While the pandemic continues and many downtown Minneapolis businesses continue to stay out of the office, owners of businesses that operate in the skyways have tough decisions to make. Many have already closed up shop because of the pandemic. Hair salons, jewelry stores, coffee shops and the like, all closed due to a lack of business, as many employees are still working from home.
One popular skyway eatery, Walkin' Dog, is one of those businesses. The hot dog restaurant in the North Start building has seen dwindling revenue because of the pandemic. Dave Magnuson, who owns Walkin Dog, says that he's not sure if his business will survive once his lease ends in December.
"It's a neighborhood here, you know? It always has been for all this time. That's the part that I would miss the most should this change here for us. You get to know people on a friendly basis and their family and stuff and that's the part that would be hard for me."
Magnuson says that all of the other restaurants in the North Star building have closed because of the pandemic. He says one tried to open back up, but has since closed again and sold all of his equipment and moved to Arizona.