2015 Progress Edition - Part 2

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September 3, 2015 • September 7, 2015

NONPROFIT

www.brainerddispatch.com

NJPA quietly tries to SAVE TAXPAYER MONEY

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NFO

National Joint Powers Alliance • Location: Staples.

• Number of employees: 90.

• By the numbers: The NJPA gave $1.4 million in Innovation Funding to projects across Cass, Crow Wing, Morrison, Todd and Wadena counties for fiscal year 2015-2016.

By ZACH KAYSER Staff Writer

National Joint Powers groundbreak Alliance groundbreaking attendees take part

STAPLES — Although you may have nev nev-

in a groundbreaking

er heard of it, the National Joint Powers

ceremony July 21 for

priAlliance has its hand in public and pri

a planned 30,000-plus square-foot office building on their Staples campus.

Photos by Steve Kohls • steve.kohls@brainerddispatch.com

vate operations across the country.

The nonprofit’s mission: helping more than 50,000 governments, schools, agencies and nonprofits in the U.S. and Canada to become as efficient as possible.

Originally created by the Minnesota Legislature in the mid-1970s, the NJPA consists of nine facilities across the state. The Staples branch broke

ground in July on construction for a new two-story facility, in which they plan to eventually house 150 employees after 10 years of growth.

International contracts are handled out of the Staples office, but the focus is on five counties making up Region 5: Crow Wing, Cass, Morrison, Todd and Wadena.

Chad Coauette, CEO, said the NJPA has particularly expanded over the last five years in the area of “cooperative purchasing.”

HOW DOES IT WORK? When a local government wants to buy something — say, a new squad car for a city’s police department — it advertises for bids, where sellers compete to offer the lowest-priced squad car that

still satisfies what the city wants. It’s a bit like a reverse auction, where the lowest bidder is usually selected by the city as the winner. The process is designed so taxpayer dollars don’t go toward paying for things or people the city doesn’t need, or that the city council members would benefit personally from if the city paid for them. Although it’s a great deal more open and accountable than the way private companies buy things, the bid process can sometimes bog down a local government with red tape.

That’s where the NJPA comes in. When they write up a cooperative purchase contract, cities don’t have to go through the bid process every time they buy a squad car.

See NJPA Page S15

Advertorial

International Vintage Boat Show to dock at Bar Harbor Sept. 25 and 26

BY JODIE TWEED

LAKE SHORE – More than 100 of the most beautiful vintage boats from around the world will be coming to the docks at Bar Harbor Supper Club for an International Boat Show, hosted by the Antique and Classic Boat Society, that you won’t want to miss.

The highly anticipated event is expected to draw more than 15,000 visitors to Bar Harbor and the Gull Lake area Sept. 25 and 26. Bar Harbor plans to host live music inside and outside during the two-day public event.

“We’re really excited to be able to host an event of this magnitude and prestige here on Gull Lake,” said Steve Shoop, president of the Bob Speltz Land O Lakes (BSLOL) Chapter of ACBS. “The folks at Bar Harbor have really rolled out the red carpet for this event, including completing a major dock expansion to accommodate the expected number of boats.”

The vintage boats on display at Bar Harbor will be some of the best from around the country. The two-day event is open to the public. This is the first time such a prestigious vintage boat show event has been hosted in the Brainerd lakes area. The Inter-

national Boat Show has been held at Lake Tahoe, Gravenhurst, Ont.; Branson, Mo.; Lake George, N.Y.; and Lake Geneva, Wis., to name a few.

“It’s great for us and for the Brainerd lakes area, too,” P.J. Severson, Bar Harbor chef/ general manager, said, of the International Boat Show. “It’s bringing in almost 400 people involved with the boat show who need hotel rooms and places to eat, and it gives the community the ability to view boats

they would never have seen in their entire life unless they traveled to the east or west coasts where the boats are coming from.”

Dave Bortner, event chairman for BSLOL, said the International Boat Show is an event not to be missed.

“We’ve worked hard to plan the event well in advance, and the volunteer support has been very gratifying. We’ll have plenty of help in making sure the event runs smoothly; we’ll have volunteers available to

talk about the vintage boats we love, and to explain the nuances of the various boats spectators will be able to see,” Bortner said.

Bar Harbor is the perfect Gull Lake venue for such an event. The historic restaurant, built in 1938, underwent a major restoration a few years ago and offers a retro 1930s fine dining experience. People have been making memories for 77 years at Bar Harbor.

Bar Harbor hosts other events and activities to support the community. In October Bar Harbor hosts a fishing tournament with Walleye Dan that raises money for Kids Against Hunger. Last year they had 74 anglers who fished in the event, the first place prize was $15,000. Anglers could win prizes based on how they fished or how much money they raised as a team. It was a big draw, said Severson.

Last May Bar Harbor hosted its first kids’ fishing contest the morning of the Minnesota fishing opener. Children who fished off the docks at Bar Harbor were eligible to win prizes. Five children won $500. It was such a huge hit, that the kids’ fishing contest will take place next May, too.

