Robbinsdale is Hip…. Again!
Robbinsdale, MN is a small town, the 2010 census only verified about 14,000 residents. In addition to the many great things in our community, like a thriving downtown business district, and beautiful lakes with walkable paths and parks, we are a community. Sometimes you can catch our Mayor, Regan Murphy, jogging down our main street, West Broadway. He will likely be waving to people and getting honked at by neighbors. That’s just one example of how we are all connected. Our neighbors are our friends and we all look out for each other. It’s kind of like one big Italian family, but without the drama. Ok, there has been some drama, but a community undergoing such major growth will have that. The best part of Robbinsdale is what’s old…is new again!
Our Chamber of Commerce has been around for decades! We are about 100 businesses strong, and we vary from “bricks and mortar” style (Literally, the buildings are beautiful!) businesses to major corporations and even residents and their “side-hustles.” Our Chamber Season starts in September and goes through May. Every month during that time, on the last Tuesday, we meet at the local Italian restaurant, Nonna Rosa’s, for a delicious lunch and some good “old-fashioned” visiting. We should call it networking, but most of us already know each other so we just like to visit! It’s at those luncheons that we hear from other local businesses, city representatives about upcoming projects and even local organizations that offer some benefit to the business owners of our community. There are also other events over the year, a holiday tree lighting, our annual holiday party at the Wicked Wort, Easter Fun at the EGGSTRAVAGANZA, and even a family Halloween event every October just to list a few.
Whiz Bang Days is our community festival, it is celebrated every July right after the 4th holiday. It holds the state record for longest continually celebrated city festival, over 7 decades. Kids come home for it, adults return, and the city streets and lakes are full of it! What’s more fun than a baggo or bocce ball tournament while drinking beer with the neighbors? Now add in the Wicked Wort Tent Party, the vender sidewalk sale and brats and burgers with The Lions. Just when you thought you were done, catch our parade, royalty coronation and fireworks for the true meaning of Whiz Bang!
Another fun fact is that many of our local businesses are locally owned and operated. How strange it is in this time to be able to walk into a business and be greeted by owners! You can easily catch the Kalk’s at Minnesota Makers, The Suglia’s at Nonna Rosa’s, the Diaz’s at Marna’s Café or the Carlyle’s at the Wicked Wort, Boutique or coffee shop with many more families in town working at their businesses.
It would be unfair not to mention our community leaders, our city council and some of our active and prominent residents. It takes so many to come together to make and keep a city strong. We are a historical community with a strong sense of neighborhood, just in the shadow of Minneapolis’s skyline. We encourage you to visit, stay a while or even longer!
Written by Tina Suglia ( nonnarosaswinebar@gmail.com) of Nonna Rosa’s Ristorante Italiano, who spent time in Robbinsdale as a child visiting her grandparents, and opened up her own business here in 2010. She is also a member of the Chamber of Commerce, Board representative and marketing committee chair.
