Will Minster

Background

About Will Minster

Will Minster was the fourth generation of his family’s 123-year-old-jewelry business, Minster’s Jewelers. He owned and operated the Wilmington location for 25 years until he decided to devote his time to community revitalization. Previously the president of the Downtown Business Association as well as a board member of both Wilmington Renaissance Corporation and Downtown Visions. Will was a founding member of Main Street Wilmington in 2007. From 2011 to August 2017, Will held dual roles at Wilmington’s Downtown Business Improvement District, also known as Downtown Visions, as Director of Business Development and Program Manager for Main Street Wilmington. He brought the retail and small business background that was needed to the revitalization leadership of Downtown Wilmington. Will created and managed the Façade Improvement Program of Main Street Wilmington and restored 50 building facades and awarded 60 grants to small businesses in Downtown Wilmington. Duties also included grant writing, small business consultation, event management and overseeing the marketing of Downtown Wilmington as a destination. Will served on the board of the New Castle County Board of Realty in 2016, joined Patterson Woods Commercial Properties as a licensed agent in January of 2017 and decided to work full time assisting businesses on site location, lease negotiations, property sales and leasing, accessing grants, government regulations and permitting, marketing and much more. Will has extensive knowledge in grant writing for small business and has secured rebates for property owners in Downtown Development Districts through Delaware State Housing Authority. Will continues to volunteer consultation to communities throughout Wilmington along with assisting small businesses and property owners. In January 2019 will was invited to join the team at The West End Neighborhood House as director of Launcher Business Resources, a small business education program offering a twelve week course teaching the skills to start a business or restructure an existing in impoverished neighborhoods in Delaware. Consultation and technical assistance is offered throughout and after the course. Will’s background in retail, nonprofit, commercial real estate and connections to the greater community are exactly what is needed to advance the micro, small business, and Mom & Pop businesses. “I love Wilmington and will always offer my skills to help.”