When Sheboygan native Kate Krause was 23 “and just trying to figure out next steps,” she and some like-minded friends wanted to create the kind of community gathering space they had only been able to find in Milwaukee or beyond.

“We had the opportunity of an empty space,” Krause noted as she spoke about having worked in coffee shops previously. And so, armed with plenty of ambition, enthusiasm, and a lease, Sheboygan’s Paradigm Coffee and Music was born.

A Slow Build 

“It was pretty haphazard, and we hit the ground running,” Krause said. “And I would never say that we were wildly successful from the start. I would literally call my mom and be like, ‘Can you come sit here and make it look like we have customers?’”

The first show Krause booked at their original location was with friend Brianna Lane, a singer/songwriter from Minneapolis. Lane then suggested Emily White, a friend from Chicago.

“From there we just kept getting more and more great performers.There was kind of a love of the space and a found ownership,” Krause said. “It was a gem, and people wanted to treat it right. So they only sent their best people. And we grew that way in a couple of different threads through a couple different scenes, and since opening, we’ve done about 2,000 shows.”

Adding Food to the Menu 

To remain viable, Paradigm went from being just a coffee shop to adding a kitchen menu. “We started out with a small batch of sandwiches, and my sister would make the soups,” Krause said, “and then a few years into that we went vegetarian.”

Almost two decades later, Paradigm Coffee and Music is much more than its name would suggest.

Now located near the Sheboygan farmers’ market, the 4,000 square foot space offers a variety of vegan and vegetarian menu items for breakfast and lunch (25,000 bagel sandwiches sold annually), an impressive line up of coffee drinks, teas, milkshakes, and more, plus baked goods made in-house.

A Performance & Meeting Space 

Evening shows featuring local talent have included a performance by Shebaygan’s Uke Club—a St. Patrick’s Day tradition—and Paradigm’s newest venture, a Community Playlist cabaret that’s raising funds for causes like a neighborhood theater for young audiences and the Sheboygan County LGBTQ Alliance. By design, Paradigm’s regular schedule includes LGBTQ-inclusive events and provides room for the community to hold meetings. And for something different, any given day might offer enrichment like a film series or art class.

“We also run a bicycle recycling shop in the basement,” said Krause, co-founder of Sheboygan Active Transportation. “I love anything on two wheels.” And until recently they organized a food co-op as well.

While Paradigm holds wide appeal, Krause insists, “We don’t have to be everything to everybody. We keep figuring it out day-by-day. We’re almost 20, and we’re doing things we’ve never done before consistently.”

Taking Risks 

Krause and her team have found success by taking risks. One major pivot was Paradigm’s move in 2009 to 1202 North 8th Street, and ultimately ending up with a better landlord situation. The building was covered in metal, and the windows were plastered over, but they loved what was inside. “There was only one other organization that was interested in renting it, and it was the Republican Party,” Krause said. The woman in charge of renting the property told Krause she could have it if she wanted. Krause called that “an interesting twist,” because even as a business owner, Krause has never been shy about expressing her political views.

The memorable move was “completely non-motorized, with a four-block-long bucket brigade and farm wagons pulled by bicycle.” No problem. As a matter of fact, “It was awesome.

When we first moved into our new space, the number one thing was we couldn’t afford anything,” Krause said, “We were honestly a bad bet for this new landlord to take us on.”

Another significant change came to Paradigm in 2016 after the Pulse nightclub shootings. Until then, Krause had chosen not to display a Pride flag because she had a strong feeling for safety first.  However, after the tragedy in Orlando, “We felt we didn’t know each other enough as the queer community,” Krause said, imagining “kind of a superhighway of information and collective protection. So we formed Queer Potluck from there, and I put up a Pride flag in my window.”

Krause made a decision to face her politics and posters outward. The Pride flag would serve as a beacon to the queer community and allies, while also warding off any folks who don’t share their values. “Around that time, we developed a social media rule where we screenshot, delete, and block any comments that are anything offensive,” Krause said.

A Consistent Presence in the Community 

Is Sheboygan a more queer-friendly place because of what Krause created? Krause doesn’t take all the credit. Staff, regulars, and other key players all contributed to the success of her ever-evolving coffee shop/music venue/gathering space.

At the time of this interview, Krause and her team had been planning for their annual Pride celebration for months. “Our brains are on our Pride picnic, which is June 28,” Krause said. “Last year’s got rained out, and it was a really big bummer. But at the same time, we feel a little bit ahead of the game. This year, we booked quite a few really great bands.

“I guess I can name-drop one of them, because they’re totally confirmed and they’re out of Madison. They’re called Kat and the Hurricane. We’re happy to have them.”

In the lead-up to Pride month, businesses like Krause’s often find themselves stretched, stressed, and even the target of unwanted negative attention, especially in our current political climate. But to community builders like Krause, it seems like business as usual. “I think as the world is just turning more and more upside down, these rules we set for ourselves from the beginning have helped and have made it easier for our crew and our consistency: We don’t feed trolls. We don’t get into altercations. We continue to do our thing, do what we do, and we do it well. After the inauguration, I walked into my shop, and said, ‘I know I’m on the list somewhere.’  But we’re going to keep our nose to the ground and continue to bolster our community.”