DON'T BELIEVE THE HYPE No doubt you’ve heard the familiar refrain by now. The pandemic forced people to flee the cities. People can work anywhere. As a result, downtowns are dying. Not so fast. The problem with all these statements is they are more descriptive than predictive. They tell us more about what’s going on now and less about what’s going to happen in the future. And they are fraught with a big-time assumption—namely, that pandemics last forever. Of course, we know this isn’t case. Every pandemic, even before vaccines, were a temporary blip on the radar of human history. Sure, there’s been some migration from the urban core of some cities like Minneapolis and New York. And some of these moves may be permanent. But downtowns are far from dead. And Rapid City’s downtown is no exception. Don’t believe the hype. Welcome to this issue of Elevate, where we are hyping things in the other direction. This issue focuses on redevelopment, both retail and housing, with a focus on Rapid City’s urban core and corporate boundaries. Baken Park, the old K-Mart Plaza, and the core of downtown—all of them, bigger and better looking. And with the growth that is coming to the area, we think it’s only the beginning. If getting folks into Rapid City’s core 365/24/7 is your thing, then this is your issue. Stay safe and god-speed.
Tom Johnson
President & CEO, Elevate Rapid City
Tom Johnson, President & CEO Dana Borowski, Finance & Operations Director Matt Brunner, Economic Development Director Shiloh Francis, Marketing & Communications Director Anna Hays, Public Policy Director Brandis Knudsen, Small Business Development & Investor Relations Director Samantha McGrath, Workforce Development And Talent Attraction Director Mitch Nachtigall, Ecosystem Development Director Rachel Day, Events & Training Manager Andy Greenman, Creative Services Manager Liz Highland, HR Coordinator/Office Manager Becky Knox, Executive Assistant Debbie Leber, Finance Manager & Investor Coordinator Loni Reichert, Data Analyst & Program Support Coordinator Dan Logan, DoD SkillBridge Intern Design and layout: Andy Greenman Published by the Rapid City Journal Bill Masterson, Publisher, bill.masterson@bhmginc.com Advertising: Eddie Hebron, ehebron@amplifieddigitalagency.com, 605.394.8354 Printed by Simpsons Printing Elevate is a monthly publication produced by Elevate Rapid City. It is the premier business magazine for the Black Hills region telling the stories that make our area unique and vibrant. PO Box 747, Rapid City, SD 57709 605.343.1744 // elevaterapidcity.com
On the cover The mother-daughter team of April and Kelsey Wenzel are excited to bring life back to the original Sooper Dooper grocery store.
Photo by Andy Greenman 6 ELEVATE • MAY 2021
