The city of New Ulm can boast many unique opportunities: Herman the German, The Grand Center for the Arts, Schell’s Brewery and now its own speakeasy. What is a speakeasy? According to the Urban Dictionary, Speakeasies are inspired by the hidden spots to get a drink during the Prohibition in the 1920s.
Jeremy and Jacque Whiteford met each other while attending college at Minnesota State University Moorhead. The two became partners in life, getting married, but didn’t know at the time they would also become partners in business.
Emily Green has a Bachelor’s of Science in History. Kim Ruby has a Bachelor’s of Science in Psychology. So it makes sense then, that the two friends would open up a unique art shop in the heart of Old Town Mankato. “Neither of us have any training in art or ceramics,” says Emily smiling. “But Kim is from Southern California and they have these type of studios everywhere out there.”
The space is cool, the enthusiasm of the director is infectious and the concept behind Mogwai Collaborative is starting to catch on. “We are not your run of the mill rentable office. We are a cool and inspiring atmosphere that you can use to come and work from for a day or monthly fee,” explains Stephanie Braun, director of Mogwai.
If there’s one thing that is evident about Jen True, it’s that she has a definite growth mindset. “After 15 years as a local residential sales agent, I decided to open a boutique real estate brokerage called True Real Estate. After just 2.5 years in operation we have satellite offices in Henderson, Lake Crystal, and Saint Peter,” says Jen True.
Toppers and Trailers Plus has expanded and opened a new location in Le Sueur. With a soft opening in January, the Le Sueur location officially held its grand opening in April. “In Mankato, we do not have great street traffic by our location but in Le Sueur, there are so many people that drive by the store daily. This location allows people to see all of the trailers we have on display,” says Ella Andreasen.
With the vision of bringing a high-end salon and spa to the eclectic mix of other locally-owned, niche businesses on St. Peter’s main drag, Emily Schoper and Ashley Stanley brought the vision into focus. “St. Peter was a no brainer for us. We wanted to set ourselves up for success in a community that has a lot of great small businesses.”
Randy Long is finally bringing to light, a dream he’s been harboring for more than 25 years: owning his own business. “My work life so far has been focused on serving others in some capacity, starting with growing up in my aunt and uncle’s clothing store,” he reflects.
Deborah Monacelli understands the biggest challenge for her new business is going to be helping others understand what it is she is offering. Everyone understands what a life coach does. Many have never heard of Reiki.
