Minneapolis (Nov. 29, 2018) – The Meet Minneapolis Visitor Center on Nicollet and 5th Street is pleased to announce a new retail partnership with Minnesota Makers. Highlighting Minnesota artists, new merchandise and gifts will be available beginning Monday, Dec. 3. To provide a warm welcome to its new retailer and encourage holiday shopping, the Meet Minneapolis Visitor Center’s “First Thursdays” event on Dec. 6 will include free Cardigan Donuts and coffee for customers.

“The Meet Minneapolis Visitor Center, along with our building partner CenterPoint Energy, has always had a vision of activating this prominent downtown corner to engage visitors and locals with more of our great city,” said Meet Minneapolis President and CEO Melvin Tennant. “We are excited that our new retail partner, Minnesota Makers, will help us highlight locally made products and skilled artisans year-round.”

Minnesota Makers features the work of more than 100 Minnesota artists from all over the state, including Minneapolis-centric items like prints, clothing and wood products. Guests shopping at the Meet Minneapolis Visitor Center also will find illustrations by Adam Turman, screen prints by Brian Giehl of Dogfish Media and cutting boards and games by Al Walker of Savanna Woods available for purchase.

“We are thrilled to be working with Meet Minneapolis and to be selected as the retail partner at the Meet Minneapolis Visitor Center on Nicollet,” said co-owners of Minnesota Makers, Christa Kalk and Jay Kalk. “We are passionate about connecting customers to the artists and their stories – and we’ll now be able to reach a wider audience with this new location.”

What: “First Thursdays” at the Meet Minneapolis Visitor Center

When: Thursday, Dec. 6, 2018, 9 to 11 a.m.

Where: 505 Nicollet Mall, Suite 100, directly across from the METRO Nicollet station

Details: Guests may:

· Learn about the new partnership with Minnesota Makers

· Shop Minnesota Makers merchandise

· Enjoy free Cardigan Donuts and coffee, while supplies last

· Register to win a gift card from Minnesota Makers

First Thursdays are held each month to encourage residents, employees of downtown businesses and visitors to learn more about the free services available at the Meet Minneapolis Visitor Center and discover local Minnesota Makers, as well as highlight partners, community organizations and events. For more information and daily hours, visit www.minneapolis.org/visitor-information/

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ABOUT MEET MINNEAPOLIS VISITOR CENTER

As part of Meet Minneapolis, Convention and Visitor Association, the Meet Minneapolis Visitor Center is the official visitor center for Minneapolis, located in the CenterPoint Energy building on Nicollet and 5th Street. Staff is available to answer questions, share visitor maps and resources about things to do in Minneapolis and the surrounding area. The Visitor Information Center in the Minneapolis Convention Center also is available to provide similar information to visitors and convention attendees.

Meet Minneapolis is a private, not-for-profit, member-based association. It actively promotes and sells the Minneapolis area as a destination for conventions and meetings, works to maximize the visitor experience and markets the city as a desirable tourist destination to maximize the economic benefit to the greater Minneapolis area. Meet Minneapolis is accredited by the Destination Marketing Accreditation Program (DMAP) of Destinations International.

ABOUT MINNESOTA MAKERS

Minnesota Makers, with locations in downtown Minneapolis and Robbinsdale, features the work of over 100 Minnesota artists, from near the Canadian border to south of Rochester and New Ulm and everywhere between. It strives to create an experience where the customer will learn more about the featured artists, their work, and the ever-present talent in the state of Minnesota. Shopping at Minnesota Makers is like shopping with more than 100 local small businesses in one. Support local, support artists, shop Minnesota Makers.

CONNECT WITH US

Online: www.minneapolis.org and for deals and exclusive experiences: http://go.minneapolis.org

On Facebook: www.facebook.com/meetminneapolis

On Twitter: http://twitter.com/meetminneapolis

On Instagram: www.instagram.com/meetminneapolis

Watch: You’ve never met a place quite like this

MEDIA CONTACT

Kristen Montag, Meet Minneapolis Senior PR and Communications Manager, 612-767-8038, KristenM@minneapolis.org, @Minneapolis_PR on Twitter

Or email MeetMinneapolisPR@Minneapolis.org