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THANK YOU!

Thank you to our guests, staff, culinary team and the entire Brainerd Lakes area for a wonderful summer!

North End of Gull Lake on CR 77

963-2568

NONPROFIT

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September 3, 2015 • September 7, 2015

S15

Proposed entry perspective renderings for the new NJPA facility supplied by Nor-Son.

NJPA, From Page S14 2014, he said. In July, the NJPA announced it had greenlit projects that included $54,300 to the Mississippi Headwaters Board for an anti-aquatic invasive species infomercial campaign, designed to raise awareness of aquatic invasive species in ad markets in Minneapolis, Fargo, Duluth and Sioux Falls; $76,250 was awarded to the city of Pierz to buy 25 radar road signs that tell motorists how fast they’re going — signs that cities all over the region can use themselves to help prevent crashes; and $81,383 went to pay for a drug task force agent to stay on the force another year in Wadena County.

The NJPA is technically a school district, and one of its core missions back at home is helping students succeed.

It helps with training and consultant work to help improve school operations, Coauette said.

In keeping with the NJPA’s roots, a large chunk of innovation funding went to schools, including $250,000 to Minnesota State Community and Technical College and Central

The NJPA undertakes a rigorous bid evaluation process so the cities and counties don’t have to.

“I like to know I can sleep at night knowing our process is so solid,” Coauette said.

Its main market for cooperative purchasing is public and private educational institutions, Coauette said — they help school districts save on everything from copiers to school buses, staples to field turf.

The NJPA collects a 1 percent fee for its own operations.

Revenue from the fee allows the NJPA to directly fund public projects through its Innovation Program. Fees from New York and Florida come back to help improve towns in north central Minnesota.

“That scope and scale of business has helped us to do even more great work locally,” Coauette said.

Nearly $2.5 million total has been awarded to projects in the five-county Region 5 area since the program started in

Lakes College for STEM mobile trailers, designed to get area students excited about careers that use science and math; and $294,000 went to fund career advisers in schools across the Region 5 area. Thousands more in funding went to other projects.

As if that weren’t enough, the NJPA also supplies planning and zoning consultants that cities and counties can hire to help figure out the best way for their community to build new buildings and develop. One recent hire by the NJPA now helps eight different cities and townships, for example. The nonprofit also intentionally overstaffed its information technology department so it, too, can be contracted out to help governments. The NJPA’s work across North America fuels its commitment to help northern Minnesota be safer, better equipped and more thoroughly educated.

ZACH KAYSER may be reached at 218-855-5860 or Zach.Kayser@ brainerddispatch.com. Follow him on Twitter at www.twitter.com/ ZWKayser.

Advertorial

A SuperAmerica Express rebrand draws new business for a Pequot Lakes store

By JODIE TWEED

PEQUOT LAKES – Greg Larson knew that when the BP store he manages in Pequot Lakes switched to a SuperAmerica Express earlier this summer, that business would pick up.

But Larson said he and his staff have been amazed at the amount of business that the SuperAmerica rebrand has brought to their store, located in the Oasis Center next to Dairy Queen in Pequot Lakes.

“You don’t know what a different it makes until you do it. It’s remarkable,” Larson said.

The convenience store, along with nearby Oasis liquor store

and bait store, are owned by J.M. Companies, which owns 22 convenience stores, including those in St. Cloud, Pierz, Pequot Lakes and Jenkins. Larson said the company had purchased a few SuperAmerica stores and were considering switching them all to BP stores. However, after doing some research, they decided to switch all the stores to the SuperAmerica brand instead.

The decision to switch brands was made May 1. In June, SuperAmerica representatives came in and remodeled the store to reflect the new brand.

The move was a good one, Larson said. J.M. Companies now has more collective purchasing power and name recognition under the SuperAmerica brand.

Besides, Minnesotans love Woodbury-based SuperAmerica.

Larson said a crew from SuperAmerica shut his store down for one day in June and remodeled everything, from new canopies, updated outdoor lighting, new graphics and paint. After just a couple of months as an SA Express, Larson said business is up. One vendor reported a 65 percent increase in sales at the store in just two months under the new store name.

“It’s made a phenomenal difference, and we didn’t really anticipate that. It’s been a nice surprise,” said Larson.

Now Pequot Lakes has two Su-

perAmerica stores, but Larson said it isn’t a problem.

“We have a good working relationship with our neighbors,” he explained. “We’ve known them for many years as competitors, but we’re probably better competitors now, all three of us – two in Pequot Lakes and one in Jenkins. People identify with a quality product and SuperAmerica has done some private labeling. People stop in daily and buy coffee or pop, or whatever. Our SA Rewards card has a tremendous following.”

SuperAmerica Express in Pequot Lakes has 12 employees. They all had to undergo a four-hour training seminar to learn the new touchscreen computer check-out systems.

Larson said if there was ever a bad time to make such a major

change, it was at the peak of the summer season. However, he said his staff stuck together and got through it. The changes have been positive, and everyone has been excited about the switch, he said.

