Cabin Coffee owner John Huisman poses for a photo while on one of the two saddles that are at the restaurant. Behind him is a sign with the motto “Just Be Happy...and Have Fun!”

Not quite a year ago, on March 29, 2021, Cabin Coffee opened up in Blue Earth.

Now, the restaurant is being honored with the Blue Earth Chamber of Commerce’s Rising Star Award.

The award is presented each year to a Blue Earth business that is less than two years old, is committed to promoting the community, shows stability and a future-oriented attitude.

“We had quite a few nominations this year for the Rising Star Award,” Shelley Poetter, Chamber executive director, says. “I think it shows we have added several new businesses to the community over the past two years.”

The Rising Star Award, as well as the Business of the Year Award and Community Service Award, will be officially presented and recognized at the Blue Earth Chamber of Commerce Annual Meeting and Awards Gala, to be held on Friday, Jan. 21, from 6-8 p.m., at The 10 Talents Arts Center.

Cabin Coffee is owned by John Huisman and his son, Quinn Huisman, and their company called Giant City Coffee, LLC.

Huisman explains how his involvement with Cabin Coffee came to be. He was at a CEDA event in southeast Minnesota and listened to a speech by the owners of the Cabin Coffee franchise, Brad and Angie Barber of Clear Lake, Iowa.

“They said one of the places they were interested in getting a Cabin Coffee started was in Blue Earth,” Huisman says. “So I tried to help them find someone locally.”

Eventually Huisman decided he would take on the franchise himself. He applied for the franchise, which was granted in November of 2019, and purchased the land north of the Pizza Hut along State Highway 169 in Blue Earth.

Huisman says the process of getting the project done had its ups and down, but overall it went well.

“We had to work around a wetlands and the RIM (Reinvest in Minnesota) land issues,” he says. “And some delays, such as the metal roofing material. But overall Jared Bruellman (general contractor) did a great job, and treated the project like it was his own.”

Huisman says getting the Cabin Coffee franchise up and running took two years, but was just what he needed.

“I was looking for something more I could do, get involved with, and this really filled that desire,” Huisman says. “It was a fun adventure for me – I had never done anything like this, or built something like this.”

He adds that it was never his intention to run the place on a day-to-day basis, so his first step was to find and hire a manager.

“I found a great one,” he says of Jasmin Sahr, the Cabin Coffee manager. “I couldn’t have done better; I give her a superior rating, if I was grading her for a class.”

Sahr took care of the hiring of staff, staffing issues, organizing things, dealing with COVID, and keeping everything going and making the restaurant succeed.

“She is a big reason why we were honored with this Rising Star Award, I am sure,” Huisman says. “And the rest of the staff, as well. They do a great job.”

Currently Cabin Coffee has three full-time and five part-time employees. They have hired high school students as well as a home schooled student and those who do online learning.

The employees are all well-trained by Cabin Coffee headquarters. Sahr herself went through several months of training before the restaurant in Blue Earth opened.

Well-trained employees are not the only thing that sets Cabin Coffee apart.

“We roast all of our coffee beans on site,” Sahr says. “That is what sets Cabin Coffee apart from other places. And we roast coffee every day.”

And no roasted coffee is kept after a two week period.

“We have 13 coffees on hand each day,” Sahr explains. “And you can call ahead to special order any of our coffees and we will make it up for you for pickup.”

Coffee is not the only drink sold at Cabin Coffee. Besides the usual lattes, cappuccinos, espressos and mochas, there are drinks such as hot chocolate, hot tea and apple cider.

There are also cold drinks like sodas, iced teas, lemonade, smoothies and frappés.

And then there is Cabin Coffee’s signature drink – white coffee.

She adds that Cabin Coffee has so many drink choices that everyone can find at least one they like.

But, the restaurant also has plenty of food options as well.

There are breakfast sandwiches, wraps, bagels, muffins and lots more. They have a variety of lunch sandwiches and soups.

Cabin Coffee also has a meeting room which has a 24 person capacity. There is no charge for groups to use the meeting, room, but they need to reserve it ahead of time.

There is also a drive-up window and an outdoor seating area for when the weather gets nice.

“We feel truly honored to be chosen for this Rising Star Award,” Huisman says. “I have been an individual member of the Blue Earth Chamber of Commerce since I first came to Blue Earth. Now Cabin Coffee is a member, and I feel it is important to continue to be a member.”

He says they are also members of the Business Improvement Committee (BIC).

“We all have to think about the needs of the local area,” he adds, “and what each of us can do to support it.”