Laurel – In the last 10 years, Laurel has won a wave of small local property companies, including coffee shops, restaurants, consignment stores and hairdressers.
MTN spoke with four small businesses to learn about their perspective on the culture of laurel small businesses.
Look below the video of this story:
Four owners of laurel small businesses share their perspective on business culture in a small town
Laurel people love their city and their community, whether they have lived there all their lives or are new residents.
Shawna Hopper is the main owner of Carlton Depot Restaurant and Brewery.
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His family, the Waddell, has lived in Laurel and worked on the railroad during generations. She is a proud resident of Laurel.
“My ancestors moved here when Laurel was still known as Carlton’s station. So we have a long family history here and we simply wanted to continue participating in the community as best we can,” said Hopper.
The restaurant opened in December 2022 and recently won the small company of the year awarded by the Laurel Chamber of Commerce.
Hopper said that his favorite part of being the owner of Carlton Depot is to connect with his inheritance as Montana, to serve his local community and the passengers who pass.
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“Approximately 80% of my clients are not Laurel residents. They are from Columbus, Park City, Joliet, Billings, the hotel on the other side of the parking lot,” he said Thursday.
Although Hopper loves to manage a small company, he says it can be difficult.
“It’s a vicious circle … We live in a time when the important thing is convenience. I think if I had a self -service service, I could probably double my business,” said Hopper.
However, it recommends dinner locally when possible, to support other community members.
Heidi Schmidt, the owner of The Heidi coffee cabin, He has lived a similar experience.
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Schmidt has resided in Laurel for a long time and was excited to open a cafeteria in his hometown.
After working as a barista at high school, he fell in love with preparing special drinks and connecting with customers, and finally opened his own cafeteria in November 2011.
“We have seen many small companies come from different places, and it has been simply incredible, many different restaurants … The best of small businesses is that we stay together and support each other a lot.” Schmidt said.
As owner of a small business, Schmidt likes to support other local companies, so he buys his coffee grounds in Billings.
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“As owner of a small business, I always try to think: ‘Who else can I support that it is small?’ And I try to publicize his name, “Schmidt said Friday.
Schmidt has had problems in the last 13 years, especially with coffee competitors in the Billings area, which is why he is always trying to create new drinks and manually moves his own grains.
“After the pandemic, getting supplies in time has been a matter … the time that takes the supplies to get here, when we are missing, it is not good,” he said.
Schmidt plans to continue directing his cafeteria for many more years.
The broken eggProperty of Janel Allison, it is a newer business in the center of Laurel.
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The native of the Washington state opened the breakfast premises in October 2023, after living in Laurel for seven years.
He lived in the metropolitan area of Seattle and the population of his county is greater than the population of Montana.
After her husband got a job in Montana, she fell in love with Laurel.
“The people here are genuinely friendly. They have great hearts and great dreams. We really want Laurel to feel like a small town. But we also have many opportunities for families and for anyone living here,” said Allison. .
Although the restaurant has only been open for a year, it has already had an immense success there eventually would like to move to a larger location.
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But he has also had problems.
“As anywhere, it has been really. You really have to invest in yourself … today, if you really can’t mold you to survive how the world is, unfortunately it is possible that you do not manage it,” Allison said Friday .
Allison attributes the success of the local restaurant to its staff and Laurel’s community, even when other fast food restaurants have moved to the city to offer breakfast.
“I know that big companies sometimes scare, but they can also create many jobs in the community and make it more lucrative,” he said.
Like Allison, Amy Mullaney, the owner of Property management under sunlight, It is not laurel.
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Mullaney has lived in Laurel for seven years and is now part of the Laurel Chamber of Commerce and Laurel Small Business Alliance.
“It is simply a really pleasant and vibrant commercial district,” Mullaney said Friday.
Sunlight Property Management is located next to The Cracked Egg in Laurel center.
As president of the Laurel Chamber of Commerce, Mullaney says that although the city has lost some local businesses, it has grown a lot in recent years.
“It’s as if Laurel was trying to break the seams, trying to attract people to Laurel, exciting people. Almost everything you can get in Billings, you can get it in Laurel,” he said.
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Mullaney said Laurel is in a unique part of Montana, receiving businesses from Billings, which contributes to the growth of the city.
“I know that there is a bit of fear that we end up being part of Billings, as things in the west continue to grow in this way. I feel that we still have that feeling of a small town,” he said.
In general, Laurel city remains constant in support of small local businesses.
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The four business owners made recommendations on the changes they would like to see in the city, including greater investments in emergency services.
Mullaney also said that the city would benefit from more adolescent -centered activities, and Allison recommended that the city get a library used.
Everyone said they love their city and have seen a growth in their businesses, during the time they have been working.