Issue 1:18 - GRAND Lifestyle magazine

HOME & DESIGN

Stunning Area // Architecture Explained

ARTS & CULTURE

Through // Love The Lens

SHOP & STYLE

Kittsona’s // Style Goes National

From Field To Glass Far North Spirits husband-and-wife team left big city jobs to produce region-infused whiskey

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Friendlier Living

Smarter Schools

Better Opportunities

Healthier People

Livelier Events

DO YOU LIVE COOLER? Share your favorite things about the Greater Grand Forks region! Are you someone who lives healthier? What’s your favorite livelier event? Do you enjoy our friendlier living? Tell us what makes this area cool, using #GFisCooler.

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features EAT & DRINK //

08 SPIRITS OF THE NORTH Inspired by their connection to the region, Far North Spirits is building a world-class whiskey making legacy made possible because of who they are and where they are headquartered.

34 CRAFTING A CONNECTION Chad Gunderson and the Half Brothers Brewing team have joined a national craft brewery trend. In downtown Grand Forks, they've found a way to stand out.

SHOP & STYLE //

16 NATIONAL STYLE, LOCAL ROOTS Once a local success story, Kittsona is now a national brand in several major metros, yet, they're just getting started.

HEALTH & FITNESS //

52 THE DESTINATION FOR WHOLE BODY HEALTH

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30 HOME & DESIGN //

26 TOP CHOICE The centerpiece to your kitchen dreams, countertops can also be a nightmare.

Relax, and go behind the scenes with Brockmeyer Tile and Stone to gain insight on materials, costs and options.

42 MAKING YOU THE TRENDSETTER

Popular on the coasts, one-stop-shop treatment centers provide multiple solutions for a better you. With Turning Point Health & Wellness, you have options.

Professional artist and design expert Susan Nord shares the secret to before-and-after success.

ARTS & CULTURE //

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30 LOVE THROUGH THE LENS Destination wedding photographers Jamie and Jeremy Manstrom detail their favorite shoots, crazy trips and reason for living in the region.

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THE GREAT VISUALIZER Architect Scott Meland shares regional styles and a glimpse into his impressive portfolio.

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EDITOR'S NOTE //

Meet Your Makers With GRAND, it really is all in the name.

We created this lifestyle publication to showcase the inest elements, people and stories from the region to help us all achieve a life worthy of the publication’s name. Infused with stunning imagery, creative storytelling and a sophisticated design, GRAND is intended to highlight the impressive possibilities present in the Grand Cities region and surrounding areas. We want to leave you awestruck at what you can see, touch, taste, hear, accomplish or experience here.

Developed and produced in downtown Grand Forks, GRAND is published by BBI International. For more than two decades, our team of editors, designers, photographers, sales, marketing, executives and event visionaries have been producing industry leading publications and events for audiences across the country. With GRAND, we are turning our passion and proven abilities for creating exceptional content to the place we live and work.

Our goal for you—and us—is both simple and complex. We are working to translate the exceptional parts of this region onto the pages of a feature article, photospread or pro ile piece in a way that enhances your understanding of what is achievable here, or shows the positive possibilities that could be down the street or only a short drive away. Are those aspirations simple? No. Are those goals complex? De initely (there are so many amazing stories to be told, how do we it everything in?). But, could all of this be GRAND? Well, we would say, why else would we be doing this?

In our inaugural issue—and all those that follow—our team will include stories and images used to inspire your understanding on several focus areas, including: home and design; eat and drink; health and itness; shop and style; arts and culture; and, outdoors.

Woven throughout the storylines of this issue, we think you’ll pick up on a singular theme that unbeknownst to us at the time, its perfectly with the irst issue and was part of our original reasoning for starting this adventure. We irst picked up on it while standing in the tasting room of the furthest north whiskey distillLuke Geiver ery in the U.S. We were just wrapping up a long conversation and EDITOR GRAND Lifestyle magazine interview with Mike Swanson and Cheri Reese, founders of Far lgeiver@bbiinternational.com North Spirits when it really became clear.

Then, listening to Nicole Johnson, co-founder of Kittsona (a local style and home goods brand that is now a nationally recognized entity) talk about memorable moments from their early days in Grand Forks, we came across the theme again.

And, as you’ll most likely realize from the other stories, the theme radiated through the pages again and again. There is a power to this place worthy of recognition. The people, groups, places or entities covered in this issue have all found nationally-recognized success or immense personal achievement because of their presence in the region, not in spite of it.

Now, we are luckily somehow a part of their story. We are grateful for that opportunity.

We hope you enjoy the irst issue. We are excited for what's next.

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GRAND LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE // ISSUE 1 2018

GrandLifestlyeMagazine.com VOLUME 1 ISSUE 1

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CONTRIBUTORS

SUSTAD PHOTOGRAPHY Michaela Sustad’s ability to capture the unique personalities and commercial spaces in our two-part story on regional spirit and brew making allowed us to illuminate a common thread woven through each story. We had a difficult time selecting from the amazing group of images she provided for the stories. // SustadPhotography.com

Account Manager Dayna Bastian

MELQUIST PHOTOGRAPHY SUBSCRIPTIONS Subscriptions to GRAND Lifestyle magazine are free of charge to everyone, with the exception of a yearly shipping and handling charge. To subscribe, visit www.GrandLifestyleMagazine.com or you can send your mailing address and payment (checks made out to BBI International) to: GRAND Lifestyle magazine/Subscriptions, 308 Second Ave. N., Suite 304, Grand Forks, ND 58203.

REPRINTS AND BACK ISSUES Select back issues are available for $3.95 each, plus shipping.

Article reprints are also available for a fee. For more information, contact us at 866-746-8385 or service@bbiinternational.com.

ADVERTISING

Sam Melquist brings a designer’s eye to a photo shoot and is gifted at unique post-shoot enhancements. For the Top Choice story on countertops, we challenged him to enhance the piece with images that brought the elements of stone and tile to life. Check out the way he captures movement and the beauty of granite, quartz or stone. // MelquistPhotography.com

GRAND Lifestyle magazine provides a specific topic delivered to a highly targeted audience. We are committed to editorial excellence and high-quality print production. To find out more about GRAND Lifestyle magazine advertising opportunities, please contact us at 866-746-8385 or service@bbiinternational.com.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR We welcome letters to the editor. If you write us, please include your name, address and phone number. Letters may be edited for clarity and/or space. Send to GRAND Lifestyle magazine/Letters, 308 Second Ave. N., Suite 304, Grand Forks, ND 58203 or email to lgeiver@bbiinternational.com.

