Today we’d like to introduce you to Maddie McMahon.
Hi Maddie, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
After Covid hit, I began taking all my classes online or at Century College. I enjoyed the flexibility that online school allowed me. I began working at The Wild Bean in 2021 during the spring of my Junior year of High School. I really took to the job and enjoyed the atmosphere. In January of 2022, the previous owner of the shop started having health issues and moved away while still owning the shop. This left me running the shop, doing everything from ordering supplies to doing bank runs. Even though I was incredibly busy with school work, playing Varsity hockey, and working full time at the coffee shop, I loved working there. A couple months later I made an offer to my boss and bought the shop in March of 2022. The first year was incredibly successful. I gradually made changes to the shop over that time. I completely changed the decor, improved ingredients we used and updated our online accounts. During the summer of 2023, I received the news that the landlords were looking to sell the building. I had the first right of refusal, and I knew that there were many people interested in buying the building with the intention of running the coffee shop after my lease was up. Originally I had no interest in buying the building; I figured it wasn’t possible, but I knew I would lose the shop if I didn’t purchase the building. The biggest issue, was that I had to also purchase the next door building which hosted a Massage Parlor at the time. The price was extremely daunting, but I met with dozens of people looking for advice of how to go about the purchase, and was eventually able to work out a Contract for Deed with the former landlords. I had no interest in being a traditional landlord, so I spent the next few months waiting for the Massage Parlor’s lease to run out and brainstorming how I could use that space to better my business. I came to the conclusion that a bakery would be the perfect fit, and not just any bakery, I had heard from so many people around the coffee shop about this young women named Elouise, who was an incredibly talented baker and entrepreneur. I contacted her though instagram, she came to look at the space the same day. Within a week we were drawing up plans. Over this past summer (2024), she turned the former massage parlor into a beautiful space and we added a conjoining door to officially connect the spaces.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I explained some of the biggest struggles I faced in my previous answer, but let me know if you want me to go into further detail or talk about other struggles:)
As you know, we’re big fans of The Wild Bean. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
My coffee shop is called The Wild Bean. It is located in downtown Mahtomedi. The location has been a coffee shop for over 20 years, however it has gone though many owners. I am the first owner to also own the building and partner with the adjoining bakery (350 Degrees Bakery). We maximize our small space by packing our menu with fun and creative drinks, our most popular being the smores cold brew! We utilize our patio during the summer as much as we can by filling it with tables, sidewalk chalk, and space for our favorite four legged customers to enjoy their pup cups. We have also hosted a couple of dog adoption events on our patio in which we have vendors and foster dogs available to adopt!
We also offer catering for large events and a mobile coffee stand that is available to rent!
I am most proud of our the growth in customers and community we have built over the last 2 1/2 years. When you come to The Wild Bean, you can always expect a quality cup of coffee and friendly staff.
What was your favorite childhood memory?
One of my favorite childhood memories is skating in my backyard in the rink my dad made for my sister and I. I started playing hockey later than my teammates and was determined to quickly catch up. But it never felt like work, I loved skating with my dad and sister, passing the puck around and shooting under the flood lights.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.thewildbeanmahtomedi.com/
- Instagram: thewildbeancoffeeshop
