Workers at Minneapolis’ May Day Cafe are raising money to buy it as a co-op

When May Day Cafe owner Andy Lunning decided to hang up his baker’s hat and sell his Minneapolis business of more than 20 years, loyal customers worried the end was nigh for one of Powderhorn Park’s most beloved coffee spots.

But then the workers stepped up, striking a deal with Lunning to raise enough money to purchase the cafe at 3440 Bloomington Av. and turn it into a worker cooperative that would preserve the bohemian culture, neighborly vibes and creative pastries that customers have come to love.

This summer they launched a campaign to raise $250,000 to fund the gap between their private grants and loans and what it costs to buy the cafe and set Lunning up for the next phase of his life. The effort has been the talk of the Powderhorn Park neighborhood, raising $41,000 so far in modestly sized donations of $10-$100 from the workers’ friends and devoted regulars. Their first fundraiser was a backyard concert earlier this month. Benefit events to come will include speed dating. Fans of the cafe have contributed their skills to the cause, designing posters, filming video testimonials and calling local media.

Laura Kiernan, who performed in the concert with her band, said she volunteered for the campaign not only because she eats at the cafe at least once a week, but because worker cooperative values are important to many in their south Minneapolis community.

“You build a deeper bond between your coworkers, you get so clear on your collective self-interest in wanting something for yourselves, and then also for the community,” Kiernan said. “As someone that frequents May Day, I’m also going to benefit from this, knowing that it’s going to stay around for a lot longer.”

May Day employee Mira Klein said the staff have a lot of respect for Lunning, who worked long hours to keep the cafe running over the decades, as well as love for each other and Powderhorn Park.

“A lot of workers at May Day have worked there for a long time,” she said. “It’s been a big part of our lives. We care about the business, we care about the community it’s a part of, and we want to see it continue.”

The workers have been getting advice about forming a cooperative from Nexus Community Partners, a nonprofit organization that provides resources for community wealth-building, as well as other cooperative businesses including the Hub Bicycle Co-op, Happy Earth Cleaning and Seward Cafe. The other co-ops have shared perspectives on transitioning from a sole proprietor model to collective ownership and governance, developing bylaws around decisionmaking structures and seeking financial support.

Rachel Battles, a worker-owner of Happy Earth Cleaning, said her staff’s desire to preserve the business’ democratic culture, commitment to eco-friendly cleaning practices and benefits for employees were all reasons that drove them to create a co-op in 2020 after the previous owners decided to move on, and that the conditions are similar for May Day.

“None of us really had any experience prior to that even with running a business, so we had to figure out a lot of stuff on our own,” Battles said. “We’re super glad to be able to help other coops that are kind of starting up. ... One of the great things about coops is just having that sense of community. It’s like a co-op principle to help other co-ops, so you’re automatically in a little network of other businesses.”

Rooting for the campaign is Frank Bellanger, who lives near the cafe and has been frequenting it for nearly 25 years. He called it the neighborhood homeroom for coffee lovers, a source of good food at affordable prices and an anchor for other businesses along Bloomington. The best mornings are when parents drop in before taking their kids to the nearby day care and the cafe is overrun with 4-year-olds having milk and cookies and the cafe practically hums with happy chaos, Bellanger said.

“I can’t tell you the countless times that I’ve gone there and had breakfast or my favorite drink, the Arnold Palmer that they make with the hibiscus tea and the wonderful lemonade that’s always got kind of a unique flavor,” he said. “You’ve got all the hipsters there and the hippies and, you know, the old folks and the old hippies, and it’s a multiracial place, too. It’s always been the community gathering spot, and it’s kind of kept us all honest with with each other, I think.”