01/02/2026
This is why we urge you to support your local breweries.
Another one. 💔 Today we learned that Waconia Brewing Company is closing after more than a decade on Main Street.
And it’s not an isolated situation.
In just our surrounding communities, we’ve seen breweries like Chanhassen Brewing Company, Enki Brewing Company, and Schram Haus Brewery shut their doors …places that were gathering spots, sponsors, employers, and part of the fabric of our towns.
On the retail side, I can personally name at least seven LOCAL small boutiques that have closed in the last six months alone.
This is a problem.
You can debate politics all day long, but at the end of it, small businesses are not getting the support they need to survive:
• Costs are up across the board
• Consumers are stretched thin
• Margins are razor-thin
• “Busy” does not equal “profitable”
Most of these businesses didn’t fail because people didn’t like them. They closed because the math stopped working.
If we want vibrant downtowns, local gathering places, and unique shops instead of empty storefronts and national chains, support has to look like more than likes and comments when a closing announcement is posted.
It looks like:
• Choosing local when you can
• Showing up before the goodbye posts
• Understanding that small businesses don’t have room to absorb endless cost increases
This isn’t about blame. It’s about awareness.
Because every time one of these doors closes, something bigger than a business is lost and once it’s gone, it’s usually gone for good.
