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DECORAH — Established in 1996 by two sisters, Magpie Cafe and Coffeehouse is Decorah's longest-running coffeehouse. Currently owned by Kelsey Vanney, who bought the business from her mother in 2018, this second-generation, female-owned gem prides itself on serving up delicious breakfasts, savory lunches and a scratch bakery, all in one cozy location. While they have been established for decades, Magpie has grown and changed with the needs of the town. Their list of offerings has grown to include espresso drinks, boba, bloody marys, lavender mimosas, house-made chai, catering and more. DecorahNews.com spoke with Vanney about her Magpie journey. DN: What inspired you to purchase this business? KV: My mom owned Magpie from 2009-2018. I started working there in 2008 before she bought it, and I managed for her from 2011-2013. I love the atmosphere of the cafe, and from the moment I started working there, I cherished the time spent with both the staff and the customers. That sentiment remains as strong as ever! DN: What is your background and how did you develop your skill set? KV: My family moved to Decorah from southern California in 2008. I attended Decorah High School and did a single semester at NICC for nursing, but it wasn't for me. I realized I missed management roles. Taking a break from Magpie in 2011, I became the assistant manager at Oneota Golf Course and Country Club. In 2015, my now-husband and I moved to Madison, Wis., where I managed for Barriques and Colectivo Coffee. I learned a lot from both of those companies. Despite their growth, they remain small businesses in the sense that they are still owned by the original 2-3 founders. Barriques had about seven locations, and Colectivo had three in Madison, thirteen in Milwaukee, and was expanding into Chicago during my time there. I had the opportunity to learn from incredible people who have been in the industry for decades. DN: Tell us how you market your business to grow sales. KV: Mostly donations and sponsorships, mailers, email marketing and SMS marketing. DN: What has been your biggest success to date? KV: Making it first through the pandemic, and then through a kitchen fire! DN: What is the best thing a customer ever said about your business? KV: One of our most beloved customers, Sandy S., who passed away in 2020, used to tell us Magpie was her home away from home. DN: What has been the biggest challenge that you were able to solve? KV: This is a hard one to summarize, but probably the kitchen fire. I didn't have any past experiences that could have prepared me for how to get us back up and running after that happened. Plus, I was eight months postpartum, so there were a lot of very stressful firsts for me that year. DN: What inspires you to get out of bed every morning? KV: The connections and relationships that I am lucky to have, with both customers and employees. DN: What are the one or two things within your business that you need to improve upon over the next 12 months? KV: I'm not sure! I've spent the last two years really trying to make some big changes to make my kitchen and baristas as quick and efficient as possible without damaging the quality. I am very happy with the things I have done in the last year. DN: What interesting fact about your business don't most people know? KV: That my entire family was at one point in the circus! It was my first job as a kid, I worked the concession stands during intermission or when my act wasn't going. DN: Of all the places to which you've traveled, what has been your favorite and why? KV: Switzerland. We went there on our honeymoon, and the Swiss Alps made me speechless. DN: What civic causes do you belong to or how do you give back to the community? KV: I am on the Downtown Decorah Betterment Association and have been working with the local Rotary Chapter, helping Sunflower Childcare add to the development center they are building. DN: When you're not working, what is your favorite thing to do? KV: I love to be with my daughter, who is 2.5. I also love to sew and do stained glass art. DN: What one bit of advice would you give to a young person looking to get started in operating their own business? KV: Start from the bottom. Know and do all of the roles that you will be expecting others to do. Both so you appreciate all that your staff do for you, and so you can make informed decisions when making changes. Editor's note: Business Spotlight is produced by the newsroom of DecorahNews.com and is not a paid advertisement. The goal is to recognize area businesses by telling their stories. It is challenging to be an entrepreneur, regardless of the type or age of the business. DecorahNews.com recognizes the huge role that businesses play in our rural communities. If you own a business in Decorah or Winneshiek county and would like to be considered for an upcoming Business Spotlight, tell us about your business here.

Support your local businesses

BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT: Magpie Cafe and Coffeehouse