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EAT & DRINK //

Founded by a husbandand-wife team with Northwestern Minnesota farming roots, Far North Spirits outside of Hallock, Minnesota, has earned national success for its locally-infused whiskey by embracing its regional resources.

PHOTO: SUSTAD PHOTOGRAPHY

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SPIRITS OF THE

NORTH Inspired by their connection to the region, Far North Spirits is building a world-class whiskey making legacy only made possible because of who they are and where they are headquartered.

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Since they founded their craft distillery, Cheri Reese and Mike Swanson have been out of the traditional workforce in a good way. Each left their previous corporate careers to pursue craft spirit making, an activity they agree has challenges but doesn't feel like work.

PHOTO: SUSTAD PHOTOGRAPHY

The south view from the tasting room at Far North Spirits reminds you that anything is possible. Even in winter, when the ields that founders Cheri Reese and Mike Swanson use to grow grain to produce their unique craft spirits are covered in frozen white waves of drifted snow and the landscape in every direction looks the same for miles, you feel inspired.

There is something notable about the lat country and the far-off horizons. The view is sprinkled with the lights of elevators. Roof-top outlines of homesteads or barns gleam in the sun. The only break from the lat curve of their country is the vertical lines from the man-made tree rows. What you see is a place only made possible by 12-hour days, started-before-sunup mornings and a commitment to succeed in conditions—and for reasons—that not everyone understands.

The longer you stand there in what Reese and Swanson have named the heritage room—a beautifully designed Scandinavian-esque, sectioned-off portion of their massive Morton building turned barrel-storing, spirit making dream headquarters, you become further and further in tune with an element of the greater Far North Spirits story that their team wants us all to remember. The contiguous United States furthest north distillery sells high-end, homegrown spirits in 14 states and to some of the trendiest bars of New York City and Chicago. And, all of that success is because of its geographical location and regional culture—not in spite of it.

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EAT & DRINK //

'I can use today what I’ve learned since the time I was eleven years old. If we have an idea here we just try it.... Nobody tells us no, even if they should be.'

THE FAR NORTH LOOP

From the soil to the still to the award-winning bottles, producing a Minnesota style whiskey, vodka or gin at Far North Spirits is defined by local soils, local workers and local flavors. Swanson sources nearly every material used in the spirit-making process from within the region—sometimes traveling only as far as the field edge viewed from the parking lot of his facility.

DREAMING OF RYE Rye varieties suitable for northern climates possess desirable and unique flavor characteristics not found in other parts of the country.

MIKE SWANSON

Meet Your Whiskey Farmers Swanson and Reese speak the language of spirt makers that have traveled the country explaining the merits of a whisky, gin or vodka born and produced from Red River Valley soil. Ask Mike about the importance of open-top fermentation or the history of whiskey barrel making, and he’ll consume your afternoon. Question Cheri on the marketing and distribution side of the spirits industry and she’ll outline the necessary features, and essence, that a successful bottle should have. But for the married couple that once called St. Paul, Minnesota, home, it wasn’t always like that.

Before embarking on a vision for a life illed with the freedom of choice, creativity and ine-spirt making, both held careers far removed from much of what they do today. Swanson spent time working in emergency medical services on a ski patrol, along with many years in the biology and chemistry ields before earning an MBA. Reese left

STORING THE FUTURE

UNDERSTANDING THE SOURCE

Bins outside the production facility store a growing season’s harvest.

Swanson has become infatuated with rye varieties. He recently commenced a new study in the flavor profiles of popular varieties.

CUSTOMIZING THE PROCESS Copper stills are the choice of many craft spirit makers, including Far North.

FERMENTATION Far North utilizes open-top fermentation. The practice allows the aromas and essence of the region to infuse with the alcohol and yeast during fermentation.

CUTTING FOR TASTE In the cutting phase of whiskey making, the science gives way to the art, as master distillers use their best judgement to determine the type of cut they want to capture for their barrel blends.

READY FOR THE WORLD Swanson and Reese are used to seeing pallets of stacked boxes. The founders bottle by hand, hand-marking certain batches of special spirit blends.

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her duties working in big-city school districts as a marketing and strategy expert.

“What we are doing now is about freedom,” Reese says. “The idea of creating something and being edgy if we want too. We can push the envelope and be proactive in our work—by design.”

Both Reese and Swanson agree that giving up PowerPoints for rye ields on Swanson’s fourth generation farm in the middle of a place most have not heard of—or ever will—has been worth it, even if the they only recently took their irst vacation away from the business after starting more than four years ago.

“I can use today what I’ve learned since the time I was eleven years old,” Swanson says when describing his time on the farm. “If we have an idea here we just try it. Nobody tells us no,” he says while laughing, “even if they should be.”

The founders each credit the calling of their shared heritage—and Swanson’s roots in Skane Township—for helping them leave corporate for the countryside. During an average day working in R&D at Ecolab, a conversation with a coworker that had previously owned and lost a farm sparked the early idea of moving back to the region, Swanson says. According to the story, after his coworker learned that there were some acres, a building site and opportunity for Swanson to return to his family farm, the coworker asked him with a hint of annoyance and confusion, “What are you doing here?” The story stuck with Swanson, and he began internally asking himself what his answer was.

When Reese told the St.Paul school superintendent of schools her vision of whiskey farming, Reese says her sanity was questioned. Even today, they question how plausible their initial goal for Far North was. “Our vision from the start, before we ever made a bottle, was to produce world-class rye whiskey and other spirts that would be sold and consumed in the world’s best places,” Reese says.

Roknar Is Born The vision for Far North has, and always will be, connected to Skane Township and its Scandinavian heritage.

It is not led by the playful and light-hearted uff-da or Ole and Lena version of Nordic culture. Far North’s story is guided by the pioneering traits of early Swedish farmers prideful of their resilience and agricultural success in the cold northern climates of what is today Skane Township,

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Hearts

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THE SPIRIT RUN: HEADS, HEARTS AND TAILS During the distillation process, spirit makers produce a series of different cuts of liquid from a single run—or volume— of distilled alcohol. Each run has unique characteristics and is determined by the still’s temperature at the time of retrieval. To make a Minnesota rye whiskey or corn vodka, Swanson blends different cuts from a series of runs to form a single liquid ready to bottle.

Minnesota, a short drive from Grand Forks, North Dakota. The theme utilized by Reese and Swanson is easily detectable in everything they do.

Their bottle design is void of major images or slogans. The words and lines of each bottle are portrayed in a simple, Scandinavian-infused font.

Their mentality in naming spirits, creating marketing material or their overall place in their world of whiskey making, farming and general lifeliving, is clear, elegant and serious.

