Rondo exchange launches to support St. Paul entrepreneurs

Community members, local leaders, and entrepreneurs gathered in St. Paul to celebrate the grand opening of Rondo Exchange, a new space created to support emerging businesses while honoring the legacy of the historic Rondo neighborhood. Hosted at Golden Thyme Cafe, the event brought together a range of voices to mark the milestone, including Rondo Community Land Trust President and CEO Mikeya Griffin, Saint Paul Mayor Kaohly Her, Councilmember Anika Bowie, Felicia Perry, Rondo CLT’s Commercial Programs lead, and entrepreneur Kprecia Ambers of KP Inspires.

Upon entering the space, guests were greeted by an atmosphere of anticipation. Decorated with blue, gold, and white balloons, the room buzzed with conversation and laughter as community members connected and prepared for the program. Throughout the event, speakers emphasized that Rondo Exchange is more than a new business hub, and that it represents a continuation of a longstanding cultural and economic legacy.

In remarks and interviews, Griffin highlighted the project’s deep ties to the Rondo community. Reflecting on her own experience living in the neighborhood, she shared that she has always felt a sense of possibility.

“I’ve always felt like I had nothing but wings,” Griffin said, emphasizing that community cannot exist without recognizing its cultural significance. She pointed to the arts as a vital component of both healing and economic development, noting that the project reflects the creativity, talent, and entrepreneurial spirit that have always defined Rondo.

Griffin also addressed the structural barriers Rondo Exchange seeks to overcome, particularly affordability. Through the Rondo Community Land Trust, commercial spaces are leased at approximately $7 per square foot, well below the typical market rate of $25 to $30, making it more accessible for small business owners to establish and grow their ventures. Ensuring that entrepreneurs can remain in the communities they serve is central to the mission. In addition to affordable leasing, the initiative provides technical assistance, marketing support, and opportunities for collaboration.

Before the ribbon cutting, several speakers reflected on the broader impact of the project.

Griffin described artists as “the weavers and the fabric of a community,” adding that Rondo Community Land Trust is committed to supporting their work. She noted that the organization’s goal is to help families and businesses stay and grow in the neighborhoods where they live and work.

Mayor Her spoke candidly about the realities many entrepreneurs of color face. Drawing from her own experiences growing up in a family of entrepreneurs, she shared that navigating systems not built for them often means starting at a disadvantage.

Spaces like Rondo Exchange, she said, represent a collective response to those challenges, one that asks how communities can come together to share resources and ensure that entrepreneurs have access to the capital and support that is often out of reach.

Councilmember Bowie emphasized the importance of small businesses in shaping the vitality of Saint Paul. Each new business, she said, brings energy, opportunity, and growth to the city. Referencing Jill Scott’s lyrics from “Golden,” Bowie framed entrepreneurship as a mindset rooted in self-determination and freedom. She described business ownership as a way for individuals to take control of their futures while contributing to the broader community.

“We are living our lives like it’s golden,” Bowie said, connecting that message to the ongoing story of Rondo and its continued investment in economic opportunity.

For Kprecia Ambers, founder of KP Inspires, the opening of Rondo Exchange represents both a personal milestone and a turning point in her career. During her remarks and in a later interview, Ambers shared that the opportunity came at exactly the right time. As a digital artist transitioning from commission-based work into art licensing, she described the shift as both exciting and challenging. Having a dedicated space, she said, is a powerful affirmation of her vision.

“It’s a symbol of believing in myself,” Ambers said, adding that she hopes visitors to her space feel a sense of resilience, strength, and beauty reflected in her work. Ambers also emphasized the importance of collaboration, noting that growth is most meaningful when it happens collectively.

“There is nothing in me that wants to grow alone,” she said. “Being in this space means being part of history.”

She is joined by other entrepreneurs, including Briauna Williams, founder of Brii Noir, whose work features visual art and wellness-centered products. Together, the businesses showcased at Rondo Exchange reflect a diverse range of creativity rooted in community and culture.

As the ribbon was cut and the doors officially opened, guests were invited to explore the space, meet the entrepreneurs, and experience their work firsthand.

The event served as both a celebration and a call to action, Felicia Perry noted that it demonstrates what is possible when investment is directed not only toward physical spaces, but toward people and their potential. Rondo Exchange stands as a reflection of that vision: a place where history, culture, and entrepreneurship intersect, and where the next chapter of the Rondo community continues to unfold.

Destiny Kromah is a Macalester college student and contributing writer for the Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder