Around Thanksgiving in 2014, Patisserie Margo was informed that their lease was up for their Edina bakery location at Gus Young Lane and Arcadia Avenue. They’d have to be out by spring. Unable to process this news fully in the midst of the busy holiday season, owner Margo Bredeson and her team focused on keeping up with December orders. Between Christmas and New Year’s, they found a new location and moved quickly to get a lease arranged, but ran into some roadblocks. “We figured it out finally, and we ended up having to do a Kickstarter,” Bredeson says.
But maintaining orders at the Excelsior location while making the transition in Edina proved difficult, as the Excelsior store did not have the infrastructure to keep up with orders from the previous Edina store. Representatives from Jerry’s Foods offered their commercial kitchens to the Patisserie Margo staff for use in the evenings after Jerry’s bakery staff had left.
A multitude of other community members also stepped up to help and support Bredeson and her family through their Kickstarter campaign. Patisserie Margo achieved its goal of $25,000 (they actually raised $28,000) after just 40 days.
“It’s humbling to know that the community and even beyond cares about a small business,” Bredeson says. Patisserie Margo’s new Edina location now includes an espresso bar, more outdoor seating, a more complete menu with soups and sandwiches, and is open on Sundays. Bredeson is hoping to host community events there, too, such as book and knitting clubs or baking groups.