Larson wants to thank his staff for all their hard work in managing a greater customer load while also learning a new computer system and switching to the new brand.

“I want to thank everyone for really sticking to it and putting forth their best effort for the summer,” Larson said. “We really appreciate it.”

Oasis liquor store and bait store were not rebranded under SuperAmerica store. They continue to offer all their familiar brands and services. Oasis has been a familiar name in Pequot Lakes since the building was constructed in 1959.

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DISCOUNT

YOUR ——————LIQUOR STORE

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Oasis Shopping Center • Next to the

- Pequot Lakes

We are proud to be serving the Pequot Lakes Area and surrounding area ... a BIG Thanks to our awesome staff for their dedication and our local customers for their patronage

S16

September 3, 2015 • September 7, 2015

www.brainerddispatch.com Advertorial

Crow Wing Power credits employees for their efforts after the July 12 storm

By JODIE TWEED

On Sunday, July 12, a powerful storm with high winds and lightning began to hit the Motley area around 7 p.m. Three miles wide and eight miles long, the supercell moved quickly in Baxter, Brainerd, Nisswa, Merrifield and Crosby, with strong winds estimated at 60 mph to 80 mph, and in some areas winds reached 100 mph.

By the time the storm ran its course around 9 p.m., Crow Wing Power had more than 9,000 members without power.

During the restoration, 72 men worked in shifts 24 hours a day, including 17 men from Highline Construction, four men from Mille Lacs Energy, four from Lake Country Power and four from Lake Region Electric, who assisted Crow Wing Power employees.

New Age Tree service contracted with the cooperative for tree cutting and clearing.

By Monday night, Crow Wing Power was down to 3,000 members without power.

At 2 p.m. Thursday, July 16, power was restored to all affected members.

It was an incredible effort, particularly in light of so much devastation, with downed trees and broken poles.

“We have a very dedicated staff. They are so connected to the members and care so much,” explained Char Kinzer, public relations manager at Crow Wing Power.

“It is obvious that they care, particularly during the storm when people rallied and went to help others in need. It’s awesome to be part of an electric cooperative. You know you’re not working for someone in an ivory tower, you’re working for the member you serve.”

Crow Wing Power was formed 78 years ago by its members and now serves 37,000 members in Cass, Crow Wing and Morrison counties. Crow Wing Power has about 100 employees, and many of them have

been with the cooperative for many years.

Kinzer is predicting Crow Wing Power will be adding a lot of new employees within the next five years as many longtime dedicated employees retire.

The electric cooperative was built by farmers who wanted electricity to replace their kerosene lamps and wood stoves.

They developed the cooperative because investor-owned utilities did not want to serve less populated areas at the time, like the Brainerd lakes area.

Unlike other investor-owned utilities, Crow Wing Power gives back profits, over and above operating costs, directly to members in the form of capital credits, according to Bruce Kraemer, chief executive officer. Kraemer added that Crow Wing Power has returned over $23 million to members during the past 19 years.

“The Millennials likely don’t always care

about who provides services to them and value of the ‘Power of Human Connections,’” Kraemer said. “But if offered a deal, they may be likely to take it, no matter how short-lived it may be.”

“Unlike some corporate-type companies that are most concerned about the financial bottom line, our first and foremost concern is for the well-being of our members, and to provide them with reliable, affordable electricity,” explained Bob Kangas, who sits on the Crow Wing Power board of directors. “We have a challenge to take care of people who live in rural areas and not heavily populated locations – so it may cost a little more, but it’s the best of all worlds to ensure someone cares about you having electricity nearly 100 percent of the time.”

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Brainerd, MN 218.829.2827 | 800.648.9401 www.cwpower.com

A MEMBER-OWNED COOPERATIVE, WORKING FOR YOU.

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D I S P A T C H

L A B O R

D A Y

SERVING THE BRAINERD LAKES AREA AND CENTRAL MINNESOTA SINCE 1881

Pet food

S P E C I A L

September 3, 2015 • September 7, 2015

By CHELSEY PERKINS Staff Writer

PIONEERS HOW A BROTHER-SISTER DUO IS TRANSFORMING AN INDUSTRY

Owner Tom Barrett holds a bag of dog food produced by Barrett Petfood Innovations as he discusses the company and products. A close view of a mold shows how the food is made into different shapes.

In an unassuming building nestled among the cornfields south of Brainerd, food destined for the mouths of monkeys at zoos around the world rolls from assembly lines.

Run by brother and sister duo Tom and Sarah Barrett, Barrett Petfood Innovations is poised for explosive growth in the premium pet food market from its humble origins as a family farming operation. The company produces more than 150 different kinds of pet food — from those for dogs and cats to iguanas and large omnivores — and might be the only pet food manufacturer in the world experimenting with growing its own ingredients on site.

“People don’t know that we serve 20-some companies and we’re an international business out here in a cornfield,” Tom Barrett, 33, said.

