Restaurant in west-central Minnesota asks for community's support to stay afloat originally appeared on Bring Me The News.
A west-central Minnesota restaurateur is asking for donations to stay in business amid compliance issues and other challenges stemming from the pandemic and a 2019 fire.
Ryan Carlson, the owner of Stella’s Restaurant & Bar, recently created a GoFundMe in order to "keep our doors open."
The restaurant has locations in the popular tourist town of Battle Lake and in Fergus Falls, though the Battle Lake location is temporarily closed as long-term repairs are carried out on damage caused in a 2019 fire.
Stella’s is currently facing challenges including operating expenses, debt, and compliance issues preventing it from serving alcohol, according to the fundraiser.
The problems are exacerbated by issues stemming from the Battle Lake restaurant fire and the COVID-19 pandemic, Carlson said.
"Every dollar will go toward keeping Stella’s open, compliant, and ready to serve our community for years to come,” the GoFundMe reads. "This is not about bypassing the law — it’s about meeting it head-on and doing what’s needed to get there."
On Facebook, Carlson said he initially intended for the fundraiser to be a "way for a few close family and friends – who had asked how they could help – to have a place to chip in if they felt moved to.”
Stella’s opened its second location in downtown Fergus Falls in 2024.
As of Friday, the fundraiser had reached around $6,300 of its $12,000 goal.
This story was originally reported by Bring Me The News on Aug 8, 2025, where it first appeared.
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