RIVER FALLS – If there is one thing River Falls is known for, besides the Kinnickinnic River, it’s a supportive and welcoming business community. This month, local businesses in the City on the Kinni are going all out for Women’s History Month.

River Falls is home to more than 180 women-owned businesses, said Mei Mei Abdouch of Mei Mei’s Cookies & Creamery. A number of businesses in town have created displays celebrating women throughout history, telling the stories of how they have impacted our everyday lives.

“This is the first year and it was a little bit of a whim on my part,” Abdouch said. “I was doing a segment on ‘Minnesota Live’ for Mei Mei’s and I was quickly reminded how many women-owned businesses we have.”

In fact, 80% of Main Street businesses in River Falls are women-owned, Abdouch said.

“And I thought, why are we not celebrating this as something super unique?”

The River Falls Business Leaders networking group is partnering with the River Falls Area Chamber of Commerce to encourage businesses to showcase women’s stories and their impacts on the community and throughout history.

“The criteria for a display is it must celebrate women, in your business or women who have contributed to your industry,” Abdouch said. “We wanted it to have as big of an impact as possible. Although it may not seem really historic right now, the fact that we have so many women-owned businesses in town is remarkable and notable.”

A map showing businesses with displays can be accessed on the River Falls Business Leaders’ or Chamber Facebook pages. 

“It’s a way to encourage people to get out and walk about town,” Abdouch said. “To recognize women and their accomplishments in the modern day. We are hoping to make this an annual event.”

Mei Mei’s, located at 113 E. Elm St., is showcasing women inventors. For example, industrial engineer Lillian Moller Gilbreth is known for her innovative kitchen designs, patents for appliances and studies on worker efficiency. According to womenshistory.org, Gilbreth is most known for adding shelves to the refrigerator and a foot pedal to the kitchen trash can.

“Gilbreth was quite an accomplished scientist who did a lot of things side-by-side with her husband,” Abdouch said. “When he died, she lost millions of dollars in contracts and had to change her focus to the kitchen to be taken seriously.”

Prior to 1974, when the Equal Credit Opportunity Act passed, a woman could not open a bank account, apply for a credit card or get a home loan without the permission of her husband. And if she didn’t have a spouse, she would be refused – unless accompanied by a male co-signer, according to Chase Bank.

“We have lots to celebrate,” Abdouch said.

Stephanie Johnson, co-owner of The Garage Bikes + Brews (109 W. Cedar St.), said their window display is an artist rendition of Bonnie Tu, the founder of Liv Cycling. A YouTube video on Tu’s life epitomizes what Johnson believes Women’s History Month is about.

“Women who have spoken up for other women allowing women all around the world to live a better life,” Johnson said. “Bonnie is just one of many such women in history. Just so happens she is a leader in the business I own, cycling. Liv cycling employs all women! Their tagline is empowering...For Women, By Women, With Women.”

The display also honors local female artist Randi Hoyt, who sketches, writes and paints women as part of nature, Johnson said. You can learn more about her at randihoyt.com

Abdouch said she believes River Falls has so many women-owned businesses because it’s so welcoming to small business.

“And I think women are more drawn into the small business field of service and care,” Abdouch said. “Entrepreneurs need to be innovative and accommodate things at the drop of a hat, things we’re doing when we’re running households, and the intricacies transfer to running a business.”

Abdouch said while the challenges women business owners face may not be as prevalent or obvious as they used to be, not all bias toward women is gone.

“We still struggle and face some of the same challenges, not just to the same degree historically,” Abdouch said. “I worked in international finance and private equity, and just coming out of that industry I felt there was still quite a bias against women.”

When writing her business plan for her bakery and applying for business loans at banks, she felt scrutinized more than maybe a man would be.

“Maybe it was because I was a woman, or maybe it was because I was opening a bakery, but we certainly struggle with those same things,” she said. “Women lose out on building credit and a lot things as we stay home and run and manage a household. We have to reintegrate ourselves in entrepreneurship.

“But as we continue to prove ourselves again and again, the sheer number of women-owned businesses speaks volumes. We essentially support this community.”

Abdouch was quick to acknowledge the support of male-owned businesses in town as well, such as Brickhouse Music.

“Their support has been remarkable,” she said.