Best of Business 2009

We’re in the midst of the Great Recession. By and large, it hasn’t been pretty. In June, Minnesota’s unemployment rate was 8.4 percent. Several banks have been smacked by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation for their shaky financial foundations. Many of the Twin Cities’ top companies have laid off hundreds, office and retail spaces are emptying, and nervous consumers are holing up.

But lots of businesses are still being run well, and though hurt by the economy, they’re making moves to hang tough in the tough times and position themselves for the better ones. Manufacturers are getting more efficient, retailers are rethinking their strategies to conform to new market realities, and businesses of all kinds are retooling their models and marketing. Some Minnesota businesses are enjoying good times now.