Flowers, chocolate and ... mutual aid?
Amid the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown in Minnesota, which the White House said will soon wind down, some local lovers are giving the gift of helping others this Valentine’s Day.
Besides more traditional dinner service with drink pairings, Small Hours, a northeast Minneapolis wine bar, is sharing the sweetness by selling carnations all week to benefit a rental assistance fund for local neighbors in need.
“We’re leaning into a little bit of nostalgia,” said co-owner Sarina Garibović.
While Garibović does not typically go all-out for Valentine’s Day — after all, it’s one of the busiest days of the year for the service industry — she said that finding joy feels particularly important this year. Staff will decorate the room with lots of red and play lovers’ rock during a late-night singles dance party Saturday.
“The mounting horrors of the world are making me feel like reaching for small things to celebrate and to share with others, and to have little happy moments,” Garibović said. “So this year, big-time Valentine’s Day.”
As an immigrant-owned small business, Small Hours can’t donate a lot nor does it have a huge production team. But the wine bar has space to share, a resource of its own, Garibović said. On Thursday evening, Small Hours will host a cake decorating pop-up with Nom Supper Club with profits headed to local rental and legal assistance funds.
In south Minneapolis, Northern Coffeeworks will host its second mutual aid market Friday night, organized by Sappho’s Social Club and forthcoming lesbian bar the Brass Strap.
