It's no secret, most of us would like to stay in our own home as we age. Yet, sometimes our loved ones just need a little extra help to remain comfortable at home. That's where Always Best Care can help....we are dedicated to exceeding expectations....always.
They say that your golden years are the best years of your life. For most older Americans, that's how it should be - a time to relax, reflect, and live life in a familiar place. After all, senior citizens in the U.S. have worked tirelessly to build a better economy, serve their communities, and raise families.
However, as seniors grow older, completing daily tasks like showering and enjoying activities such as visiting Landmark Center in St Paul, MN gets harder without someone by their side. Unfortunately, many older Americans aren't able to rely on their adult children for help. The reality in today's world is that family members do not have the skills or time to dedicate to caring for their parents. That's where Always Best Care Senior Services comes in.
Our in-home care services are for people who prefer to stay at home as they grow older but need ongoing care that family or friends cannot provide. More and more older adults prefer to live far away from long-term, institutionalized facilities and closer to the place where they feel most comfortable - their home. Home care in St Paul, MN is a safe, effective way to give your loved ones the care they need when they need it the most.
Home Care Services
Service AreasSince 1996, Always Best Care has provided non-medical in-home care for seniors to help them maintain a healthy lifestyle as they get older. We are proud to have helped more than 25,000 seniors maintain higher levels of dignity and respect. We focus on providing seniors with the highest level of in-home care available so that they may live happily and independently.
Unlike some senior care companies, we genuinely want to be included in our clients' lives. We believe that personalized care is always the better option over a "one size fits all" approach. To make sure our senior clients receive the best care possible, we pair them with compassionate caregivers who understand their unique needs. That way, they may provide care accordingly without compromising their wellbeing.
The Always Best Care difference lies in life's little moments - where compassionate care and trustworthy experience come together to help seniors live a fruitful, healthy life. Whether you are an aging adult that can't quite keep up with life's daily tasks or the child of a senior who needs regular in-home services, Always Best Care is here to help.
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Home is where the heart is. While that saying can sound a tad cliche, it is especially true for many seniors living in America. When given a choice, older adults most often prefer to grow older at home. An AARP study found that three out of four adults over the age of 50 want to stay in their homes and communities as they age.
When you begin to think about why, it makes sense. Home offers a sense of security, comfort, and familiarity.
The truth is, as we age, we begin to rely on others for help. When a family is too busy or lives too far away to fulfill this role, in-home senior care is often the best solution. Home care services allow seniors to enjoy personal independence while also receiving trustworthy assistance from a trained caregiver.
At Always Best Care, we offer a comprehensive range of home care services to help seniors stay healthy while they get the help they need to remain independent. As your senior loved one gets older, giving them the gift of senior care is one of the best ways to show your love, even if you live far away.
To give our senior clients the best care possible, we offer a full spectrum of in-home care services:
If your senior loved one has specific care needs, our personal care services are a great choice to consider. Personal care includes the standard caregiving duties associated with companion care and includes help with tasks such as dressing and grooming. Personal care can also help individuals with chronic conditions like diabetes.
Common personal care services include assistance with:
Sometimes, seniors need helpful reminders to maintain a high quality of life at home. If you or your senior has trouble with everyday tasks like cooking, our home helper services will be very beneficial.
Common home helper care services include assistance with:
Using this kind of care is a fantastic way to make life easier for you or your senior loved one. At Always Best Care, our talented caregivers often fill the role of a companion for seniors. That way, older adults can enjoy their favorite local activities, such as visiting Harriet Island Regional Park in St Paul, MN with friends while also receiving the care they need daily or weekly.
Common companionship services include:
According to AARP, more than 53 million adults living in the U.S. provide care to someone over 50 years old. Unfortunately, these caregivers experience stress, exhaustion, and even depression. Our respite care services help family caregivers address urgent obligations, spend time with their children, and enjoy nearby activities. Perhaps more importantly, respite care gives family members time to recharge and regroup. Taking personal time to de-stress reduces the risk of caregiver burnout. So, if you've always wanted to eat at the local Meritage or visit Burbank Livingston Griggs Mansion, don't feel bad. Doing so is great for both you and your loved one.
