LAUREL — In the last 10 years, Laurel has gained a wave of small, locally owned businesses, including coffee shops, restaurants, consignment stores and hair salons.
MTN spoke with four small business owners to get their perspective on Laurel's small-business culture.
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The people of Laurel love their town and community, whether they've lived there their entire life, or are new residents.
Shawna Hopper is the primary owner of Carlton Depot Eatery & Alehouse.
Her family, the Waddells, has lived in Laurel and worked at the railroad for generations. She is a proud Laurel resident.
"My ancestors moved here when Laurel was still known as the station of Carlton. So, we have a long family history here, and we just wanted to continue to be involved in the community the best we can," Hopper said.
The restaurant opened in December 2022 and recently won Small Business of the Year by the Laurel Chamber of Commerce.
Hopper said her favorite part about owning Carlton Depot is getting to connect with her Montana heritage, serving her local community and passing travelers.
"About 80% of my customers are not Laurel residents. They're from Columbus, Park City, Joliet, Billings, the hotel across the parking lot," she said Thursday.
Although Hopper loves running a small business, she says it can be difficult.
"It's a Catch-22.... We live in a time where it's about convenience. I think if I had a drive-thru, I could probably double my business," Hopper said.
Nonetheless, she recommends dining locally when possible, to support others in the community.
Heidi Schmidt, the owner of Heidi's Coffee Cabin, has lived a similar experience.
Schmidt is a longtime Laurel resident and was excited to open a coffee shop in her hometown.
After working as a barista in high school, she fell in love with making specialty drinks and connecting with customers, eventually opening her own coffee house in November 2011.
"We've seen a lot of small businesses come in from different things, and it's just been incredible, a lot of different restaurants... The great thing about small businesses is we kind of stick together, and are very supportive of one another," Schmidt said.
As a small business owner, Schmidt likes to support other locally owned businesses, which is why she buys her coffee grounds from Billings.
"Me being a small business owner, I'm always trying to think, 'who else can I support that's small,' and trying to get their name out there," Schmidt said Friday.
Schmidt has struggled in the last 13 years, especially with coffee competitors in the Billings area, which is why she's always trying to create new drinks and manually grinds her own beans.
"After the pandemic, getting supplies on time has been a thing... The timing that it takes for supplies to get here, when we get shorted, it's not good," she said.
Schmidt plans on running her coffee cabin for many more years.
The Cracked Egg, owned by Janel Allison, is a newer business in downtown Laurel.
The Washington state native opened the breakfast joint in October 2023, after living in Laurel for seven years.
She lived in the Seattle metro area, and the population of her county is larger than the population of Montana.
After her husband got a job in Montana, she fell in love with Laurel.
"People here are genuinely kind. They have big hearts and big dreams. We really want to make Laurel kind of that small-town feel. But, we also have lots of opportunity for families and anyone who lives here as well," Allison said.
Although the restaurant has only been open for a year, it's seen immense success, and Allison would eventually like to move to a larger location.
But it's struggled as well.
"Like anywhere, it takes time. You really have to invest yourself... In this day and age, if you can't really mold yourself to be able to survive with what the world is like, unfortunately you may not make it," Allison said Friday.
Allison attributes the local restaurant's success to her staff and the community of Laurel, even as other chain fast-food restaurants have moved into town offering breakfast.
"I know that big companies are kind of scary sometimes, but it also can put a lot of jobs in the community for people and make it more lucrative," she said.
Similarly to Allison, Amy Mullaney, the owner of Sunlight Property Management, is not from Laurel.
Mullaney has lived in Laurel for seven years and is now a part of the Laurel Chamber of Commerce and the Laurel Small Business Alliance.
"It's just a really nice, vibrant business district," Mullaney said Friday.
Sunlight Property Management sits beside The Cracked Egg in downtown Laurel.
As a chair for the Laurel Chamber of Commerce, Mullaney says that although the town has lost some local businesses, it's grown plenty in the last few years.
"It's kind of like Laurel is trying to bust at the seams, trying to bring people to Laurel, getting people excited. Pretty much everything you can get in Billings, you can get in Laurel," she said.
Mullaney said that Laurel sits in a unique part of Montana, getting business from travelers and Billings residents, which contributes to the town's growth.
"I know that there is a little bit of fear that we're going to end up being part of Billings, as things out west continue to grow this way. I feel that we still have that small-town feel," she said.
Overall, the town of Laurel stays consistent in its support for local small businesses.
All four business owners had recommendations for changes they'd like to see in the town, including larger investments in emergency services.
Mullaney also said the town would benefit from more teen-centered activities, and Allison recommended that the town get a used bookstore.
They all said they love their town and have seen growth in their businesses, as little or as long as they've been running.
