Twin Cities Co-op Partners
Keeping its roots in Lyndale while creating space for what’s next
1936 Lyndale Ave S #200, Minneapolis, MN 55403, USA
Twin Cities Co-op Partners is a community-owned cooperative with two retail grocery stores in Minneapolis — Wedge Lyndale and Wedge Linden Hills — where everyone is welcome to shop. They also operate Co-op Partners Warehouse in St. Paul, which supplies produce and grocery products to co-ops, restaurants, and coffee shops throughout the Midwest.
Hillcrest spoke with Swapna Desai, Twin Cities Co-op Partners’ Marketing Director about how her company works with The Watkins Building.
Why did you choose The Watkins Building?
Watkins is just a block from our Wedge Lyndale store, making it the perfect location for our administrative team. Staying close to our flagship store allows us to remain connected to the community we've been part of for years while continuing to support the Lyndale neighborhood.
What do you enjoy most about being part of The Watkins Building community?
We appreciate the building's central location and easy access to major highways. We also value Hillcrest's thoughtful preservation of this historic property, creating modern, turnkey office spaces while maintaining the building's original character. It's exciting to work alongside other local businesses that share a commitment to the community.
What is your favorite neighborhood amenity?
Our favorite neighborhood amenity is definitely our Wedge Lyndale store. It's our go-to spot for local and organic groceries, fresh snacks, breakfast or lunch and great coffee. Being just steps away makes collaboration with our store teams easy and keeps us connected to our customers.
What is your favorite part of your space at Watkins?
We love the balance of open collaborative work areas and private meeting rooms, along with the abundant natural light from the large windows. The combination of modern amenities within a beautifully restored historic building creates an inspiring place to work. We also enjoy getting to know the other businesses that have made Watkins their home.
Was there anything unique about your space that Watkins helped accommodate?
Our space was thoughtfully customized to fit the way our team works. Hillcrest transformed the office by exposing the original brick and heavy timber, preserving the building's historic character while adding new windows that brought in significantly more natural light. As the first tenant on the second floor, we even have views overlooking our Wedge Lyndale store, reinforcing the connection between our office and retail teams. Hillcrest also worked with us to ensure the space provided the access, security, and safety our staff needed for day-to-day operations.
How has being located at Watkins impacted your business?
Moving our administrative staff to Watkins has given us the office and meeting space we needed to support our growing team. It also freed up valuable space at our Wedge Lyndale store, allowing our Store Director and Store Managers to have additional offices and dedicated meeting areas for their teams. Our large conference room has become an important resource for internal meetings, vendor and customer presentations, interviews, and our monthly Board of Directors meetings.
What do you like about working with Hillcrest?
Hillcrest has been a great partner. They're responsive whenever questions or needs arise, conscientious in their approach, and take excellent care of the building. Their commitment to maintaining the property and supporting their tenants has made them a pleasure to work with.