LOCAL KIDS GONE GLOBAL Ten years into careers the Brainerd High School graduates never expected to pursue near a city they didn’t plan to return to as adults, the Barretts attribute their success to a willingness to push the boundaries in an industry inhospitable to change.

“I don’t remember how many times I was told, ‘You can’t do that, you’re not going to be able to do that.’ And then we did it,” Sarah Barrett, 29, said. “I think if we would have listened to what the industry leaders were saying, we would never be where we are.”

Even Mike Barrett, Tom and Sarah Barrett’s father who first purchased the equipment eventually used to manufacture the first run of bird food a decade ago, never expected to be in pet food. He acquired an extruder as part of a new business venture to produce fertilizer when ConAgra Foods shut down his leased agricultural retail business.

When fertilizer production didn’t take off as ex-

pected, Tom Barrett said his father had a bunch of equipment for which he had no use. Home from college in 2005, Sarah Barrett began researching what else could be made using the extruder and discovered the equipment her father purchased was actually intended for pet food manufacturing.

Countless experiments, success and failures later, the Barretts are now known among premium pet food companies — those focused on high-protein, ethically sourced foods — as a go-to for pushing the limits of manufacturing.

“We’ve heard from a lot of people in the industry that that’s what people like about us, that they feel like they can come to us with an idea and at least we’ll try it. If they go to these other companies, they’ll get, ‘No, we don’t have time for that,’” Sarah Barrett said.

This try-anything spirit and a drive to make as many industry contacts as possible was what led the company to begin distribution of foods internationally and for exotic pets, including those for monkeys and other large omnivores. Some of these foods are distributed to zoos all over the world, including the Bronx Zoo and San Diego Zoo.

BEYOND THE ‘BROWN AND ROUND’ On the late July day the Brainerd Dispatch visited the facility, round-shaped hamster food — baked in an industrial oven — buzzed by on conveyor belts.

“Not many plants would want to mess with that, even though it has a decent capacity and a really good profit margin,” Tom Barrett said.

Despite the challenges associated with producing numerous types of food on the same basic equipment, the Barretts have learned they can charge clients for the additional costs incurred from small runs of less popular foods.

“Other manufacturers like us, they want to do brown and round dog food every day of the year,” Tom Barrett said. “There’s no cleanup between

runs, there’s no switching out equipment. They want it easy. … We get a good reputation by taking that work on. We can charge more for it too, because really, we’re the only ones crazy enough to do it.”

What the Barretts call “crazy” is getting them recognition outside the pet food world as well. In June, the business was recognized with the 29th annual Governor’s International Trade Award for Agricultural Commodities/Processed Food, an award designed to honor Minnesota businesses showing “exceptional progress and success in foreign markets.”

But it isn’t just about innovation or finding a niche market for the Barretts; as pet owners themselves, the brother and sister pride themselves on producing high-quality foods they can stand behind personally.

“You don’t want to be making something you wouldn’t feed your animal,” Sarah Barrett said. “It means something to us that it’s a good product.”

“There’s a lot of tricks you can play in pet food,” Tom Barrett said. “The scary thing is it’s the same way in (human) food, too. How companies label things, there’s ways to trick the consumer. There’s a lot of that that goes on and that’s one thing … on the dog and cat food side, most of our customers don’t play that game.”

As the industry as a whole moves closer to regulations akin to human food manufacturing, the Barretts are attempting to stay ahead of the curve by implementing changes in procedure now. They recently began construction on a laboratory to test product on site, eliminating the

See PET FOOD Page S21 Photos by Kelly Humphrey • kelly.humphrey@brainerddispatch.com

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September 3, 2015 • September 7, 2015

HOME CONSTRUCTION

www.brainerddispatch.com

Verndale Custom Builders opens RECLAIMING

A CONSTRUCTION LEGACY

By RENEE RICHARDSON Associate Editor

For nearly four years, Verndale Custom Homes lay dormant.

Young trees grew up next to the vacated building. Its legacy of quality home construction one more victim of a relentless recession. Verndale Cus Custom Homes began in the 1970s. The company hung on as long as possible after the housing market collapse — followed by the deepest recession since the Great Depression — before finally succumbing in 2011.

But the legacy of the company,

once one of Verndale’s largest employers, wasn’t forgotten.

In June, new owners brought life back to the site. They trimmed the trees.

They cleaned up the office spaces.

They opened the doors for production.

The new name — Verndale Custom Builders — echoed the past success and set the tone for a new generation.

The new owners know a thing or two about home building and already had deep roots in Verndale. The Weiher family has two other construction companies — a general contractor for construction and remodels and a log home builder. Their residential construction contractor business built

• Submitted photo

more than 600 homes.

Bill Hess, Verndale Custom Builders general manager, has worked for the the Weihers in some fashion or another for 17 years. He said when they looked at Verndale Custom Homes, they saw a product serving a market niche they weren’t involved in through their other companies.

“This market is really a different market for them,” Hess said.

