Martin County MN Economic Development Authority

03/25/2026

The progress continues… here’s a mock-up of the storefront, scheduled for completion in the first week of April. With the restoration of this historic building nearing completion, the Michael & Elizabeth Garry Building at 105 W 1st Street Downtown Fairmont will soon become home to The Hive/ Imagine Martin’s Art Studio & Gallery.

Over the next few weeks, we’ll be sharing more about the events and activities planned for this unique venue, introducing the team bringing it all to life, and sharing details about the unveiling on May 16th & 17th.

Stay tuned… we can’t wait to reveal what’s inside.

03/25/2026

We’re excited to share that Jim Langborg has recently joined the Martin County EDA/CEDA team and brings more than 30 years of experience in local government, including over a decade in leadership roles. Jim has a strong passion for supporting small and rural communities.
Jim Langborg and Amber Patten are excited to work together in supporting Martin County businesses and communities. Please join us in welcoming Jim to the team!

03/16/2026

Hello Fairmont! 🧀🚚

I know many of you know me and what I’ve been up to, but for those who don’t, my name is Brett, and I’ve been working on launching a cheese themed food truck!

The idea behind Cheezers is simple: bring fun, cheesy comfort food to our community and pop up at local places, events, and gatherings around Fairmont and the surrounding area.

This has been something I’ve been working toward for a while now, and I’m really excited to finally start sharing it with everyone. I’m also incredibly thankful for everyone who has supported and encouraged me along the way, I truly mean that. Without the people who knowingly and unknowingly made impacts that made me realize that this venture was possible, I wouldn't be here.

Our first day of service will be at the Fairmont Brewing Company on May 1st from 4–9 PM, and I can’t wait to kick things off there!

If you’d like to follow along with the journey, see where the truck will pop up next, and watch Cheezers grow, be sure to follow the page.

If you’re excited about Cheezers, feel free to share this post to help spread the word!

👇 What cheesy food would you like to see on the menu?

03/05/2026

03/04/2026

Thank you to Fairmont Area Chamber of Commerce and Fairmont Economic Development Authority for inviting us to participate in today’s panel.

03/04/2026

Check out the Fairmont Opera House, Inc tonight on WCCO & CBS News Minnesota.

03/03/2026

02/20/2026

🚨 Current and Interested Vendors/Small Business Owners 🚨
Spring 🌸 is just around the corner! That means JUNE and the start of the farmer's market season will be here before you know it!

We would love for new vendors to join us this year and for future years of the farmer's market. If you are someone from the area who wants to share their yummy treats, fresh produce, and other homemade goodies with others, please be sure to get your MN Cottage Food License well in advance before the season starts so that you are ready to go!
Be sure to double check on state requirements for product type, labeling, and a tent for your table.
We cannot allow individuals to show up unannounced at market who are not prepared with the proper state required paperwork or Fairmont Farmer's Market paperwork.
See the link below.

👉🏻 Other creatives and small business entrepreneurs that create various works of art; whether that's crochet, knit, painting, pottery, you name it! We'd love for you to join us if it's something you feel called to do this summer.

The fee for the season is $125, that's only a fee of about $5 to $7 per Saturday if you set up every Saturday of the season, which runs from June through October.

You can check out more info at the link below. Thank you for showing interest and we hope to see new faces at our spring meeting, which will be announced later this spring. Stay tuned!

linktr.ee/fairmontmnfarmersmarket

02/05/2026

Join the SmartStart Growth Challenge! It is a 12-week intensive program designed to help early-stage business owners create and execute a growth and marketing strategy that works for their business.

This program is designed for:
✅ Early-stage businesses (less than 5 years old)
✅ Generating under $25K in annual revenue
✅ Home-based entrepreneurs looking to grow
✅ Brick-and-mortar businesses wanting more customers
✅ Business owners eager to implement strategies and grow

The investment is $800/participant. Limited spots available. Deadline for application is February 20th. Emai [email protected] for more information.

02/03/2026

It takes less than 10 minutes to share your thoughts! GreenSeam and Minnesota State University, Mankato are collecting responses on the State of the Agricultural Ecosystem Survey. If your organization contributes to, supports, or serves Minnesota’s agricultural economy in any way, they want to hear from you.

Minnesota agriculture needs your perspective 🌱

The State of the Agricultural Ecosystem Survey is now open and your input helps inform policy, workforce planning, and industry collaboration. If you work in ag production, manufacturing, or ag-related services, now is the time to participate.

⏱️ 9 minutes
🔗 https://greenseam.org/sae/