At the end of the day, our goal is to become a valuable part of your senior's daily routine. That way, we may help give them the highest quality of life possible. We know that staying at home is important for your loved one, and we are here to help make sure that is possible.
If you have been on the fence about non-medical home care, there has never been a better time than now to give your senior the care, assistance, and companionship they deserve.
Always Best Care in-home services are for older adults who prefer to stay at home but need ongoing care that friends and family cannot provide. In-home care is a safe, effective way for seniors to age gracefully in a familiar place and live independent, non-institutionalized lives. The benefits of non-medical home care are numerous. Here are just a few reasons to consider senior care services from Always Best Care:
According to AARP, 9 out of 10 seniors prefer to age in place within the comfort of their own home. With in-home care, seniors have a way to stay at home, receive the care they need, and maintain a sense of independence, improving overall wellness.
If you or a member of your family have assumed the role of caregiver for your senior loved one, you know how stressful the job can be. Between caregiver burnout and constant worry, being a family caregiver is hard. In-home care relieves your burden and gives you peace of mind knowing that your older family member is in expert hands.
Unlike nursing homes, where the staff and residents rotate frequently, seniors can foster new friendships and build bonds with their caregiver. Seniors who socialize on a regular basis are often happier, which fosters positivity and leads to increased wellbeing.
No two seniors need the same kind of in-home care assistance. That is why each of our Care Plans is tailored to meet our client's individual needs. We offer plans that cover everything from light housekeeping to more involved duties like transportation to doctor's appointments. Our Care Coordinators will work closely with you to develop a personalized plan to ensure your senior's needs are exceeded.
Always Best Care offers a full array of care options for patients at all levels of health. With our trusted elderly care services, your loved one will receive the level of care necessary for them to enjoy the highest possible quality of life.
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While it's true that some seniors have complicated medical needs that prevent them from staying at home, aging in place is often the best arrangement for seniors and their families. With a trusted caregiver, seniors have the opportunity to live with a sense of dignity and do so as they see fit - something that is unavailable to many older people today.
In-home care makes it possible for millions of seniors to age in place every year. Rather than moving to a strange nursing home, seniors have the chance to stay at home where they feel the happiest and most comfortable.
How much does a senior's home truly mean to them?
A study published by the American Society on Aging found that more than half of seniors say their home's emotional value means more than how much their home is worth in monetary value. It stands to reason, then, that a senior's home is where they want to grow old.
With the help of elderly care in St Paul, MN, seniors don't have to age in a sterilized care facility. Instead, they can age gracefully in the place they want to be most: their home. In contrast, seniors who move to a long-term care facility must adapt to new environments, new people, and new systems that the facility implements. At this stage in life, this kind of drastic change can be more harmful than helpful.
Institutional care facilities like nursing homes often put large groups of people together to live in one location. On any given day, dozens of staff members and caregivers run in and out of these facilities. Being around so many new people in a relatively small living environment can be dangerous for a seniors' health and wellbeing. When you consider that thousands of seniors passed away in nursing homes during the COVID-19 pandemic, opting for in-home care is often a safer, healthier choice for seniors.
Aging in place has been shown to improve seniors' quality of life, which helps boost physical health and also helps insulate them from viral and bacterial risks found in elderly living facilities.
For many seniors, the ability to live independently with assistance from a caregiver is a priceless option. With in-home care, seniors experience a higher level of independence and freedom - much more so than in other settings like a nursing home. When a senior has the chance to age in place, they get to live life on their own terms, inside the house that they helped make into a home. More independence means more control over their personal lives, too, which leads to increased levels of fulfillment, happiness, and personal gratification. Over time, these positive feelings can manifest into a healthier, longer life.
