Success Stories

For decades, Americans have preferred the convenience of one-stop-shopping for all of their groceries. But a growing consciousness in recent years about quality, buying local and knowing where food comes from has been driving a resurgence of small specialty shops nationwide.

Such small businesses can be quite successful, but they require considerable capital to launch. Often entrepreneurs with aspirations need an extra boost to get their businesses off the ground.

Fairmont Butcher Block is a prime example of this. Jeff Schmidt owns the retail meat and custom butcher shop that opened in February of 2017. He points to one of the reasons local butcher shops have been dwindling. “A lot of people get to retirement age and have no one to take over — there are not many people trained to take over,” he says.

Schmidt is grateful for the local support for his business. “I can’t hardly believe it or ask for much better,” he says. “The retail store is doing very well. I’m not hearing any negative feedback … Everybody who says something says something positive.”

Schmidt always wanted to own his butcher shop. He worked for Hy-Vee for 15 years, most of those managing the meat department. He also trained for meat cutting in Pipestone and spent 8 years working in a custom butcher shop in Lakefield, which helped him learn the intricacies of the craft.

A native of Okabena, Schmidt was in Fairmont one day and noticed the former Olson Locker butcher shop was for sale. He thought it had great potential. It was attractive from the outside but needed a complete remodel and new equipment. A substantial investment was required for it to become fully functional.

Schmidt approached a number of banks in town about a small business loan, but they were reluctant to take on the risk. Eventually, he appealed to the city and learned about the Fairmont Economic Development Authority (FEDA) revolving loan program.

This program helps new Fairmont businesses bridge common financing gaps with a reduced interest rate loan that can be used to purchase real estate, equipment and inventory.

Schmidt received a $75,000 from the fund. He also received a $75,000 grant from the State of Minnesota. This combined capital helped make his dream a reality.

The shop took about a year to remodel. “Nothing was up to code… When I came in, I gutted it from wall to wall and put in all new equipment,” says Schmidt. He invested in essentials such as a new refrigerator, walk-in cooler and freezer. The flooring, wall and ceilings were upgraded too.

Fairmont Butcher Block has just about anything you’d see in a supermarket, on a smaller scale, according to Schmidt. “What interests people most is that they know it’s done in-store. It’s not cut in a warehouse and pre-packed or injected to have a longer shelf life. It’s cut fresh in the store.”

Schmidt smokes meat in-house, which also sets him apart from grocery stores. And he does custom processing, which is in demand. In addition to hogs, cattle, lamb and sheep that customers buy from local farmers, he processes elk and deer for local hunters. He’s already booked well into next year for this custom processing.

Schmidt is grateful for the local support for his business. “I can’t hardly believe it or ask for much better,” he says. “The retail store is doing very well. I’m not hearing any negative feedback … Everybody who says something says something positive.”

Taking advantage of Tax Increment Financing, the Fairmont Realty Group, LLC demolished three blighted area houses and built seven, three-bedroom, multifamily rental housing units within walking distance of Fairmont’s historical downtown and local college campus. The redevelopment ensures that residents have access to the sort of safe, affordable housing that attracts workers and families of all income levels.

For a small town, Fairmont has a lot to offer. Life is good in the City of Lakes, which is helping attract young families and entice those who moved away to return.

Steve Dodge and his wife Lindsay are recent transplants. They moved to Fairmont in 2011, relocating from Mankato because Steve found a job opportunity he couldn’t pass up.

Dodge works as an engineer at 3M and his wife is an RN at the local clinic. They have four kids, ranging from 2 to 16 years old.

“Even for people who don’t play, it’s a nice social environment and a good way to meet people,” says Dodge.

They appreciate the small town feel of Fairmont and particularly like the area walking paths because they like to take family walks in the summer. Dodge says he’s noticed Fairmont has become more family friendly. “A lot of newer, younger couples are moving to town and becoming more active. We’ve seen some positive changes happening because of that, like playgrounds being built.”

Dodge advises newcomers to take a proactive approach to connect with people in the community. There are many opportunities, from arts events to school activities, churches and community education/recreation.

For the Dodges, co-ed adult athletics provided a great entry point for networking.

“Even for people who don’t play, it’s a nice social environment and a good way to meet people,” says Dodge.

The couple has built some wonderful relationships through volleyball and softball teams. As they continue to meet more people, Fairmont is feeling increasingly like home. “The town is becoming much smaller as we’re getting to know lots of people. We go to events and recognize people and have lots of good conversations,” Dodge says.

Mat Mahoney’s story is different from the Dodges. A Fairmont native, he moved away and recently returned to make a life in the area.

Mahoney graduated from Fairmont High School in 1999. He left for a number of years to pursue a degree in education in Mankato and then student teach. A long-term substitute job at the local high school brought him back.

The entry-level job opportunity led to a part time teaching job the following year. The subsequent year, Mahoney secured a full time job at Fairmont High School.

Now Mahoney is the activities director and head football coach for Fairmont High School. He oversees 21 different student teams, including athletics programs, band, choir and a variety of other student organizations and clubs. “There’s definitely never a dull moment and I like that,” he says.

Mahoney appreciates Fairmont’s small town atmosphere and reasonable cost of living. He notes the town has an array of activities to suit everyone, from shopping and dining in the historic downtown to theatre, sports and outdoor recreation.

“It’s a great place to raise family. It’s a safe community with a lot of opportunities for kids with the recreational aspect of having five lakes in the area as well as youth sports.”

Though he didn’t expect to stay in Fairmont, Mahoney says he’s pleased with how everything worked out. “I fell back in love with the town all over again, so it worked out pretty good for me,” he says.

Fairmont has small town charm with excellent amenities and quality of life. Find out more about why people are choosing to live here.

Zierke Built Manufacturing came to Fairmont in 2017 to relocate 30 full-time jobs to Fairmont and also generate an additional 30 full-time jobs over the next five years. Originally based in Winnebago, Minnesota, the family owned and operated business produces custom fabricated products for both domestic and international markets. The owners, who worked directly with the Fairmont Economic Development Authority (FEDA) to take advantage of Tax Abatement available through the City and Martin County, chose a large, underutilized U.S. Foods Building in the area. FEDA also got them access to Investment Fund Loan Application from the state of Minnesota so they could purchase state-of-the-art equipment.