Doing Business in Duluth: Good Grief! Or Good Fortune? By Patty McNulty Twenty-five years ago, I took the plunge and went into business in Duluth. At the time, sheer ignorance prevented me from having any concern about failure. Yet, if I'd known then what I know now, I wouldn't change a thing-and I'd do it all again, right here in Duluth. We're fortunate to have a strong entrepreneurial spirit in Duluth. Our varied business community includes lawyers, doctors, artists, restaurateurs, environmentalists, developers, musicians... and just about everything in between. Duluth's history is a history of people doing business. From timber and mining came great fortunes, shipping and manufacturing brought jobs and a whole new layer of businesses, and the legal and medical community grew. When times got tough, Duluthians started small businesses that sometimes grew to national prominence. Today, third- and fourth-generation family members operate businesses that began here nearly a century ago. Duluth is a business town. We're passionately loyal about doing business with our friends and neighbors. This wonderful spirit helps encourage our city's entrepreneurs, whose efforts have given us a diverse retail and hospitality industry that makes Duluth a unique place for tourists and an attractive locale for people looking for a new community. Duluth has faced economic challenges for decades. That we aren't a boomtown is old news. Duluth business owners and managers often find it's tougher to meet bottom-line demands here than in other areas of the country or even within the same state. But, over and over again, we see new businesses start up in Duluth. We see established local firms grow or maintain when outside interests pack and leave. We often hear Duluth is "different" from other places. Too often, that is said as a criticism. The truth is that what makes us "different" makes us better. People who chose to do business in Duluth often measure their success in terms of personal satisfaction or community contribution. Duluth's business community is filled with people doing what they love to do. Many of our local business owners came to Duluth for a saner pace of life. Some of us never left our hometown and found taking that plunge into the business world was the best way to stay employed. For all of our city's weakness, and with many hurdles facing us, Duluth remains an outstanding city for business. We've faced lean times, and we've kept on going. We've had financial success, and we've seen independent thinkers do the "impossible." Best of all, at the end of the day, we live in Duluth. We're minutes from Lake Superior, and a short trip away from wilderness or metro Minnesota. We're not chasing our dreams; we're living them. Patty McNulty is Vice President of Zenith Research Group, Inc., a national market research and consulting firm located in Duluth. Previously, Patty was the President of WDSM / KZIO, Inc. and Head of the Lakes Broadcasting, Inc., which owned and operated radio stations in Duluth and Pine City. These articles are retained on the web for historical interest and do not necessarily reflect the views or goals of DPPA today.

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