If you go looking for quality gumbo, you might be surprised to find that your search leads to St. Joseph. What’s your favorite Louisiana dish in central Minnesota? It happens to be a specialty of Krewe Restaurant, which opened in 2020.
Krewe and the nearby bakery known as Flour & Flower are run by an ambitious and idealistic couple, Mateo Mackbee and Erin Lucas. Their vision combines social justice, healthy food, and a farm-to-table business model. Speaking of which, in addition to the bakery and restaurant, they also started a farm.
If their story sounds familiar, it may be because it was picked up by The St. Cloud Times and The Star Tribune, among many other news outlets. From his extensive 2020 feature article in The New York Times, you might find that no one expects much from an interesting business launch in Greater Minnesota. But we who live here know the truth. Our environment is one where new business can thrive.
I’m not just talking about Saint Joseph. Across the state, smaller communities enjoy many advantages when it comes to businesses and the talented people who drive their success. To name just a few:
- low cost of living. A study by the Center for Rural Policy and Development found that wages are higher in rural Minnesota because they pay less for housing, taxes, childcare, and more.
- Quality living with instant access to outdoor amenities.
- Thankfully stress-free commuting and better broadband, so to speak, “making the commute irrelevant.”
Of course, business owners in Greater Minnesota have homework to do. They need a viable business model, an understanding of the market, and a willingness to work hard. During this period of low unemployment, you may need to adopt creative approaches to attracting talent, such as creating a culture that truly values your employees and the diverse talent they bring.
McBee and Lucas know hard work better than anyone. Lucas told interviewers that he basically lives in the bakery.In addition to all his other business and community activities, Mackbee also spends time serving Central Minnesota as a board member of the Initiative Foundation. is also provided.
Part of their motivation comes from a sense of mission. They wanted to help demonstrate the value of a diverse workforce. We also wanted to bring in young people of color from our twin cities to experience life on the farm. They help build community. It’s a fitting pursuit for a business named Krewe, inspired by the social clubs that form the fabric of New Orleans’ festival culture.
Other business owners in Greater Minnesota clearly have a very different experience. They are familiar with the challenges and benefits of setting up shop here. They are the world’s leading experts on what it’s like to be a rural entrepreneur in our state.
You’ll hear some of their stories when the Rural Voice series holds a town hall meeting in Krewe, St. Joseph on September 20th. For more information, visit ruralvoice.org. It promises to be an inspiring conversation on a topic essential to the future of rural Minnesota. Please join us.
― Matt Varilek is president of the Initiative Foundation, which provides grants, loans and capacity building programs to foster greater prosperity in 14 counties and two sovereign First Nations countries in Central Minnesota.