Their approach, they believe, is an ode to another group of famous Scandinavians, the Vikings.

To date, their most popular product is named Roknar, a Scandinavianname tweaked through spelling to be easily read by U.S.-buyers.

Written on certain batches of their bottled products, Swanson includes the batch number and proof number to give the customer a great-

Heads: This mixture of acetone, methanol and ethanol smells sweet and stings like a solvent.

Hearts: This fraction contains best tasting, cleanest looking liquid. Hearts contain the best flavor compounds and make up the bulk of the blend in the end product.

Tails: Also distinct in smell—think wet dog or nail polish—this fraction is also used in some cases for its flavor compounds when blended with the Hearts.

er sense of the product’s time in existence. That attention to detail and transparent effort to give a buyer a true sense of what, and from where, they are getting a product is another driving force behind the long days and nights spent by Reese and Swanson at their rural headquarters.

Field To Glass The typical day for Reese or Swanson at the distillery can be best described like this: Fill a big bowl with lour, Swanson says, and then blow hard on the bowl. Imagine that each spec of lour loating in the air is very important. Chasing after each spec of lour now loating in the air is what they feel like some days, he says.

And, for every task they do throughout the year, it is hard to argue with his analogy.

In March or April, Swanson plants corn and rye on roughly 150 acres.

The grain from those acres is used to make the spirits they produce. After the summer growing season—which features fewer growing degree days due to the location in the North—the grain is stored in bins just outside the distillery. Inspired by the farm-totable movement that has been present for the past few years across the country, Reese says spirit drinkers today care as much about the ingredients in their glass as they do about the food on their plates. “People want meaningful things today,” she says, “and whisky or gin or vodka is no different.” But, it is not enough just to be local or sourced authentically from a certain region, the founders say. If it is handmade or hand bottled as is all Far North spirts, it has to be better than the norm. Being better isn’t just about the product itself. Being better is also about the story, and the culture and the people involved with

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EXPERIENCE THE TASTING ROOM Distributing Roknar, Solveig or Gustaf spirits distilled in Skane Township, Minnesota, to the entire world is only one goal of the founders. Reese believes the Heritage (tasting) room creates another unique opportunity for people to experience portions of the Far North life. Since 2014, she has upgraded the Heritage room to match its name. The room now features several Scandinavian-specific elements, including chairs, sofas and décor. One wall is covered with a black subway tiled shelving section for bottle display and storage. The room also utilizes a large table top area in front of the shelves for tasters to convene around during sipping sessions. Flooring was sourced from the old Kennedy High School gym, wall-dividing birch trees were sourced from a hunting property nearby (in exchange for a small barrel of whiskey) and the straight dark roof lines and ambience of the south view combines to create an experience that keeps you there in that moment of fine spirits—in both liquids and moods. Reese believes the ambience and set-up is the opportunity of the tasting room that can’t be created anywhere else. In the future, the team intends to invite local, regional or world-class chefs to join them in the room and experience world class whiskey paired with fine cuisine. As that possibility evolves, Far North continues to host groups, parties and events of all kinds.

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the product, they add. “When we talk with distributors, the irst thing they ask us is what our bottle and packaging look like,” Reese says. The conversation doesn’t entirely hinge on the quality or source material used to make it, she says. The story and the people in the story of it all is also important.

Swanson and Reese believe that is the advantage they have. The elements of the far north region of Minnesota have allowed them to create a product and nurture a brand that is unlike any other. Swanson points to Kentucky bourbon as the example to follow in the future. Like the southeastern U.S. liquor, Roknar-style spirts can and should be a thing, he says. “Regional style spirits in the U.S. are possible. We can do that here,” he says.

Accomplishing such a feat, the founders say, is about continuing the path they’ve taken in the place they returned to four years ago. It couldn’t be done anywhere else. The views aren’t the same.

The soil is different in other places. People—and place—matter. “We wanted to leave a legacy,” he says of their original dreams. “And honestly, I think it will happen.” G

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NATIONAL STYLE,

Local Roots You may have known Kittsona as a local clothing boutique and unique home goods brand. As we learned, much has changed. The Grand Forks team that started as two is now an employer of more than 100, and is a serious retail- and online-player well-known on the national style scene.

There was a time when Kittsona’s vision for style and home goods focused solely on Grand Forks. For the irst nine months

of existence, founders of the clothing boutique and lifestyle products retailer yearned to provide a new shopping experience inspired by the traits that matched their unique personalities to a client base of Northern Red River Valley shoppers. That time—when founders Nicole Johnson and Tessa Hiney bootstrapped their vision with a $20,000 loan (they each took out $10k), spent many afternoons and nights swapping out sales loor duties while the other tried to catch up on sleep in the back room and their vision and abilities were only beginning to blossom— didn’t last long. After nine months, Nicole, the self-described guts of the operation, was in a car riding back from Bismarck, North Dakota. She recalls the late summer drive as an early de ining moment that helped illuminate a dream only partially realized. “I will never forget that drive,” she says. “We were so excited because we could technically call ourselves a chain.”

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They had just built-out, stocked and opened their second Kittsona store. The second site was all the way in downtown Bismarck. Neither Johnson or Hiney had a business degree. Neither were familiar (yet) with the technical language of construction or remodeling. And, according to Johnson, neither thought their retail dreams would culminate on the summer evening multi-hour drive from Central North Dakota back to Grand Forks.

It was at their third location when the Kittsona crew experienced their epiphany moment. A line of anxious and excited customers mingled outside the door of their Fargo store. Shortly after the doors opened, the scene turned into a beautiful chaos.

“We were just trying to keep up,” Johnson says. At one point, almost everyone from Kittsona was located in the backroom rushing to bring more product out to the loor. “We had our boyfriends steaming skirts. Then there was this moment that was one of our best,” she says. “We were all in that room with steamers in our hands and we were crying, knowing then that it was all working.

It was humbling, but empowering.”

From that back-room skirt steaming scene to now, much has changed for Kittsona. This year, Kittsona reached the century mark. The company employs more than 100. Their websites and social media offerings rival the quality and depth of major

Overcoming The Con idence Crisis:

HOW KITTSONA WENT NATIONAL

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Prior to Kittsona and the other boutiques that have succeeded in the region, Johnson says the retail game here left the shopper feeling alone. “We knew the only thing that would make use thrive was our service,” she says. The sales floor at a Kittsona site is a combination of interaction and confidence building. Boutiques have become popular because in many cases, Johnson says, they help women overcome a confidence crisis.

