Nicollet xChange: A Winner for Downtown Minneapolis

The International Downtown Association (IDA) is the premier organization for urban place professionals who are shaping and activating dynamic city center districts. Their members are city builders and downtown champions who bring urban centers to life, bridging the gap between the public and private sectors. IDA recently awarded The Nicollet xChange with their Downtown Achievement Award of Excellence for its resourceful approaches related to the innovative summer program. We spoke to Lisa Middag, Senior Director of Economic Development for the Mpls Downtown Council and Downtown Improvement District about Nicollet xChange, the award, and what it means to Minneapolis.

Q:  Congratulations to Minneapolis and to you on winning this award! What is the Nicollet xChange and what was the original vision for the project? Please tell us about the history and mission of Nicollet xChange. 

A:  The Nicollet xChange is a weekly sustainable community marketplace launched in the summer of 2023 on Nicollet Mall in downtown Minneapolis. Its original vision was to create an engaging pedestrian experience that fosters a sense of community renewal and reinvention in downtown, replacing a legacy farmers market that had concluded earlier that year. This new initiative aimed to spark a deeper connection to downtown by blending sustainability-focused activities with the promotion of local businesses and experiences.

The marketplace features food trucks, fun pop-up activities, and opportunities to learn more about sustainability all around a centerpiece - the xChange - a one-for-one item exchange where participants could trade fashion, home, sports, art, or media items.

As the longest running weekly swap event in the country, the Nicollet xChange's mission was multifaceted, aiming to encourage sustainable practices by reducing waste, providing alternatives to fast fashion, and connecting participants to sustainability resources. The event also sought to draw a younger audience, promote a sharing economy, and cultivate a sense of shared experience by facilitating exchanges where people could share the stories behind their items. Each week, reuse artists demonstrated practical skills like mending and alterations, while the event highlighted downtown businesses and events.

The idea emerged from the desire to reconnect people with downtown through shared experiences, leading to the involvement of swap experts like Patrick Duffy (the Swap King) and Ashleyn Przedwiecki (Luum Collective), who helped bring the event to life. The initial 2023 run proved successful in building a community of exchange practice, attracting repeat participants, and generating positive public acceptance as a creative alternative to traditional retail. The Nicollet xChange returned to Nicollet Mall in summer of 2024. This past summer, more than 5,700 people experienced the xChange, and 450 people made exchanges that saved more than 2,000 items from entering the traditional waste stream.

Q:  So impressive! When did the city hear about the Downtown Achievement Award of Excellence? Did you attend an awards ceremony?

A:  We learned about the award earlier this year, but the awards presentation took place in Seattle at the IDA’s national conference in September, where staff had the opportunity to cross the stage and be acknowledged with other award winners from around the country.

Q:  Do you think the award contributes to the overall development goals of downtown?

A:  Nicollet xChange aligns closely with the overall development goals of downtown, particularly its sustainability and community engagement objectives. The Nicollet xChange directly supports efforts to reduce waste, promote reuse, and encourage sustainable consumption. The one-for-one exchange model helps divert items such as fashion, textiles, and household goods from the waste stream, supporting downtown’s environmental sustainability goals.

The marketplace also contributes to broader downtown development goals by fostering a sense of community and revitalizing the area through a shared, interactive experience. It encourages people to visit and engage with downtown Minneapolis, building social connections and promoting local businesses. Additionally, the weekly format creates a regular gathering space for people, adding vibrancy and a renewed sense of purpose to the urban environment.

Overall, the initiative serves as a dynamic example of how downtowns can take a leadership role in sustainability while simultaneously enhancing their appeal as vibrant, community-focused spaces.

Q:  What advice would you give other cities or planners looking to achieve a similar standard of community engagement and design excellence?

A:  Sometimes beautiful things can come from challenges…we were seeking an experience for downtown users that would answer the gap left by the departure of the farmer’s market. Knowing that the loss of workers created challenges for retail-based businesses, we were seeking something other than retail that could answer both that desire for a retail-type exchange but also help strengthen relationships amongst our downtown community. Supporting a shared economy experience really answered both those desires.

Q:  What role did partnerships play in the success of the project?

A:  Partnerships were critical to the development of xChange - first and foremost, we needed the sustainability expertise of our program partners, Patrick Duffy and Ashleyn Przedwiecki, who took the time to educate us on how swaps can work and their benefits and challenges (i.e. what happens to what’s left?). It was their trusted leadership within the local sustainability ecosystem that allowed us to tap into the participants, enthusiasts, educators, menders and designers, that helped add so much to the experience. Finally, for two years now, the xChange has been hosted by the Piedmont Property team at US Bancorp Center, and their support for the event, including the provision of free storage space in between the weekly xChanges, made it possible to efficiently deploy and resource the event.

Q:  How may we follow news of upcoming innovative and sustainable city projects?

A:  Follow us on Instagram and Facebook @mplsdid to stay updated on the latest events, initiatives, and community stories. Discover more about the mission and impactful work of the Mpls Downtown Improvement District by visiting our website at mplsdid.com.