Brittney Mikell is set to make history with the opening of the first Black woman-owned brewery in the Twin Cities. To help her with the challenges of building a business, Mikell enrolled in the University of St. Thomas Community Entrepreneurship Program. During this program, she worked closely with business students who provided invaluable assistance.
Mikell’s passion for beer led her to make the transition from pharmacy to becoming an assistant brewer at La Doña Cervecería in Minneapolis. In order to further develop her business skills, she joined the community entrepreneurship program at the University of St. Thomas. Through the program, she was able to work with student consultants who helped her create a strategy for crowdfunding to open her brewery.
Laila Franklin, a recent graduate of St. Thomas, was one of the students paired with Mikell to assist her with the crowdfunding campaign. Franklin found Mikell to be inspiring with her dedication to the Rondo community and her entrepreneurial spirit. Franklin had the opportunity to sample some of the beer Mikell plans to offer at Bubble Line Brewing Company, and she believes future patrons have a lot to look forward to.