REV- Entrepreneur Highlight
Julie Bifano and Scott Stasney are co-owners and founders of the “Rustic Farmer” a gathering and event space that opened in 2017 and expanded to include “Revival on Main” in 2020. Since opening, the spaces have hosted weddings, graduation parties, special events, and community events.
When asked what prompted their decision to start the business and why Montgomery, Julie stated “The business started a bit by accident.” They purchased a historic building on “Main Street” [1st Street] because Julie had a “passion for the character of the old building itself.” She said they really didn’t have any particular plan or specific business in mind. Julie said her partner Scott grew up and has lived in Montgomery his whole life. As the restoration process began, she said that is when they began to think about what the city was lacking and our desire to showcase the original craftsmanship of the 1880’s era building. “This evolved into the idea of a gathering space and the “Rustic Farmer” and then later expansion into the space next door and “Revival on Main”.
Julie said they did not really have any significant obstacles with getting the business itself going, most of the hurdles occurred during the renovation process. She said “We wanted to restore the building and bring out the original features which were the exposed brick walls and wooden ceiling. The challenge was, and continues to be, related to repurposing and adapting an older, historic building.” Some of the issues she and her partner faced were figuring out how to navigate the requirements of the Minnesota Building Code in the design, renovation, and re-purposing of the older building. “This will be one of the biggest obstacles anyone will face if they choose to locate in an older building anywhere, not just Montgomery.” Her general advice to those who do decide to take on such a project “…stay the course and never give up. Find your allies, create new allies, and align early with the city on your ideas so they can help navigate the process.”
Julie and Scott were fortunate to have begun their venture before the pandemic and began plans for the expansion right as the various closure orders and operational restrictions began in early 2020. Even though they had been operating for close to three-years, the pandemic did have a major impact on their business.
“As a gathering place/event center, we were heavily impacted by the orders that were imposed during the pandemic.” She relates that the business was closed more than it was open during this time, and several events were cancelled or delayed. She added that even after the end of the peace time state of emergency and the various orders restricting occupancy, there were still concerns about gathering.
She said their bookings have slowly been coming up to pre-pandemic levels, yet “our business plans needed to also slow, the ‘nice’ to haves for the business were put on hold and we focused on what was critical to being successful.” One of the current challenges she mentioned is the lack of accommodations, hotel / motel space for out-of-town guests.
Julie expressed the mission of her business this way, “Our mission is simple; we want to be the spark that drives others to invest in our historic district running through our main street. Our vision, more broadly, is to be the catalyst for tourism, elevating Montgomery as a destination.”
She described a significant accomplishment for her business as being “every time we have an event of any kind where someone outside of Montgomery says, ‘I wish our town had something like this place.’
Julie has a few key pieces of advice for others looking to grow, start, or expanding a business. First, “don’t believe those that say you will never be successful in Montgomery because it is a small town. They couldn’t be more wrong. Second, do your research and align to the needs of the community and surrounding area. Third, share your idea with lots of people, listen to their advice, and adjust your business plan when needed. Fourth, collaborate with other business owners and look for ways to help other businesses be successful. Finally, surround yourself with people that believe in your vision and never give up.”