Minnesota small business report: Older entrepreneurs try their hand at brewing in Chisago City
Brad Klatt at Uncommon Loon Brewing Company
Chris Farrell | MPR News
The National Small Business Week awards ceremony for Minnesota was held at the Landmark Center in downtown St. Paul. And a special award, the Encore Entrepreneur Award, went to the owners of Uncommon Loon Brewing Company in Chisago City.
That award celebrates founders who stated a business after the age of 50. MPR News’ Chris Farrell visited the Brewery to speak to it's founders John Cariveau, Bradley Klatt and Mark Skoglund. He joined MPR News host Cathy Wurzer to talk about it.
Use the audio player above to listen to the full conversation.
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Audio transcript
CATHY: Here at Minnesota Now, we like to highlight small businesses. And we've been checking in with NPR's senior economics contributor Chris Farrell about the latest business news in Minnesota. This week, we're going to Chisago City. Now, earlier this month, the National Small Business Week awards ceremony for Minnesota was held at the Landmark Center in downtown Saint Paul. And a special award, the encore entrepreneur award, went to the owners of Uncommon Loon Brewing Company in Chisago City.
That award celebrates founders who started a business after the age of 50. So naturally, our Chris Farrell visited the brewery to speak to its founders, John Caribou, Bradley Klatt, and Mark Skoglund. So Chisago City-- I bet you probably have not been there. Tell me about the brewery.
CHRIS: So it was wonderful. I mean, there are so many ages there. It's in an old firehouse with an attached community center. And you walk in and there are kids running around after the baseball game or after the soccer tournament. And there are people out on the patio and very convivial atmosphere. And naturally, I had a beer. And we met out on the patio with Brad Klatt, who's one of the co-founders.
CATHY: Glad you had a beer at least. That's good. Many, many business owners have this dream. Many people have the dream of starting a business. And you think, well, should I do this now when I'm young. And you don't really find many people who do it after the age of 50. So tell me a little bit about what Brad mentioned. What did he say about that?
CHRIS: So he commuted for years. And he would go to commute to downtown Saint Paul. He's an engineer. And he was at his retirement party in 2016. And he wore a t-shirt, Cathy, with the words, "Of course I have a retirement plan. I'll be brewing beer." So here's what Brad told me when we talked on the patio of Uncommon Loon.
BRAD: Every home brewer kind of thinks, maybe my beer is good enough that I could actually make a living at it. And I think most do. And it was getting close to retirement. And I wasn't really ready to play golf.
CATHY: I bet not. The brewery industry though, Chris-- gosh, it's really crowded. How is Chisago City supporting this brewery?
CHRIS: So one of the ironies is that before they actually had the idea, it turns out that the township, the area had done a study about one of the things that they needed was a brewery to make the area add to its attractions. And so the three founders, they put together this business plan of course. And then the town leaders offered a lot of support. I mean, the founders worked with a local banker, a local lawyer, a local accountant, just to name a few. And they got support from local political and economic development leadership. And here's Brad on the push to get the firehouse and community buildings-- about 11,000 square feet in total-- when they learned it was for sale.
BRAD: And I thought to myself, if I don't do this, if I don't take this opportunity right now, I'll regret it. And I don't live my life with regrets. I try not to. So seize the day, seize the opportunity. And I did. Was able to work with the city to purchase this property, my partners and I. And yeah, it ends up being just a perfect building for a brewery.
CATHY: It does sound like it would be a cool building for a brewery. So I'm glad he's got that mindset to seize the opportunity. Because we're not here forever. You do what you need to do before you can't. Which leads me to this question, Chris. I mean, starting a business after age 50-- there aren't many people that do that. I mean, isn't it riskier than starting a business when you're younger?
CHRIS: So we had this image that, of course, you're an entrepreneur when you're younger, just as you said. And a lot of it has to do with Silicon Valley and Mark Zuckerberg and Jack Dorsey, the founder of Twitter, Mark Zuckerberg of Facebook. But here's the thing, Cathy. More and more people after the age of 50, in the second half of life, are starting a business. And this is a growing trend. And it's been growing over time.
CATHY: Before you go, I'm curious about those who have developed a business after the age of 50. I'm assuming they're tapping into networks. Talk a little bit about that perhaps. Maybe they're in a stronger financial position to fund the business.
CHRIS: So one of the reasons why-- so according to the Kauffman Foundation, about a quarter of all new businesses are started by people the 55 to 64-year-old age group. And that's up from about 14%, 15% back in 1996. And you just hit on it. Some of the advantages are they have developed networks. They have skill. They have experience. They have industry contacts.