More independence, a healthier life, and increased comfort are only a few benefits of aging in place. You have to take into consideration the role of cost and convenience. Simply put, it's usually easier and more affordable to help seniors age in place than it is to move them into an institutional care facility. According to the US Department of Housing and Urban Development, seniors who age in the comfort of their homes can save thousands of dollars per month.
In-home care services from Always Best Care, for instance, are often less expensive than long-term solutions, which can cost upwards of six figures per year. To make matters worse, many residential care facilities are reluctant to accept long-term care insurance and other types of payment assistance.
With Always Best Care's home care services, seniors and their families have a greater level of control over their care plans. In-home care gives seniors the chance to form a bond with a trusted caregiver and also receive unmatched care that is catered to their needs. In long-term care facilities, seniors and their loved ones have much less control over their care plan and have less of a say in who provides their care.
In-home care is a valuable resource that empowers seniors to age in place on their own terms. However, a big concern for many families and their loved ones is how much in-home care costs. If you're worried that in-home care is too expensive, you may be pleasantly surprised to learn that it is one of the most affordable senior care arrangements available.
Typically, hiring an Always Best Care in-home caregiver for a few hours a week is more affordable than sending your loved one to a long-term care facility. This is true even for seniors with more complex care needs.
At Always Best Care, we will work closely with you and your family to develop a Care Plan that not only meets your care needs, but your budget requirements, too. Once we discover the level of care that you or your senior need, we develop an in-home care plan that you can afford.
In addition to our flexible care options, families should also consider the following resources to help offset potential home care costs:
When you or your senior loved one needs assistance managing daily tasks at home, finding a qualified caregiver can be challenging. It takes a special kind of person to provide reliable care for your senior loved one. However, a caregiver's role involves more than meal preparation and medication reminders. Many seniors rely on their caregivers for companionship, too.
Our companion care services give seniors the chance to socialize in a safe environment and engage in activities at home. These important efforts boost morale and provide much-needed relief from repetitive daily routines. A one-on-one, engaging conversation can sharpen seniors' minds and give them something in which to be excited.
At Always Best Care, we only hire care providers that we would trust to care for our own loved ones. Our senior caregivers in St Paul, MN understand how important it is to listen and communicate with their seniors. A seemingly small interaction, like a short hug goodbye, can make a major difference in a senior's day. Instead of battling against feelings of isolation, seniors begin to look forward to seeing their caregiver each week.
Understanding the nuances of senior care is just one of the reasons why our care providers are so great at their job.
Unlike some senior care companies, our caregivers must undergo extensive training before they work for Always Best Care. In addition, our caregivers receive ongoing training throughout the year. This training ensures that their standard of care matches up to the high standards we've come to expect. During this training, they will brush up on their communication skills, safety awareness, and symptom spotting. That way, your loved one receives the highest level of non-medical home care from day one.
While it's true that many seniors prefer to age at home, sometimes in-home care isn't the best fit. For those seniors and their families, choosing an assisted living facility makes more sense. Unfortunately, finding the optimal care facility is easier said than done in today's day and age. That's when Always Best Care's assisted living referral services begin to make a lot of sense.
Assisted living is a form of housing intended for seniors who require varying degrees of medical and personal attention. Accommodations may include single rooms, apartments, or shared living arrangements. Assisted living communities are typically designed to resemble a home-like environment and are physically constructed to encourage the independence of residents.
At assisted living communities, seniors receive help with daily activities such as bathing, dressing, and eating. They may also benefit from coordination of services with outside healthcare providers, and monitoring of resident activities to ensure their health, safety, and well-being. Caregivers who work at assisted living communities can also provide medication administration and personal care services for older adults.
Other services offered within assisted living communities can include some or all of the following:
At Always Best Care, our representatives can match your senior's emotional, physical, and financial needs with viable assisted living communities nearby. Results are based on comparative data, so you can select the best choice for you or your loved one.
Always Best Care works closely with local senior living communities to gain valuable knowledge that we then use to help seniors and their loved ones make informed decisions. This information can include basic care and rent, resident availability, and services provided. Because Always Best Care is compensated by these communities, we provide senior living referral services at no extra cost to you.
