2022 in Review: Many Med City businesses are ending 2022 with new owners

Jeff Kiger, Post-Bulletin, Rochester, Minn.
·3 min read

Dec. 28—ROCHESTER — Business changes go beyond closings and openings. Changes in ownership were also a big deal in 2022.

The reins of many Rochester area businesses were handed off to new leaders in the past year. Here are a few of the notable boss shifts:

—On July 1,

Lee Knight handed the keys to his magazine and trade show firm — Exhibitor Media Group

— to a new owner. Knight founded Exhibitor in downtown Rochester in 1982. It evolved and grew into a multidimensional company with an international reach known for Exhibitor magazine, its own annual trade show and extensive educational options within the industry.

Mark Johnson, CEO of Minneapolis-based Star Exhibits & Environments, took the reins of Exhibitor with plans to grow the company back to pre-pandemic levels with Knight's core staff and for the business to remain an active part of downtown Rochester.

—Three familiar faces took over the Med City's oldest independent coffee shop

— Bravo Espresso — in the summer of 2022.

After almost 31 years of serving up lattes and cappuccinos to Rochester coffee drinkers, Jay Johnson retired and sold his popular downtown shop on the skyway level of the Galleria at University Square Mall to a trio who are very well-known to local coffee drinkers: Andrew Meissner, Derek Kostka and Mike Haydon.

—In November,

D&R Star Amusements Inc.

, an iconic Rochester company best known for its pool tables and other barroom entertainments, was purchased by Bloomington-based Lieberman Companies/AAA Amusement. Lieberman kept all of the D&R Star staff as well as the business with plans to remain in Rochester and to expand the business into the Twin Cities.

Mike Hawkins, the leader of the 59-year-old family-owned business, handed off the business, which has a long history of providing and maintaining pool tables, dart boards, pinball machines, foosball tables and more to bars and restaurants in the region.

The deal did not include the Family Fun Center at 2207 Seventh St. NW, which is still owned by the Hawkins family. The retail center sells pool tables, bar stools and other gear for home rec rooms.

—Two childhood friends —

Andy Henden and Shane Christofferson — took the reins of a popular Rochester eatery and pub

in the early fall. They purchased Glynner's Pub at 1643 N. Broadway Ave. in the River Center Plaza. Henden, the pub's long-time kitchen manager, planned to keep the bar's staff and menu.

The duo acquired it from Brad Glynn, who launched the bar in 2005. The change meant Glynn had more time to focus on his other business — Neighbors Bar in Dover, Minnesota.

—Kismet Consignment owner Penny Bracken made a fateful deal in September,

when she sold her popular shops to Jes Peterson. After 18 years of doing business on Rochester's 600 block of North Broadway, Bracken said she was ready to chase some "new horizons."

Having a new boss in charge didn't signal any big changes for the Kismet staff or its customers. "It's gonna be business as usual. I'm not planning on reinventing the wheel. It's got a good name and a good reputation," said Peterson."