Falling temperatures, blowing snow and dangerous travel conditions

MPR News helps you turn down the noise and build shared understanding. Turn up your support for this public resource and keep trusted journalism accessible to all. 

Turn Up Your Support

Nothing keeps a community together like a cup of coffee in the right setting.

In cities all over the Midwest, especially those where businesses have moved out and the people remaining aren't far behind, the town cafe holds it together.

Mankato has a lot more going for it than most communities, but even so, the Wagon Wheel Cafe has been a big part of the community's glue. The 

, the group of men who meet every morning at 9:30 a.m. to settle the world's problems, are proof of that.

Wally Haefner, who owned the place from 1952 to 1982 when he sold it to his son, Kevin, has died, the 

The Wagon Wheel even inspired a book. In 2012, Dave Engen, an associate professor at Minnesota State University-Mankato, produced "

," which documented the people of its community.

NewsCut

Bob Collins

Author

Nothing keeps a community together like a cup of coffee in the right setting. In cities all over the Midwest, especially those where businesses have moved out and the people remaining aren’t far behind, the town cafe holds it together.

In Mankato, local cafe serves coffee, community and memories

Go Deeper.

Like this?