Minnesota Retailers Transform into Community Havens Amid ICE Activity

January typically represents a quiet period for retailers—a time for restocking, tax preparation, and recovering from the holiday rush. For small businesses across the Minneapolis area, however, this year has shattered that routine entirely.

Instead of focusing on inventory and sales, local shop owners are redirecting their attention toward community support and aid. The shift comes as heightened ICE activity and rising tensions following a fatal officer-involved shooting have transformed the normally chill month into a period of heightened community engagement.

These businesses are doing more than staying open; they're becoming essential community spaces, offering everything from free food and supplies to safe havens where residents can process unfolding events.

Mischief Toys in St. Paul has completely abandoned its typical January routine. Owner Dan Marshall usually spends the month cleaning up after Christmas, painting walls, and handling taxes. This year, he estimates the store has distributed approximately 4,000 3D-printed whistles that Minnesotans are using as an alert and protest system against ICE.

The store has evolved into more than just a distribution point. Marshall describes it as a space where the community can come in, relax, and process what they're witnessing. The transformation has fundamentally changed how the business operates.

Retail feels totally different right now. It feels like a way of connecting with our community that we haven't really felt before. It's very raw.

Similarly, Smitten Kitten in Minneapolis has suspended its regular business operations. Typically, January marks preparation for Valentine's Day—the "Super Bowl" for adult stores. Instead, owner JP Pritchett has created a free store inside the shop where people can access essential supplies.

The free store provides:

• Food and toiletries
• Diapers and formula
• Baby wipes and infant supplies
• Essential items for those in hiding

On January 23, hundreds of businesses will participate in an economic blackout organized by unions and faith leaders to protest ICE's actions. The movement calls for a suspension of work, school, and shopping, with over 200 local establishments already committed according to a compiled list of social media posts.

Businesses are taking varied approaches to the protest:

• Some will close completely for the day
• Others will donate that day's revenue to causes
• Several will open as free community spaces

Catzen Coffee, a specialty coffee shop with an attached cat lounge, will suspend business operations but plans to open its doors to provide a free space for community members. Owner Vanessa Beardsley will offer complimentary coffee and cat cuddles.

We've got to do what we can do right now.

For Beardsley, the decision was straightforward. The irony of being a business owner opting out of business for a day never crossed her mind, and the potential loss of revenue wasn't part of the calculus.

The community response unfolds against a backdrop of heightened federal activity. Since December, the Department of Homeland Security's Operation Metro Surge has deployed additional ICE agents to Minnesota.

Tensions escalated further following the fatal shooting of 37-year-old Renee Gold by officer Jonathan Ross on January 7. These events have compounded what is traditionally a challenging month for retailers.

January historically represents a significant sales decline. National Retail Federation data shows an average 17.3% drop in retail sales from December to January over the past five years. The period through March typically sees the lowest average monthly employment for small businesses.

Consumer spending data reveals additional challenges. An analysis of credit and debit card data found that spending in the Minneapolis-St. Paul metro area by households earning under $100,000 has tracked below the national average over recent weeks.

As Matt Cole, owner of Oh Yeah! Cookie Company, notes:

January always sucks. As a business owner, especially in retail business, people spend a lot of money in December and November, and they usually don't spend a lot of money in January. So January is always a month that's hurting—and now it's really hurting.

Despite the financial pressures, businesses are finding ways to contribute. Cole has donated approximately $300 worth of cookies to groups distributing treats to children who cannot attend school amid ICE's presence. He commits to donating 10% of any sales to support community efforts.

The financial strain is real. Cole maintains a full-time job in addition to his baking business, which helps keep him afloat during this period.

The community response has not gone unnoticed by federal authorities. After promoting the whistle distribution, Marshall received a notice from ICE requesting verification of his workers' employment eligibility. Despite this, he believes closing on January 23 sends an important message.

That our community is much more important than our bottom line.

Marshall acknowledges the business trade-offs. "We'd like to sell toys," he says, noting he'd prefer to spend January cleaning and painting "because it's so damn cold here." Yet with heightened tensions in the city, "we're going to step up as much as we can."

The Department of Homeland Security has stated that since President Trump took office, DHS has arrested over 10,000 criminal illegal aliens in Minnesota and is "NOT slowing down." Neither ICE nor the White House responded to requests for comment on the community response.

What began as a typical January has evolved into a demonstration of community solidarity. These small businesses are proving that retail spaces can serve purposes beyond commerce, becoming essential gathering points during times of uncertainty.

The economic blackout on January 23 will test whether this community-first approach can sustain itself. For now, businesses like Mischief Toys, Smitten Kitten, and Catzen Coffee are prioritizing human needs over profit margins.

As Marshall reflects, the experience has fundamentally changed how these businesses view their role in the community. What might have seemed like a temporary response to extraordinary circumstances has revealed a deeper potential for retail spaces to serve as community anchors.

The events in Minneapolis offer a compelling case study in how local businesses can adapt during crises, transforming from commercial establishments into vital community infrastructure when residents need support most.