If you’re looking for something concrete to do right now, this is it: eat out, grab coffee, or shop local on Thursday, Jan. 29. Across Seattle, dozens of businesses are turning an ordinary day of commerce into a way to support Minneapolis businesses that plan to close on Friday, Jan. 30 as part of a nationwide economic shutdown.

The shutdown is being promoted through the National Shutdown campaign, which is calling for people across the U.S. to participate in a day of “no work, no school, no shopping” to protest Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s violent actions and policies. “The people of the Twin Cities have shown the way for the whole country – to stop ICE’s reign of terror, we need to SHUT IT DOWN,” the campaign states on its website.

On Thursday, Jan. 29, more than 30 Seattle businesses will donate a portion of their day’s proceeds—which vary by business—to purchase gift cards for Minneapolis businesses. The goal is to help offset income those businesses expect to lose by closing on Friday in solidarity with the shutdown.

The Seattle effort is being organized by Spice Waala, the Indian street food restaurant co-owned by Uttam Mukherjee and Dr. Aakanksha Sinha. The couple were named among Seattle magazine’s Most Influential people of 2025 for their community-focused work and commitment to giving back.

Mukherjee says the effort is deeply personal.

“Aakanksha and I are first generation immigrants so seeing the devastation being caused by this administration, and feeling threatened every day, we want the people at the epicenter of this to know that they are not alone,” he says. “They are fighting for all of us and this is one way we are trying to support them.”

The Friday action follows a large economic blackout in Minneapolis last week on Jan. 23, when many shops closed and tens of thousands of residents withheld labor and spending to protest ICE raids in Minnesota.

Participating Seattle businesses include restaurants and bakeries  such as Atoma, Kamonegi, Musang, Off Alley, Ben’s Bread, Pufftown Bakehouse, Rachel’s Bagels & Burritos, Situ Tacos, Windy City Pie, Yalla, and dozens of others.

Some locations will also offer ways for customers to show support in our communities, including whistles, informational pamphlets, and stickers. “But most importantly,” the Spice Waala Instagram post adds, “we will all be standing in solidarity with our industry members in Minneapolis.”

For those unable to visit participating businesses on Thursday, Spice Waala has a donation option on its website. You can find a list of participating businesses here.

(Photo by Chad Davis Photography.)