The St. Michael Economic Development Authority (EDA) approved a $30,000 transaction that will pave the way for one of the community’s newest amenities, a Dunn Bros. Coffee shop.
The new coffee “cafe” will be built-to-suit by R.J. Marco development, the same group that is currently constructing the new Goodyear location in St. Michael, which is also a “built-to-suit” project that will become locally owned.
The Dunn Bros. store, which was finalized Wednesday at the EDA, will be owned by St. Michael resident Matt Kammann, who has attended the past two meetings with the panel to discuss the project. Kammann, who currently works as a general manager for Funk Seed of Indiana, has a background in hospitality and said it’s been a desire of his to own something closer to his home on the south side of the community.
“Right now, there’s a lot of travel and I have a wife and child, so I’d like to get closer to home,” he told the EDA. “I know starting a business will be a lot of work, but I’ll be able to sleep at home every night.”
The 18,000 square foot plot, which sits in between the “One Way Pair” in downtown St. Michael, was sold for $30,000 to R.J. Marco, pending some alterations of the purchase agreement and some signatures. The plot will have to leave room for a possible monument sign or, as proposed last year, a Veterans Memorial sponsored by the St. Michael American Legion, which was a topic of some discussion at this meeting.
The store will have more than a “coffee shop” feel, Kammann said. His plan is to acquire a beer and wine license so the store can sell alcoholic beverages during the evening, and to provide live entertainment on a patio that is planned for the location.
But, as most Dunn Bros. store do, the shop will roast beans on site for both use in the shop and for purchase, and will provide a drive-up for commuters using Highway 241 both to get to work and to get home.
“My one concern with the shop here has always been stacking of vehicles,” said St. Michael Mayor Jerry Zachman. “I mean, it’d be a good problem to have, but if you’re leaving cars out on the street, people aren’t going to be OK with that.”
Kammann and Reg Plowman of RJ Marco both said at the public hearing Wednesday their studies show the ability to accommodate cars even at peak traffic hours, with the ability to have two drive up lanes moving through the location, if necessary.
“We can adapt, if it’s a problem,” Plowman said.
Once the purchase agreement is signed, R. J. Marco would need to submit a development plan to the city’s Planning Commission, which doesn’t meet again until February. That panel would discuss everything from driveway access and building features to parking and utility improvements.
Kamamann said he’s fine with construction starting once the frost is out of the ground, with a planned opening for the shop to arrive in late summer 2015.