Small Business Week 2002 Winner
Small Business Administration
January 1, 2002
Business success can come in all shapes and sizes. Just ask Brenda and Dennis Burkhartsmeier, founders of Mountain Mudd, LLC and Mountain Manufacturing, Inc. in Billings, Mont.
Mountain Mudd, LLC was started in 1994 when Brenda and Dennis opened their first 8-foot-by-8-foot drive-through espresso kiosk in Billings. Dennis designed and built the first of what has become a chain of successful Mountain Mudd Kiosks, a chain of 20 mini-retail espresso locations. The company’s espresso kiosks can now be found throughout Montana and North Dakota. Using their own unique design, the company has built and sold over 300 kiosks as turnkey operations, to independent owners around the country.
In addition to selling kiosks, Brenda and Dennis started Mountain Manufacturing, Inc. and Mountain Distributing and Supply Company through which they sell, service and supply espresso kiosks across the country.
Brenda and Dennis started their own coffee business after watching the daily stream of people visiting a local coffee vendor near their work. “I was going to the same sidewalk coffee cart every day. I watched how that vendor ran his business and how many people came by for coffee. We projected some numbers on the amount of traffic we’d need to make a reasonable profit,” said Brenda. “We knew that in Montana, a drive-through kiosk was the best bet to get the exposure we needed.” Initial estimates projected that 50 cups of coffee per day needed to be sold to make this new venture successful. These initial projections have been far exceeded. Today, the company’s busiest kiosk averages nearly 500 drinks a day.
In the beginning, Dennis and Brenda discovered that existing coffee shop owners were not willing to divulge information on running a store. That experience led them to vow to be more helpful to new entrepreneurs looking to them for advice. That open attitude has repaid them many times over. Click to read more…