How Rondo’s Golden Thyme is blending social media and influencers to drive sales
- Lizzy Nyoike
- 1 minute ago
- 3 min read
In the heart of St. Paul’s historic Rondo neighborhood, Golden Thyme is rooted in community, culture and connection.
The longtime Black-owned restaurant has reimagined its marketing strategies with renewed energy and is seeing rapid growth, fueled by an effective Instagram and Facebook strategy that turned online attention into real customer demand.
Golden Thyme has been part of the Rondo community for more than two decades. On the corner of Selby Avenue and Victoria Street at 856 Selby Ave., Golden Thyme Café has long served coffee, pastries, and breakfast sandwiches. After closing for about two years, the café and restaurant re-opened under the care of the Rondo Community Land Trust, a non-profit organization focused on the history of the Rondo community while preserving Black-owned businesses and strengthening economic opportunity in the neighborhood.
“For generations, it has been a space where people come together for food, conversation, celebration, and connection,” says Mikeya Griffin, Rondo Community Land Trust president and CEO.
Today, Golden Thyme Café continues to operate as a daytime coffeehouse, while Golden Thyme Restaurant & Bar is located in its original space at 934 Selby Ave., and offers a New Orleans-style southern cuisine.
In recent months, Golden Thyme Restaurant & Bar has seen a large increase in sales. According to Randy Norman, hospitality consultant for Rondo Community Land Trust, social media and influencer marketing have played a pivotal role in the increase.
“In today's world If no one knows who you are, where you are, you have to have a presence that is very impressionable,” says Norman. “Meaning, whatever you say you're going to do, you have to do right.”
Golden Thyme Restaurant & Bar leaned heavily into Facebook and Instagram to showcase what the restaurant offers, highlighting menu items such as cocktails, cuisine specials, curated events, and live music. The goal was to reach people beyond the Rondo neighborhood.
Norman says the biggest boost came from a creative influencer outreach strategy. Golden Thyme hosted a private influencer event and invited content creators from across Minnesota to experience the restaurant. The evening included a curated menu, cocktails, and music.
“We created an event that had never ever been done,” Norman said.
The restaurant closed for the evening to host the event, a decision that came with risk.
“We took a chance because we lost sales that particular night by bringing all of them in, but we thought it was important,” said Norman.
The impact was immediate. Influencers shared reviews and posts following the event, and according to Norman, the next day marked a turning point for the restaurant.
“The next Friday night was the busiest Friday night we ever had, and that has continued to grow,” he says.
Norman says since reopening in May 2025, Golden Thyme’s social media has grown from just a few hundred followers to thousands across platforms. The increased online visibility has brought diners from all across the Twin Cities.
Norman says the restaurant's success is not only based on food or online attention but also its responsibility to the community.
“There was a lot of value in keeping Black businesses in the Black neighborhood,” he says. “There was a huge amount of value and amount of jobs that we could bring to the community.”
According to Norman, profits from Golden Thyme are reinvested into the community to support other efforts along Selby Avenue.
“That profit – whatever we make in that profit – we take that and it goes back into the community to help support other organizations or to help support other business owners to get on their feet, not only get on their feet, but do it the right way,” Norman says.
Griffin says Golden Thyme’s presence on Selby continues to benefit the broader community beyond the restaurant itself.
In a written statement, Griffin says, “Golden Thyme has always been more than a restaurant – it is a cultural landmark, a gathering place, and a symbol of community pride in Rondo and across St. Paul.”
Through Rondo Community Land Trust’s stewardship, Golden Thyme Restaurant & Bar and Golden Thyme Café continue to serve as community anchors, reflecting renewed commitment to preserving Black legacy, supporting local entrepreneurship and ensuring community-rooted businesses can thrive for the long term.
Golden Thyme Restaurant and Bar is open Monday through Saturday at 11 a.m., closing at 8 p.m. Monday and Tuesday, 9 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday, and 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday. The restaurant is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sundays. The café is open daily 6:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.