We were lucky to catch up with Melissa Fabian recently and have shared our conversation below.

Melissa, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Let’s kick things off with your mission – what is it and what’s the story behind why it’s your mission?

Simply Nourished Market & Mercantile’s mission is multi-faceted.

To support & grow…..

– Downtown Mason City
– Local Farmers & Ranchers
– Local Makers & Manufacturers

And….Provide excellent customer service in and extraordinary grocery shopping experience.

For Foxtrot Properties our Mission is to save vacant and forgotten downtown spaces one building at a time.

Melissa, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

My name is Melissa Fabian. I am wife to Matthew, Mom to Lily, Sam & Paul, the owner of two small businesses, active community volunteer and serve the City of Mason City on the Park Board.

It’s hard to really pin down a direct path how I got to where I am in my career….but I will tell you that from a very young age, when I was sitting in the backseat of the car as my parents drove down Center Avenue and Main Street in downtown Moorhead, MN, my heart would ache for the vacant and empty buildings I would see. I wanted to give them life and I grew-up with a strong sense of wanting to make my community better.

I grew-up in Moorhead, MN, witnessing my parents servant hearts as they volunteered at church and with organizations in our community, making a difference in the lives around them and in framing the future of their town.

I graduated from what is now Minnesota State University – Moorhead in 1995 with a degree in Mass Communications with an emphasis on Public Relations and a Minor in Political Science.

I married my husband Matthew in 1997 and we began the journey of his medical education which took us to Missouri, Michigan, North Dakota, Minnesota and Florida for Medical School, Residency and Fellowship.

During that time I was able to work as an editor and writer as well as in retail management. Once kids started coming along in 2002, I was blessed to be able to be a stay-at-home mom.

When Matt was done with his training we were able to move home, and as the kids got older, I was able to plug in and volunteer my time with our local schools and our church home until the kids were older.

It was in 2016 when my youngest son Paul heard a news story on the radio while I was driving him to school when my status as stay-at-home mom changed. They announced there was an opening on the Moorhead City Council, and as we were driving he said, “Mom you’re really good at being on boards and committees, you should run!” After getting the blessing of my whole family, I threw my hat in the ring and essentially went back to work when I was elected to the Moorhead City Council.

In 2018 we made Mason City, Iowa home, and I found myself jumping in as member of Mason City Planning and Zoning Board, the Main Street Board of Directors and the Mason City Youth Hockey Board of Directors. I dove in to our new community and was welcomed with open arms.

In 2019 I was able to fulfill my childhood dream and started Foxtrot Properties, purchasing our first properties at 13 & 15 South Federal Avenue.

With that, we needed tenants! Through Main Streets Ready to Recruit Survey we found that the #1 want of those surveyed was an organic grocery market and kitchen ware store.

I had approached Ashley Coleman to see if she’d be willing to open a second location of her grocery market based in Clear Lake, IA. She said no, but she was willing to license the brand to me so I could open one.

Now here we are almost three years later, and I am now the owner of not just the Mason City store, but the Simply Nourished brand.

And after completing the entire renovation of our South Federal properties, which is now home not just to Simply Nourished, but four upper-story residential units and Three Bells Books, we have purchased a second set of buildings on North Federal, and are currently working with architects to bring the vacant third and fourth floors of those buildings back to life.

Can you open up about how you funded your business?

You would think COVID was a crazy time to start a new business not to mention a commercial and residential renovation project, but it turned out to be perfect timing for funding of both projects. We qualified for grant funding because of new rules set in place due to COVID and NIACOG was with us hand in hand helping us through the application processes.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.simplynourishedstores.com
• Instagram: @simplynourishedmc and @foxtrotpropertiesmc
• Facebook: @simplynourishedmc and @foxtrotpropertiesmc
• Linkedin: Melissa Fabian