Thinking about starting a business in Duluth, Minnesota? This step-by-step guide walks you through the major decisions you should consider before opening a new business in Duluth.
Duluth has an active business community that includes small businesses,
mid-sized businesses and large businesses.
To give you a better feel for Duluth demographics for small businesses, we have tabulated the small business sizes, based on number of employees, for business in Duluth.
As a new Duluth entrepreneur, you may also be interested in the table below. It shows how many businesses there are in Duluth for each business category. By looking at this chart, you can get
a general sense for how much competition there is in the business niche that
you are pursuing.
| Business Type |
# of Businesses |
| Advertising Agencies |
13 |
| Aircraft Manufacturing |
1 |
| Ambulance Services |
1 |
| Appliance Repair and Maintenance |
2 |
| Apprenticeship Training |
4 |
| Architectural Services |
15 |
| Armored Car Services |
1 |
| Art Dealers |
2 |
| Automotive Exhaust System Repair |
3 |
| Automotive Glass Replacement Shops |
5 |
| Automotive Parts and Accessories Stores |
24 |
| Automotive Transmission Repair |
3 |
| Baked Goods Stores |
1 |
| Beauty Salons |
47 |
| Bed-and-Breakfast Inns |
6 |
| Beer and Ale Merchant Wholesalers |
2 |
| Beer, Wine, and Liquor Stores |
26 |
| Blood and Organ Banks |
3 |
| Boat Dealers |
4 |
| Book Stores |
5 |
| Bowling Centers |
5 |
| Breweries |
1 |
| Broadwoven Fabric Finishing Mills |
2 |
| Business Associations |
12 |
| Cable and Other Program Distribution |
1 |
| Cafeterias |
4 |
| Camera and Photographic Supplies Stores |
1 |
| Canvas and Related Product Mills |
2 |
| Car Washes |
4 |
| Carpet and Upholstery Cleaning Services |
1 |
| Caterers |
5 |
| Cemeteries and Crematories |
9 |
| Child and Youth Services |
7 |
| Child Day Care Services |
27 |
| Children's and Infants' Clothing Stores |
3 |
| Civic and Social Organizations |
29 |
| Claims Adjusting |
10 |
| Clothing Accessories Stores |
2 |
| Coin-Operated Laundries and Drycleaners |
4 |
| Collection Agencies |
1 |
| Commercial Bakeries |
1 |
| Commercial Lithographic Printing |
4 |
| Commercial Photography |
1 |
| Community Food Services |
1 |
| Computer and Software Stores |
6 |
| Computer Facilities Management Services |
4 |
| Computer Systems Design Services |
7 |
| Concrete Pipe Manufacturing |
1 |
| Confectionery and Nut Stores |
2 |
| Consumer Lending |
2 |
| Continuing Care Retirement Communities |
7 |
| Convenience Stores |
2 |
| Convention and Visitors Bureaus |
1 |
| Copper Rolling, Drawing, and Extruding |
1 |
| Cosmetology and Barber Schools |
1 |
| Couriers |
6 |
| Court Reporting and Stenotype Services |
2 |
| Credit Card Issuing |
1 |
| Credit Unions |
17 |
| Curtain and Drapery Mills |
1 |
| Custom Computer Programming Services |
12 |
| Dance Companies |
1 |
| Dental Laboratories |
6 |
| Diagnostic Imaging Centers |
3 |
| Direct Life Insurance Carriers |
6 |
| Direct Mail Advertising |
6 |
| Direct Title Insurance Carriers |
2 |
| Directory and Mailing List Publishers |
1 |
| Discount Department Stores |
6 |
| Display Advertising |
2 |
| Document Preparation Services |
2 |
| Drafting Services |
2 |
| Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) |
39 |
| Drywall and Insulation Contractors |
8 |
| Educational Support Services |
3 |
| Electric Power Distribution |
2 |
| Electrical Contractors |
30 |
| Electronic Shopping |
1 |
| Elementary and Secondary Schools |
11 |
| Emergency and Other Relief Services |
3 |
| Employment Placement Agencies |
2 |
| Engineering Services |
23 |
| Environmental Consulting Services |
5 |
| Exam Preparation and Tutoring |
4 |
| Exterminating and Pest Control Services |
1 |
| Facilities Support Services |
1 |
| Family Clothing Stores |
14 |
| Family Planning Centers |
4 |
| Fine Arts Schools |
4 |
| Finfish Fishing |
1 |
| Finish Carpentry Contractors |
11 |
| Fish and Seafood Markets |
1 |
| Fish and Seafood Merchant Wholesalers |
1 |
| Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers |
15 |
| Flight Training |
1 |
| Floor Covering Stores |
7 |
| Flooring Contractors |
10 |
| Florists |
6 |
| Fluid Milk Manufacturing |
1 |
| Food (Health) Supplement Stores |
