23-Year-Old Transforms 1908 Bank Into Award-Winning Pub

When most 23-year-olds are figuring out their first career moves, Darbi Kor was transforming a historic 1908 bank building into what would become the heart of Holland, Minnesota.

Five years later, her gamble paid off in a big way. Kor's Korner Pub just earned her the Young Entrepreneur of the Year award from the Southwest Minnesota Small Business Development Center, part of the U.S. Small Business Administration's National Small Business Week honors.

"I was very surprised actually, very honored," Kor said after receiving the award May 8 in St. Paul. "It feels great to get awarded for your accomplishments and your hard work."

The award recognizes more than just business success. Nominations require detailed packages highlighting growth, leadership, innovation, community impact, and entrepreneurial resilience. Kor checked every box.

She started with nothing but vision and determination, working closely with SBDC consultant Ruth Ann Karty to develop her business plan, navigate licensing, and create an LLC. The old Holland State Bank building, constructed in 1908 and used for everything from a post office to apartments after its banking days ended in the 1930s, became her canvas.

The Ripple Effect

Kor's success has created waves far beyond her own bottom line. Her pub has become a cornerstone of Holland's community, employing local residents and giving the small town a gathering place it can be proud of.

The recognition keeps coming. In 2022, her business won the Southwest Regional Development Commission's Regional Project of the Year. This month, her golden jam smash burger took first place in the Pipestone County Burger Battle.

For anyone hesitating to chase their business dreams, Kor has straightforward advice. "If you don't do it when you want to do it, you'll never do it," she said. "You're never going to know unless you try."

She's quick to credit the people who believed in her journey: her employees, customers, family, and the Holland community. The hardships she faced over five years, she says, have all been worth it.

Kor's Korner Pub will celebrate its five-year anniversary this July during Holland Days, marking half a decade of turning an abandoned building into proof that small-town entrepreneurship is alive and thriving.