Bill’s Imported Foods has been a beloved staple in the Uptown Minneapolis community since the early 1980s, when the Tirokomos family first started bringing unique foods and ingredients from around the world—especially authentic Greek and Mediterranean specialties—to local shoppers. Located at 721 W Lake St, our store has long been a go-to spot for hard-to-find items, fresh delights, and a warm, welcoming atmosphere that feels like home for many regulars. Like so many small businesses in Minneapolis, we’ve faced significant challenges in recent years. Since 2020, our store has unfortunately been targeted by multiple break-ins and acts of vandalism. These incidents have taken a real toll—on our resources, our sense of security, and our ability to serve you without interruption. Combined with the broader climate in the city, where many people are hesitant to venture downtown or to Uptown due to safety concerns, foot traffic has slowed dramatically. While we always prefer to rely on your visits and purchases rather than ask for help many loyal customers have been asking for other ways they can support us financially during this tough time. After careful thought, we’ve decided to open this GoFundMe. Your donations will go directly toward helping us cover essential costs—repairs from past damage, increased security measures to better protect the store, updated pos, and covering ongoing unforeseen expenses — so we can continue operating and serving the community we cherish.

At Bill’s Imported Foods, safety and comfort are our top priorities. We are a safe, friendly place to shop, where everyone is greeted with kindness and respect. Our smaller, community-focused setup allows us to cater personally to our customers’ needs—whether it’s recommending the perfect ingredient, sourcing something special just for you, or simply chatting about recipes and travels. We take every step to ensure a welcoming and secure environment so you can browse, shop, and enjoy without worry.

If you’ve enjoyed discovering rare cheeses, olives, spices, pastries, or other imported goodies here over the years—or if you’ve simply appreciated having a neighborhood gem like ours—your support now would mean the world. Even small contributions add up to help us weather this storm and keep bringing the world to your table in Uptown.

We’d still love nothing more than to see you walk through our doors (open Tuesday–Saturday, 9am–5pm). But if a donation feels right for you, know that every bit helps keep this community tradition alive.

Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for standing with us.

With gratitude,

The Team at Bill’s Imported Foods

721 W Lake St, Minneapolis, MN