3 |
| Food Product Machinery Manufacturing |
1 |
| Food Service Contractors |
5 |
| Footwear and Leather Goods Repair |
1 |
| Formal Wear and Costume Rental |
3 |
| Fossil Fuel Electric Power Generation |
1 |
| Framing Contractors |
6 |
| Freight Transportation Arrangement |
4 |
| Frozen Specialty Food Manufacturing |
1 |
| Full-Service Restaurants |
87 |
| Funeral Homes and Funeral Services |
8 |
| Furniture Merchant Wholesalers |
2 |
| Furniture Stores |
8 |
| General Automotive Repair |
28 |
| General Freight Trucking, Local |
5 |
| General Medical and Surgical Hospitals |
3 |
| General Rental Centers |
2 |
| General Warehousing and Storage |
3 |
| Gift, Novelty, and Souvenir Stores |
29 |
| Glass and Glazing Contractors |
1 |
| Golf Courses and Country Clubs |
6 |
| Grantmaking Foundations |
6 |
| Graphic Design Services |
2 |
| Hardware Merchant Wholesalers |
1 |
| Hardware Stores |
6 |
| Heating Oil Dealers |
7 |
| Historical Sites |
1 |
| HMO Medical Centers |
3 |
| Hobby, Toy, and Game Stores |
9 |
| Home Centers |
6 |
| Home Health Care Services |
10 |
| Home Health Equipment Rental |
5 |
| Homes for the Elderly |
13 |
| Household Appliance Stores |
5 |
| Hunting and Trapping |
1 |
| Inland Water Freight Transportation |
2 |
| Insurance Agencies and Brokerages |
75 |
| Interior Design Services |
2 |
| Internet Publishing and Broadcasting |
1 |
| Internet Service Providers |
1 |
| Interurban and Rural Bus Transportation |
1 |
| Investigation Services |
2 |
| Investment Advice |
7 |
| Iron and Steel Mills |
1 |
| Janitorial Services |
21 |
| Jewelry (except Costume) Manufacturing |
1 |
| Jewelry Stores |
19 |
| Land Subdivision |
1 |
| Landscape Architectural Services |
2 |
| Landscaping Services |
24 |
| Lessors of Other Real Estate Property |
2 |
| Limited-Service Restaurants |
75 |
| Linen Supply |
1 |
| Local Messengers and Local Delivery |
5 |
| Logging |
5 |
| Machine Shops |
5 |
| Mail-Order Houses |
4 |
| Manufactured (Mobile) Home Dealers |
4 |
| Marinas |
3 |
| Marine Cargo Handling |
4 |
| Marketing Consulting Services |
5 |
| Masonry Contractors |
16 |
| Meat Markets |
3 |
| Media Representatives |
1 |
| Medical Laboratories |
1 |
| Men's Clothing Stores |
5 |
| Miscellaneous Intermediation |
3 |
| Mixed Mode Transit Systems |
1 |
| Mortgage and Nonmortgage Loan Brokers |
9 |
| Motion Picture and Video Production |
3 |
| Motor Vehicle Body Manufacturing |
1 |
| Motor Vehicle Towing |
4 |
| Motorcycle Dealers |
1 |
| Museums |
6 |
| Musical Groups and Artists |
3 |
| Musical Instrument and Supplies Stores |
5 |
| Musical Instrument Manufacturing |
3 |
| Nail Salons |
2 |
| Navigational Services to Shipping |
2 |
| New Car Dealers |
9 |
| New Housing Operative Builders |
3 |
| Newspaper Publishers |
7 |
| Newsprint Mills |
1 |
| Nonresidential Property Managers |
4 |
| Nursing Care Facilities |
11 |
| Office Administrative Services |
14 |
| Office Equipment Merchant Wholesalers |
3 |
| Office Supplies and Stationery Stores |
1 |
| Offices of Bank Holding Companies |
1 |
| Offices of Certified Public Accountants |
21 |
| Offices of Chiropractors |
23 |
| Offices of Dentists |
62 |
| Offices of Lawyers |
58 |
| Offices of Optometrists |
6 |
| Offices of Other Holding Companies |
4 |
| Offices of Podiatrists |
2 |
| Offices of Real Estate Appraisers |
8 |
| One-Hour Photofinishing |
2 |
| Ophthalmic Goods Merchant Wholesalers |
1 |
| Optical Goods Stores |
11 |
| Outdoor Power Equipment Stores |
2 |
| Paint and Coating Manufacturing |
2 |
| Paint and Wallpaper Stores |
5 |
| Painting and Wall Covering Contractors |
11 |
| Parking Lots and Garages |
6 |
| Passenger Car Rental |
6 |
| Payroll Services |
2 |
| Pen and Mechanical Pencil Manufacturing |
1 |
| Periodical Publishers |
7 |
| Pet and Pet Supplies Stores |
4 |
| Pet Care (except Veterinary) Services |
4 |
| Petroleum Bulk Stations and Terminals |
3 |
| Pharmacies and Drug Stores |
14 |
| Photography Studios, Portrait |
10 |
| Pipeline Transportation of Natural Gas |
1 |
| Plastics Plumbing Fixture Manufacturing |
1 |
| Political Organizations |
1 |
| Portfolio Management |
7 |
| Private Mail Centers |
2 |
| Professional Organizations |
2 |
| Public Relations Agencies |
1 |
