The Randall Creamery, re-invented

{the Randall Creamery}

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There are few things that I like more than the comeback of small town America.  It often seems that the best days are behind them.  I will admit that I’m a proponent of forward progress, but I wonder, does progress have to come at the cost of country life?

I don’t have the answer, of course.  But I did have the pleasure this past weekend of discovering evidence of gentrification of a piece of property in a small town in northern Minnesota.  On County Highway 1, Randall, population 628, is about a two hour drive from Minneapolis.  It’s got a town hall, one grocery store, a gas station, a couple of cafés and plenty of open land.

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I’ve driven through Randall for years with my family on the way to our cabin about an hour’s drive further north.  Each time we cut through town, we’d pass a turn-of-the-century building that was once the town Creamery.  It’s a neat old brick building with plenty of charm.  For the last 20 years it’s looked abandoned.

When my mom and I drove through town over Memorial Day weekend, we noticed signs of life inside!  And we saw a sign hung on the building: “The Old Creamery Quilt Shop”.  We pulled off the road an into a parking area outside the building.  As we got out, we saw a man on a ladder painting one of the exterior walls.  When we couldn’t find an unlocked door, we asked him if the place was open.  “Nope,” he said, “not until June 1^st.”  Bummer.  Next week.

July 4^th weekend my boyfriend and I are on our way up to the cabin for a few days.  “Don’t forget to stop at the Randall Creamery,” my mom said as we were leaving to drive up north.

Stop we did.  The building has been restored, with the original tin ceilings in the main room, and the picturesque turret-like corner on the front containing bright quilting fabrics on shelving lining the hexagonal structure below the story-high windows looking out part of the town and the railroad tracks.

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My favorite part of the place is the coffee shop.  It was a perfect place to stop and get an iced coffee and escape the car for a few minutes.  While we were there, we scoped out the menu (Cappuccinos! Lattes! Freshly made sandwiches!) and noted the availability of free wi-fi.

Small town U.S.A.’s answer to Starbucks.  Hooray!!

À demain,

k.