Minot’s Open-Air Living Room

Last week, I was fortunate enough to get a little peek at the new Citizens Alley in Downtown Minot. Located just off Central Avenue and 1st Street SE, it’s tucked between the old Soo Line FreightHouse and the 1st & Central Building. This area holds a special place in my heart because in the fall and winter of 2022, I got my first taste of owning a retail business by running a pop-up shop during the holiday season in the FreightHouse.

Owned by the Aksal Group and run by Local Motives, Citizens Alley is a year-round public plaza that will host community events such as concerts, markets, recreation, a winter ice rink, and more. Their first event took place recently, when the Minot Area Council of the Arts utilized the space for a Thursday evening Arts in the City gathering.

The plans for the space, and the opportunities it will bring to the community, are exciting and far-reaching. When I spoke with Jessica Ackerman, the visionary behind the space, she mentioned that the calendar is already filling up fast, with upcoming events that promise to bring new energy and fresh experiences to Downtown Minot.

So far, Citizens Alley’s Facebook page has teased a few of the upcoming happenings. From Wednesday night yoga, offered by Ascend Wellness, to the Yodabest Food Truck serving during events and on Friday and Saturday evenings (weather permitting), there’s already plenty to look forward to. You can follow along by searching Citizens Alley on Facebook.

The area surrounding Citizens Alley is rich with history. Just to the north sits the Soo Line FreightHouse. According to the Aksal Group website, the FreightHouse was built in the early 1910s by the Minneapolis, St. Paul & Sault Ste. Marie Railroad, commonly known as the Soo Line. The building served as a freight terminal and distribution center, moving goods by rail to Minot and across northwest North Dakota. Freight traveled to and from the train cars on the northeast side of the building, through the same set of freight doors still visible on the southwest side.

On that southwest side, where Citizens Alley now lives, goods were once loaded and unloaded from trucks and horse-drawn carriages. The importance of the railroad to Minot’s development cannot be overstated. It’s the very reason we earned the nickname “The Magic City,” as Minot sprang to life almost overnight in the early railroad era.

As Minot has grown and evolved, the need for intentional, community-focused spaces has become clear. The Aksal Group saw that need and took action, bringing Downtown Minot a unique and vibrant public plaza.

Keep an eye out in the coming weeks as more events unfold and a grand opening week begins to take shape.

Citizens Alley truly is Minot’s open-air living room, a place to hang out, connect, catch an event, or simply wander in and feel inspired. It’s one more bit of magic that makes Minot a remarkable place to live, work, and visit.