Mixed-Use Community + Business Center Coming to St. Paul

A new business incubator, food hall, and community event center is coming to St. Paul’s East Side. Located on Payne Avenue, Plaza del Sol is anticipated to open this December, following a $11 million renovation effort. The two-story building formally housed Borgstrom pharmacy and Swenson Bros. Furniture. It will soon be home to 5-6 new restaurants, food vendors, and a small-business incubator for neighborhood entrepreneurs. The second floor of the building will be converted into an event space and will be able to accommodate up to 350 guests.

The project is spearheaded by the Latino Economic Development Center, which helps Latinx entrepreneurs and businesses across the state with various programming, classes, and business incubator opportunities.

Since the late nineteenth century, the East Side has been a place for newcomers. Swedish immigrants settled along Phalen Creek as early as the 1860s. Italian and Mexican American immigrants came to the area in the early 1900s. While the East Side experienced some economic decline following the 1970s as major businesses shuttered, it has seen new reinvestment and growth within the past few decades. Plaza del Sol represents a further effort to bring new businesses and opportunities to the area.