From retail spending to labor demand, Ryan Pesch can tell you what the economic indicators say about Minnesota’s small towns and rural areas as it emerges from the coronavirus pandemic. He can also point to one sign of this recovery that needs little explanation: more people are leaving the house and heading for Main Street.
“You can just see more traffic in a downtown business district,” said. “It’s walking traffic.”
Pesch, an Extension educator in community economics with the Center for Community Vitality, said there is a clear sense among residents of Greater Minnesota communities that the pandemic is on its way out. Industries long strained by the statewide restrictions implemented to slow the spread of COVID-19—such as the food service, resort, and hospitality industries—are rapidly regaining momentum as those restrictions loosen and federal relief funds reach communities.