Nicollet Avenue is a major north-south thoroughfare in the Minneapolis–Saint Paul metropolitan area of Minnesota. The street begins at the Mississippi River in downtown Minneapolis and extends south through the cities of Richfield and Bloomington, terminating in Burnsville. It serves as a primary commercial and transit corridor for the region.
Etymology and History The avenue is named after Joseph Nicollet (1786–1843), a French geographer, astronomer, and mathematician who is noted for mapping the Upper Mississippi River basin during the 1830s. Historically, the street has served as a central axis for retail and social activity in Minneapolis since the 19th century.
Nicollet Mall A twelve-block segment of the avenue in downtown Minneapolis, known as Nicollet Mall, is a designated pedestrian and transit mall. Originally converted in 1967 according to a design by landscape architect Lawrence Halprin, it was one of the first such transit malls in the United States. The mall is restricted to buses, emergency vehicles, and bicycles, prohibiting general automobile traffic. It is a dense hub of corporate headquarters, retail businesses, and public art, including the "Mary Tyler Moore" statue and the Peavey Plaza.
Eat Street The section of Nicollet Avenue located between 14th Street and 29th Street in South Minneapolis is colloquially and officially branded as "Eat Street." This designation, established in the late 1990s, reflects the high concentration of diverse international restaurants, grocery stores, and food-related businesses located within the 17-block span.
Geography and Urban Planning For much of its length, Nicollet Avenue follows the standard grid system of Minneapolis. However, for several decades, the continuity of the street was interrupted at Lake Street by a large retail complex (formerly housing a Kmart). As of the early 2020s, the City of Minneapolis has initiated plans to demolish the structure and reconnect Nicollet Avenue to improve local transit and pedestrian connectivity. South of Minneapolis, the avenue serves as a local arterial road through residential and commercial districts in the southern suburbs.
