Swank Eatery awarded $500,000 for development along the Blue Line Extension

Affordable retail space, plenty of food, and a place for the community to gather. That is the vision of Swank Eatery.

Affordable retail space, plenty of food, and a place for the community to gather. That is the vision of Swank Eatery.  

In November 2023, the Hennepin County Board approved an award of $500,000 through the Affordable Commercial Incentive Fund (ACIF) to help turn that vision into a transformative reality. In 2023, ACIF funding was designated exclusively for eligible projects near the planned Blue Line Extension light rail project.   

“Swank Eatery will transform a troublesome site into a vibrant new community destination with affordable spaces to bring new businesses and jobs into the local community,” said Teto Wilson (pictured to the right), founder of Wilson's Image Holding LLC., the developer behind the project.   

Wilson, an emerging developer, plans to bring together seven locally owned businesses. In all, the project will bring approximately $11 million in investment to the site. Hennepin County’s funding commitment is a strategic seed investment, intended to better position the developer to secure additional funding and bring the project to fruition.

When complete, Swank Eatery will be a restaurant destination in the Blue Line Extension Light Rail corridor along West Broadway in North Minneapolis. The project will create approximately 13,000 square feet of affordable commercial space, supporting 70 new or retained jobs, and improved connections to existing and planned transit service.  

“This project will become a welcoming landmark to the cultural and commercial heart of North Minneapolis,” said Wilson. “Our goal is to create a beautiful new space where community members can work, enjoy quality food from local business owners, and build lasting relationships with family, friends, and other community members.” 

Wilson said the project is expected to break ground in Fall 2024.