marty Sayre says one of their two teams in the competition took third place, behind teams from Northern Ireland and Finland. St. Cloud's other team finished fourth, out of five teams.
Sayre says, "it was one of the most physically draining things they've ever done. And, it was misery at times." The team was up against over 10,000 competitors from about 70 countries.
 | Bronze Medal Team are from Left to Right:
Sergeant Jesse Douvier, Officer Adam Meierding, Officer Jeff Atkinson, Officer Roger Baumann, and Officer Nick Riba. |
 | St. Cloud Tm A photo Left to Right:
Officer Trent Fischer, Officer Nick Smith, Officer Tomas Villanueva, Sergeant Marty Sayre, and Officer Brian Cameron. |
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August Downtown Art Crawl
August 23rd, 10am - 9pm
Artists & Venues
Jule's Bistro - Richard Graves / Mark Parker
Paramount Gallery - Terry Rawlings
White Horse - SCSU Artist Student Union
Northern Brights - Tara Donnay
StudioJeff - Barry Scanlon / Tracy Ore
Paper Collector - Bob Johnson
Arts Co-op - David Gortsky / Charlotte Neron
Lillian's - TBA
Veranda Lounge - Colin Stanhill
Return Yoga - Katy Valentine / Katy Webster / Daniel S.
Cream City Tattoo - TBA
Paramount Visual Arts Center - TBA
Marishka's - TBA
Falcon National Bank - Tricia Vetrone / Central Minnesota Watercolorists
Books Revisited - Local Authors
Engel Law - TBA
COWO Gallery - TBA
Bumbledee's - Lucas Plowman
Camera Shop - The Camera Shop Employees
The Black Box - Patrick Bednarz
Good Patina - TBA
DAYTA Marketing - Paige Laudenbach / Brianna Horton
Le St. Germain Hotel - Jerry Wervey
St. Cloud Floral - Clare Cianflone
Seven Elephants - Jake Spriggs / Mollie Christianson / Matt Hebert
Charisma Loft - Erica Ann Photography and Poetry
Gallery St. Germain - Dan Mondloch
Mind, Body Spirit - Tom Wixo
Capital One 360 - JD Jorgenson / Brady McLearen / Jonne McMahan
Invincible Costume - Costume House
Kate's Studio - Kate Langlais
Not to be missed! See you on the 23rd.
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Featured Property:
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Celebrating the 40th Anniversary of the Granite Trio
Friday, August 30, 2013
Please join us on Friday, August 30th to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the Granite Trio.
10 - 10:45am @ Granite Trio (brief ceremony)
11am -- 1pm @ Paramount (light lunch)
11:30am (viewing of video in the Paramount theatre)
This example of exquisite public art has been and continues to be an intensely human experience for those who pass by as they go about their daily lives.
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Downtown's Wacky Wednesdays
On your way Downtown to Lake George for the Rotary's Summertime by George! festivities, you might want to come a little early to take advantage of some Wacky Wednesday deals.
Participating Downtown businesses go wacky with discounts each week, and you won't want to miss out! Downtown offers unique shopping for all ages. Tell 'em, Pegg sent you. See you Wednesday!!
Rotary's Summertime by George Each Wednesday
August 14, 5-9pm; Art Faire, 1-9 pm Only 3 left this season!
"This is the only thing I ever wanted to do", says Brian Leighton. And 15 years, 3,000 shows and a dozen discs later he's still .... (sponsored by DTC member Schlenner Wenner & Co.)
Art Faire by George, 1-9pm this week as well.
MN Arts & Crafts Exhibitors
Pottery, Jewelry, Ceramics, Paintings,
Photography Plus a pop-up outdoor art gallery and sculpture garden!
Did you know?
Rotary members will volunteer approximately 27,500 hours toward Summertime by George during the 12-week music series!
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Use Northstar to get to the Minnesota State Fair
Why drive when you can ride the rail!
 Northstar Link and Metro Transit are teaming up to make getting to the Minnesota State Fair easy and affordable on weekends.
Travel from St. Cloud and Becker all the way to the gates of the State Fair on one pass!
Up to five people (two adults and three children age 6-17) can ride Northstar Link, Northstar Rail and the State Fair Express Bus (board at the Northstar station in Fridley) for only $20 round trip on State Fair weekends Aug. 24 and 25, and Aug. 31 and Sept. 1.
Purchase Family Passes in advance online at http://www.metrotransit.org/northstar-family-pass-state-fair. Print the Family Pass in order to present it to Link drivers and Metro Transit staff. (Be sure to retain the pass for the return trip). Buses leave Fridley Station roughly every half hour.
This "one fare to the fair" offer is valid only on weekends during the 2013 State Fair.
