Delightfully designed, intricately executed, and as unique as they come, The FARM & The Odd Fellows in beautiful downtown Minneapolis is a must-add to your Kansas travel bucket list.
Owners Keir and Ashley Swisher own and manage the three-level, fully remodeled building that features multiple businesses brought to life within the same structure, each business lovingly run with the intent to provide customers with a unique experience and a welcoming sense of community.
The building was purchased by the Swishers at the end of 2019, and it took a complete construction project to get it functional. The business officially opened its doors in 2020 with a mission to provide a space where “other, bigger things can happen within it,” as explained by Ashley. Employing 34 individuals, some part-time and others full time, the FARM and The Odd Fellows shows that it truly takes a village to run a small business of this magnitude.
A space that includes everything from a pickleball court to a child and family therapist, according to the business website, “The purpose is to provide unique environments that plant and cultivate relationships.”
The FARM & The Odd Fellows is housed in a historic 1916 Odd Fellows building. The Odd Fellows were a philanthropy group that supported battered women and children, and while the Swishers don’t share that exact mission, the space they have created is a space that supports people of all walks of life. “The space itself is beautiful, with the original 1916 tin ceiling and original wood floors,” said Ashley. “We wanted something to make it a destination.”
A labor of love, visitors to the place can expect to find something to suit their personality and preference. The Swishers leaned into the concept of a farm as they were crafting their business plan. “We want people to learn the same lessons that we learned on a farm growing up. We loved the name The Odd Fellows, but it’s still an active group so we couldn’t just call it that. As people we’re all odd and unique, and it’s a unique mixture of places and people.”
Based on this concept, the building boasts its aptly-named, fully renovated, three levels; The Seed (lower level), The Bean/The Pickle (middle level), and The Hops/The Roots/The Nut (upper level).
“The big thing behind The FARM is to grow and fertilize people…an equilibrium of doing things well,” said Ashley. “It’s all one entity… we hire passionate people and we are there to back them and let them shine in what they do.”
With that backing, the individual businesses within The FARM are provided space to grow, thrive, and flourish. So, just what will you find when you visit The FARM? The better question might actually be, what will you NOT find?
The top level, The Hops/The Roots/The Nut, is very versatile, boasting one of the largest brewpubs in the state of Kansas, a family and child therapist, and a nut roasting area.
Brewer Kyle Banman, originally from McPherson, is a brewer with a “phenomenal passion”, according to Ashley. The brewpub, known as The Hops, features 14 bright tanks and four fermenters. “When we were purchasing during Covid, we decided to go all in,” said Ashley, when speaking about the brewpub. “It’s a gorgeous space, and Kyle had the decision making ability to do it how he wanted it done, which was more comfortable and motivating for him.”
Paige Holcom is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) who operates a practice on the top floor. “Mental health is the backbone of a community, and we didn’t have any mental health providers in Minneapolis at the time,” explained Ashley.
The middle level of the structure is referred to as “The Bean/The Pickle”. This level holds a coffee shop as well as a pickleball court. The Swishers believe physical health is important, and they wanted a way for people to be active. There is a glass door separating the coffee shop from the court, so coffee shop visitors can sip their coffee whilst enjoying a lively game of pickleball, but without the sound. Additionally, the middle floor can be rented out for various activities such as dances, yoga, birthday parties, art classes, and more.
The coffee shop teams up with the local high school’s entrepreneurship program, providing students with the opportunity to come and work in a real business. The coffee shops also works with the individual education program at the school so children with learning disabilities have an opportunity to help with tasks such as stamping napkins, squeezing lemons, and breaking down boxes and shipping supplies.
The coffee shop also features a bakery with a whole host of delectable pastries, made in-house by baker Sue Braatan. In addition to the pastries, Braatan also crafts specialty cakes, cookies, scones, breads, sauces, and even does the pickling for the charcuterie boards.
The FARM is proud of the many experiences its visitors can have. “One of the many experiences is that Kirsten Reynolds, a former commercial barista and home coffee bean roaster, gathers twice a month to run ‘coffee tastings’ which educate the community about coffee harvesting and even feature flavors from around the world,” explained Ashley.
The bottom level, “The Seed”, serves as the game area, complete with shuffleboard, pool, pop-a-shot, and even a 10 person Foosball table. Operated by Lindsey Hale, this is an activity space that is open to people of all ages, but anyone under the age of 10 must be chaperoned, and they must have parents or guardians in the building.
The Hops hosts live music every Friday from 7-10pm where Jack Homan, a Minneapolis native barista and self taught musician, serves as the entertainment director. Additionally, any of the spaces are able to be rented out for events and or meetings. Levi Holcom is the event director and the growth of The FARM has already led this to be a full time position.
Monthly events include, coffee tastings, tea time, toddler time, martini night, sangria day, praise and worship gathering and a card collector corner, with even more creative ideas to come.
Clearly, The FARM is a busy place. Throughout the process of carrying out the vision of The FARM & The Odd Fellows, the Swishers feel very blessed with how it has all worked out, and they feel it is largely in part due to the individuals within the space. “That’s what’s been fun about it, is how it all came to fruition,” said Ashley. “We had the vision for the space but it’s been created around the people. When we find great people we want them to do their thing without the stress of the business side.”
Swisher encourages everyone to stop in for a visit. “The big word is experience. Come experience the place… it’s going to be what you make of it. It’s a small-town place with big ideas.”
