HASTINGS, Minn — On a hot day like this, Hastings Dairy Store is busy serving up ice cream and shakes.
But manager Jamie Broskoff says it's more than heat bringing people in -- the 110-year-old Hastings Creamery shut down last week.
"They came to work last week, and were told, 'We're closing tomorrow,'" she said.
In June, The Metropolitan Council temporarily cut the creamery off from the sewer after it said it leaked thousands of gallons of milk and cream into the system.
"We were kind of been working with them for several months to try to find options to keep them going," said Thom Petersen, the commissioner for the Minnesota Department of Agriculture.
Petersen thought the creamery was heading in the right direction after passing several inspections.
"The challenges just added up to too much," he said.
Petersen said he is hopeful a buyer would be interested in taking the plant over.
KARE 11 reached out to the owners to see what would happen with their employees and nearly 50 dairy farmers from Minnesota and Wisconsin who sold to them. They did not immediately respond.
"For the dairy farmers in Minnesota that I've been talking to, it's been a really rough three months," said Lucas Sjostrom, the executive director at Minnesota Milk Producers Association.
Sjostrom said it will be hard for farmers to get a buyer for their product.
"That's partially due to low prices, partially due to the processing capacity we've had in the Upper Midwest in recent months," he said.
Broskoff said while the dairy store's future is uncertain, one of the creamery's owners told her they will try to keep the doors of the shop open.
"We have kids to support, paying a mortgage and car payments and stuff," she said.
Stephanie Maus owns Stephy Jo's, a bakery in Prescott. She says she comes to the dairy store on a weekly basis because of the quality and affordability.
"It makes me sad," she said. "A lot of people come here for their milk. This is the only milk they'll drink."
David Roeller lives in Newport. He said he notices the taste in the milk and goes to the store which is out of his way.
"It brings people to the community," he said. "It's nice to know where your milk is coming from."
The Metropolitan Council said in a statement that it spent several months partnering with the creamery and other organizations and it will continue doing so to ensure the safety of the community and to support the business and its workers.
According to Petersen, the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development is helping workers find similar jobs.
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