Some of the most popular assisted living communities to consider in our area include the following:
For many seniors, moving into a senior living community revolves around how and when they want to make a transition to more involved care. Some seniors are more proactive about transitioning to independent living. Others choose to remain home until their care needs or other requirements are satisfied. Remember - our staff is here to help. Contact our office today to learn more about assisted living communities and how we can find a facility that exceeds your expectations.
The first step in getting quality in-home care starts with a personal consultation with an experienced Always Best Care Care Coordinator. This initial consultation is crucial for our team to learn more about you or your elderly loved one to discover the level of care required. Topics of this consultation typically include:
A discussion of your needs and how our trained caregivers can offer assistance in the most effective way
A draft of your care plan, which includes highly detailed notes and a framework for the care that you or your senior will receive
Discuss payment options and help coordinate billing with your insurance provider
Our caregivers are trained to spot changes that clients exhibit, like mental and physical decline. As your trusted senior care company, we will constantly assess and update your Care Plan to meet any new emotional, intellectual, physical, and emotional needs.
If you have never considered in-home care before, we understand that you and your family may have concerns about your Care Plan and its Care Coordinator. To help give you peace of mind, know that every team member and caregiver must undergo comprehensive training before being assigned to a Care Plan.
At the end of the day, we only hire the best of the best at Always Best Care. Whether you need home care in St Paul, MN 24-hours a day or only need a respite for a couple of hours, we are here to serve you.
When you're ready, we encourage you to contact your local Always Best Care representative to set up a Care Consultation. Our Care Coordinators would be happy to meet with you in person to get to know you better, discuss your needs, and help put together a personalized Care Plan specific to your needs.
The BlueprintAnother big investment in the University of Minnesota’s St. Paul campus is advancing through the planning process as U of M officials seek design proposals for a 500-bed residence and dining hall on that side of the river.A newly released request for proposals reveals that the new facility carries a construction budget of $100 million and will address demand for “modern on-campus housing for undergraduate students.”Located north of Buford Avenue and west Buford Circle, th...
Another big investment in the University of Minnesota’s St. Paul campus is advancing through the planning process as U of M officials seek design proposals for a 500-bed residence and dining hall on that side of the river.
A newly released request for proposals reveals that the new facility carries a construction budget of $100 million and will address demand for “modern on-campus housing for undergraduate students.”
Located north of Buford Avenue and west Buford Circle, the project site is currently home to Bailey Hall, a dining center, and a student center complex, the U of M notes, adding that the design “must accommodate a phased expansion for future housing needs in St. Paul.”
Future investments on the campus could include “additional standard residence hall or apartment-style units for upper division undergraduate and graduate students,” according to the RFP.
“The idea would be that the first project would be designed to be a 500-bed facility with potential for growth after that,” Paul Lawton, university architect and director of design at the U of M, said in an interview.
The U of M is accepting design proposals through Oct. 28 and hopes to begin construction in summer 2028, with substantial completion in April 2030, according to the RFP.
In the RFP, the U of M said the project will follow the Minnesota B3 Guidelines for sustainable design, which aim to reduce energy consumption, enhance the health of building occupants and improve “the quality of the natural environment.”
The project is part of the St. Paul campus “strategic revitalization,” which also includes a new $126 million campus center. The campus houses agriculture, food science, natural resources, human development and other academic programs.
Alliiance of Minneapolis has design duties for the 94,792-square-foot campus center, which will rise at 1984 Buford Ave., current home of Magrath Library. Golden Valley-based Mortenson is on board for construction.
Lawton said the campus center project is nearing construction.
“Some abatement and limited demolition of Magrath has already started,” he said. “That will progress, obviously, as the months go by. We are just entering design development in the project, so I would expect by early spring you’ll start seeing some more significant activity out there.”
The 2026 state bonding bill includes $35 million for the campus center project and $40 million for U of M asset preservation.
