Interview: Zachary Quinn of LOVE YOUR MELON at Mall Of America

Love Your Melon started as a simple college project with a big mission: give a beanie to every child battling cancer in America. Founded in a classroom at the University of St. Thomas by Zachary Quinn and his college roommate, the brand quickly grew into a household name, known as much for its charitable impact as its cozy, leather-patch beanies.

Now, more than ten years later, Quinn is back at the helm. He recently bought back the company, and with it, the chance to return to the original mission and bring the business back home to Minnesota. Production has resumed in Minneapolis, the brand’s signature Buy One, Give One model has returned, and Love Your Melon is entering a new chapter—one deeply rooted in family, community, and purpose.

To kick things off, the brand is opening its first-ever retail experience at Mall of America on October 24, 2025. The pop-up will feature a Build Your Own Beanie Bar, exclusive product drops, and even a taste of Quinn’s family’s longtime St. Paul restaurant, Café Latte.

We caught up with Zachary ahead of the opening to talk about what motivated the buyback, how the community has responded, and what’s ahead for Love Your Melon.

Congratulations on buying back Love Your Melon. What motivated this decision now?

Love Your Melon started as a college project at the University of St. Thomas, and it’s always been deeply personal to me. When the opportunity came to buy it back, it just felt right. It was a chance to return the brand to its Minnesota roots, make it a family business, and reignite our original mission: the Buy One, Give One program—where for every beanie purchased, one is donated to a child battling cancer.

What does it feel like to return to ownership of the brand you co-founded?

It feels like Love Your Melon is right back where it belongs—home in Minnesota. We’re bringing production back locally, finishing beanies in Minneapolis, and creating jobs in our own community. It’s truly become a family business. Now that I’m married with two young boys, it’s even more meaningful to be able to share this new chapter with my family by my side.

How has the Love Your Melon community responded to the news of your return?

The response has been amazing. So many people have reached out to say how excited they are to see us return to our original mission with the Buy One, Give One program. On top of that, 15% of revenue from accessories, add-ons, and warehouse sale items goes directly to our nonprofit partners working in the fight against pediatric cancer.

People are also really loving our new product lines. The Classics Collection brings back the original leather patch everyone remembers, while our new Essentials Collection features the updated LYM logo on a clean blue tag. There’s truly something for everyone, in every color.

What do you want longtime customers and fans of the brand to know about this new chapter?

We’re just getting started. One of the first big initiatives is the Love Your Melon Experience, a brand-new retail store at Mall of America, open now through March. Visitors can design their own beanie at our Build Your Own Beanie Bar—choosing colors, patches, poms, embroidery, and charms. We also have thousands of limited-edition drops available exclusively in-store.

We’d love for everyone to stop by and check it out—we’re on the first floor at the southeast end of the mall, right by L.L.Bean.

What are your favorite local spots?

My favorite local spot is Café Latte in St. Paul—it’s our family business! My parents started it 40 years ago, and now my brother runs it. Beyond the family connection, it really is one of the best places in town for soups, salads, sandwiches, desserts, and a top-notch Pizza and Wine Bar.

My personal favorite is the Tres Leche cake. We’ll actually be serving samples of it at the LYM Experience Grand Opening on Friday, October 24 at 10 a.m., so stop by! Café Latte really embodies what I love about Minnesota: great food, strong community, and an entrepreneurial spirit.

Thank you Zachary for your time!

Be sure to check out the new Love Your Melon location at the Mall of America opening this Friday, October 24, 2025.