“You don’t just get to our store in Goodland by accident,” explained Kim Korpi, self-proclaimed chief operating officer of Fred’s Store. “We’re 12 miles south of Pengilly and 6 miles north of Swan River. We like to say we’re in the middle of nowhere.”
Most Madison Avenue public relations firms wouldn’t recommend that as an advertising slogan, but Kim and her sister, Kerri Eiden, are very comfortable with how well their customers know about the store.
“We should point out that Fred’s Store has been a family convenience and specialty food store since 1946,” said Kerri. “We’ve owned it since May 2022, and we know we have big shoes to fill.”
Fred’s Store specialty is meat: bacon, smoked sausage, hams, beef sticks, beef jerky, “and much more.” The store sells gasoline and groceries, too, but the centerpiece and the primary business driver is meat.
The Majewski family operated this business in the heart of eastern Itasca County for a couple generations. Kim and Kerri have lived in the area for years, and a few years ago, like other neighbors, heard via the grapevine that the Majewski’s were considering selling.
“We didn’t set out to buy a business,” said Kim, “but like other neighbors, we were all wondering what would happen to this store. It’s a mainstay in our neck of the woods. What will happen to the business when they sell? Who would own it? What if we bought it?”
The sisters talked it over, and then approached the Majewski’s with an idea: Kim would work in the business for a while to learn the ropes. If things worked out, they’d discuss a purchase.
“After spending nine months working there, I had a hunch that we could make it,” explained Kim. “ We really had no idea how this would work out for sure, but we decided to go with our gut.”
After deciding to purchase the business, the sisters’ next step was to approach Grand Rapids State Bank about a loan. Kerri and Kim contacted the bank and worked with Stephanie Gambill, Vice President of Business Banking, to arrange the financing.
“We couldn’t believe how easy she made this for us,” said Kerri. “We’d never done anything like this before, but she made the loan process painless.”
“The business is a gem, and people know about us mostly through word of mouth. We have a Facebook page, but otherwise we don’t do any marketing,” explained Kim.
While Kim now works in the business full time, sister Kerri works in the finance department at Grand Itasca Clinic and Hospital in Grand Rapids. She doubles as the company’s chief financial officer, although neither sister uses titles.
Since purchasing the store 18 months ago, Fred’s Store has added a smoker for additional meat processing. They are “very, very busy” from May through September when the summer residents return to the lakes and forests of northern Minnesota. During and after the fall hunting season, they’re busy processing thousands of pounds of venison for several months.
“Half of our employees are family members,” explained Kim. “Kerri and I own the business together, and our social lives revolve around family, too. We’re very proud of our employees; some of the people who’ve been here for a number of years really know their craft, and they help make this business what it is.”
“We’ve come a long way,” Kim added. “Despite her full time job, Kerri always finds time to ‘talk shop’ and strategize. We’ve grown with the business, and now I even dream about sausage. We’re grateful for the chance to make this work.”