With earth finally moving on the easternmost end of the St. Michael One-Way Pair, Dunn Brothers moves closer to joining the community business scene.
The 18,500 square-foot development, led by contractor R.J. Marco and soon-to-be owned by Matt Kammann, the coffee shop hopes to be more than just a purveyor of hot beverages. According to Kammann, Dunn Brothers will offer something the community hasn’t had before, and has long wanted.
“I think if you look at the overall scope of the business, it’s something people here definitely saw as a need, and that was a place to gather, to have a cup of coffee or a drink, and relax. I think with St. Michael, you have an area that’s really been overlooked, in a lot of people’s eyes. And this is a business people really were hoping for,” Kammann said.
Acknowledging there are other coffee shops, Dunn Brothers, Kammann said, will be more. With fresh salads, sandwiches and soups, the shop will be a solid lunch spot. At night, it will have a full slate of drinks on the menu, from martinis to mochas, bottled water to bottles of beer.
“If you look at our demographics here, this is a population that’s familiar with this kind of business, but doesn’t really have it as an option here in St. Michael,” Kammann, who has been in and out of the hospitality industry since graduating high school, said. His experience includes time with Carlson Management Services in the Twin Cities.
While the project is build-to-suit, Kammann found great partners, he said, in both RJ Marco and Dunn Brothers. Marco recently completed the Goodyear project in St. Michael, and also has led projects in Albertville.
Dunn Brothers, Kammann said, presented itself as a great partner because of its flexibility, as a brand, and because of its recent resurgence in coffee markets.
“To have the flexibility to do more than coffee, tea and a couple of different foods was key. We really wanted to be able to present the adult beverage options and they were the most appealing when it came to that. It’s an established brand, but it’s one that has change a lot since its days here before,” he said.
Dunn Brothers did have a run at the Albertville Premium Outlets, but left the scene after owners pulled up stakes. Location, mostly, hurt the business, Kammann said in his evaluation of why the Albertville spot shut down.
“We could have rented, but having our own building seemed like the best option, and this property is really meant for a business like this,” he added, pointing to that strip of land between the two one-way highways.
And 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.
The shop will feature a variety of craft beers on eight different taps. Season cocktails will be made to order. And Dunn Brothers will feature breakfast, lunch and dinner options, as well as a kids menu.
The interior, Kammann said, will have a “rustic” feel, with a fireplace, steel/metal looks and lots of seating. There will be a meeting room walled off, as well.
For up-to-date information, follow Dunn Brothers Coffee, St. Michael on Facebook.