As the gift-giving season begins, some turn to shopping malls for Black Friday deals or online retailers for Cyber Monday — and here in St. Paul, shoppers turn to Grand Avenue for Small Business Saturday.

A staple of the Twin Cities, Grand Avenue has made recent headlines for vacancies left by well-known national brands, but some local small business owners have discounted the concerns. In fact, more than 10 new small businesses opened their doors on Grand Avenue in the past 12 months.

“Every year (Small Business Saturday) is such a wonderful spotlight on our small business community that powers our economy and supports almost 50 percent of the workforce across the state of Minnesota,” said Brian McDonald, district director for the U.S. Small Business Administration’s Minnesota office.

Founded in 2010 by American Express, Small Business Saturday is celebrated on the Saturday after Thanksgiving and pulled in an estimated $17 billion last year, according to a consumer insights survey commissioned by American Express.

Minnesota is home to 547,493 small businesses and the majority of small businesses rely on holiday shopping for a quarter of their annual revenue, McDonald said.

Here’s a closer look at nine small businesses that recently opened their doors on the avenue, which originally became a shopping destination with a focus on local enterprise.

Baking Betty’s

Gourmet cookie and pastry company Baking Betty’s officially opened its doors last month on Grand Avenue where the top-selling cookie flavors so far are S’mores and Buckeye, a chocolate and peanut butter combo.

Born from a humble mall kiosk in California in 2012, Baking Betty’s made its way to the Mall of America and is now hoping to become a community staple in St. Paul.

Once owner Emily Osterberg decided not to renew her lease of five years at the Mall of America, “I looked all over,” she said, including Edina and Minnetonka.

A Minnesota native, Osterberg said she prioritized retail spaces with strong community ties and Grand Avenue fit the bill.

“I love that we can support one another,” she said of the other business owners along the avenue.

This month’s signature cookie flavor is Pecan Pie, one of Osterberg’s seasonal favorites, she said. Otherwise she opts for the Goat Cheese and Raspberry Jam cookie.

With a few weeks of sales to look back on, Osterberg said, “It’s been overwhelming to see the amount of people come in.”

Baking Betty’s: 1700 Grand Ave. and www.bakingbettys.com

Baby Baby

“I have wanted to be in the Twin Cities for 25 years,” said Georgia Hurley, the owner of children’s clothing store Baby Baby.

Baby Baby, which opened its flagship location in Rochester in 1999, sells toys, games and children’s clothes from preemie sizes up to a children’s size 18. “We are petite men and women’s best kept secret,” Hurley jokes.

The Grand Avenue location, which had its soft opening in July, is a dream come true, Hurley said.

“I’ve always wanted to be on Grand because it was one of my favorite places to come and shop,” she said. “We are thrilled to be a part of this community.”

While the Grand Avenue clientele differs from Rochester, Hurley said she and her staff are enjoying learning the different needs of the children here in St. Paul.

“Each child is different and unique and that is what we like to celebrate, that’s the fun part of being a kid and enjoying life as a child,” she said.

Baby Baby: 867 Grand Ave. and www.babybaby101.com

Mick’s Bottle Shop

Before opening his own bottle shop in May, Mick O’Connell spent over a decade in the alcohol industry.

After working for companies like St. Paul-based Johnson Brothers Liquors and The Wine Thief & Ale Jail in Crystal, O’Connell knows how to cater to customers.

Mick’s Bottle Shop, which is co-owned by Matt Huntington, focuses on fine wine and craft beer in addition to its wall of whiskey, chilled THC seltzer section and an extensive non-alcoholic selection.

If a customer can’t find what they’re looking for, O’Connell said they’ll go out of their way to get it in stock.

In one such instance, Mick’s put in a special order for a customer who was trying to track down Fernet Vallet, a Mexican Fernet with notes of menthol, spearmint, molasses and bitter flowers.

“As long as it’s available in the state, then we’ll source it for them,” O’Connell said.

Mick’s Bottle Shop: 666 Grand Ave. and www.facebook.com/MicksBottleShop

Planet Home Lending

Based in Connecticut, Planet Home Lending, a mortgage lending company, opened its St. Paul branch in July after acquiring Axia Home Loans, said manager Chris Jensen.

The three-person office, which is a block off the main avenue, offers homebuyer education courses, Realtor training classes and works with Minnesota Housing and its First-Generation Homebuyer programs.

Planet Home Lending also hosts a monthly class to educate those who are interested in buying a home, said Jensen, who also serves as president of the Grand Avenue Business Association.

Planet Home Lending: 90 S. Dale St. and pipr.es/krjz1ta

Music on Grand

Ukulele, clarinet, piano, drum, fiddle and voice lessons are just a few of the classes taught at Music on Grand.

The music school, which opened in September, spans two floors, 2,500 square feet and can provide lessons for some 400 students, said co-founder and creative director Tyler Berry.