| Pulp Mills |
1 |
| Quick Printing |
3 |
| Racetracks |
1 |
| Radio Stations |
11 |
| Ready-Mix Concrete Manufacturing |
1 |
| Real Estate Credit |
8 |
| Recreational Vehicle Dealers |
2 |
| Residential Property Managers |
9 |
| Residential Remodelers |
24 |
| Retail Bakeries |
3 |
| Reupholstery and Furniture Repair |
2 |
| Roofing Contractors |
2 |
| Rooming and Boarding Houses |
2 |
| Saw Blade and Handsaw Manufacturing |
1 |
| Sawmills |
2 |
| Scheduled Passenger Air Transportation |
1 |
| School and Employee Bus Transportation |
1 |
| Securities Brokerage |
14 |
| Security Guards and Patrol Services |
2 |
| Septic Tank and Related Services |
1 |
| Sheet Metal Work Manufacturing |
2 |
| Ship Building and Repairing |
1 |
| Shoe Stores |
15 |
| Siding Contractors |
7 |
| Sign Manufacturing |
3 |
| Site Preparation Contractors |
23 |
| Skiing Facilities |
2 |
| Snack and Nonalcoholic Beverage Bars |
24 |
| Software Publishers |
2 |
| Solid Waste Collection |
7 |
| Solid Waste Landfill |
2 |
| Special Needs Transportation |
2 |
| Sporting Goods Stores |
26 |
| Sports and Recreation Instruction |
1 |
| Sports Teams and Clubs |
2 |
| Spring (Heavy Gauge) Manufacturing |
2 |
| Steam and Air-Conditioning Supply |
1 |
| Steel Foundries (except Investment) |
1 |
| Tax Preparation Services |
9 |
| Taxi Service |
2 |
| Telecommunications Resellers |
2 |
| Telemarketing Bureaus |
3 |
| Telephone Answering Services |
1 |
| Television Broadcasting |
4 |
| Temporary Help Services |
6 |
| Temporary Shelters |
1 |
| Testing Laboratories |
5 |
| Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters |
2 |
| Tile and Terrazzo Contractors |
3 |
| Tire Dealers |
7 |
| Tire Retreading |
1 |
| Title Abstract and Settlement Offices |
7 |
| Tobacco Stores |
2 |
| Tour Operators |
2 |
| Tradebinding and Related Work |
1 |
| Travel Agencies |
4 |
| Used Car Dealers |
6 |
| Used Household and Office Goods Moving |
3 |
| Used Merchandise Stores |
10 |
| Vending Machine Operators |
5 |
| Veterinary Services |
7 |
| Video Tape and Disc Rental |
11 |
| Vocational Rehabilitation Services |
8 |
| Voluntary Health Organizations |
6 |
| Warehouse Clubs and Supercenters |
1 |
| Wholesale Trade Agents and Brokers |
7 |
| Window Treatment Stores |
1 |
| Wired Telecommunications Carriers |
7 |
| Women's Clothing Stores |
15 |
| Wood Preservation |
1 |
| Zoos and Botanical Gardens |
1 |
As you drive around Duluth, you'll see that franchises make up a large percentage of local businesses. But is franchising the right option for you?
Making the right decision when choosing a company name is very important. There are many decisions you'll make now that you can change later, but changing a company name years down the road is not very easy. So, choose a good company name at the outset.
Even if the name doesn't do it by itself, many naming experts believe there should be a story behind the name that ties into your company mission.
On a final note, given that you are starting a business in Duluth, it's critical that you ensure that you will be the only Minnesota company using the business name you have chosen.
A business plan is vital in maximizing the prospects of your new company. Simply put, a business plan describes what you plan to do with the business and how you plan to do it. Not having a business plan is a recipe for disaster.
Whether your goal is to attract Duluth customers or you plan on selling elsewhere, you need a great marketing plan.
Good entrepreneurs recognize that they don't know everything.
Given that you are starting a business in Duluth, Minnesota, you will want to take advantage of the many programs available at nearby Minnesota universities, colleges and community colleges. We also suggest you look into networking organizations for Duluth entrepreneurs.
As an entrepreneur in Duluth, you won't be working for the boss anymore. You are the boss.
From this point on, you control your own destiny.
We are here to help Duluth businesses to be successful. We have a wealth of experience in business start-ups, financing, marketing, sales and more...and we've made all of our knowledge available to you.
Here are more links that we believe will help you be successful in starting a business in Duluth.