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If you have any interest in the future of North Minneapolis and are not already reading Johnny Northside’s blog, you should find time to read through his plan on how to promote the North Minneapolis real estate market in a positive AND realistic manner.
Johnny explains that the North side has a ton of great housing stock that’s extraordinarily cheap due to the current conditions on the ground there (crime, drugs, prostitution). He proposes marketing the North side to people who are both adventurous and caring, starting with soldiers, then moving to students and South Dakotans. He explains below (click through for his full proposal).
My Theory of North Side Marketing Explained
Thus, for purposes of easy recollection, I describe three groups all beginning with the letter “S,” namely Soldiers, Students and South Dakotans. (FOOTNOTE SIX)
I am pointing out to all who will listen that Minneapolis is growing, and now real estate so close to the downtown retail core is too valuable to remain a depressed area. (FOOTNOTE SEVEN) Dramatic change has already happened in North Minneapolis. Even more dramatic change is inevitable. I believe positive change requires grappling with cold, hard reality instead of plugging one’s ears to bad news and singing la-la-la-la-la.
Other organizations such as the military use a form of “Market and Romanticize the Struggle” to gain recruits. When faced with negative facts, sidestepping and spinning “alternative facts” hardly ever works. It is far better to somehow turn a negative into a positive. In military recruitment commercials, recruits are shown sweating and struggling, yet emerging triumphant and transformed by their struggle.
These ads work, especially when combined with the economic reality of college tuition payments through the Montgomery GI Bill and a steady, decent paying job in the military, not to mention (in many instances) valuable vocational training. In a similar manner, “Market and Romanticize the Struggle” would work, especially combined with things like the Minneapolis Advantage Program to help individuals buy homes.
Impressive thinking. Find the people who are more comfortable than average with North Minneapolis’ living conditions. Help them get into homes they can improve – thus helping improve entire blocks. Watch things become more comfortable for groups who follow in the footsteps of the earliest adopters.
He makes a good point about the convenience of North Minneapolis to downtown. You can commute to work without ever dealing with a metered entrance ramp or even a highway. Just follow West River Parkway into town for a beautiful start to the day.
Nice work, as usual, Johnny.
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Thanks, Ed! And you know you are my hero when it comes to volunteer graffiti abatement.
[...] Johnny Northside has a marketing plan for North Minneapolis. It’s pretty detailed, and with a counter-point/counter-counter-point in the comments. (via The Deets) [...]
As a Camden homeowner, we’ve seen things slowly starting to turn around on our block in the past couple of months. 1st-time homeowners are finding great deals and (hopefully responsible) investors are putting up new garages and rehabbing some of the foreclosures. We hope the sounds of hammers and circular saws are harbingers of good things to come on the Northside. Like a grocery store.
[...] Johnny Northside has a marketing plan for North Minneapolis. It’s pretty detailed, and with a counter-point/counter-counter-point in the comments. (via The Deets) [...]
John, there does seem to be a need for risks to be taken both by new residents and retailers. Both need each other. I’m not sure which comes first, but I imagine it would be residents before retail with retail following the money moving into the neighborhood.
[...] 7. Making the Sweet Bathroom Love 8. Page 123 9. America’s Exponential Growth in Douchebags 10. North Minneapolis Real Estate – Romanticize the Struggle addthis_url = [...]