Rural diversity manifests itself in form of tech industry, foodie culture

Communities in South Central and Southwest Minnesota have embraced means and modes of the present in hopes of positioning their humble abodes towards a chic and tech-forward future.

In Wilmar, the MinnWest Technology Campus has spawned an epicenter of industry with 31 businesses grounded in bioscience, agriculture and technology that employ 550 rural Minnesotans. Among the employers of a newfound tech-boom include Procore Technologies of California, a yoga studio, a marketing firm and a digital media auteur. These institutions may be thought more of as establishments well suited for Uptown, but they are flanked by several diverse restaurants including Somali, Mexican, Italian and brew houses to match.

Marshall, Minnesota boasts achieving public schools Southwest Minnesota State University and an alternative school in Marshall Area Technical & Education Center that seeks to give the high school-aged and young adults a foray into careers within healthcare and other trades. With trades in abundance, Marshall is on track to provide superb opportunity for Minnesotans in the Southwest region.

Another township in the Southwest corner of the state, Luverne, has started a community initiative called “Luverne Initiatives for Tomorrow” (LIFT) in order to raise excitement for its out-of-town and home-grown residents. Among the additions to its main street include a movie theater, fine dining, boutique shopping, a home décor store and several other small businesses. Just outside the main street area exists an indoor swimming facility and fitness center, a hockey arena and miles of bike paths. The past decade has seen over $5.5 million in investments towards the area.

Read more on rural expansion at Minn Post here.