Coimatan

Founded in 2020, Coimatan is a think tank based in the Twin Cities. We co-create products and experiences that disrupt retail and culinary standards with social, environmental, and economic impact in mind.

The crisp and dark blue winter sky in Minnesota and main street signage are two of the elements that inspired Coimatan's new logo created by Malley and his team. It was important to work with a local agency and when we came across their work for MinnyRow Market with that quintessential neighborhood vibe, it was set.

Local retail influences the tapestry that is a community's identity. Each neighborhood shop – from the art gallery to the framing company and the dry cleaning service, from the graphic design studio to the fitness center – plays an important part in our everyday lives. Main streets filled with small businesses create an ambiance that can't be replicated. A love for independents is how Coimatan came to be.

🌟 Meet Vasiliki Papanikolopoulos, Founder & Creative Director of Coimatan 🌟 Coimatan, pronounced key•ma•tan, is a combination of the English and Greek words for community. Coimatan is a social enterprise on a mission to uplift local businesses and communities, and exists to address a gap in the marketing of small businesses and their contributions to social, environmental, and economic impact. For Vasiliki, being a social enterprise means focusing on people, place, and planet while working on projects that foster stronger neighborhoods and celebrate the small business economy. 💡 She explains: "The term 'shopping our values' can feel overwhelming. For me, it's about reflecting about each of our purchases from $1 to $1000 and thinking about the impact it will have from a social, environmental and economic standpoint." 💚 Thank you to Impact Hub Minneapolis - St. Paul and LAUREL for your partnership in celebrating these amazing impact leaders with us! This Social Impact Week MN, we recognize leaders like Vasiliki who use business to drive positive change. Let’s shop and build businesses with intention and strengthen our communities together! 🌎 #SocialImpactWeekMN #WhySocial #socialenterprise #socialimpact

in the 1930s, Minneapolis was known around the world for its milling power to the extent that other cities aspired to be the “Minneapolis of X” - what attributes give cities global stature today? (📸 National Geographic, February 1933)

An us vs. them approach isn’t necessarily productive yet in this film it offers a deep analysis on how we got to where we are today and the economic complexities we face. Trade is an inherent part of human nature but so is embracing our place-based identities as consumers. What’s the balance?

Dressed in red and with balloons, Rene Meyer-Grimberg is hard to miss on Grand Avenue. She cares about the trees that line the sidewalks as well as the shadows that the buildings cast onto the street which is why she’s there, asking passersby many of the same questions she asks herself. What does Grand Avenue need? What do you think of the old buildings? How high would be too high? Most recently, she’s been there to let residents and tourists know about the upcoming meeting on Friday (tomorrow!). The St. Paul Planning Commission is closing the open comment period about the East Paul Grand Avenue Overlay District Zoning Amendments on April 12th, 2024 at 8:30 a.m. at City Hall with a public meeting. In plain terms, it’ll dictate building design such as height and distance from sidewalk. These things matter - our built environment impacts everything from how and where snow melts to how much sun streams through windows. If you can’t make it, written comments can also be submitted to [email protected] by 4 pm on Thursday, April 11th 2024. Read the full piece at the link in bio. P.S. What people have shared they need on Grand Avenue may surprise you!

#localandcool - Robbinsdale has one of the best examples of an enriching Main Street for its community and that’s primarily because it still has a standalone and independently owned meat market. Hackenmueller’s has been around since 1938. What other businesses are on the Main Street, serving neighbors and building ties? There’s a: ✔️ Hardware store (@acehardware ) ✔️ Homegoods shop (@goldenagedesign ) ✔️ Bakery (@wuolletbakery ) ✔️ Brewery (@wickedwortbrewingcompany ) ✔️ Vintage store (@findsonbroadwaymn ) ✔️ Tailor (Kings & Queens Tailors) ✔️ Food Market (Robbinsdale Food Market) ✔️ Locksmith (KeyExpress Locksmiths)

#bestofbrickandmortar - excerpt from the interview with James and Karla Murray in “This New Book Is a Love Letter to Small Shops Throughout New York City:” J: She said, ‘I speak three languages: English, Spanish, and motherfucker.’ She had a voice you could hear like the subway was pulling into the platform. K: She was this elderly white woman in this neighborhood that had changed in its ethnic makeup, and she really cared about the community. In the early 2000s she still sold candy for a penny. You could get a can of soda for 25 cents. She told me she didn’t care about making a profit, but she did care about the neighborhood.

#localandcool - it’s opening day for Andie Collective, the collaborative space between J. Atelier (who have a shop in Northeast Minneapolis) and Andrew Schultz (who has been a fixture vendor at Loft Antiques) on W 46th Street 🥂 The white home on the corner is filled with warmth and a very special decor aesthetic that contains staple home items like furniture, rugs, art, candles and glassware that are selected with care from around the world to tell an everlasting story.

‘Tis the holiday season! We’re excited to work with @supportsmalltwincities to spotlight the Holiday Markets in town. 🎄 Swipe for November and December calendars that spotlight where markets are being held and when! Share the calendar with friends to go together, bookmark it to reference later and enjoy! 🗓️ We’ll also be posting every Wednesday with a summary of events upcoming that weekend which will include any additions and updates. 🛍️ Happy holiday season! 🥂

#bestofbrickandmortar - we love a good mix of old and new, where unique pieces can have a variety of uses (like this chest serving as a baby changing station) and where color palettes come together naturally