Some don’t believe they can pull off a leather jacket or new outfit. Others felt money spent on a personal item isn’t worthy of the card swipe. Sales staff helps customers overcome apparel anxiety by acting as short-term stylists. And, skinny price tags always help, Johnson says.

Remain Broken or Breakthrough Kittsona’s issues haven’t always been linked to store buildout designs or product selection.

Three years after starting the company’s accounts were drained through a cyber attack. “It happened over the weekend and it paralyzed us,” Johnson says.

“We were worried about rent and payroll.” After working with their bankers, the team was able to overcome the short-term scare and build a stronger online banking infrastructure. “We didn’t want to let that define us.”

Bigger Picture After reviewing Instagram accounts and websites for style, an online style broker came across Kittsona. The team says she revolutionized Kittsona’s national game by helping them see that they could succeed elsewhere. They key was incorporating demographics and markets information into site selection. That broker suggested Austin, Texas, as a new location. Terrified of the trip and the research to find a new location, Johnson says she and Hiney fought through the fear of going national by taking what they’d learned from the upper Midwest and applying some of the same practices to Texas. Today, Kittsona fills its stores with products from more than 300 vendors.

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FIND US Grand Forks, ND Fargo, ND

Bismarck, ND

Minneapolis, MN

Fort Collins, CO

Dallas, TX Austin, TX

well-known outlets. This spring, Kittsona will open another retail store in Fort Collins, Colorado, adding to its list of nationwide locations that include multiple sites in North Dakota, Minnesota, South Carolina and Texas. Stephenie Schiller, senior operations director, doesn’t focus on the style side of the business anymore. She recently spearheaded the launch of a company healthcare and bene its package as part of a greater effort to retain the talent Kittsona has amassed in the past ive years. When she tells you she just got out of an update meeting with some of the other stores, she could be talking about calls with team members in Dallas, Austin, Charleston or Minneapolis.

Despite the national growth, Johnson believes Kittsona will always be a local success story. For the founders and the other 98, Grand Forks is still corporate headquarters and still enhances the success of the other stores. “It is probably the most ideal place to start a business,” she says. The area is diverse, business friendly and accepting

Charleston, NC

RUNNING THE OPERATION FROM DOWNTOWN GRAND FORKS

Stephenie Schiller switched her college degree to business management and human resources after starting at Kittsona on the sales loor. A manager at only 19, Schiller has become the senior operations director. A classic example of the get-it-done no-fear type, Schiller embodies the growth and success Kittsona has achieved. From her corporate of ice, she now spends her days creating return forms, policies, working with insurance brokers, helping to manage the stores and above all, pushing the culture.

“People put parameters on what they think they can do,” she says of shoppers unsure of clothing choices or of her early battles with those unsure if—at her age—she could manage so much. “We don’t want to be just a place to shop.”

Schiller makes sure the employees don’t view Kittsona as just another place to work either. Along with the founders, she works to maintain open communication and idealow amongst all employees. As for style choices or advice on new products, she leaves that up to others now.

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of new offerings. Now adept at deciphering building codes and understanding larger consumer demographics and buying trends, Johnson is more connected to store openings and expansions than running a steamer.

She—and the entire Kittsona team—is still dreaming and focused on empowering their clients to shop with con idence. They are still working to reduplicate the success captured here, she says, just in different spaces, different places and bigger markets. Based on the amount of travel and research she puts into other potential locations and customer demographics, it’s as if she never got out of the car after opening that second store. That pursuit of something bigger and more grand is still there. “We can never get too far away,” she says, “from where we started.” G

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I P A C E

Our O ur Mission: We create an environment that encourages business ssuccess ucce while enhancing the quality of life in our region.

Inform We inform our members on important business and community information.

Real

Promote We promote our members, the business community and the GF/EGF region.

Advocate We advocate for our members and our business climate at the city, state and federal levels.

VALUE

for your membership Building partnerships that strengthen our ability to Impact the Communitiy

Connect We provide opportunities for business to connect with other businesses.

Educate We provide education opportunities for your business and employees.

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CONTACT US FOR DETAILS! 202 North 3rd Street Grand Forks, ND 58203

701-772-7271 info@gochamber.org www.gochamber.org

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HOME & DESIGN //

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HOME & DESIGN //

Top CHOICE Few places in a living space can elicit that uncontrollable, authentic reaction of amazement from both homeowners and guests like a gleaming countertop can. There

has—and always will be—something about the way the light above the kitchen sink strikes the glossy lecks or stone seams in a slab of grainy granite or an arctic white quartz that leaves us brie ly in awe. With the increasing number of materials, styles and inishes available for residential and commercial spaces, it might seem like installing awe-inspiring tops is easier than ever. If you are like most, you understand the allure and impact a great countertop can have in a kitchen. And, like most, you wouldn’t call the process of choosing a material, color scheme or inish an easy one.

To help, we sat down with Mike Brockmeyer, the founder of a unique tile and stone material and service provider, to get the scoop on trending materials, color patterns and the ins-and-outs of all things countertop.

Regional Material Trends Like most of the country, the region continues to pick quartz over granite and marble. Whites and greys are most popular. Quartz can look like a painting swatch because it features more color. Most quartz goes through a manufacturing process. Granite—a pure natural stone—is always unique to the home. Designers seek out the newest color patterns and inishes in either granite or quartz. Commercial facilities such as hotels see the value in great countertops and choose low maintenance granite or quartz.

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Granite

Natural stone with unique look original to your home only.

Porous: Yes Heat Resistant: Yes Scratch Resistant: Mostly Low Maintenance: Yes

Quartz

Manufactured stone with consistent colors, patterns and variations Porous: Yes Heat Resistant: No Scratch Resistant: Yes Low Maintenance: Yes

The Local Advantage From template to install, Brockmeyer’s team can have a countertop designed, cut-to- it and installed in less than a week. Computer operated machines and robots are the future of countertops, according to Brockmeyer. His fabrication shop south of Grand Forks uses both, helping to speedup the time associated with looking at slabs to admiring your tops in your kitchen.

Installation Is An Art Quality installation jobs can be seen in the seams, edges and underlayment work. Brockmeyer is obsessed with quality. A sign made from granite at his store location features the company logo etched into the stone. But, the fancy and beautiful logoed slab isn’t prominently displayed anywhere because of a small issue with one letter that most would never notice.

The Rise of Tile Tile is only getting more popular, according to Brockmeyer. Images are now printed (think wood-look tile) onto tile and then fired to ensure the images are secure. A single pallet of roughly 80 sq/ft of tile could be made with 80 different images. Although glass tile is falling out of favor, tile in general is popular because as Brockmeyer says, your kids can rollerblade across it and not leave a scratch.

