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Businesses continues to grow
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Tequila Butcher, at 590 W. 79th St., Chanhassen.
FILE PHOTO BY MARK W. OLSON
Trends emerge due to pandemic T d d d i
BY LYDIA CHRISTIANSON
ver the last few years in Chanhassen, there has been a strong
Odesire for businesses to open in the area of West 79th Street and in other areas near, or with access to, Highway 5, said Community Development Director Kate Aanenson.
Changes in the West 79th Street area roughly began when Tequila Butcher opened up shop at 590 W. 79th St. Since then, more businesses have come to the area, such as Crisp & Green located at 530 W. 79th St., which opened in September. Another food option new to the city is Tono Pizzeria + Cheesesteaks, located at 190 Lake Drive.
Aanenson has noticed a trend in food-based businesses opening, typically fast casual establishments. Besides dine-in, many businesses also offer a food pickup model. Customers have also enjoyed outdoor seating options at certain restaurants. The West 79th Street area is kind of like the city’s food court, Aanenson said.
Businesses are changing over, and there is still strong interest for them to open in the downtown core area, Aanenson said. In the future, she anticipates that interest will continue to grow.
Darren Noble
CHAMBER PERSPECTIVE
SouthWest Metro Chamber of Commerce Executive Director
There has been a strong desire for businesses to open in the area of West 79th Street, according to Chanhassen’s Community Development Director Kate Aanenson.
PHOTO BY LYDIA CHRISTIANSON
Crisp & Green opened in Chanhassen in September. It is located at 530 W. 79th St.
PHOTO BY LYDIA CHRISTIANSON
Darren Noble also spoke to business trends he’s seen in Chanhassen over the past year.
The SouthWest Metro Chamber of Commerce represents businesses in Chanhassen, Chaska, Carver and Victoria. Its mission is to serve and strengthen its member businesses and stimulate regional prosperity.
The Chanhassen business community has a variety of industries, including entertainment, healthcare, tourism, retail, restaurants and financial, among others, Noble said. He noted that remote work continues to be a business trend in the area. Businesses have also had to adjust their hours due to staffing shortages and hire for open positions, particularly in the manufacturing and retail and food industries, he said.
Another trend over the past year is the increase in Chamber business members who are in the health and wellness industry, such as spa, chiropractic, life coaching, fitness, and senior community living related businesses, Noble said adding that more than half of the chamber’s member growth during this time has come from those types of businesses.
Looking toward the future, Chanhassen businesses, like most businesses, will continue to navigate increased cost, supply chain distribution issues, wages, and staffing shortages, Noble said. In order for businesses to sustain and grow, they will need to be even more customer-focused and leverage networking and referrals, he added.
“Chanhassen is a great place to live, work, and play,” Noble said.
As the local Chamber of Commerce, the organization will host the July 3 Business Expo at the beginning of the Fourth of July celebration in Chanhassen. Businesses interested in participating in the event can visit business.swmetrochamber.com/events/ calendar, call 952-474-3233, or email info@swmetrochamber.com, for more information.
