Early March marked the Payne Arcade Business Association’s last in-person board meeting for a while. Bar noises and the smell of French fries wafted up the stairs to a wood-paneled space above Brunson’s Pub on St. Paul’s East Side, where wooden tables formed a large rectangle.
Molly LaFleche hurried in, wearing a light gray pantsuit and carrying a laptop and papers. The dynamic co-owner of Brunson’s and president of the Payne Arcade Business Association, LaFleche got right down to business with PABA’s board.
The group had big plans: a community mural, a live concert, grant applications, an Earth Day celebration, fundraisers.
Flash forward. The board is still meeting monthly, but virtually. Everything has changed — except the group’s commitment to creating an inviting, lively Payne Avenue.
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