Photo: The Minnesotan
With a new self-serve tap concept, The Minnesotan is a game day destination.
Visitors to a downtown White Bear Lake staple can treat themselves to a cold drink and a classic hospitality experience. Featuring 20 beverage options including beer, wine, ciders and crafted cocktails by Tattersall Distilling, The Minnesotan’s self-serve taproom is one of few of its kind in the Metro area. Visitors can relax with friends, watch a live sports game and even host gatherings.
“It’s conducive for a retail environment, and we felt it was a great way for us to evolve, refresh and stay relevant,” owner Corey Roberts says.
Roberts has an eye for opportunity. Back in 2018, he opened The Minnesotan as a retail store featuring apparel that celebrates all things Minnesota and White Bear Lake. The shop features exclusive designs and limited runs, taking customers—both local and visiting—down memory lane.
“We’ve become a go-to destination,” Roberts says, adding he meets people from all over the state and country who come to the store. “From day one, we always felt that the brand, The Minnesotan, could extend into different categories, and we’ve explored that for the [past] five years.”
So, when a neighboring tenant vacated the retail space next to The Minnesotan, Roberts’ creative wheels began turning.
A self-serve taproom made the most sense as Roberts looked to enter the hospitality space. “There aren’t too many of them around,” Roberts says. “Our shop is unique, and I felt it important whatever else we offered be somewhat unique too.”
Self-pour beverage stations allow patrons to hold onto their drink glasses without encountering bartenders or servers. Using the tap wall is straightforward. Customers have their identification checked before they are issued an electronic wristband that acts as a tab and provides access to the drink taps. The tap dispenses and charges the user by the ounce.
The Minnesotan partnered with the White Bear Lake location of Carbone’s Pizzeria to provide pizza. Gourmet snacks and treats are also on the menu.
Since the concept opened to the public this winter, the community has shared its excitement. “Everyone enjoys something new, and this particular project is a new concept all around,” Roberts says. “We’re really going to focus on it being a unique experience, and we’ll bring our nostalgic brand throughout the space. It’s going to be a great place to come hang out …We want to create a space that people don’t want to leave—that’s going to be our main goal.”
Roberts speaks highly of the White Bear Lake area and how new projects benefit everyone. “This is going to be a nice addition and a good reason to come back and experience everything,” he says.
The Minnesotan
2186 Fourth St., White Bear Lake; 651.600.3194
Facebook: The Minnesotan
Instagram: @theminnesotanco
