local businesses

Several adults standing, sitting and talking in a conference room in Rushford, MN.

Honoring the Past, Building the Future: SMIF Celebrates 40 Years

Area businesses, organizations and communities benefit from support and encouragement from the Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation, celebrating 40 years of building better communities.

photo of a laptop with view of Root River Current homepage

Inside Root River Current | Three Years Strong – And Counting!

Root River Current celebrates three years of stories, poems, photography and more, taking aim at its fourth year of publishing!

Outdoor patio at Sylvan Brewing in Lanesboro, Minnesota, filled with people enjoying drinks and live music beside the brewery building, with umbrellas, flowers, and scenic bluffs in the background.

How a Small-Town Brewery Became a Regional Destination

Discover Sylvan Brewing in Lanesboro, a small-town craft brewery known for quality beer, community events and a welcoming “third space” atmosphere.

A low, modern brick building sits on a snow-covered slope under a bright blue sky. Large dark windows face outward, reflecting the light. Bare trees line the hillside behind the building, and a tall communications tower rises above the trees. An American flag stands on a pole near the right side of the building.

Coming Together to Keep the Branding Iron Open

When the Branding Iron Restaurant in Preston, Minn. faced closure, community members and former employees united to save the beloved small-town supper club.

A slender woman in a green zip-up pullover, jeans, and teal stocking cap stands with her hands in her pockets in a snow-covered field beside a long plastic-covered high tunnel greenhouse, with rolling hills in the background on a winter day in southeastern Minnesota.

Featherstone Farm: Growing Organic Food Through Fair Labor

Discover Featherstone Farm, a Minnesota organic vegetable farm rooted in soil stewardship, fair labor and local food systems since 1994.

A classic small-town hardware store with a vintage gold-and-black sign reading “Hokah Hardware” painted across large front windows. The display window is filled with household items—glassware, pitchers, and metalware—while tables outside hold brightly colored bowls, tools, and small appliances for sale. The green storefront and wooden overhang evoke an old-fashioned Main Street charm.

Hokah Hardware Keeps Small-Town Spirit Alive

For 35 years, Carol Moore has made Hokah Hardware a Main Street gathering place alive with heart, history and hometown pride. Greg Lovell reports on the challenges this small town store faces.