Neutral Groundz, the boutique in lower North Mankato, permanently closed Monday, making way for a familiar enterprise.
The owners of Beans Coffee House, which occupies the front portion of the Neutral Groundz building at 229 Belgrade Ave., announced Monday they will be purchasing the entire building.
The purchase will allow the coffee shop to expand seating and offer retail goods, according to their announcement on social media. Beans Coffee owners Clay Sharkey and Eric Poppler later told The Free Press they also hope to bring their coffee-roasting operation into the building by the summer.
Kevin Morin and his wife, Deb Morin, opened Neutral Groundz in 2017, which included retail space and a coffee shop that many in the North Mankato-Mankato area firmly embraced. The coffee shop portion closed August 2023 before quickly reopening under the Beans Coffee House banner. Kevin said that Deb’s sudden death in December of last year solidified plans to fully pass the torch to Sharkey and Poppler.
“My wife was very proud that she revitalized lower North (Mankato),” a tearful Kevin said. “We’re very happy to see Mr. Clay and Mr. Eric get this building because I’m certain that’s what my wife would have wanted.”
Sharkey said that he and Poppler hope to honor Deb’s legacy within the space because of the chance the Morins took on them when welcoming them into the building.
“A lot of what we’ve been able to do was off the shoulders that she had,” Sharkey said.
A silent auction of some of Deb’s alcohol ink art will be held from Tuesday to Friday this week. Details about the auction will be announced on the Neutral Groundz social media pages.