Every day we have a choice. We can support an up and coming podcaster, try a new family-run restaurant, join a boutique gym started by a local fitness champ or we could keep giving away our money to the handful of giants who already control so much of our commerce. Our daily decisions impact the kind world we live in; if we want a world where small businesses are growing and artists and creatives are thriving then we should support them with our time, money and attention. We’re proud to highlight inspiring creatives and entrepreneurs each week in Hidden Gems series. Check out some of our latest local gem features below.
Scott Graden
Educating the community about quality and food has always been at the core of Chef Graden’s philosophy. At one point, the notion of serving goat cheese in Northern Minnesota was a far reach. The Pistachio Crusted Goat Cheese Salad was far from Northern fare in 1999; today it’s a café favorite. Chef Graden continues to introduce new ingredients to the Northern palette; from Ostrich en Croute to Tuna Niçoise. Seasonally, you may find Sashimi Tuna Tacos and Black Mission Figs in a warm Brown Butter Maple with Danish Blue cheese on the menu, and in the Spring, an Asparagus Flan with Morels with English Peas. Read more>>
Kirsten Bjorklund
This put the painting and renovations we wanted to do on hold for awhile. We also applied for a loan through the south west initiative foundation to help with replacing the windows in the front and replacing all the rotted wood. We are still waiting for that project to get done, which is probably the biggest struggle for me as I’m not very patient. Lot’s of minor building repairs with leaky hoses, toilet repair and putting flooring in one of the rooms. There all very basic but in the moment you feel like what else could go wrong. The stress of did i fill out my license application right. Having to wait to get your salon license to open even though your ready. Read more>>
Lucy (AKA Mother Lucyfer) Suarez
I ended up in a relationship that, quite honestly, drained the light out of me. Financially, emotionally, mentally—it was a storm I had to survive. I left retail and started working in family court for the State of Minnesota. I’m forever grateful for what I learned there (I mean, I did my own divorce, no lawyer, for free… so shout out to government resources), but I quickly realized I was not built for the 9-to-5 life. Like… you’re telling me I can’t take a vacation just because I don’t have vacation time? Be serious. Read more>>
Los Chakaleños
Los Chakaleños is a musical project based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, that officially formed in March of 2025. The band, composed of Bertin Alvillar (first voice and bajo quinto), Joaquin Delgado-Ortiz (second voice and accordion), Ulises Meza (bass), and Luis Teletor Jr. (drums) play a popular-music genre of the Northern region of Mexico known as “Norteño”. This genre of music developed in the late 19th century as a mix of regional Mexican music and the folk music of German, Polish, and Czech migrant workers and immigrants to Mexico. Read more>>
Zachariah Jones
I got mixed reactions from agents, as paranormal and horror are not for everyone. I got a few offers, but each of them came with concessions and losing my creative rights. So, I undertook a large task of forming my own publishing company to help bring my own work to life, but this is more to help bring other author’s work to life too! Plus, after I started publishing my books, I received rave reviews from Kirkus (listed Chasing Shadows as a must read) and currently hold 4.69 stars as an author on Goodreads! With both critics and readers enjoying my work, it confirms to me that I made the right choice in pushing through these first obstacles. Read more>>
Keara Bailey
Smooth, I wish! From competitors using our photos to customers asking why their zipper says YKK instead of their initials, no two days are the same. We are also a fairly seasonal business with moments of activity throughout the years. Valentines Day, Dads/Grads, and back to school are busy periods, but nothing compares to Q4 where we are doing thousands of monogrammed orders per day! Read more>>
Chris Zenner
Many challenges with preowned timepieces. You have to be vigilant and never let your guard down all the time. From spotting fakes, to determining the watches internal working condition online, finding trusting sources for watchmaking, accessories, knowing every manufacturers definition of what makes a “complete set. For example in case something was missing in the packaging, seeing to it all shipping is fully insured via shipping partner determining what is OEM vs aftermarket accessories, to buying at the right price/sell at the right price, growing a client base, the need to wear many different hats as a small business and so much more to name a few challenges Read more>>