As for the students, Berry said there are workshops for everyone from newborns to their oldest student, who is 78 years old.

Berry said he and co-founder Rose Carroll, a St. Paul native who also works as the director of operations, looked at other locations before Grand Avenue, but after researching the need in the community they decided to make the leap.

When they first opened, Berry thought their students would be mostly school-age, but a welcome surprise has been the number of retirees who are taking the time to learn an instrument they’ve always wanted to.

Currently the school, which also sells instruments and music books, has around 30 students, Berry said, and over half of the students are 55 and older.

As the school continues to grow, Berry said he hopes to find ways to utilize the square footage in front of the store for music performances and in the coming months they plan to develop programming for home schooled students.

Music on Grand: 740 Grand Ave. and www.musicongrand.com

Lilium Center

Stacia Hanson launched Lilium Center, a mental health clinic, more than 10 years ago on Grand Avenue as a solo practice. As the clinic grew, Hanson chose to relocate to Edina.

Now with more than 20 mental health professionals on staff, Lilium Center has expanded its offices to serve clients from Edina and its original stamping grounds along Grand Avenue.

“I missed the character and charm and business,” Hanson said of the avenue.

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At the clinic’s Grand location, which opened last December, Hanson said they offer outpatient psychotherapy, life coaching, group therapy and executive team building for businesses.

“We really work towards resilience and personal growth so we thoughtfully designed the Grand Avenue location,” Hanson said, which features a fireplace, chandelier and plenty of plants to connect people with nature.

“There’s so many different reasons to decide to be in business on Grand and support the eastern side of the metro,” Hanson said, pointing out the walkability of the area.

“(Clients) will come for therapy, but then go to a bookstore or grab a coffee,” Hanson said.

As the clinic continues to grow its client base along the avenue, Hanson said they are looking forward to participating in community events. “I feel very honored to be in the place we’re at,” she said.

Lilium Center: 1197 Grand Ave. and www.lilium-center.com

Russell’s

Todd Russell with a variety of dishes from the menu at Russell’s, the new restaurant he’s opening on Grand Avenue in St. Paul, on Nov. 7, 2024. Russell, who also owns the building, grew up frequenting an Irish pub that was located at the address until about the late 1980s. (Jared Kaufman / Pioneer Press)

One of the newest eateries on Grand, Russell’s opened just weeks ago in place of the iconic Tavern on Grand.

Owned by Todd Russell, the restaurant serves elevated American food like roasted chicken, prime rib, walleye nachos and a smashburger with bacon jam.

The restaurant features a cabin-like interior meets classy lounge, Jared Kaufman wrote in a recent Pioneer Press review: “Think leather, wood, dark brick and eclectic wall art depicting mostly birds dressed in formal menswear.”

In addition to a full bar with classic cocktails, Russell’s offers nearly a dozen non-alcoholic cocktails, wines and beers.

Russell’s: 656 Grand Ave. and russellsstpaul.com

AtWork

Staffing and recruiting agency AtWork opened its doors in September and is already off to a busy start, said Caroline McKee, business development manager for the company.

A franchise operation based out of Tennessee, AtWork’s Grand Avenue location marks the company’s first venture into Minnesota.

The company offers direct hiring, rapid hiring and temporary hire services, McKee said. “We view ourselves as matchmakers. We are trying to find candidates that really want to be in that position and a company that wants that type of person,” she said.

The Grand Avenue building, which four employees work out of, is a house that has been commercialized, McKee said, which added to the appeal of the neighborhood.

AtWork: 1272 Grand Ave. and www.atwork.com/locations/saint-paul

Grey Area

Perhaps the youngest business along the avenue, Grey Area dispensary celebrated its grand opening on Friday.

Owned by Bill Drexler and Kimberly Brennan, Grey Area sells Minnesota-made hemp-derived seltzers, gummies and chocolates and hopes to soon get a license to sell marijuana products.

Drexler, who has a background in real estate, said he has been in the hemp and cannabis industry for more than 20 years and was one of the judges of the first Cannabis Cup in Amsterdam.

Brennan, who handled the design of the business, worked for more than 20 years as a stylist in St. Paul.

True St. Paulites, Drexler and Brennan “lived our whole life within a mile or two of Grand Avenue,” Drexler said. “We love to support local businesses in our community and Grand Avenue is a big spot for that.”

Grey Area: 1330 Grand Ave. and greyareacannabis.com

Also new to the avenue

Stitches and Styles: A vintage clothing shop, located at 58 S. Hamline Ave.

Niko Niko Boba: A bubble tea shop, located at 1055 Grand Ave.

Razava Bread Co.: A bakery at 685 Grand Ave. (coming soon)

Tumble Fresh: A coin laundry at 1745 Grand Ave. (coming soon)

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