Kaleb and Emma Pelkey launched their Dumont, Minn. business, Rejoice Coffee Company, on January 31 of this year. Weeks later, I wanted to know more about this new venture and the young couple who started it.
Hot locally roasted coffee on a cold March day? Sign me up!
What was surprising to me as I approached their business was that they opened shop inside Dumont Grain, an farm elevator complex on the west side of Highway 75. It makes a lot of sense and evokes a little fun, I found out later.
The Pelkeys met in Duluth. Emma, 22, was friends with Kaleb’s sister, who said “you’ve got to meet my brother” and sis was right. Romance bloomed and marriage took place in August of 2021.
Emma grew up in a farming family around Dumont. She graduated from Wheaton High School.
“I loved being raised in a small community, but when I was going to go to college, I thought I would never be back,” Emma said. “I was like, see ya!”
Dumont was like, “welcome back!”
So the newlywed Pelkeys agreed to give farming a try back in Emma’s hometown.
Kaleb, 25, admits this farming lifestyle was all new to him. Not small-town living, as he was raised in a small community near Duluth. But the farming part was brand new. “I had never been on a tractor before. I was working as an insurance underwriter.”
From a desk to a tractor? Cue the Green Acres TV theme song!
OK, we’re having a little fun, but let’s get to coffee.
Emma explains: “We were in engaged and talking about what we wanted to do after we got married. Kaleb always wanted to have a business of his own, and I always wanted to have a coffee shop.”
They met some people in Duluth who owned coffee shops and asked a lot of questions. “There’s lots of things you can do with a coffee shop, have a bakery, restaurant, a clothing boutique. And then we met someone who roasted coffee.”
That proved to be fate. “He was out of Two Harbors (near Duluth) and he was really helpful. So then we thought that maybe we could give roasting a try.” The thinking went that such a business would work in moving to Dumont and living in such a rural community. They would have flexibility with farming, and they could tap into the worldwide online marketplace.
Emma’s family owns Dumont Grain and there was ample space with the elevator structures for the birth of Rejoice Coffee Company.
But it was also quite the job. There have been lots of challenges in this venture for Emma and Kaleb, but they said getting their place up to code was definitely a challenge. Also, figuring out inventory importing was tricky. For instance, they could test roast a certain coffee bean, but by the time they would be ready to order, it might be out of stock. “So, to manage inventory, we had to buy more,” Emma said.
Keep in mind this is a young business. While online ordering has been the bulk of sales so far, Rejoice Coffee Company is slowly finding its way into retail, grocery and gift store outlets. This summer, you may see a Rejoice Coffee Company cart at a local farmers market, weekend festival or community event. “We are trying to get name recognition now,” Emma said.
Living in Dumont has the Pelkeys looking to engage more in the community. They want to bring new activities and ideas to the area, recognize what could be missing for young adults and make something happen.
When asked what Live Wide Open means to them, Emma said “Live Wide Open makes me think of the flat land we’re on, a wide open area. And room for expansion.”
It’s a good reason to Rejoice!
