WEBSTER – On Saturday, March 25, Fresh Start Coffee Roasters had some large crowds gather for a fun aerial photo of the cafe using drone technology, courtesy of Eugene Sikorski. The event was to celebrate 11 years of ownership by Zac and Lisa Benson, as well as the upcoming transition to new owner Jen Hetfeld and family. When asked about the decision to sell, Zac Benson, who also owns both Webster and Frederic Benson ACE Hardware stores, as well as Benson Power in Frederic, said it was a life balance decision for his family. He said their daughter, Aria, is 8 and starting to get into more activities, and his family is also wanting to take time to visit his wife Lisa’s family who lives out of state in New York. Something that is really important to him is customer service. He felt that handing off the business to a new owner who had a vision to take the restaurant into a direction he had always wanted to but didn’t have the time to, with his other business and family obligations, was best. He stated that the decision was a bittersweet one after all the hard work and memories his family had shared at the location. When the property was first purchased, Zac Benson was only 24 years old. The building had two separated rooms with a lowered ceiling, and he also remembers many other projects. With a culinary background, he looks forward to perhaps coming back for an occasional special night, but said he was very excited to be assisting the new owner. The property had been on the market for a year and, just when the Bensons had thought about not selling, Hetfeld came along.
Hetfeld is a real-estate agent who has been with Edina Realty for 22 years. Her husband, Josh, works as a principal for Webster School District. A self-proclaimed “foodie,” she loves fresh food with bold tastes, and said that is how her family eats. She plans to bring Mexican, Asian and Mediterranean cuisines to the menu at the restaurant. For her “why,” she said that she has dreamed about owning an establishment for about 20 years, making note of what she likes at different places and wanting to bring something like this to her family’s hometown. Now that her youngest daughter is a freshman in high school, it also allows more time for her to pour into something besides her former work as a coach, which she had done for 8 years. She will also be bringing local wines and draft beer to the establishment from the St. Croix River Valley, up along the State Hwy. 35 corridor, and from the Spooner area. For the Hetfelds it will be a family affair, with her high school daughters, Lauren and Avery, working there, as well.
The official transition to the new owners has not yet happened, but the process will be starting in the beginning of April.