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East vs West vs Here We are different from the East and West coast in our taste for countertops, Brockmeyer says. The coasts will install glass or porcelain countertops for $150 per square foot. People here like natural products. Granite is on the uptick here.

A tile-setter since 17, Mike Brockmeyer has experienced the evolution happening in tile and stone material, fabrication and techniques irsthand. Equipped with little more than an advanced skill-set from his time setting tile and stone, mentorship and support from local business owners and some basic tile-cutting tools, Brockmeyer has

MARBLE

Natural stone with unique look.

Porous: Yes Heat Resistant: Yes Scratch Resistant: No Low Maintenance: Less than granite or quartz.

Reseal twice a year.

OBSESSED WITH QUALITY Mike Brock-

meyer, founder of the tile and stone shop, can talk for hours on various product offerings. But, when talk of installation or service is brought up, the conversation turns serious.

PHOTO: MELQUIST PHOTOGRAPHY

built a burgeoning business that is bringing impressive offerings and services to the region.

His storefront location feels like a granite and quartz artthemed gallery. Large slabs are hung in front of massive windows that in nearly every light draw your eye and make you want to brush your ingertips across a slab. “Having full pieces of stone on display has helped,” he says of showcasing his offerings. Whitewashed wood-look tile covers the loor and ive feet across from his desk there is a massive dark-veined square of granite overtaking an entire wall. While his storefront site is stunning because of the material, his south-end fabrication shop is where the countertop magic happens. Two years ago, Brockmeyer acquired a shop allowing him to stock, cut and create countertops for residential and commercial clients. To date his team has worked on major apartment or hotel projects in the region that have required individual templates of more than 256 countertops per project. The team has also worked in the Minnesota communities of Bemidji and Rochester, along with other jobs in Arizona and Kansas City. “We are busy,” Brockmeyer says with a sigh, and a smile.

The goal for his Grand Forks location is to continue and showcase new products and offerings to the region while he invests in growth. Positions at his fabrication shop offer higher-paying options than other tile or stone related jobs, he says. Price still dominates many customer decisions, he says, but value and quality of work and material is a trait Brockmeyer obsesses over, and sees many new clients appreciating more and more. By controlling as much of the process—from material selection to fabrication to install—Brockmeyer believes the value he’s created in his business is akin to a shiny new countertop. It can be clearly seen and appreciated from all angles. G GrandLifestyleMagazine.com

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ARTS & CULTURE //

LOVE THROUGH THE

Lens

Jamie: We had to hike for an hour over the volcanic rock shores of Iceland to find the remains of a plane that safely crash landed many years ago. One of the most surreal places we’ve ever been.

PHOTO: MANSTROM PHOTOGRAPHY

30 GRAND LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE // ISSUE 1 2018

ARTS & CULTURE //

How did you each get into photography as a profession?

Jamie - When I was in high school I was in a band and attended many local shows and thought it would be really fun to take photos of all the other musicians. I then worked at a camera shop developing film and really fell in love with photography. So I decided to get a degree in photography and haven’t put my camera down ever since.

Jeremy - When we got married I was in the process of applying to med schools and I wasn’t super excited about it. I connected with our wedding photographer almost immediately and thought “Wow, his job looks awesome!” So we packed up and moved to Missoula for photography school.

Jamie and Jeremy Manstrom (pictured above in the winter appropriate hats) once led a soon-to-be married couple on a three-mile hike across a cold, vast Iceland landscape to capture an image of the couple standing in full wedding attire at the site of an abandoned plane crash. That unique photoshoot is one of many the husband and wife team, based in Grand Forks, have been a part of during their venture as destination wedding photographers. The Manstrom’s have traveled the globe seeking to capture authentic moments of friends, celebrities and clients they never knew before shooting.

We asked Jamie and Jeremy to share their stories and insights from their most memorable photos.

Enjoy.

PHOTO ABOVE

How has the region helped shape your approach to photography?

Jamie - I’ve always been in love with our wide-open skies and we take advantage of that a lot in our work. It made me realize early on that you don’t need a big fancy city to get interesting images, there’s something beautiful about the simplicity of our landscape.

How would you describe the Manstrom photography experience?

Jeremy - We want to capture the most natural and authentic reactions and the only way to do that is to help people feel comfortable.

We’re easy going, relaxed and fun.

Having your picture taken can make people anxious and anxiety is the enemy of great pictures!

When you’re comfortable you let your guard down and then we get to photograph authentic moments and real feelings.

We had just binged season 1 of Fargo and were feeling inspired so we rushed out to the family lake cabin just outside of Itasca State Park, single digit temps be damned!!

PHOTO: MANSTROM PHOTOGRAPHY

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ARTS & CULTURE //

We love expansive epic skies and we love how two people centered in the bottom third can really ground the portrait. We photographed this at Chief Looking’s Village in Bismarck, overlooking the Missouri River.

PHOTO: MANSTROM PHOTOGRAPHY

Jeremy: This is my favorite place to photograph in the entire Midwest. It looks like something out of a royal English garden or a Disney fairytale but its right here in Grand Forks, can you find it?

PHOTO: MANSTROM PHOTOGRAPHY

32 GRAND LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE // ISSUE 1 2018

Travel has become a big-part of your careers. Why do you maintain your home base in the region?

Jeremy - Family is the most important thing to us. Traveling to new places and seeing amazing new things is wonderful but if you don’t have family to come back to share everyday life with, those new places start to lose their charm.

What have you learned about yourselves and your clients?

Jamie - I would say just genuine moments! I love when we catch those moments on wedding days where you can totally see how much the groom adores his bride or her dad crying as he watches this new part of his little girl’s life begin. Those are the moments you want your grandkids to look back on and see.

Consider this situation: You have enough memory on your SD card for one photo.

You have enough gas in the car to get you 10 miles (from a starting point in Grand Forks) in any direction.

Where do you go and what do you shoot?

Jamie - We live just a bit out of town and about a mile down the road from our house out in our family’s fields we always find the greatest Northern lights.

This is my favorite picture ever taken!

It’s our little Jonah at 1 month and he’s laying on top of the reindeer fur that we brought back as our souvenir from our Iceland trip.

Jeremy – Easy. I would head to McDonalds. Grab a large Coke Zero and then make my way to our secret location!! I stumbled across it whilst out for a run, it’s in town and we never tell people where it is because we don’t want the secret to get out. I absolutely adore the symmetry of the evergreen tree rows and they’re so tall that there’s always great shade. G

PHOTO: MANSTROM PHOTOGRAPHY

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EAT & DRINK //

Crafting

CONNECTION Half Brothers Brewing co-founder Chad Gunderson has become part of a local, regional and national craft brewery trend.

