Elizabeth Brisbin

Pillsbury United Communities Announces Major Strategic Initiative and Transformation of North Market

Minneapolis, Minn. (December 19, 2025) — Pillsbury United Communities (PUC) today announced a major transformation of North Market, launching a comprehensive redevelopment that will culminate in a reimagined community food hub—North Market 2.0—set to open in the second half of 2026. 

To prepare for this next chapter, North Market will enter a planned operational transition beginning February 1, 2026. From January 4 through January 31, 2026, the store will operate under revised hours of 11 a.m.–7 p.m. This transition will allow PUC and its partners to advance redevelopment planning, begin facility improvements, and align a long-term operating model designed for greater financial stability and community impact. 

Since opening in 2017, North Market has served as a trusted, community-rooted grocery store in North Minneapolis, welcoming approximately 2,500 customers each week on average.  The store has experienced rising costs, fluctuation in philanthropic support, and inflation. “The grocery industry operates on extremely thin margins. Without the scale and purchasing leverage of large chains, North Market was unable to operate as a self-sustaining enterprise,” said Anthony Washington, Interim President/CEO and CFO.  “North Market has always been about more than groceries—it’s about dignity, opportunity, and community power,” said Signe Harriday, Interim Head of Social Enterprises. “This transition allows us to build a stronger, more resilient model that meets today’s realities and tomorrow’s needs.” 

As part of the transition, existing staff roles will conclude effective January 31, 2026. Pillsbury United Communities expressed deep gratitude to the entire North Market team for their service and is committed to supporting employees through the transition, including eligibility for rehire across the organization for employees in good standing. 

Introducing North Market 2.0 

North Market 2.0 will operate as a community-powered food hub focused on food justice, economic opportunity, and holistic well-being. The reinvigorated model will: 

  • Incubate and accelerate BIPOC-owned food businesses 
  • Create employment and leadership pathways for young people 
  • Expand urban agriculture and local food production 
  • Improve access to healthy, affordable food 
  • Align multiple partners in a shared, integrated space 

PUC is partnering with Youthprise, Second Harvest Heartland, Wendy’s House of SOUL, and Houston White on the transformation and redevelopment. PUC is actively exploring a partnership with Hennepin County and has been a recipient of county emergency food support funding this year. Early design work, partnership exploration, and planning for community engagement are already underway.  

“We are excited to continue to SOUL the community and working with PUC, now and during this next chapter of North Market 2.0.  It has always been about community and the future of North Minneapolis for my family and me,” said Chef and CEO Wendy Puckett of Wendy’s House of SOUL who will continue to operate in February. 

Entrepreneur and The Get Down Coffee founder Houston White said, “I’ve been rooted in this neighborhood for decades and in this moment we have to dream bigger than ever. I’m committed to collaborating across sectors with North Market to deliver better outcomes—because the neighborhoods of the future deserve bold solutions today.” 

“North Market 2.0 represents what’s possible when organizations come together around a shared vision for equity and impact,” said Anthony Washington. “We are honoring the legacy of North Market while boldly investing in its future.” 

PUC will continue to share updates as planning and redevelopment progress with community conversations in February. 

About Pillsbury United Communities 

Pillsbury United Communities is one of Minnesota’s most well-established organizations with 147 years of service to diverse communities across the Twin Cities and beyond. Our mission is to co-create enduring change toward a just society where every person has personal, social, and economic power.  We build systems of interconnected programs, neighborhood centers, social enterprises, and partnerships that work together to address complex issues by breaking down barriers and building pathways for people to achieve greater personal health and well-being, places to exist where cultural understanding creates social connections, and prosperity to be shared through equitable education and employment.   

Elizabeth Brisbin

Community is the antidote, not the problem

While chaos and fear are deployed as weapons trying to fracture and isolate us, we know that linking arms with one another is our strength.  The vicious attacks intended to dehumanize our Somali family, friends and neighbors are vile attempts to criminalize an entire community. The pain reverberates and is felt deeply.

Our resolve is to stand in solidarity with love and clarity as we move together through this wave of violence and division.  In the face of unspeakable tragedy, we will not exploit our resilience. History shows that our ability to meet adversity with justice, care, and accountability prevails, and we will continue to offer our love, care and support for those who are being targeted today.

We turn toward collective action and away from panic and isolation. We place into sharp focus and uplift narratives that reflect the power, brilliance, innovation, humanity, and beauty of our neighbors.  The communities we serve are an essential part of the fabric of our city, our state and our country and the reason for our cultural, economic, and social vibrancy.

‘The way to right wrongs is to turn the light of truth upon them”, said Ida B. Wells. And that must be our work continuously. In Mni Sota Makoce where treaties were broken and indigenous people were forcibly removed, we see the current U. S. administration committed to reconstituting the same despicable strategies.  We can see and expose this inequality for what it is.

It is with clarity and care we honor how Somali, Latinx, new immigrant, refugee and systemically marginalized people contribute to every facet of life in MN – human service, public safety, health care, education, government, business, food systems, arts and culture. And while our humanity need not be measured by our contributions, we celebrate the vast ways our lives are improved by our interdependence.

We remain unwavering in our commitment to one another because community is the antidote, not the problem.

In Solidarity,

Pillsbury United Communities

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