BY KATIE ROIGER
What takes an interest from an idea to a concept to a booming and beloved North Mankato business? According to Mankato resident Clay Sharkey, new co-owner of the Neutral Groundz coffee shop on Belgrade Avenue, the process requires great community connections and a willingness to be a little unconventional. Originally a coffee avoider, Sharkey stumbled into the bean roasting business on his honeymoon. He and his wife Britta were staying near Glacier National Park when they decided to tour a nearby coffee roasting facility because it was something they’d never experienced. During the tour, their guide described his company's main roasting equipment as a “glorified popcorn popper,” which struck Sharkey’s fancy.
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NORTH KATO MAGAZINE WINTER 2024
“It made me think, ‘Gosh, we have a popcorn popper!’” Sharkey said. “We actually had two because we’d just gotten married. I did some Googling and discovered that you can roast coffee in a popcorn popper. You have to remove the safety feature before you can roast hot enough for coffee, though.” Sharkey’s church friend, Eric Poppler, also wanted in on this new hobby. They set up shop on the front step of Sharkey’s apartment and experimented with temperature and bean variety. “I couldn’t have promised you then that your coffee would have been BPA-free,” Sharkey said with a laugh. “The air popper got a little melty.”