They’d been looking at the potential for about three years. This spring, the pieces came together for the purchase.

Getting the office and construction plant back into shape didn’t take a lot of work, Hess said.

Getting the facility back up and running was about more than market share for the family, Hess said. He grew up in Verndale and makes his home in the community. He said beyond the business opportunity, they wanted to have the company back in the community providing job opportunities close to home.

“Everybody is excited about that,” Hess said. “It’s so good to be part of the community. That was just as important as making money.”

The economic recovery provided a backdrop of confidence for the owners to give fresh life to the business. The construction plant has the capacity for construction on five homes at the same time. Hess said he’d like to grow into that full capacity. Even with a late start of this summer, in terms of the homebuilding industry, Verndale Custom Builders has a home under construction.

See BUILDERS Page S19

Michael Johnson • michael.johnson@brainerddispatch.com

WITH AN EYE FOR THE FUTURE

Foreman Richard Tangeman carries a 2-by-6 to be cut for an interior wall of a model home at Verndale Custom Builders.

Advertorial

Widseth Smith Nolting celebrates 40 years in business

By JODIE TWEED

When civil engineers Dick Widseth, Howard Smith and Don Nolting launched their engineering firm, Widseth Smith Nolting, in Crookston in 1975, they couldn’t have known at the time the impact of what they had created.

Forty years later, WSN has about 190 employees companywide with offices in Alexandria, Bemidji, Brainerd/Baxter, Crookston, East Grand Forks, Grand Forks and Rochester. The Brainerd/Baxter office opened in 1978 and now has 63 employees. They are a firm with experts in civil, mechanical, electrical and structural engineering; architecture, landscape architecture; land surveying; environmental services and water resources.

Kevin Donnay was named president of WSN in December 2013. WSN has been involved with many local civil engineering projects, including the Isle Drive program in Baxter, wastewater and water expansion to the Brainerd Lakes Regional Airport and the new field at Brainerd high School.

Other notable WSN projects in the Brainerd lakes area include: Paul Bunyan State Trail Bridge over Excelsior Drive in Baxter,

Forestview Middle School, Essentia HealthSt. Joseph’s Baxter Clinic, St. Francis of the Lakes Catholic School remodeling project and addition, Pillager School addition, Baxter’s new water tower, Riverside Drive, Johnson Centre, downtown Brainerd streetscape, Bremer Bank, Paul Bunyan Visitor Center and the Brainerd City Hall remodel.

Donnay said WSN merged with KJA Architects about a year ago. The 63-year-old Rochester firm worked on projects throughout the state and has allowed WSN to expand its expertise in municipal, churches and restoration architecture, and has given

them a boost in business in the southern part of the state.

WSN’s board of directors is now in a strategic planning process, setting the course for the firm for the next five to 10 years in their ever-changing business. They are looking at many areas, including how to attract and retain top talent, consistently raise the design bar, operate as efficiently as possible and continue to grow the firm.

“We’ve enjoyed some very nice success, but competition has increased as well,” Donnay explained. “Our business world is changing so rapidly. We need to stay up to speed, and we have become more creative

and flexible in meeting clients’ needs.

Donnay said WSN has many longtime employees. The company not long ago held a retirement party for a staffer whose employee number was 0001.

WSN employees do a lot of volunteer work within the community, something that the company focuses on and encourages.

One group of employees got involved with the Miracle Field in Brainerd, volunteering to do the layout and design and build the entry gate. A land survey crew also donated the staking of the baseball field.

“It was one way we could help last summer,” Donnay said. “We have the best workforce in the industry. They are dedicated, talented and committed.”

Donnay said the company is always looking for talented professionals in their field, which includes engineers, architects and land surveyors.

WSN was the 2012 recipient of the Business Excellence Award, presented by the Brainerd Lakes Chamber and sponsored by the Brainerd Dispatch.

The company held a 40th anniversary celebration in February.

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HOME CONSTRUCTION

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September 3, 2015 • September 7, 2015

S19

We felt it was important to get this open again and we felt it was important to provide good-paying jobs for this community.

BILL HESS, VERNDALE BUILDERS GENERAL MANAGER

BUILDERS, From Page S18 Floor plans are available for two- and three-bedroom homes so customers can pick a style or come in with their own ideas.

They’ll help the customer plan and design the home and will then build it, but the job doesn’t end in constructing the home. Verndale Custom Builders will put in septic systems, put in basements and build garages. They will clear a site for the placement of the home.

“We’re going to offer a turn-key product,” Hess said.

The home and home site will be ready for the customer to arrive with the key to the front door, prepared to move in and start their lives there. The system-built homes created by the company are stick-built homes constructed in a factory and then moved to the home site. The homes are constructed in one piece like an on-site home. Verndale Custom Builders report factory or system-built homes such as theirs, on average and excluding land value, are 10 percent to 35 percent less than homes built on site.

