Cafe expands into C-store sales with baked doughnuts, sandwiches
Dec. 17, 2020
A Sioux Falls cafe that’s building a reputation for its baked doughnuts and boxed lunches is expanding into convenience store sales.
CNC Food Factory, which is based in the Avera McKennan Fitness Center, is providing sandwiches for breakfast and lunch, soup, doughnuts and other baked goods at Gas Barrel on Madison Street just east of Kiwanis Avenue.
“It’s all homemade,” said Wayne Krump, who bought the Sinclair station in spring. “These guys are great. They take a lot of pride in quality products.”
The sandwiches and soups are refrigerated, and there’s a microwave for customers who want to warm up their food to eat it on the go.
“We’re there just about every day to restock and see how things are going,” said Stephanie Brown, who owns CNC with her husband, Andrew.
Krump said he’s trying to bring more local products into the store. He also carries wine from Strawbale Winery north of Sioux Falls.
“We’re just trying to keep it simple, keep it small and keep it so we can manage it without making too many mistakes.”
Gas Barrel typically is open from 5:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily, Krump said.
CNC also sells its doughnuts and other baked goods at The Clean Bean coffee shop at Clean Ride Auto Spa and its protein bars at the Sioux Falls Food Co+op.
“We’re hoping that we can find more of these independent convenience stores,” Brown said.
Since the Browns bought the cafe last year — where Andrew had worked for 12 years — they have been growing the business.
The baked doughnuts that he added to the menu are especially popular. They’re available whenever the cafe is open, but on Saturday mornings, the couple makes extra. When they weather is nice, they set up a tent and move the sales outside the fitness center on Southeastern Avenue.
For Thanksgiving, they created a single-serving, take-and-bake meal and sold more than 300. Now, they’re taking orders through Sunday for a Christmas meal with ham, mashed potatoes and gravy, cream cheese corn, a mini croissant and apple crisp for $8.
