A Look Inside One of Our Favorite St. Paul Shops

If you follow us on Instagram, then you hopefully saw our Minnesota City Series announcement. If not, here’s the lowdown: to help keep the momentum going for supporting local, we’re going to pick a city or neighborhood across the metro every month to highlight some of our favorite small businesses in each. Our January pick: St. Paul.

Although I personally spend far more time in Minneapolis, I can’t help but be enamored by the charm of our state capital. Strolling Rice Park downtown in winter, admiring the beautiful architecture on Summit Ave, trying all of the delicious restaurants on Selby and Grand. Each time I visit, it seems like there is something new that I fall in love with, but one of my long-standing favorites that is always on my “must-visit” list is Golden Fig Fine Foods.

Founded by Laurie Crowell, Golden Fig is a micro-grocer located on Grand Avenue that brings unique, gourmet foods to the community. After growing up in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, Laurie had the incredible fortune to work alongside Ina Garten at Barefoot Contessa in New York, which is where her passion for quality and local foods manifested. After moving back to the Midwest, she ultimately created her own product line by chance, selling her experimental vinegar blends after taking a course at Shady Acres Herb Farm in Chaska. Several years and endless farmers markets later, Laurie achieved a tremendous milestone in 2006 when she opened her very own brick-and-mortar store, which has continued to flourish ever since thanks to her and her team’s commitment to quality.

When you shop at Golden Fig, you can buy with confidence knowing that Laurie and her team stringently review each and every item in the shop to ensure they meet their high standards. Whether it be locally-sourced cheeses or artfully made chocolates, they assess everything from packaging down to ingredients, disqualifying anything with artificial colors of flavoring, high-fructose corn syrup, or MSG. Beyond their sourced goodies, they also have over 150 signature products within their in-house brand, including balsamic vinegars, rubs, dip herbs, and other spice blends, like the Chili Seasoning found in our rotating seasonal gift set, Winter Nights

If you live in or find yourself visiting the St. Paul area, be sure to stop into Golden Fig and scope out their latest array. Whether you enjoy baking, cooking, or grilling, you’re certain to find something fresh and fun for your kitchen arsenal.

Thank you to Laurie and the whole Golden Fig team for being such wonderful partners! We hope your 25th year in business is the best yet.