In the 1850s, German settlers incorporated a town 90 miles southwest of the Twin Cities.

Now, WCCO is shining its summer spotlight on the picturesque river valley town of New Ulm and the family-run business that's nearly as old as the city itself.

High above the Minnesota River Valley, Herman, the father of Germany, watches over town as the descendants of the men who put him there live the legacy. 

People like Ann Morris at Domeiers German Store.

"It was started in 1934 by my grandmother, Agatha Domeier," Morris said.

Time treks on, things change — just not as often around here.

Whether it's the Kaizerhoff's famous barbecue ribs or a Reuben at Turner Hall under the hand-painted murals from the 1870s. A tapestry of townspeople and businesses that make it all tick.

It's not all work, though.

"We like to drink beer," one resident said.

And when your work is done, they have something for that, too.

"Schell's is number one," a resident said.

For as many storybook businesses as you'll find in New Ulm, perhaps none are more storied than this one.

Vice President Kyle Marti is a descendant of founder August Schell.

"The brewhouse would have been built in the 1880s before the city of New Ulm was even electrified," Kyle Marti said.

He'll run the place one day.

"My father Ted is the current president and then my younger brother and I are in line to start taking over as the sixth generation," Kyle Marti said. "A hundred and sixty-five years, pretty awesome to be part of that. No pressure, right?" 

If it sounds rare, it is.

"Second-oldest family-owned brewery in the country," Kyle Marti said.

A title his family proudly shares with the city.

"Through the years the town has been what's kept this brewery alive," Kyle Marti said. There's been some tough times here at the brewery and we don't survive unless the town around us supports us."

And they're not done yet. The job is a balance of acknowledging the past while mapping out the next chapter.

"This year we'll go north of 125,000 to 130,000 barrels of beer," Kyle Marti said. "A long ways from the 200 barrels a year we started with."

But in a town known for beer, there's still room for something to sprout. People like Kyle's brother Jace Marti are starting new ventures like Black Frost Distilling and growing them in the town they love.

"We were packed from the moment we opened the door," Jace Marti said. "The community support has been amazing."

Call it old world charm or a nod to a simpler time. Here in town, people clock off, but they never check out.

"You just expect to put in the time and the effort to make things work well," Morris said.

Building a storybook community to stand the test of time, barrel by barrel.

"You retain some character and that's what makes it special in sometimes a cold world," Kyle Marti said.