“Many floor plans are available that range from basic models to more elaborate designs that feature vaulted ceilings, fully equipped modern kitchens, comfortable bedrooms with walk-in closets and bathrooms with recessed bathtubs and whirlpools,” the company reported. “You may also select from a variety of exterior designs and siding materials, including wood, hardboard, steel, or vinyl siding.”

Some work such as tile showers, exterior rockwork, and some flooring are finished once the home is places at the site.

Hess said before he became involved in the system-built homes, he didn’t realize how well-constructed and how highly energy efficient the homes were.

relied on that expertise to get the business up and running.

“Verndale Custom Homes always had a great reputation,” Hess said of the former company. “They built a quality home.

We intend to keep that tradition going.”

Hess said the opening of this next chapter for a business that seemed to be lost to Verndale’s history books has excited the community. A post on the company’s Facebook page from a family member of the former owners struck a chord with Hess. The post noted Verdale Custom Homes made such

an impact because its leaders had great vision. Hess agreed.

He said it takes vision to start an enterprise and that vision is what the new owners want to continue.

“We felt it was important to get this open again and we felt it was important to provide good-paying jobs for this community.”

RENEE RICHARDSON, associate editor, may be reached at 218-8555852 or renee.richardson@brainerddispatch.com. Follow on Twitter at www.twitter.com/Dispatchbizbuzz.

Advertorial

The Recipe for Growing Business Starts with a Healthy Dose of Infrastructure

CHANGING TARGET MARKET

Hess said when they first started he thought the target market would be first-time homebuyers. But they found a strong response in those who were retiring and downsizing. When they were analyzing the market for their business plan, they found another somewhat unexpected trend of young people who wanted a smaller home. A look at home building in the not-too-distant past found a generation looking to put up the largest house they could. The bigger the better, Hess said. But, he said, young people are looking for a simpler, smaller home so they won’t have the overhead cost or the time commitment for upkeep.

“They want to be freed up for vacations and other activities,” Hess said. “This younger generation — they are looking at it differently. They want to put their money elsewhere.”

Perhaps the recession and collapse of the housing market will have lingering effects after it became commonplace to see foreclosed homes, with ownership going back to the banks.

Looking out two years into the future, Hess would like to see the number of employees grow from seven to 15. He’d like to be building 30 homes a year.

Hess anticipates building homes for markets in North Dakota and Wisconsin. He said Minnesota has the most strict building codes, meaning they automatically meet the less stringent codes of neighboring states. Their delivery area is within 100 miles of the Verndale plant. They’ve sold homes on the Iron Range. And outside dealers help spread the word beyond the area to attract customers.

Hess said he’s surprised how quickly things have picked up for the new company when they basically entered the field toward the end of the season. They didn’t anticipate having a lot of homes to build this fall. And now they are already building and have a couple more homes in the planning stage for spring.

They can construct split-level homes, those with a story and a half, or two-story houses. Costs are about $100 to $120 per square foot. They meet with customers to look at floor plan options or design something for them. Then they’ll build it and work the plan or redesign it if price has moved beyond the client’s budget. Hess said they are pretty flexible in what they can do.

“One of the big advantages of our system is we can have a home built and delivered in 45 days,” Hess said. “That’s the real beauty of this system.”

With the factory or system-built home there are no weather delays. When they are finished, the home is ready to move the furniture inside. They do need a basement or crawl space to place the home. But Hess is working on a modification to allow home placement on slabs. It’s something he plans on perfecting as there is a big call for homes all on one level, without basements. And in-floor heating offers a lot of positives, he said.

When it comes to attracting new business, it’s a lot easier when a community has “shovel-ready” commercial building sites and existing office, industrial and warehouse spaces.

That’s been the story in the Brainerd lakes area, which has a variety of both and is now reaping the rewards.

The Brainerd lakes area has been aggressive in attracting new business to the area and growing jobs in the process.

One of the ways it has done that is to welcome businesses with affordable building sites for new construction or offering a variety of existing spaces. Those efforts paid dividends recently, resulting in several business expansions in Brainerd.

One of Brainerd’s success stories centers around the city-owned “shovel-ready” building sites in the Brainerd Industrial Park south of the Crow Wing County Fairgrounds. Those sites, which have water, sewer, electricity and paved streets and state-of-the-art fiber connections, have been slow to sell since 2007, when they became available. But that will change now that FedEx Ground is building a 54,000-square-foot distribution facility on nine acres.

A feature of the building sites that make them desirable to companies looking to build is their Shovel-Ready Certification, which was issued in 2009 by the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development. The certification means the sites have been zoned, surveyed, soil-tested, titled and their infrastructure engineered, making it easy and affordable for companies to purchase the land and begin construction quickly.

With a major employer operating in the industrial park, other companies are expected to give the vacant sites a closer look when they’re shopping for a location. It’ll also be easier for the city and the Brainerd Lakes Area Economic Development Corporation (BLAEDC) to market the sites to other prospective companies, said BLAEDC Executive Director Sheila Haverkamp.