Alice Roberts-Davis, the U of M’s vice president for University Services, told Finance & Commerce in January that the St. Paul campus is “really behind on reinvestment.”
The campus center project “will be an opportunity for us to jump-start the reinvestment cycle for the St Paul campus and drive a lot more energy and a lot more students to that campus,” she added.
Billy Corgan’s band celebrated its misery-ridden 1995 album at Grand Casino Arena, and it wasn’t entirely fun.Smashing Pumpkins played two sets clocking in at a total of nearly three hours Tuesday night in St. Paul. And yet the band made its point within the first seven minutes.“Despite all my rage, I am still just a rat in a cage,” frontman Billy Corgan sang in the second song, “Bullet with Butterfly Wings.”That iconic line provided the name of the Chicago rock grou...
Billy Corgan’s band celebrated its misery-ridden 1995 album at Grand Casino Arena, and it wasn’t entirely fun.
Smashing Pumpkins played two sets clocking in at a total of nearly three hours Tuesday night in St. Paul. And yet the band made its point within the first seven minutes.
“Despite all my rage, I am still just a rat in a cage,” frontman Billy Corgan sang in the second song, “Bullet with Butterfly Wings.”
That iconic line provided the name of the Chicago rock group’s current U.S. trek, the Rats in a Cage Tour. It also set the tone for too much of what was to come in the first half of Tuesday’s show: overwrought, sometimes melodramatic, generically angry music — as heard on the band’s most epic and teen-angsty album, the double-LP “Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness,” whose 30th anniversary is the raison d’être for this tour.
At 59, Corgan seemed a bit too matured and wised-up maybe even content to be singing a lot of those “Mellon Collie” tunes. It wasn’t just him, though. Downtrodden songs like “Zero” and “An Ode to No One” don’t exactly ring authentic when the crowd of around 11,000 fans is largely comprised of middle-aged men buying up $50 “Zero”-emblazoned T-shirts and $18 beers.
Good thing the Pumpkins only played about half of that not-so-timeless double-album and only based half of Tuesday’s performance on it. Here’s how it all played out.
The “Mellon Collie” half: They performed 16 songs off the record starting with two of its three biggest singles: the record’s most timeless ode to youth, “1979,” whose light boppiness rather clumsily bumped up against the fiery ire of “Bullet with Butterfly Wings.”
Among the lesser-played LP cuts, a lot of the prettier and, yep, more melancholy songs came off beautifully, including the megahit “Tonight, Tonight” as well as “Thirty-Three.” Faster and more furious songs like “Bodies” and “Zero,” though, felt forced and at times cringey with lines like, “Love is suicide,” and, “God is empty just like me.”
The “everything else” half: Offsetting the oldies mold of the first set, the band started off the second half making a case for the more recent songs “Machina, Machina,” “ Sojourner” “Pentagrams” and (best of all) “Edin,” the latter building into a feedback-drenched epic.
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Fans were clearly losing interest, though, so much so that the 1993 classic “Disarm” was greeted like “Free Bird” at a Skynyrd show. That was the first of four welcomed off the “Siamese Dream” album, including “Today,” “Cherub Rock” and “Mayonaise.” They ignored their debut record, “Gish,” but offered a 1991-era outtake, “Jesus Is the Sun,” before closing with another messianically named number, the 2008 blaster “Superchrist.”
Billy Corgan’s input: Wearing his now-standard medieval-monk attire with a long skirt — he changed it up from all-black to all-white between sets — the frontman was in strong voice, especially in the more dramatic and demanding numbers such as “Disarm.” He also came off a lot more affable and relatable than during a lot of the first 30 years of his band’s career, even often looking like he was having fun.
Corgan actually made light of how far-removed he is from a lot of the “Mellon Collie” songs.
“I used to be an angry young man, and now I’m just an angry, old man,” he said with a chuckle before the especially surly “Here Is No Why.”