Customers are advised to plan ahead for the return trip from the fairgrounds by knowing schedules and trip times and returning to Fridley Station from the State Fair well in advance of scheduled train departures. Northstar trains are not able to wait for buses arriving from the State Fair.
During the week, riders may use Northstar Link and Northstar Rail to get to the State Fair Express Bus in Fridley. Regular fares apply. Complete schedule details are available at www.CatchTheLink.com for the bus and www.metrotransit.org/northstar for the train.
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my downtown
Connecting you to the center of our region
St. Cloud River's Edge Convention Center
Let's show our guests how welcoming St. Cloud is and show off all we have to offer!
| AUGUST |
GROUP
| NUMBER | | 13 | Night Storm Teen Dance | 500 | | | River's Edge Advisory Board Meeting | 15 | | 14 | Larson Boat - Move In | | | | MN Community Education Association | 500 | | 15 | Larson Boat - Move In | | | | MN Community Education Association | 500 | | 16 | Larson Boat - Move In | | | | MN Community Education Association | 500 | | 17 | Larson Boat - Move In | | | | Tech Class of '68 Reunion | 300 | | | Private Wedding Reception | 250 | | 18 | Larson Boats | 350 | | 19 | Larson Boats | 350 | | 20 | Larson Boats | 350 | | 21 | Larson Boats | 350 | | | Care Providers of MN | 350 | | 22 | Larson Boats - Move Out | | | | Care Providers of MN | 400 | | 23 | United Cerebral Palsy Event | 400 | | 24 | Private Wedding Reception | 300 | | 25 | National Rural ITS Conference | 350 | | 26 | National Rural ITS Conference | 350 | | 27 | National Rural ITS Conference | 350 | | 28 | National Rural ITS Conference | 350 | | 29 | Resource Training & Solutions | 250 | | | Capital One | 100 | | 31 | Private Wedding Reception | 300 |
Seniors Travel to St. Cloud Check out this travel blog to learn more: http://seniorcitizen.travel/index.php?s=st+cloud    2013 Music in the Gardens Schedule Music from 3-4:15 pm on the banks of the Mississippi River in Munsinger Gardens. All concerts are held on alternating Sundays near the Gazebo. FREE. Bring a lawn chair and enjoy a root beer float for $1.00 (by the Munsinger Clemens Botanical Society) - August 25 The Pachanga Society
Barden Park Summer Events Aug 15 6:30pm Rock City Jazz Band 7:30pm SC Municipal Band
2013 Downtown Art Crawl Dates
August 23, November 8
Visual Arts Minnesota presents Speakeasy 2013
We are excited to have our 2nd Annual Speakeasy fundraiser on Saturday, September 21, 2013 at 5:30pm with an early 20th Century flair. A family style Italian dinner will be served on the 3rd Floor of DB Searles, over 100 guests will be invited to the swanky underground party on the 2nd floor after dinner, and a dynamic entertainment program will be interwoven into this keen night!
Pick up a 2013 Visitors Guide; helpful to residents as well
Click on the front cover photo to view the Guide online. See how many wonderful things there are to do in our community and region and Downtown.
Update on the Visitor's Guide- it's on the move!
The award-winning Visitor's Guide will be in the hands of almost 1,000 quilters in June at the 2013 Minnesota Quilters meeting in Duluth. The guides will help
the quilters plan their trip to St. Cloud next year.
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Strategic Priorities
Downtown Council & Downtown Alliance Foundation
VISION STATEMENT: St. Cloud's Downtown is to be a thriving and integrated district of civic, cultural, commercial, recreational and residential activities.
- Promote and build the economic vitality
- Recognize and enhance the social fabric
- Improve the aesthetic appeal
- Plan for long-term financial stability
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Board Members
Andy Barth, DB Searle's/Nick's 3rd Floor
John Bestgen, Bachman Jewelers
Tami DeLand, Minnesota School of Business
Sonja Gidlow, Greater St. Cloud Development Corporation
Ken Gorrell, Arts Co-Op
Kate Hanson, Granite City Real Estate
Paul Harris, CentraCare
John Herges, Falcon National Bank
Mayor Dave Kleis, City of St. Cloud
Lindsay Latterell, Kelly Inn
Bob Leighton, Leighton Broadcasting
Julie Lunning, Convention & Visitors Bureau
Jeffrey Peterson, Gray Plant Mooty
Rob Ruprecht, Rasmussen College
Patrick Jacobson-Schulte, St. Cloud State University
Paul Thompson, Bremer Bank
Penny White, Community Volunteer
Staff
Mission:
The St. Cloud Downtown Council (DTC) strives to build a dynamic urban center valued
at the heart of the region. The DTC is committed to effectively serving its members, and dedicated to the development and promotion of a strong, economically healthy and exciting Downtown.
1010 W. St. Germain Street, Suite 250 | St. Cloud, MN 56301 | (320) 257-8600
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