St. Paul hosting Downtown Block Party Friday night in Mears Park

Lowertown dealing with closings in recent years

Once a vibrant area of St. Paul, the Lowertown neighborhood has struggled in recent years to keep restaurant tenants, with Barrio being the most recent to close.

ST. PAUL, Minn. (FOX 9) - Businesses and city leaders are banding together to host an inaugural Downtown Block Party on Friday in St. Paul, calling it a "kick-off to summer."

Downtown St. Paul Block Party

What we know:

From 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., the Downtown Block Party will include music featuring DJ Advance, as well as food and beverages for purchase in Mears Park.

The event will be open to the public, with proceeds supporting Warrior’s Next Adventure, which works with military members to overcome Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) through Recreational Therapy and a 24/7 suicide hotline.

St. Paul business closures

Dig deeper:

Once a vibrant area, St. Paul has struggled in recent years to keep small businesses open.

Several establishments, such Big Biscuit, Noyes & Cutler, Barrio tequila bar and more have closed their doors in the last few years as the neighborhood works to redefine itself as a destination for those visiting the state’s capital city.

According to business owners, the reasons behind their struggles are many, including a lack of customers, increased minimum wages, rent control and decreased profit margins.

In March, Lunds and Byerlys also announced it would close its downtown St. Paul location – the only remaining major grocery store in the downtown area.