Everyone else’s input: As has been the case since original guitarist James Iha rejoined in 2018 — and especially with the 2024 addition of energetic and impactful third multi-instrumentalist and co-vocalist Kiki Wong — the Pumpkins as a unit sounded revitalized and rock-solid. They played many of the old tunes with more precision and gusto than the original lineup often did, including a lot of the deeper cuts added for this tour.
One of the unexpected heavier highlights in the first half, the playfully thrashy “Jellybelly,” was a reminder of drummer Jimmy Chamberlin’s invaluable contributions, as was his heavy hammering in “Cherub Rock.”
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The night’s best bit of nostalgia: Chamberlin also shared the night’s best stage banter, offering a story about when the band drove overnight from Grinnell College in Iowa in 1990 to open for Thee Hypnotics at the tiny 7th St. Entry in Minneapolis.
“We risked our lives with our sound man driving our van all the way, and we were dead tired,” he remembered. “And we played literally one of the most amazing shows of the band’s entire career.”
Suggested new T-shirt slogan for the band’s next tour: “Smashing Pumpkins: Four decades of making the best of the worst times.”
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(TNS) — If and when Waymo comes to the capital city, the driverless “robotaxi” car network may find way more regulations than it counted on.City Council President Rebecca Noecker has authored a resolution, to be considered on Wednesday’s council agenda, that calls for a wide-ranging study of “autonomous vehicle labor and community protections” in advance of any future robotaxi roll-outs in St. Paul.The resolution states that the city “should establish these standards proactively, before...
(TNS) — If and when Waymo comes to the capital city, the driverless “robotaxi” car network may find way more regulations than it counted on.
City Council President Rebecca Noecker has authored a resolution, to be considered on Wednesday’s council agenda, that calls for a wide-ranging study of “autonomous vehicle labor and community protections” in advance of any future robotaxi roll-outs in St. Paul.
The resolution states that the city “should establish these standards proactively, before autonomous vehicle companies begin commercial operations in the city, so that the city can thoughtfully determine the appropriate role of autonomous vehicles while protecting workers, residents and the public.”
The resolution prescribes that the study will consider, at a minimum, impacts on transportation workers, including potential job displacement and workforce transitions; public safety, emergency response, and winter-weather operations; the needs of the disabled; traffic, parking, pedestrian and bicycle impacts; data storage and law enforcement access to data; public transparency and reporting requirements around operators, mileage and safety incidents; and “the city’s authority to license, regulate, monitor, and enforce standards for commercial autonomous vehicle operations.”
Waymo, which started as a Google research project in 2009, has grown into a multi-billion dollar transportation company serving 15 metropolitan areas from San Francisco to Miami.Its website lists another 17 markets on the horizon, including Minneapolis, Portland, Ore., Boston, Mass., London England, and Tokyo, Japan.
The Silicon Valley-based company has been mapping routes throughout the Twin Cities, using drivers (for now). In a bit of a poke to its driverless eye, the Minneapolis City Council voted 7-6 this month to pass an ordinance requiring autonomous vehicles to be accompanied by “human safety monitors” — individuals with immediate access to the brakes and steering — which would seemingly defeat the purpose of a driverless car.
The “Workers Drive Minneapolis” ordinance, intended to protect Uber and Lyft drivers, was quickly vetoed by Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, setting up the possibility of the council pursuing a veto override.
Critics have also pointed to news accounts of software glitches and traffic stand-offs involving Waymos, including a rider who was locked in a Waymo in December 2024 as it drove in circles around a parking lot in Scottsdale, Ariz., and a Waymo that drove through a Denver farmers market in September.
Even as labor advocates fear the loss of thousands of driver jobs, Waymo has attempted to market itself as a safety-conscious provider of sober rides home, an asset for the disabled and a potential connector to public transit. It’s received the support of Mothers Against Drunk Driving Minnesota, as well as some key lawmakers on both sides of the political aisle who believe autonomous vehicles can offer environmentally-sustainable efficiencies.