And their household finances are probably a little more stable, a little better. Now, remember, a brewery-- that is actually expensive to start. Most of the businesses that people are starting after age 50, the office is a room in their home. It's intensive in terms of time and their knowledge, their skill, their experience, but they're not spending a whole lot of money to start that business.
CATHY: OK, before you go, I'm really happy that folks are rethinking their definition of retirement, which is something that you've long talked about.
CHRIS: Exactly. I call it retirement.
CATHY: Yes, good for you. OK, I'm glad we got you on the air. We'll have you back, OK?
CHRIS: OK, thanks a lot.
CATHY: Chris Farrell, senior economics contributor for NPR and Marketplace.
That award celebrates founders who started a business after the age of 50. So naturally, our Chris Farrell visited the brewery to speak to its founders, John Caribou, Bradley Klatt, and Mark Skoglund. So Chisago City-- I bet you probably have not been there. Tell me about the brewery.
CHRIS: So it was wonderful. I mean, there are so many ages there. It's in an old firehouse with an attached community center. And you walk in and there are kids running around after the baseball game or after the soccer tournament. And there are people out on the patio and very convivial atmosphere. And naturally, I had a beer. And we met out on the patio with Brad Klatt, who's one of the co-founders.
CATHY: Glad you had a beer at least. That's good. Many, many business owners have this dream. Many people have the dream of starting a business. And you think, well, should I do this now when I'm young. And you don't really find many people who do it after the age of 50. So tell me a little bit about what Brad mentioned. What did he say about that?
CHRIS: So he commuted for years. And he would go to commute to downtown Saint Paul. He's an engineer. And he was at his retirement party in 2016. And he wore a t-shirt, Cathy, with the words, "Of course I have a retirement plan. I'll be brewing beer." So here's what Brad told me when we talked on the patio of Uncommon Loon.
BRAD: Every home brewer kind of thinks, maybe my beer is good enough that I could actually make a living at it. And I think most do. And it was getting close to retirement. And I wasn't really ready to play golf.
CATHY: I bet not. The brewery industry though, Chris-- gosh, it's really crowded. How is Chisago City supporting this brewery?
CHRIS: So one of the ironies is that before they actually had the idea, it turns out that the township, the area had done a study about one of the things that they needed was a brewery to make the area add to its attractions. And so the three founders, they put together this business plan of course. And then the town leaders offered a lot of support. I mean, the founders worked with a local banker, a local lawyer, a local accountant, just to name a few. And they got support from local political and economic development leadership. And here's Brad on the push to get the firehouse and community buildings-- about 11,000 square feet in total-- when they learned it was for sale.
BRAD: And I thought to myself, if I don't do this, if I don't take this opportunity right now, I'll regret it. And I don't live my life with regrets. I try not to. So seize the day, seize the opportunity. And I did. Was able to work with the city to purchase this property, my partners and I. And yeah, it ends up being just a perfect building for a brewery.
CATHY: It does sound like it would be a cool building for a brewery. So I'm glad he's got that mindset to seize the opportunity. Because we're not here forever. You do what you need to do before you can't. Which leads me to this question, Chris. I mean, starting a business after age 50-- there aren't many people that do that. I mean, isn't it riskier than starting a business when you're younger?
CHRIS: So we had this image that, of course, you're an entrepreneur when you're younger, just as you said. And a lot of it has to do with Silicon Valley and Mark Zuckerberg and Jack Dorsey, the founder of Twitter, Mark Zuckerberg of Facebook. But here's the thing, Cathy. More and more people after the age of 50, in the second half of life, are starting a business. And this is a growing trend. And it's been growing over time.
CATHY: Before you go, I'm curious about those who have developed a business after the age of 50. I'm assuming they're tapping into networks. Talk a little bit about that perhaps. Maybe they're in a stronger financial position to fund the business.
CHRIS: So one of the reasons why-- so according to the Kauffman Foundation, about a quarter of all new businesses are started by people the 55 to 64-year-old age group. And that's up from about 14%, 15% back in 1996. And you just hit on it. Some of the advantages are they have developed networks. They have skill. They have experience. They have industry contacts.
And their household finances are probably a little more stable, a little better. Now, remember, a brewery-- that is actually expensive to start. Most of the businesses that people are starting after age 50, the office is a room in their home. It's intensive in terms of time and their knowledge, their skill, their experience, but they're not spending a whole lot of money to start that business.
CATHY: OK, before you go, I'm really happy that folks are rethinking their definition of retirement, which is something that you've long talked about.
CHRIS: Exactly. I call it retirement.
CATHY: Yes, good for you. OK, I'm glad we got you on the air. We'll have you back, OK?
CHRIS: OK, thanks a lot.
CATHY: Chris Farrell, senior economics contributor for NPR and Marketplace.
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