Unsheathing elegance, one blade at a time. Photo: Vivront
Full service knife shop offers sharpening, shopping and classes.
Joseph Rueter grew up with an active imagination and always sought to understand how things worked. Into adulthood, Rueter was an inventor, who specialized in finding solutions to problems. He noticed opportunities, even in industries such as advertising and software. But in 2020, when he found himself cooped up at home due to COVID-19-related restrictions, he turned to cooking. What he found, unfortunately, was very dull. Knives, that is.
“I went looking for a solution to get my knives sharpened … and I couldn’t find it,” Rueter says. “It didn’t exist. I thought, here’s an industry that the internet hasn’t impacted and that isn’t niche.” With no method to get his tools back to working order, Rueter jumped into action to create the solution himself.
After testing the waters with a mail order knife sharpening service, Vivront (French for “they will live”) first opened its doors in Wayzata in November 2022. A year later, Vivront closed its Wayzata doors to reopen on 50th and France in Edina.
Knife sharpening is only one of the services Vivront has to offer. Guests are able to continue mailing their knives or drop them in the drop box on site. Customers can rent loaner knives while theirs are out of commission. In addition, the shopping space for knives, cutting boards and gifts has expanded and is equipped with tons of raw veggies for guests to slice and dice before purchasing a knife. There’s even an option to have a knife fitting (like a shoe fitting) to ensure proper size and comfort prior to purchasing. Lastly, Vivront hosts knife-specific classes, including basic skills, introduction to kimchi and introduction to Japanese knives.
Whether a Michelin star chef or a newbie in the kitchen, Rueter aims for each customer to leave the store feeling confident and equipped. Good quality (sharp) knives are the linchpin of successful cooking. Joy in the kitchen just comes naturally after that.
Knife Know-How
Keeping knives in working order isn’t only about securing a finer slice-and-dice method. Rueter offers some expert advice on how to keep our knives in shape.
How often should knives be sharpened?
Joseph Rueter: It depends on how often and how hard they’re used.
Is there a special way to test the sharpness of a knife?
JR: Attempt to cut some thin paper with the knife. Does it cut more than it tears? Does it hang up in certain spots, or does it cut uniformly all the way across the blade? If it hangs, tears or is not uniform, then it would likely benefit from service.
What can we do at home to keep our knives in top shape?
JR: … honing regularly, protecting edges when cleaning and storing them, and cutting on cutting boards instead of plates, pans, glass or marble.
—Daniel Huss & Renée Stewart-Hester
Vivront
4948 France Ave. S.; 952.222.5336
Facebook: Vivront
Instagram: @vivront_
TikTok: @vivront_
X: @vivront
