Here’s something your average convenience store doesn’t have—a hidden speakeasy.
“When [customers] walk in, they're like, we’re going out for cocktails at a convenience store and gas station? And then it's fun for them to reveal the door and walk through the cellar into the [Farmer’s Cellar] bar,” said Tony Donatell, owner of Farmer’s Grandson Eatery.
Farmer’s Grandson Eatery, with two stores in Lakeville and Eagan, Minnesota, was featured in the 2025 NACS Ideas 2 Go video series. The series captures ideas from some of the most innovative and food-forward convenience stores in the industry and debuts during a NACS Show General Session.
At Farmer’s Grandson Eatery, customers are in for a number of surprises. The store is more akin to a food destination with gas pumps, offering a fresh food concept with burgers, sandwiches and other handhelds, street tacos, chicken tenders, pizza, Grandma’s All Day Breakfast and an outdoor grill that rotates food options like bratwurst and pulled pork sandwiches.
“You wouldn’t think that a convenience store would have all of these amenities in it,” said Patty Peterson, manager at Farmer’s Grandson Eatery, noting that Farmer’s Grandson has everything customers need “for a great meal, plus you get the convenience of getting your gas here, and getting your milk and your snacks.”
“The key is to have a fun experience, something unique that nobody else has,” Peterson added. “People want more than just food. You can get food anywhere. It's the experience that’s important.”
Watch the full video of Farmer’s Grandson Eatery here, and check out the other 2025 Ideas 2 Go videos here. NACS also spoke with Donatell about the speakeasy on a Convenience Matters podcast.
Learn more about Patty Peterson and why she loves working in the convenience industry in the November issue of NACS Magazine’s Faces of the Industry column.