In the San Francisco Bay Area, Waymo has partnered with the public transit provider Caltrain to set up dedicated parking spaces for its cars. It’s also rolling out a VISA cashback incentive program that covers the cost of bus fare ($2.85) for users who book a Waymo and take public transit within two hours of each other.
Rather than simply make a bid for Uber’s routes, Waymo has in some cases partnered with Uber to provide its driverless rides. In Atlanta, Georgia and Austin, Texas, Waymo can be booked through the Uber app.
Waymo isn’t the only robotaxi venture rolling into metropolitan areas. Commercial autonomous vehicle companies include Tesla’s Cybercab, which operates exclusively for now in Austin, Texas, and Amazon’s Zoox, which is currently active in Las Vegas and San Francisco.
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Business owners along East Seventh Street and Arcade Street say continuing construction has complicated their recovery from earlier economic losses, while MnDOT reports additional outreach efforts during the two-year project.SAINT PAUL, MN (October 13, 2026). Businesses along Saint Paul's East Seventh Street and Arcade Street corridor are confronting another difficult period as major road construction continues to affect customer access and commercial activity.The transportation project, now entering...
SAINT PAUL, MN (October 13, 2026). Businesses along Saint Paul's East Seventh Street and Arcade Street corridor are confronting another difficult period as major road construction continues to affect customer access and commercial activity.
The transportation project, now entering its final stretch, has created additional challenges for businesses already dealing with the economic consequences of earlier disruptions associated with federal immigration enforcement activity in the Twin Cities.
According to October 10 reporting by the Minnesota Star Tribune, business owners say the extended roadwork has slowed their recovery.
The Minnesota Department of Transportation says it has increased efforts to communicate with affected businesses during the two-year project.
Small businesses often depend on predictable access, convenient parking and customers who can easily reach their storefronts.
Road construction can disrupt those conditions even when businesses remain open.
Lane restrictions, changing traffic patterns and uncertainty about entrances may discourage some customers from visiting.
Businesses that rely on deliveries may also face additional scheduling and access challenges.
For independent establishments operating with limited financial reserves, reduced customer traffic can create problems that continue long after construction crews leave.
The corridor's difficulties cannot be understood solely as a road construction issue.
Some East Side businesses have also been trying to recover from disruptions connected to federal immigration enforcement activity.
Business owners and community advocates have described how enforcement concerns can affect customer behavior, staffing and commercial activity in immigrant communities.
The extent of those effects varies among businesses, and the available reporting does not establish a single financial loss figure for the entire corridor.
Nevertheless, the combination of earlier disruption and continuing construction creates a more complicated recovery environment.
Businesses may need to rebuild customer relationships while simultaneously explaining how visitors can reach their locations.
The Minnesota Department of Transportation has acknowledged the need for additional communication with businesses affected by the roadwork.
According to the Star Tribune's reporting, MnDOT has taken additional outreach steps as the two-year project approaches its final stages.
Construction communication can include information about access changes, traffic restrictions, project schedules and ways to contact transportation officials.
For business owners, timely information can help with staffing, deliveries and communication with customers.
However, outreach does not necessarily compensate businesses for lost sales.
The reporting reviewed does not establish a new financial assistance program or guarantee compensation for affected merchants.
East Seventh Street and Arcade Street are part of an important commercial area serving Saint Paul's East Side.
Neighborhood businesses provide employment, everyday goods and services, and places where residents maintain social and cultural connections.
When construction affects access to these establishments, the consequences can extend beyond individual business owners.
Workers may experience reduced hours, customers may change shopping habits and neighborhood commercial activity may weaken.
The challenge for public agencies is balancing the long-term benefits of transportation improvements with the short-term difficulties imposed on existing businesses.
As the project approaches completion, several issues remain important.
Residents and business owners need clear information about the remaining construction schedule, anticipated traffic restrictions and restoration of normal access.
They also need to understand how final improvements will affect pedestrians, transit riders, motorists and commercial deliveries.
The available reporting does not establish a precise completion date for every remaining construction activity.
