Using Data to Support Local Businesses
- laceysquier
- May 4
- 2 min read
Our Ely for Ely monthly gatherings continue next Tuesday, May 12, at the Ely Area Community Foundation Hub. The Community Commons doors will open at 7:30am for complimentary refreshments provided by Palm & Pine Juice Bar. The program will begin promptly at 8:00am and conclude by 10:00am. (Note: This is an extended workshop.)
Our University of Minnesota Extension collaborators, John Bennet and Aiden Opatz, will present: What's Really Happening in Ely's Economy? Using Data to Support Local Businesses.
This will be a practical, engaging session focused on understanding Ely’s local economy and supporting its businesses' long-term success. This workshop will explore what existing economic data tells us about the Ely area while introducing new ways to understand customer movement, visitor patterns, and workforce connections across the community and region. Participants will have the opportunity to reflect on what this information means for local businesses and the broader community, and to consider how stronger connections between businesses, community leaders, and organizations can support business retention and future transitions.
This session is designed for anyone interested in the vitality of Ely’s economy and the role local businesses play in shaping the community’s future. It builds on previous sessions by shifting focus from “why succession matters” to “how communities can better understand and support existing businesses today.”
By the end of the session, participants will:
Gain a clearer understanding of key trends shaping the Ely-area economy.
Explore how data on visitor patterns, customer behavior, and workforce movement can inform local decision-making.
Understand the connection between business retention and long-term business succession.
Identify opportunities for Ely to better support existing businesses.
Begin discussing what a local business retention effort could look like.
Pre-registration is not required, and attendance is free. Food and beverages will be available while supplies last. Remote audiences are invited to tune in via Zoom. The Zoom will go live when the presentation starts at 8:00am. The Zoom details will be linked below.
Zoom Details:
Topic: Ely for Ely Monthly Gatherings
Time: May 12, 2026 8:00AM Central Time (US and Canada)
Meeting ID: 874 2944 4984
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