The City of Murdock has been awarded a $30,000 Blandin Foundation grant to bring an exciting new business and placemaking idea to life.
The project will transform a highly visible city-owned lot along Highway 12 into a Business Pop-Up Site designed to help entrepreneurs launch, grow, and showcase their businesses while creating a new destination for residents and visitors.
At the heart of the plan are two permanent shed buildings that will provide affordable, flexible retail space for home-based businesses, first-time entrepreneurs, makers, bakers, artists, food vendors, and seasonal businesses. CEDA consultant, Laura Mitteness shared the, “the initiative creates business opportunities in a place where traditional storefront access is limited. The goal is not simply to place structures on a lot. It is to create a place where residents and visitors can stop for fresh sourdough, discover a local vendor, gather at picnic tables, and experience small town energy in a new way.”
Surrounding the buildings will be a welcoming community gathering space complete with landscaping, and room for additional vendors such as food trucks and musicians. The flexible design allows the space to evolve with community needs, creating opportunities for emerging local makers who may not otherwise have access to traditional commercial space.
CEDA partnered with the City of Murdock and the Murdock Area Community Club to develop the concept, secure funding, and provide implementation support. Together, the partners are creating a model that demonstrates how rural communities can combine entrepreneurship, placemaking, and community gathering into one innovative economic development project.
