Journey Audiology and Hearing Care marked a new chapter with the opening of its newly renovated office at 830 Vermillion St., giving the growing practice more space to serve patients while continuing its commitment to accessible hearing care throughout the community.
The ribbon cutting celebration highlighted both the practice’s physical expansion and its broader vision for delivering hearing healthcare, including mobile audiology services that bring care directly to patients who may have difficulty traveling.
According to founder and audiologist Dr. Rachel Allgor, the move became necessary as the practice outgrew its previous location.
“We moved primarily because I hired more staff, and then we ran out of space, so three people in two tiny three rooms just weren’t tenable anymore, so we needed to find something new,” Allgor said. She added that the former library space offered an attractive opportunity because “it had a lot more windows, which was also very nice to have.”
The transition was carefully planned to avoid disruptions for patients. While renovations were underway at the new location, the practice continued operating from its previous office.
“Luckily it didn't interrupt business at all, because I was still operating out of the old space, while they were renovating this one,” Allgor said. The renovation process took approximately three months and included repainting, installation of technology infrastructure and preparation of treatment areas.
The new office provides significantly more room than the previous location. The building contains three separate suites, allowing the practice to occupy two sections while reserving additional space for future growth.
“I ended up taking the south and the west portion suites to be able to have some growth potential in the future,” Allgor explained. “We're operating primarily out of that South Suite, so suite 101 but then hopefully adding another provider at some point here in the future and adding some more services to utilize the other space.”
Founded by Allgor, who grew up in Hastings and returned to Minnesota after earning her doctorate from A.T. Still University in Arizona, Journey Audiology focuses on helping people maintain meaningful connections through better hearing. The practice offers a range of services including diagnostic hearing evaluations, comprehensive hearing testing, hearing aid services, earwax removal and industrial hearing screenings. Patients receive personalized assessments designed to evaluate hearing sensitivity, speech recognition and overall hearing health.
The clinic’s approach centers on making hearing care both comfortable and accessible. The practice emphasizes inclusivity, respect for individual preferences and creating a welcoming environment for all patients. Rather than relying on a trailer or mobile van, Journey Audiology’s mobile service model allows clinicians to bring calibrated equipment directly to homes and care facilities, an approach developed with Minnesota’s challenging winter conditions in mind.
That mobile service continues to play an increasingly important role in the practice.
“I've been doing more mobile audiology things too, and so we have the capacity to actually go into senior living communities and people's homes and provide care that way,” Allgor said. “I have several patients who are either home bound or bed bound, and they need services too, and so it's a really fun service to be able to provide to go to them.”
She noted that mobile care also benefits older adults who remain active but no longer drive.
“If they're in a senior living community, and they don't drive anymore, but they're still active. It's okay, let's keep you active by being able to hear well,” she said.
As the practice settles into its new location, the expanded office provides a foundation for future growth while supporting its mission of helping people stay connected through better hearing. With additional room for staff, services and patient care, Journey Audiology is positioned to continue serving residents both inside the clinic and throughout the community for years to come.