2024 Small Business of the Year: Carstensen's Meat & Grocery

Matt and Lisa Carstensen purchased the Lake Park grocery store in early 2020, right  before the Covid-19 pandemic. Despite the shutdown of businesses across the country, Carstensen’s Meat & Grocery was able to quickly reopen at the end of March 2020 to ensure that Lake Park residents had access to a local and reliable grocery store.

“Knowing what I know about a community needing to be strong, we need strong businesses on Main Street.” “It’s a great way of life here. I felt it was my calling to help promote that way of life.”

Carstensen’s offers a wide selection of high-quality products from fresh produce to bakery items, as well as meat hand-cut in store including Certified angus Beef, Hormel Always-Tender Pork, and farm-fresh chicken. Other options include homemade pizzas to order, broasted chicken for carryout, and daily homecooked lunch specials. Ever since opening four years ago, they continue to expand their offerings.

“We have been blessed beyond words the way that our community has responded. The people within city limits and also the people that live miles away.”

Not only has Carstensen’s seen strong support from the community, but they also show support for Lake Park and Corridor Region as well. The team at Carstensen’s support local events and organizations through donations and discounts when they can. They also have begun cooking and delivering meals for the local dinner date and senior meal programs in partnership with Elderbridge Agency on Aging. Recently, they’ve been averaging 2,200 meals per month to serve multiple locations in Dickinson, Emmet, O’Brien, Osceola, and Clay Counties.

“We try to do charitable giving to the high school and other nonprofits if at all possible. When there’s needs for promoting the school or the local food bank through special pricing, we’ll do the same for local service organizations.”

Congratulations to the team at Carstensen’s Meat & Grocery for being the Corridor’s 2024 Small Business of the Year!