SHEBOYGAN, Wis. — It’s coffee by day, concert by night at Paradigm Coffee and Music, a queer, woman-owned business that was started by Kate Krause in 2006.
Watch: Sheboygan business owner shares her journey ahead of TMJ4’s Let’s Talk Sheboygan
Paradigm Coffee and Music is where TMJ4 is holding Let's Talk Sheboygan, a listening session where the community can visit and share their stories. Before Thursday's community conversation, the owner behind this unique business shared her story of creating the business.
"I'm a really stubborn person, so like it was gonna succeed, like I was gonna figure it out, and I just wanted to be here, and I wanted a place that I wanted to be all the time," Krause said.
Owner Krause grew up in Omro and went to UW-Sheboygan before dropping out to create Paradigm Coffee and Music. What started as more of a music venue in 2006 has transformed into a blend of song and coffee.
"Even though we're kind of off the beaten path and in a small community, people enjoy playing here, and I think Sheboygan really is pumped when people come here," Krause said.
She's hosted more than 2,000 shows over the last 20 years. Beyond the concerts, this is a community gathering space, with events, tap classes, fundraisers, and community service.
"We are a queer space and empowering other queer folks to give back to the community and just be here and always supporting, supporting everything we can," Krause said.
A regular visitor, Maeve Quinn, says the entrepreneurial spirit in Sheboygan has a snowball effect.
"We're like a perfect size where you can really get to know people who want to make a positive difference. So it's that sort of interesting energy that happens when people get together and just want to make something better, and then it happens. So then, you spur on to the next great thing," Quinn said.
Krause says owning a business isn't easy, but she's happy to include the community in the journey.
"I get to spend all my days here in this space that I have control over to create and share with people," Krause said.
Let's Talk Sheboygan will be held at Paradigm Coffee and Music from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday, December 4. Tell us what's going well, what's not, and anything else we should know.
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