Nestled in the driftless region of Minnesota, lies a charming community known as Lanesboro. A town accented by river valleys, rolling bluffs and woodlands, Lanesboro is home to a thriving population of around 700. The small-town atmosphere and natural beauty are part of what makes Lanesboro the Bed & Breakfast Capital of Minnesota. But for communities of this size, accessing fresh and varied grocery products often presents a challenge-or a long drive.
Caleb inside the Parkway Market & Coffeehouse
Married couple Caleb and Blake Lauritsen-Norby found themselves drawn to Lanesboro’s natural beauty on their first visit. Despite being happily settled in Minneapolis, visiting Lanesboro gave the couple a special feeling. Both having been raised in small communities, Lanesboro felt like home. The two made the move from an urban corporate lifestyle to romantic small-town living in 2013.
Taking advantage of the lower cost of real estate in rural Minnesota, Caleb and Blake purchased a lovely farmstead on the outskirts of town. Blake continued his job in the Healthcare Technology Industry while Caleb continued to grow his Lego business Planet Brick. But the couple didn’t stop there. Caleb and Blake were called to expand their entrepreneurialism to serve their new community by providing access to fresh produce and grocery goods.
Lanesboro had been without a supermarket for eight years, so when the two opened Parkway Market and Coffeehouse in 2017, it was a meaningful addition to downtown. With the help of a Small Enterprise Loan from Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation (SMIF) and loan partner CEDA, Caleb and Blake were able to update the building’s equipment and reintroduce fresh local food to Lanesboro. “SMIF was a key partner in getting a grocery store going in Lanesboro and in our ability to acquire and expand it,” Caleb said. The building is large enough to boast a beautiful array of quality grocery products on the ground level, while also hosting ample space on the upper level to support the operational needs of Planet Brick.
Parkway Market & Coffeehouse
This type of flexibility is key for the couple’s success and sustainability. When COVID-19 swept across the nation, the value of the cooperation between the two businesses came clearly into focus. Being able to bridge the financial gap caused by COVID with a steady online business allowed Caleb to continue to provide access to fresh produce for his community in a time when it was desperately needed. If Parkway Market and Coffeehouse were to close, there would be nowhere in town to buy a banana or a head of lettuce.
Lack of access to healthy food is an issue during the best times, but during a pandemic Parkway Market and Coffeehouse plays an essential role in serving the community and protecting public health. “We have many regular customers who are at really high risk of complications from COVID-19, and we’ve heard from several of them just how important it is that we keep doing what we’re doing,” said Caleb. In towns like Lanesboro, each community member plays a unique and vitally important part in supporting the welfare of the town. The role Caleb and Blake played in the community was one of nourishment.
Parkway Market & Coffeehouse
For Caleb, the benefits of doing business in rural Minnesota are plentiful. Caleb notes not only the affordability of real estate but the kindness and generosity of his customers. “People are patient,” he explained. “People are appreciative. People are willing to let me make mistakes. If we were living in a bigger city where we weren’t as closely connected to our customers, having a difficult year like 2020 was, we may have lost a lot more customers instead of helping them adapt to what we do”.
Their success was achieved because of their rural location, rather than despite it. And Caleb and Blake aren’t the only young professionals thinking of making the move to rural living. Caleb has observed a change in recent years regarding an increased interest in small-town living. Working remotely has become a reality for millions of Americans, and with that comes the flexibility to live wherever they’d like. Thanks to The Border to Border Grant Program, Lanesboro boasts incredible high-speed fiber internet, making remote work a simple and speedy affair.
Communities like Lanesboro offer Minnesotans like Caleb and Blake the unique opportunity to live a tranquil lifestyle based in nature, while still participating in the fast-paced global economy. With a dozen state parks within an hour’s drive, a welcoming community and excellent internet access, it’s a perfect place to build a life and start a business. “Here we are at the end of a dead-end mile-long road and we have internet that’s faster than anything we ever had in Minneapolis,” said Caleb. “That’s a huge economic development tool in my mind”. Without access to fiber internet, a transition like this would not have been possible for the previously city-based couple.
Caleb found a calling in “bringing good food to good people” and he and Blake have found a robust community in rural Minnesota. In this modern world, people are empowered to work where they live. And if a person can live and work anywhere, of course, they’ll choose to live where they love to be. For Caleb and Blake, that place is Lanesboro.
This story is part of our Love Where You Live story series showcasing why people love living and working in southern Minnesota. To learn more about the benefits of living and working in Greater Minnesota, check out the cost of living tool from the Center for Rural Policy and Development. To learn more about our Love Where You Live campaign, visit smifoundation.org/lovewhereyoulive.
