Business SPOTLIGHT: B&B MARKET & CATERING

B&B Market has been part of the Cloquet community for 65 years, a one-stop shop for many that offers gas, a full line of groceries, a meat department and catering. Named after founders Bob and Babe, who started the store in 1958, the store saw Gary and Dorothy Huard take ownership next, then John and Kim Lind. August 29 marked the second anniversary of the most recent change of ownership, to Jacob and Mikayla Richardson.

Jacob had worked at B&B for several years before expressing interest in purchasing the store from the Linds. His main goal when taking over was to maintain the top-notch service and quality products many customers are accustomed to. On any given day of the week, you will find Jacob behind the meat counter taking orders, answering phone calls, and even stuffing brats.

Mikayla has stepped into her own role. With no prior business education or meat experience, she walked in willing to work and eager to learn. She is behind all the phone calls, emails, catering calls and billing. She spends most of her days in the office when she's not out delivering and serving catering events.

The Richardsons said they try to make it as convenient as possible for everyone.

The meat department offers an abundance of options, with cheese and more than 25 flavors of brats. Find a weekly ad on their Facebook page where the best deals of the week are highlighted. From fresh to frozen items, B&B strives to meet your needs.

The B&B catering service will cater for any function, no matter the size - from small birthday parties to big weddings – offering quality and service at a great price. There are a variety of food options to choose from, and the owners are always willing to adapt to customer requests.

Jacob and Mikayla said giving back to the community is their favorite part of owning the store. An example? They'll be selling Christmas trees and wreaths this holiday season around the store. Proceeds will go back to the community in providing families with items such as toys, family game night supplies, and household essentials. They said they want to make Christmas as memorable as possible for as many families as they can.

"We would like to thank our great staff - without them, we wouldn't be able to keep up with the high demand," Jacob and Mikayla said. "We would also like to thank our wonderful community for their patronage. Without you we wouldn't be where we are now."

The Business Spotlight is an advertorial product available in the Pine Knot News.