What businesses do Minnesotans dream of owning?
MINNEAPOLIS — If you've ever had dreams of quitting your day job and opening a bed and breakfast, spa or music venue, you're not alone.
And that business idea that lives in your mind might be influenced by where you live, from the culture to the landscape.
Marketbeat.com set out to find out what types of businesses Americans dream of owning, so they surveyed 3,000 people.
The top choice for Minnesotans: Nordic coffee shop and bakery. Leaning into the state's Scandinavian heritage, the website said many Minnesotans dream of owning a café that celebrates Nordic traditions. We at WCCO figured, let's find someone living this dream.
Fika Coffee is in Lutsen along the North Shore. In addition to serving drinks, the café has been roasting beans since 2012.
Fika is Swedish for "coffee break," but it really embodies what the business is about, like slowing down, socializing with friends and family and enjoying a warm cup of joe. We asked the owner, Joshua Lindstrom, why he thinks Minnesotans consider owning his business a dream job.
"When a visitor or a guest comes in, they say, 'Oh, your coffee is just the best.' And the caveat is you also woke up looking at Lake Superior. And you're gonna go hike and see amazing waterfalls. So, there's all these things that kind of add to that," he said.
Lindstrom added that since so many people drink coffee routinely, taking ownership of that daily activity, and the positives that come with it, can be an attractive business opportunity.
The other top choices for Minnesotans weren't as surprising.
Owning a wilderness lodge and adventure outfitter perfectly fits the outdoorsy mindset.
Next was owning a brewery, of which we know there are more than 100 in the state.
But what about other states?
In Wisconsin, the dream business is a resort and spa in Lake Geneva, not far from the Illinois border.
People in Tennessee love their music so, naturally, they dream of owning a Honky-Tonk bar in Nashville.
New Mexico's was unique. People there want to own a hot air balloon company in Albuquerque, which we learned hosts the biggest balloon festival in the world. Pennsylvania's choice stood out as well, with people wanting to manage an art gallery in Philadelphia.
