Meet Wabash, Indiana, winner of the Small Business Revolution’s Main Street $500,000 makeover. In episode one, we get a glimpse into the community, its businesses and its leaders, who portray what the community is about and where it is going. And, we learn how Deluxe plans to help them revitalize their town and its small businesses, so that together, we can create a Revolution.
Meet Harry and Judy Kilmer, owners of Harry’s Old Kettle Pub & Grill, a long-standing Wabash institution. In the second episode, we learn about the challenges Harry has faced in turning this bar into the restaurant of his dreams, and how we tackled them with some physical improvements, marketing solutions and a few special surprises along the way.
Meet Lisa Ellen Downs, owner of Ellen’s Bridal & Dress Boutique, a small-town shop with a big-city experience. In episode three, we learn about the challenges Downs faces getting the word out and sustaining sales seasonally. The Deluxe team shows her how the right branding and a little community collaboration make a big difference.
Meet Matt Haynes, a former pastor who opened, Filament Tattoo Co., a clean and reputable tattoo shop in Wabash. In episode four, we learn about the season challenges of the tattoo industry along with the need to draw a more regional market. The Deluxe team shows Filament how to better market their story. Along with a few physical improvements, we help Filament change perceptions about tattoo shops.
Meet Kent Henderson, owner of Schlemmer Brothers, a metalworks and retail hearth business. He and his employee Kris White keep this Wabash institution afloat. In episode five, we see how the retail business struggles to hold its own without a clear strategy and little marketing expertise. The Deluxe team arms them with the marketing knowledge they need to endure for another hundred years.
Meet Tracy and Aaron Griffith, grade school sweethearts and co-owners of Thriftalicious, a vintage resale shop in Wabash. In episode six, we see the uphill battles the parents of four faced after leaving home and having children at a young age. The Deluxe team shows the Griffiths the power of an articulate curation strategy, a sharp website and thoughtful retail design can increase your customer base and bring sales to the next level.
Meet Maria and Mike Smyth, co-owners of Eclectic Shoppe, a décor, art and gift store in Wabash that features distinct art by local artisans. In episode seven, we see how this startup’s pricing strategy challenges threaten the life of the business. The Deluxe team helps them create a branding strategy that can support healthier pricing, allowing them to carry out their passion and keep their doors open for years to come.
In the Wabash finale, we see the momentum of the Revolution and the trickle effect on the entire community. In episode eight, we get a final tour of the town, showing off the physical enhancements Wabash and Deluxe worked on together. Deluxe is so inspired by the progress and energy that they have a few surprises to give before they leave, and take pride knowing that a groundswell has begun and Wabash is just getting started.
For nearly 90 years, the Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder (MSR) has been recognized as a trusted voice for the Black communities of Minnesota. Founder and civil rights activist, Cecil Newman, arrived in Minneapolis in 1934, starting not one, but two newspapers to cover human interest stories from a Black perspective in and around the Twin Cities. Years later, the paper merged when third generation publisher Tracey Williams-Dillard successfully steered her grandfather’s business into the digital era. While revenues are currently outpacing industry norms, Tracey’s goal of appealing to younger subscribers is falling short.
Terrell Smith, aka Mr. Red, always knew he wanted to be his own boss. With a flair for styling, he received his barber’s license in 2002, working at various local shops in and around St. Paul, Minnesota. In 2014, he finally made the leap to open his own place, Gentlemen Cuts, a true neighborhood barbershop where the conversation is as compelling as the cuts. Things were buzzing until the pandemic hit, with appointments and walk-ins nearly drying up.
Tameka Jones knows the pressures put upon women to meet a certain standard of beauty. She also understands that makeup and beauty can help women, like it did her, to re-write their story and feel empowered in their own skin. Enter Lip Esteem, a dream-turned-reality when Tameka left her 20-year career as a makeup artist to start her own beauty line in 2020. While new customers have steadily increased, sales are beginning to plateau, leaving Tameka looking for more avenues to sell her product.
The construction of a new interstate divided the Rondo community in St. Paul, Minnesota in the 1950s. The owners of Taste of Rondo are ...
In 1966, Elsa Rezene brought her entrepreneurial spirit to Minnesota from Eritrea, Africa. Before founding the longest-running black-owned furniture business in Minneapolis-St. Paul, she honed her sales craft offering beads, incense and jewelry. A generation later, Tetra carries on his mother’s legacy, treating customers like family by embracing the lost art of customer service. While trends come and go, operations have remained the same at Elsa’s – sometimes creating liabilities to the bottom line.
Since 2012, Sammy’s Avenue Eatery has been proudly providing the North Minneapolis community with good conversation and much-needed healthy options for dining out. With his personal savings and inspiration from his grandmother, owner Sammy McDowell opened his first shop and hasn’t looked back, adding a second location in Northeast Minneapolis, a food truck, and a soon-to-open food hall. But as expansion plans continue to roll out, Sammy knows he’s at a point where systems and structure will need more consistency.