Amy Bendtsen
I am just starting out so cant say too much but it for sure has been a bumpy road. I am working on this in my very limited free time between grad school, working, fostering dogs, and sewing. So with limited time to dedicate to it, I have had a hard time getting client bookings. I sort of expected this though, and it is part of the reason I wanted to start now to slowly build up to being more busy. Hoping it gets smoother in the future! Read more>>
Lauren Lobanoff
But for a long time, I let that dream sit on the back burner, waiting for the “right” time to start. It wasn’t until my senior year of high school that I decided to buy a little point-and-shoot camera just for fun. One day, when I was bored, I asked two of my friends if they’d model for a shoot, and from the moment I picked up that camera, something just clicked. I felt so much joy and knew deep down that there was something special there. Read more>>
Maggie Kirkwood
What I experienced is backed by science. Research has shown that psilocybin can support neuroplasticity, reduce symptoms of depression and addiction, and help people find clarity and meaning. And long before modern studies, this medicine was used in sacred ways across cultures for thousands of years. We are not inventing something new. We are remembering something ancient. Read more>>
Rachel Masica Ipina
I’m based in Minneapolis and I’ve built Memorable Glassworks as a way to share this work, while raising two small kids and navigating a life that’s changed a lot in the last few years. I create everything myself, renting time at a community glass studio as I work toward building one of my own. There’s been loss, burnout, and a full restart, but this work keeps pulling me back. It gives me purpose, and I think it offers something meaningful to the people who find me too. Read more>>
Kenneth Zierman
The idea worked, and eventually I had team of aces surrounding me, playing the songs I had written and recorded by myself. I’ve always wanted to be in a legit “band,” so once the lineup was right and it felt like everyone was on the same page, we started “The Cameras”. We’ve been writing, performing, and recording in the Twin Cities for less than two years, and already it’s been my favorite period of making music, ever. These days I can just play guitar and synth and sing and let the other fellas handle the rest. We plan on recording a full length album soon. I’m happy to have taken those couple of riffs off my dad and to have kept the wheels spinning. Read more>>
Karla Wolford
In the early days, the business wasn’t profitable, and I often went without paying myself. My focus was on building something authentic, sustainable, and impactful. Today, my goal is not only to ensure our staff is paid, but to continually elevate the level of coaching and care we provide. Like many small businesses, we faced immense challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic, enduring two shutdowns and navigating uncharted territory. But through resilience and creativity, we pivoted quickly, keeping our community connected and our mission alive. Read more>>
Julie Phaxay
I decided to go back to school at MCAD thinking I’d pivot into web and multimedia design. Around that time, I stumbled into the world of beauty through YouTube tutorials and completely fell in love with makeup. I started practicing on friends, doing weddings, and slowly built a portfolio by doing test shoots with local models and photographers. Things took off quickly. Within my first year, I signed with an agency and began working on commercial shoots for brands like Target, 3M, Mpls St Paul Magazine, and even Vogue. Read more>>
Jay Schlie
The photos were inside, they were blurry, dark, over exposed and photos of nothing. Maybe one or two was alright, I think of the family dog. It however sparked my imagination. Once I got my first bike, I was off on adventures. Often taking photos of different places my bike would take me. Soon I got into BMX racing and that led to traveling to more new places. Then came the ramps and working with wood for the first time. Building the ramps was an introduction of taking nothing and turning it into something. Thanks to my parents for allowing him to have ramps. The photos were getting a little better. Read more>>
Elizabeth Harrington
A license in acupuncture in Minnesota requires a Master’s degree and three national boards. It was odd to find myself in graduate school with many of my peers half my age. I struggled already with a brain which liked to make its own path. It was not easy to learn a completely different medical model and way of viewing the human experience. I often felt like I did not fit in. I frequently doubted myself. Spoiler alert: all those struggles are now my strengths in private practice. Read more>>
