Abstract

Several arts-based projects are underway in downtown Kenosha with hopes of revitalizing downtown and building an arts community. While these efforts are to be commended, it is not currently known if Kenosha could support a larger arts community, or sustain what sociologist Richard Florida would call a large creative class. Florida outlines that a city requires technology, talent, and tolerance to become home to a large creative class, and these requirements have not been applied to Kenosha to see if it could host a large creative class. This research seeks to address the third criteria through an individual qualitative lens separate from Florida’s methodology. Several informal interviews were conducted with people active in the downtown revitalization efforts, and one formal interview with Mike Bjorn, owner of Mike Bjorn’s Fine Clothing. The existence and continued success of Mike Bjorn’s Fine Clothing in a suboptimal location and in a highly competitive industry suggests that Kenosha has some degree of tolerance not shown in statistics.