Guided by outside-the-region brewing experience, Gunderson is taking a unique approach to connect with the community.

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SHOULDERING THE LOAD Gunderson

and his team still deliver or supply local and regional outlets with product. Future growth will require a distributor to meet with new clients.

PHOTO: SUSTAD PHOTOGRAPHY

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EAT & DRINK //

The day Chad Gunderson demolished his irst wall, he knew he was crafting something special.

The second Facebook photo ever posted on the account of Gunderson’s dream company, Half Brothers Brewing, captured the moment. Standing against an exposed brick wall—demo dust and rubble spread across the loor of the downtown Grand Forks, N.D., commercial space Gunderson convinced local lenders and private investors could be ideal for a new craft brewery— he is raising a glass of beer above a crowd of people. Many in the photo are lushed and sweaty from hard work. His signature reddish-brown beard is not enough to hide his wide smile. Earlier that week Gunderson had issued a call to the company’s social media followers. “We wanted to reach out to the community from day one,” he says. “We reached out to everyone inviting them to our demo day.” In roughly an hour on the irst day Gunderson had access to his new space, a company of two and its community of demo-dayparticipants, enthused by the vision of Half Brothers, had the large commercial space gutted and debris-free.

Less than a year after opening, the inside image of the Half Brothers’ space is radically different. Custom, green-legged benches and picnic style tables offer patrons family seating. Large art projects and paintings commissioned by local artists adorn those once-exposed brick walls. A stage lined with logoed silver kegs takes up the back corner. And of course, there is a shiny wood bar top with massive steel tanks and brewing equipment overtaking half of the entire space. The atmosphere, much like the drink and food selections, was created and will always evolve, Gunderson says, with the same philosophy that helped that demo-day become a lasting memory and telling moment of the Half Brothers success story. When you are in Half Brothers you know you are in a brewery, but it also feels like something more meaningful is happening.

'I enjoy when people say wow...

They might not always know how to explain the liquid, but I just love that simple reaction.'

Chad Gunderson

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EAT & DRINK //

Welcome To The Family The beverage vessels used by Gunderson are telling of his team’s af inity to connect. Certain pieces of glassware feature the slogan Welcome To the Family. Others picture the outline of North Dakota. The choice for glass imagery was part of Gunderson’s larger vision to enhance the relevance of his place in the region. The craft brewing world is all about bringing newness, he says. For Gunderson, that isn’t enough. “We are creating unique brews you can’t ind everywhere else. In my experience, people come in and the number one thing they are looking for is what’s new,” he says. “That’s the kind of brewery we want to be.”

But, Half Brothers is an all ages place, he adds, and families are welcome. Above all, Gunderson is working to harbor a hangout that offers something for everyone.

On a perfect evening, Gunderson envisions a mix of professionals (young and old), craft brew and food seekers, local music enthusiasts and every other member of the family enjoying the essence of the facility. “We try to be on the edge with our creativity,” he says, “but we also bring comfort.” The picnic-style tables allow large groups to converse. Bar top stools pointed at stills under lit with green or blue lights gives true connoisseurs a chance to sip in serenity. For the 38 GRAND LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE // ISSUE 1 2018

Local Tastes Match National Trends Historical U.S. Brewery Count

4,131

1,568

1,564

BREWERIES

BREWERIES

1910

1999

BREWERIES

421

1873

BREWERIES

1947

5,301 BREWERIES

2016

122

BREWERIES

1973

Craft Brewery Count

BY CATEGORY (in 2016) BRING THE FAMILY

Bring food from outside or every member of your family, Gunderson is all for it and makes the environment conducive for all guests.

186

3,132 1,916

Regional Breweries

Microbreweries

PHOTO: SUSTAD PHOTOGRAPHY

Total U.S. Breweries UP 16.6% ’15-’16 % CHANGE ----------------------------

Regional Craft Breweries UP 4.5% Microbreweries UP 20.6% Brewpubs UP 10.8%

Brewpubs

Brewpub Openings & Closings ’10 vs ’16 ----------------------------

2010

2016

Openings Openings

63 229 Closings Closings 51 44 GrandLifestyleMagazine.com

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EAT & DRINK //

Advanced Beer Anatomy Chokecherry Gose A highly-carbonated, tart and fruity wheat ale with a restrained coriander and salt character and low bitterness.

Very refreshing, with bright flavors and high attenuation. Chokecherry added during conditioning.

Morning Squeeze NEIPA is essentially an unfiltered IPA that’s been aggressively hopped. Appearance ranges from slightly hazy or cloudy to opaque or muddy. Dry-hopping, the use of high-protein grains (flaked oats, wheat), certain yeast strains, water chemistry, CO2 levels, and other techniques may also contribute to the beer’s haze and mouthfeel. But the overall goal is typically a hazy, juicy IPA packed with fruity and floral flavors.

BULLY BREW Coffee brown ale A malty beer with chocolate and caramel flavors. The hop flavor and aroma complements and enhances the malt rather than clashing with it.

Coffee from Bully Brew Coffee Company, a local roaster.

kids or the competitors, foosball, bean bags and broomball on an outside ice rink give an outlet for an active evening. Nearly every night, Gunderson has a band lined up to take his stage.

The purpose is to match the vision he created after years working at other breweries during the early days of his own young family.

Prior to Half Brothers’ opening in October last year, Gunderson had been best classi ied as employee No. 1. In Walker, Minnesota, he was the irst employee of a start-up brewery. The pay was a growler of craft beer and the opportunity to see how professional brewers operated. After following his wife’s career to Montana, he became the irst employee of another craft brewery. Then, at a second brewery in Montana, he was again the irst main employee. At that point, employee No. 1 wanted to hire his own irst employee. A stint as the head brewer at Rhombus Guys Brewery in Grand Forks brought his family back to North Dakota. It also reaf irmed his desire to make his own mark in the brewing and hospitality business. Although some lenders were hesitant to provide a loan for his own operation, 40 GRAND LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE // ISSUE 1 2018

investors eventually came around. “I honestly think they saw that I had done it before and could overcome the challenges of a startup, and, that I had a real passion for this.”

The Best Glass of Beer—Ever Gunderson looks like a brewer—someone that takes certain details serious but doesn’t let outside variables unconnected to his passion sway his actions. Most days he’s wearing jeans and a lannel with a pair of rubber boots on. When you talk with him, you know he knows more about the beer in your hand then you may ever care to know. All he cares about, however, is your reaction after drinking or hanging out in his space. The mix of patrons to date has included beer experts, but there have been many irsttime craft beer drinkers. “I enjoy when people say wow,” he says.

