A speakeasy inside a gas station is the hottest cocktail bar in a Minnesota town—the business brought in almost $5 million in a year
Tony Donatell turned an empty storefront next to a gas station into a sophisticated speakeasy, The Farmer's Cellar. Inside, it's still the "roaring twenties."
TL;DR
- Tony Donatell opened The Farmer's Cellar, an upscale restaurant and cocktail bar with a speakeasy twist, next to a gas station convenience store in Lakeville, Minnesota.
- The business, including the speakeasy, convenience store, and gas station, generated almost $5 million in revenue in its first year.
- Donatell believes customers seek unique experiences in the current economy, which the speakeasy provides as a "fun escape."
- The speakeasy features a hidden entrance through a faux soda cooler and an interior reminiscent of the "roaring twenties" with moody lighting and antique decor.
- Inventive cocktails and "light bites" contribute to profitability, with approximately 70% of sales coming from beverages.
- Donatell previously replicated success by transforming a gas station in Eagan, Minnesota, into a restaurant and speakeasy.
- The Farmer's Cellar is profitable, and its success has benefited Donatell's larger restaurant group, Wondrous Collective.
- Plans are underway to expand The Farmer's Cellar into an adjacent storefront with a new space called the "Withdrawing Room" for private parties and overflow seating.