Today we’d like to introduce you to John Peterson.
Hi John, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
As long as I can remember, my community has always been extremely important to me. After moving to St. Paul, I noticed my community was splintered – all we needed was a place where people could come and share a common experience. After a stroke in 2013, I decided that I could not take the separation from my community any longer so I took a leap of faith and opened up a coffee shop in my neighborhood with the hopes of bringing community back into my life.
I shared with my friends a story of a little yellowbird that my sister and I saw about the time my father passed away. First, she saw a yellow bird sitting on a tree outside his window as she was saying her last goodbyes to him. Next, I saw a little yellow bird when I was at breakfast the next morning with my sibilings. The third sighting of a little yellow bird was when I was on a hike with my kids and out of the bushes flew a little yellow bird. I told this story to the folks that I hired to name my shop, and they all stared at me and said, looks like you’ve got your name!
I took the name yellowbird and the memory of my father and mother and the house where I grew up and then I worked diligently to re-create the safe, welcoming, inviting space that we have now.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Ahh…no! Remember, I said we opened in the fall of 2019? The pandemic was right around the corner. When we were designated a vital business, I was scared. Scared because of the virus that was going around, scared because I had this young business, scared because of everything! But I simply kept my head down, focused on what it is that we do, and proceeded to do it to the best of my abilities. We shortened our hours, tightened payroll (nobody wanted to work, so it wasn’t that difficult to do but it fell on my shoulders to open the doors every single day for a number of months). I kept getting up, going to work, serving coffee, and the neighbors kept coming. I think everybody needed a sense of “normalcy” that yellowbird provided them – on their walks, on their breaks from work, on their quest to connect with people, yellowbird provided that for them.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I’m a firm believer in the power of the little guy/gal – the small business owners in the world that set out to accomplish a dream and somehow stay in business long enough to do just that. The world may indeed need the big box retailers and the internet delivery folks, but for me, I’ll gladly spend the extra $.25 on the independent shops than fall into the corporate consumerism.
I really believe with a solid head on your shoulders, a vision of what it is that you want to create, and some good old fashioned stick-to-itness, you can become a success.
Are there any apps, books, podcasts, blogs or other resources you think our readers should check out?
I listen to a variety of podcasts while working, I read a number of books, and have a number of friends and family members in my life – I don’t think that I can point to one as the resource that has helped me in my life – but I know that I take something (and I truly hope that I give something in return) from each of them.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.yellowbirdcoffeebar.com
- Instagram: yellowbirdcoffeebar
- Facebook: yellowbifrdcoffeebar