“They might not always know how to explain the liquid, but I just love that simple reaction.”

Craft brew might be easy to enjoy, but mixing the most unique and desirable blends isn’t easy, Gunderson admits. Many of his most popular options have a single theme in common: locality. A sour brew popular this year includes chokecherries from the region. A local coffee maker and bean roaster is responsible in part for the popularity of a coffee-brew infusion. “We’ve had a lot of success trying different styles and ingredients from the region,” he says.

Although he knows locally sourced ingredients aren’t necessary to make a good brew, he also realizes that purchasing malt from Fisher, MN, or beans from Bully Brew helps enhance his vision for community connection. “Money is going back into the community from the way we create,” he says.

In less than six months, Half Brothers already employs 19, including three that are looking to learn from Gunderson’s brewing abilities. While he’s learned how to channel his passion after irst working the small, warm-shelf craft brewery section at Happy Harry’s Bottle Shop, into a wide smiling master brewer, his future impact on the region can be understood from his answer to a simple question: what is the best glass of beer you’ve ever had?

His answer, given with that wide smile covered by the beard—a band drumming and singing softly in the background while employees walk back and forth from the tap bringing unique brew blends to those picnic tables—is not one he can even give yet. From his smile and head tilt, you can tell that his non-answer is a good thing. “The best glass of beer I’ve ever had,” he says, “has yet to be had.” G

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HOME & DESIGN //

Making You the Susan Nord’s design team shares the secrets to before-and-after success stories, 2018 trends and painting tips.

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Tre

ndsetter 'What we are finding is that people want a design that matches their personality and not a trend. I try to bring local talent and art into the design.'

Susan Nord

Susan Nord is an interior designer that wants her clients to become trendsetters. “If you are going

to spend money on your space, you don’t want to follow trends,” she says. “You want your space to re lect what you personally like.”

A well-established designer and former professional artist, Nord has led the design of major commercial spaces in the region including Greenberg Realty’s of ice space, Salon South, Valley Elder Care and others. Her residential client list has forced her to add studio space, furnishings and other all-star designers to keep up with demand.

Her approach to design services combines an intense focus on the client’s personality and needs with an artist’s eye for color. “A designer has to understand what a client’s lifestyle is,” she says. If a client shows her a photo from a style magazine or a clip from a TV show asking her to “do that” for them, Nord’s response is always the same. “What do you like about it?”

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8 For 2018:

Trends To Follow

2

3D, unconventional or unexpected art (not lat pieces) is happening.

1

Wallpaper is back. This time

it has texture or dimensional panels.

When they aren’t in the studio or caught up with clients, Nord and Robb Cook are studying and cataloguing new trends or features suitable for the region. The team recently attended the Las Vegas Market, a massive multi-level expo event that Nord says is like walking through miles and miles of beautifully designed spaces featuring the newest pieces. “In Vegas you can look at upcoming trends and styles that we won’t see here for at least six months to a year,” Cook says.

5

Greys

are the new beige

6

Artisan style pieces are showing up in every room.

4

Lamps are getting big,

like ive-foottall big.

7

Warehouse chic isn’t going

anywhere. Barn doors especially.

3

Picture frames are touching

and prints are wrapping

around corners.

44 GRAND LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE // ISSUE 1 2018

8

Dual-purpose

furniture is rising

HOME & DESIGN //

Designer Color Tips // Paint is the last element to be decided for any project. // Test-color swatches should be as big as a computer screen. // Leave test-swatches up for a full day. Changing light and shadows change the color by the hour. // Check-in with your designer: Nord’s studio isn’t a retail site, but they house, display (and sell) pieces used for client inspiration.

This year, Nord might even open-up one night per month allowing clients to shop her site.

On existing space design projects, she always asks clients to declutter. Then, she reviews what furnishings or features that are suitable for keeping. “You can’t always start over. You don’t always need to,” she says. In most cases, Nord doesn’t advocate for several new higher-end furnishing additions but does believe one or two can go a long way.

Local art, regional pieces and heritage-based style is becoming a major part of Nord’s work these days. “What we are inding is that people want a design that matches their personality and not a trend. I try to bring local talent and art into the design.”

Part of what makes Nord’s approach unique is her commitment to providing that personal touch to a space.

Her team can, and has, created custom rugs, large art installations, bedding and several other pieces customized for clients. The custom approach to every client stems from what Nord believes is a basic tenant of her job. To leave clients happy and invigorated by their own spaces they have to work with Nord and her team. “We are designers and they have to trust us,” she says. G

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HOME & DESIGN //

Architects Explain the Area

THE GREAT

Visualizer Scott Meland is a regional architect that still believes in the power of a sketch. “It’s

like thinking on paper,” he says. For nearly every project he’s completed, Meland has started with a hand-drawn rendering of a client’s vision. Based on his extensive portfolio of residential and commercial spaces that extends into major portions of Minnesota and in every direction within North Dakota, it is clear his clients like the way Meland thinks.

The long-time North Dakotan has deep roots in the region.

His family is famous in the Northwood area for their work in lumber. Today, Meland’s portfolio boasts some of the most unique, inspiring and recognizable spaces in the area. He’s worked on $80k new builds and million-dollar renovations. His motto for design is simple: character can be little in the large—or large in the little.

His approach is client-centric. “We tailor our design to the person,” he says. Because of that philosophy, he doesn't sell premade home plans. He’s designed for family, friends and clientele from throughout the region, each of whom have had different needs and tastes. Of all the unique experiences he recalls from his design work, he remembers a particular visit to a house he did on an extreme budget. After the house was built from his plans, he attended a party thrown by the new homeowners.

“When I entered the house, it was full of people,” he says. “The homeowners introduced me and then they all started clapping.”

We sat down with Meland to learn what he’s learned, seen and expects for the future of custom home design in the region.

There Are 3 Regional Styles: 1. Craftsman 2. Prairie 3. Traditional

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HOME & DESIGN //

Weather Is Not An Issue—Unless It Is The extreme temperature variance, belowzero possibilities and unpredictable freeze-thaw cycle of the region does not greatly impact modern custom home designers. Advanced mechanical systems designed (and proven) for comfort have negated the need to design for the climate. But, some clients favor an approach guided by energy ef icient spaces and materials. In the area, such homes do exist and in most cases, such homes do cost more to build.

Commercial Gets The New Commercial spaces give architects the chance to implement contemporary styles.