The same can be said for the new Brainerd Industrial Center (BIC), which used to be the home of the Wausau paper mill in Brainerd. BIC purchased the property and is leasing it out for industrial and warehouse uses. The 600,000-square-foot building is equipped with overhead cranes, towering 20- and 30-foot ceilings, loading docks, security fences and many more features that are perfect for companies in need of expansive industrial or warehouse space.

The center recently attracted two local companies, who were looking to expand a portion of their businesses, into two of the many available spaces at BIC. “We’re excited about theses recent success stories because it shows how important these commercial partnerships are in providing the tools and spaces necessary to bring in commercial ventures and grow jobs in this area,” Haverkamp said. “More importantly, it’ll be easier for us to market the area to other companies now that we’ll have a large operation in the industrial park and new tenants in the BIC. Success breeds success!”

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Hess said making it feasible to re-opening the business included support from the community.

“We’ve received a lot of help from the city of Verndale, the school district, and Wadena County on some tax abatements to get this started up and to help make this possible,” Hess said. “It’s been a very positive response. That’s been encouraging to see.”

They hired four former employees of Verndale Custom Homes. Each one had about 20 years of experience. They’ve

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Verndale Custom Builders • Location: 302 Mason Ave. E., Verndale.

• Owners: The Weiher family, Bob and his son Robert.

• Employees: Seven.

• Fun fact: Four generations of the family have been involved in their construction companies. The Weihers also own JR Construction, which has been in business since 1961, and Whispering Pines Log Homes, which was established in 1981. Both those businesses are based in Verndale.

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COMMUNITY DRIVEN

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September 3, 2015 • September 7, 2015

NEW CONSTRUCTION

www.brainerddispatch.com

FEDEX EXPANSION is in the works

Construction continues this summer on the 54,000-squarefoot FedEx Ground sorting and distribution facility being built in the Brainerd Industrial Park.

Photo by Kelly Humphrey • kelly.humphrey@brainerddispatch.com

Advertorial

McDonald’s has served up meals and jobs in Brainerd since 1974 tinued

this

sumsum

mer on the new 54,000-square-foot sortFedEx Ground sort ing and distribution facility being built in the Brainerd Industrial Park.

The expansion is located south of the intersection of County State Aid Highway 45 and County Road 117, across from Thiesse Drive. Motorists driving east on County Road 117, also known as Thiesse Road, can see the construction to their north behind Lexington Manufacturing.

The Brainerd City Council first learned of the company’s interest last October and the sale of 9 acres of land was finalized in May. Nate Grotzke of Close-Converse, who represented the city in the sale, said the property was sold to Ruedebusch Development and Construction of Madison, Wis. Ruedebusch Development and Construction builds facilities and leases them to FedEx. The $521,560 sale represents the first lots sold in the industrial park’s 2007 expansion. In 2009, Brainerd received a “shovel-ready” certification for the available lots in the park from the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development.

That designation, spearheaded by the Brainerd Lakes Area Economic Development Corporation, helped to attract the company to Brainerd, Sheila Haverkamp, BLAEDC executive director, told the council in May. This month, Haverkamp noted the two larger commercial construction projects in the works — FedEx in Brainerd and Avantech, formerly known as Lakeland Mold Co., in Baxter, along with the jobs they provide — stand out after the long recession.

Plans call for construction on the FedEx facility to be completed by the fall. Construction companies working on site include Strack Construction Co. in Sartell, Hy-Tec Construction in Brainerd and DeChantal Excavating LLC of Brainerd.

By JODIE TWEED

For 41 years, McDonald’s has been part of the urban landscape on Washington Street in Brainerd. While many people may think of the restaurant franchise as a fast and convenient restaurant to buy their favorite Big Mac, fries and a soft drink, the restaurant means much more to the hundreds of employees who received their first on-the-job training there.

McDonald’s has often been the first job that many Brainerd High School students get once they turn 16, although many of their employees also are students at Central Lakes College or older employees.

McDonald’s is locally owned and operated, and it’s been a family business since 1991 when it was purchased in Brainerd by owners Glen and Sandy Cook and their son, Glen Cook Jr. They opened another McDonald’s in northeast Brainerd more than a decade ago, and they also own the McDonald’s located in Wal-Mart in Baxter.

Between all three locations, they have about 150 employees.

Glen Cook Sr. said that while many young people are hired as part of the crew, and they may work part-time schedules through high school and/or college while they earn their diploma or degree, there are many employees who started working for him who later went on to hold management careers in McDonald’s.

McDonald’s not only provides on-the-job training for young people, but they can go on to successful management careers within the McDonald’s Corporation.

“We train them, develop them and send them out for schooling so they can seek out opportunities for a career as well,” Cook explained. “You can start at McDonald’s and seek out careers in both management and other fields while still working here. If they want a career path with McDonald’s, we’ll help them out with that. If they want to go on to college, we have scholarships available through McDonald’s that employees are eligible for.”

McDonald’s not only helps people achieve their goals, but as a locally owned and operated chain of restaurants, McDonald’s is also actively involved in community activities that are important in the Brainerd lakes area. The Cooks give back to the community through a variety of ways, as their way to give back to the community that also supports their restaurants. Employees also give of their time, volunteering within the community.

