The Circle Inn spins new ways of doing business By Rachael Hanel | Submitted photos
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eni Bobholz bought North Mankato’s iconic The Circle Inn in January 2019. She had just made it through the first year and looked forward to settling into a nice routine. “Going into the second year, we were hopeful. We were like, ‘We got through this first year.’ Then on St. Patty’s Day, we were shut down.” The pandemic forced The Circle, and all other bars and restaurants, to nearly grind to a halt. But Bobholz considers herself a creative person and quickly found ways to adapt. “I could have easily had a woe-is-me, depressing mindset but I put on my big girl pants. You have to reassure yourself that this is not your fault,” she says. Nate LeBoutillier, aka Nate Boots, has played music at The Circle for many years. He says he’s been struck by Bobholz’s can-do attitude in the last year. “I admire her so much because she’s always moving forward. You gotta keep stuff alive,” he says. Throughout the summer on Fridays, The Circle worked with food provider Sysco for pop-up sales of frozen items, in quantities geared toward families. Bobholz also used the ample space in the parking lot for outdoor seating in the fall, up until Thanksgiving when bars and restaurants were closed again. During that time, Bobholz focused on off-sale liquor and pivoted to selling things like Advent calendars—anything to keep the
8 • MARCH 2021 • Women