Most in the area still prefer a more-traditional low and feel to a house. If Meland could choose any style, he would turn to his heritage and work to design Scandinavianmodern homes.

Visualization Is Key

The Best Feature

The napkin-sketch or hand drawn depiction of a concept home or design is as powerful as ever. Meland utilizes his impressive free-hand drawing ability to turn what a client has in their head into a realized image. The only problem, he says, is clients often like his sketches so much they don’t want to alter the design afterwards.

Windows. The use of sizes, shapes and placements can really enhance a custom home design. Meland has created several homes that utilize rooftop overhangs in conjunction with square windows placed in a line to maximize the way light enters and illuminates a house.

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Blueprints Have Changed Architects don’t actually create blueprints anymore. They draft construction designs or plans. The process of helping clients realize or ind their vision is still the same as it has always been, however. Except for the role of email correspondence. Clients are increasingly busy today, Meland says. But that doesn’t have to stop great designs. In one case, Meland designed a Minnesota cabin for someone he’s never met to this day.

The Cons of DIY HGTV is great for ideas and entertainment, but it is tough on architects. The 3D visuals of new builds or extensive remodels showcased in many programs give clients an unrealistic expectation of the process. Designs, 3D or otherwise, aren’t simple and take more than a weekend to generate.

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HOME & DESIGN //

Location Still Matters Architects can maximize views, the surrounding settings and fabricate an enhanced home's essence by designing with a location in mind. Doing that, Meland says, is where architects really shine.

Barns Still Build the House Regional tastes for custom home designs still follow the old mantra that a home’s creation is second to the “barn” or economic focus of the family. While Meland doesn’t see the region’s tastes changing anytime soon, he is always encouraged by the many who understand that there are unique and well-designed buildings in the region—and many who will invest into renovating or building with those traits in mind.

The Pros of DIY The website Houzz and others like it can bene it Meland. Clients that utilize online resources lush with room layout ideas, materials or schematics often go to Meland with a better starting place for a future project.

Although he used to maintain a hoard of material and paint samples for clients to review, he now utilizes online-available resources that can supply him—or a client with an idea—the necessary items in a matter of days.

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HEALTH & FITNESS //

A

DESTINATION FOR WHOLE-BODY HEALTH

Chances are you’ve never been to a place like Turning Point Health and Wellness. On the

52 GRAND LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE // ISSUE 1 2018

coasts, they are considered treatment malls. The concept of such facilities combines multiple health or wellness services necessary for holistic health into a single location where the tenants work together through referrals and scheduling. The goal, says Tanner Grimsley, brainchild and lead developer of the Grand Forks facility, is to help people reach their full potential at a time when everyone is busy, preoccupied or uncertain on how to achieve whole-body wellness.

A substance-abuse counselor by trade, Grimsley saw the need for a holistic-hub after witnessing his own clients struggling to get to his appointments—not to mention other health-related appointments that were, or could be, bene icial. “It was a challenge to get them to a lot of different places,” he says. As an addiction specialist, he would often recommend other services such as sleep studies, physical therapy

KUHLEN CRYOTHERAPY

EMBRACE PHARMACY

Using the effects of cold temperatures on the body’s natural recovery process, Kuhlen’s team has brought a trending service on the national scale to the region.

Sessions can boost the impacts of workouts, diets and therapeutic treatments.

A locally owned pharmacy focused on patient-centered care with the ability to provide multiple options of treatment.

REVIVE NUTRITION The team shows clients how to incorporate better nutrition into everyday life while providing a community for like-minded people.

SLEEP WELLNESS CENTER Live better, and healthier, by discovering the source of your sleep issues. The center also has the solutions.

AGASSIZ ASSOCIATES

The One-Stop Shop For A Better You

or others as part of a self-improvement plan. With Turning Point, he now has the ability to give clients better access (sometimes by a simple walk down the hall with them) to bene icial services.

After an extensive remodel, redesign and renovation of an existing commercial space, Turning Point now houses multiple tenants that work together to help individuals achieve better health.

Every month, they meet to plan an activity that involves the entire facility and promote unity. Last Halloween, each tenant participated in a trick-or-treat party for the public. According to Grimsley, any doubt that the tenants would work together has been shed. On a personal level, Grimsley feels validated and proud that he followed through on his vision. Although he is still a full-time counselor, he is also a developer now after spending roughly three years working behind the scenes to bring his idea into reality. He’s learned the art of boardroom pitches from his time working with

A progressive, client focused counseling, medication management and addiction service in a fun and caring environment.

ACHIEVE THERAPY & FITNESS Cutting-edge therapy and fitness regime services with a suite of equipment and strategies.

lenders, investors and building collaborators. He’s adept at tweaking building designs from his work with ICON Architectural Group, the irm he has collaborated with since the beginning. And, he’s even had the pleasure of experiencing interest in reduplicating his idea, he says.

Other communities in the region are looking to bring a Turning Point facility into their health and wellness landscape. West Fargo is building a Turning Point and Bismarck, along with communities in Minnesota, have talked with Grimsley and the team from ICON about adding a location due to the unique offerings and ease of access available through the idea of the facilities.

“I knew this would work,” he says after describing the challenges he faced in gaining early support. “Sometimes the best plan B is just to stick with plan A.” G GrandLifestyleMagazine.com

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MARKETPLACE //

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Love is out there.

Find it in a Crosstrek. ®

Introducing the all-new 2018 Subaru Crosstrek. It’s ready for adventure, with standard Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive + 33 mpg.* Plus, there’s even more to love. Crosstrek has the lowest 5-Year Cost to Own in its class for 2017, according to Kelley Blue Book.†

Grand Forks Subaru Better People, Better Products, Better Prices

(800) 966-6278 grandforkssubaru.com 2400 Gateway Drive | Grand Forks, ND 58203

Crosstrek. Well-equipped at $21,795.** Subaru and Crosstrek are registered trademarks. *EPA-estimated highway fuel economy for 2018 Subaru Crosstrek CVT models. Actual mileage may vary. †2017 model-year vehicle’s projected cost to own for the initial five-year ownership period is based on the average Kelley Blue Book 5-Year Cost to Own data, which considers depreciation and costs such as fuel and insurance. For more information, visit www.kbb.com. Kelley Blue Book is a registered trademark of Kelley Blue Book Co., Inc. **MSRP excludes destination and delivery charges, tax, title, and registration fees.

Retailer sets actual price. Certain equipment may be required in specific states, which can modify your MSRP. See your retailer for details. 2018 Subaru Crosstrek 2.0i Limited shown has an MSRP of $28,390. Vehicle shown with available accessories.

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