Business students research how to revitalize a Minneapolis neighborhood

Is Uptown Minneapolis dead? That question reverberated throughout the halls of the University of Minnesota Carlson School of Management this past semester as undergraduate marketing students explored ways to help revitalize the iconic Minneapolis neighborhood.

As part of their Marketing Strategy capstone course, students examined the public perception and economic health of Uptown, which has faced significant challenges in recent years. Their goal was to develop strategic marketing recommendations to help increase vibrancy and bring people back to the area.

“I don’t think there is one straightforward answer on how to revitalize Uptown. It’s definitely going to be a collaboration,” says Sydney Waite, a senior marketing major who participated in the project.

Throughout the semester, students engaged with a wide range of stakeholders, including residents, business owners, and local officials, including Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey.

“The students are defining the path as we go, which is very representative of the real world,” says Senior Lecturer Allison Murn, who led the course. “Almost all the stakeholders we’ve talked to want to be a part of the project. It’s turned into something much bigger than I would’ve ever imagined, and it’s been fun.”

Discovering the issues

The idea to focus on Uptown emerged on the first day of class when Murn asked students to name both their favorite Minneapolis neighborhoods and those most in need of improvement. Uptown came up frequently on both lists.

“We were like, ‘OK, what is that disparity?’ I think that’s really what kickstarted this project,” says Andrew Nguyen, a senior marketing major. “Uptown is a neighborhood that people really like, but it’s a neighborhood that hasn’t been getting as much love as it needs.”

Students broke into teams and conducted surveys, interviews, and field observations. They spoke directly with business owners and government officials to better understand what was driving public perception and foot traffic, or the lack of it.

“People keep responding with the same thing—it’s safety, commercial vacancies, and transportation,” says senior marketing major Evan Thornton.

Communication gaps between stakeholder groups also emerged as a major theme.

“For example, maybe small businesses need help in some way, but the City Council may not be aware,” Thornton says. “Having good intergroup communication is wildly important.”

A different kind of research project

At the end of the course, students presented their findings and ideas to a panel of Uptown stakeholders.

Among the panelists was Angie Lee, owner of Moona Moono, a new coffee shop and store in Uptown. 

“This is a very complicated problem to solve. Students can offer a perspective that isn’t hindered by ‘this is how it’s always been done’ mindsets that often hold established organizations back,” Lee says. “We need novel thinking to solve difficult problems.”

The students say the project gave them valuable experience working on real-world issues with complex, multi-layered challenges.

“I’ve been able to step out of my comfort zone,” Waite says. “Growing up in Minneapolis, I know how important community is for people, and this class has pushed me to share my viewpoints on things. I’ve been able to learn how to do that and to trust that my opinion matters too, and I think that is something that will help me moving forward.”