It would therefore be premature to promise that all traffic and business access disruptions will end on a particular day.
Affected area: East Seventh Street and Arcade Street corridor, Saint Paul
Transportation agency: Minnesota Department of Transportation
Official project and construction information: https://www.dot.state.mn.us
Saint Paul city website: https://www.stpaul.gov
Customers planning to visit businesses in the construction area should check current access information and confirm individual business hours before traveling.
For East Side merchants, the hope is that completion of the transportation work will restore more predictable access and provide an opportunity to rebuild customer activity.
Whether that recovery occurs quickly will depend on conditions extending beyond the road project itself.
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Each month, we're rounding up the latest local music that's been on repeat. Follow our Spotify playlist to keep up with new music releases from Minnesota. Folk artist Humbird’s “Hey Big Dipper,” off the new album Morning When It Comes, is gentle and finely tuned, shifting between stars and the grounded reality of feeling lost, turning the night sky into a guide and confidant. The Big Dipper and North Star stand in for the steadiness we look for when plans fail and setbacks knock us off course...
Each month, we're rounding up the latest local music that's been on repeat. Follow our Spotify playlist to keep up with new music releases from Minnesota.
Folk artist Humbird’s “Hey Big Dipper,” off the new album Morning When It Comes, is gentle and finely tuned, shifting between stars and the grounded reality of feeling lost, turning the night sky into a guide and confidant. The Big Dipper and North Star stand in for the steadiness we look for when plans fail and setbacks knock us off course. Humbird skips the doom and lands on a quieter resilience: doing what we can with what we have, lighting whatever small fires remain. On this tiny blue planet, simply trying is its own form of grace. (Catch her hometown show Nov. 13 at the Fine Line.)—Youa Vang
The first taste off the New York City transplant's upcoming album takes a beat from Courtney Love's free-spirited energy more so than her sound. The video, filmed at a VFW in St. Paul, was "inspired by The Ramones' "I Wanna Be Sedated" music video, where Courtney first appeared as a bride in the background."—Peter Diamond
“Just West of Nicollet” by Lambchop
Listening to singer-songwriter Kurt Wagner's latest album as Lambchop, Punching the Clown, produced by Ryan Olson, I hear shades of the musician and poet David Berman and others who foreground their words and voice as an instrument—Lou Reed, Curtis Mayfield, Bon Iver, Johnny Cash, Bob Dylan. "There's some things in Minnesota, it's the wildest place I've found," Wagner sings amid a host of local collaborators, as a DJ-type sample tag interjects—"Lambchop new shit!"—P. D.
Jaspar Lepak’s “On the Inside” explores the gap between wanting to do good and taking action. Written during pandemic isolation, the song reflects that period’s uncertainty without lingering on it. Lepak owns her introversion while confronting the fear that makes retreat feel safer than connection. Her solution is straightforward: speak up, love generously, take risks, and act when times feel dark. Rather than relying on grand gestures, the song grounds its optimism in treating kindness and courage as everyday choices rather than abstract ideals.—Y. V.
Emily Bjorke’s “TOONIE” crackles with restless post-punk energy, blending sharp pop instincts with the angular edge of Siouxsie and the Banshees. The song stays in motion, driven by repeated commands to run, leave, and keep moving before time runs out. Bjorke turns a humble coin into a talisman—something small to hold while making an escape. Beneath playful lines about bank robberies and cavities lies a real push for reinvention. “TOONIE” captures the moment frustration turns into resolve: enough waiting around, it’s time to go.—Y. V.
OakBaby TBD’s “ALL(ONE)” blends rap’s sharp rhythms with R&B’s softer, fluid feel. The track balances momentum with mood as the two styles fold naturally into one another. Conversational verses slide into smooth hooks, giving the track intimacy without losing its drive. OakBaby TBD focuses on where cadence becomes melody and melody becomes rhythm. The result is a stripped-back, confident track that lets the genre overlap speak for itself.—Y. V.
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