“We have a volunteer firefighter who works here and an employee who volunteers with Junior Achievement,” Cook said, citing examples.

“We support Brainerd area youth groups and we’re very supportive of Brainerd High School sports teams, including Brainerd Sports Boosters. We’re really proud of the great people who work for us and the customers that we serve every day.”

Cook said many of the employees who started with McDonald’s when he and his family bought the restaurant continue to work there in management positions today.

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Construction con con-

PET FOOD MANUFACTURING

www.brainerddispatch.com

I don’t remember how

September 3, 2015 • September 7, 2015

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many times I was told, ‘You Barrett Petfood Innovations

can’t do that, you’re not going to be able to do that.’ And then we did it.

SARAH BARRETT

PET FOOD, From Page S17 cost and time necessary to send products to outside labs.

PET FOOD PICKED FROM THE BACKYARD

Another cost-saving strategy the Barretts are in the process of testing harkens back to the company’s origins and originates in a statement made in passing by Tom Barrett. Last year, Mike Barrett took his son’s suggestion seriously and began to grow acres of yellow peas and chickpeas in his fields, crops central to pet food production and uncommonly grown in central Minnesota.

“It’s kind of a marketing angle that nobody else in our industry is doing,” Tom Barrett said. “Even on the food side, it’s rare that a manufacturer would go all the way to the farm level. We already have the equipment, we already have the farm and the land. It’s easy enough to just integrate that right into our business.”

Working directly with the farmer — otherwise known as Dad — cuts out the middleman, allowing Mike Barrett to earn more from his crop and his children to spend less on ingredients. It’s particularly attractive to the types of companies for which the Barretts produce food.

“We know our customers are more the non-GMO (genetically modified organisms) type. We’re able to control what he plants and what he puts on it,” Sarah Barrett said.

“Being able to know that it was grown right here versus a lot of ingredients that can come from China and you don’t know, nobody knows what that’s gone through. It’s fresh, it’s right there.”

Should the crop prove successful, it has potential to positively impact not only on the Barretts’ business, but the agricultural economy of the Brainerd area. The experiment has the interest of other area farmers, many of whom are eager to try something different than traditional corn and soybeans.

The Barretts have plans to venture into other crops once initial testing is complete, perhaps even partnering with the University of Minnesota to develop varieties of crops such as quinoa to be more adapted to the north-central plains.

“Financially is definitely not the reason we’re doing it,” Tom Barrett said. “He can grow other crops that have higher margins from his standpoint than peas or chickpeas. But really the fact is, it catapults us into something where really we’re the only ones in the country doing it.”

• Location: Daggett Brook Township, south of Brainerd.

business that could potentially employ 200 or 300 people someday. And really, that’s not out of the realm of possibility,” Tom Barrett said.

Sarah Barrett said they not only want to provide employment, but to offer well-paying jobs with upward mobility.

“We’ve had a lot of luck finding a younger generation of worker that isn’t what peo-

ple today consider the standard … early 20-somethings that are really working hard,” Sarah Barrett said. “I think that they want to grow, they can see the growth in us, and they are working just as hard as we are.”

No matter what the future holds for the Barretts, one thing will remain a constant: a desire to innovate.

Shop dog, Oscar.

“I don’t want to be the biggest pet food manufacturer in the world and neither does Sarah (Barrett), but I don’t care if we are the biggest non-multinational pet food maker as long as we’re still making good foods and have the same reputation that we always had,” Tom Barrett said.

“If you get too set in your ways and too calculated, then

• Number of employees: 30-35.

• Fun fact: The company produces more than 150 types of pet food, including nearly 1 million pounds of monkey and large omnivore food annually.

you can’t move with the ebbs and flows of what the latest trends are. You’ve got to be a little bit nimble and willing to make changes sooner or slower than you maybe wanted to.”

CHELSEY PERKINS may be reached at 218-855-5874 or chelsey.perkins@ brainerddispatch.com.

Follow on Twitter at www. twitter.com/DispatchChelsey.

Some think it’s the fries that make McDonald’s so successful.

We know it’s our employees.

So on this Labor Day we just wanted to say…

Thanks!

Situated in a market experiencing unfettered growth, Barrett Petfood Innovations has nowhere to go but up, the siblings said. The company began growing at a rapid clip three years ago, with sales tripling in 2012 alone. Larger pet food manufacturers, unable to keep up with demand for premium pet foods, pushed smaller customers toward the Barretts.

“That gave us some of the capital to put investment into our own company,” Tom Barrett said. “That has now allowed us to be more competitive with purchasing ingredients, because we’re bigger now, so now we’re actually price competitive with some of the bigger plants in the U.S. We’re kind of a player as far as getting any piece of business.”

Five years from now, the pair hopes the company will operate in a larger factory employing at least 100 people.

The Barretts also see growth potential beyond their own company. They hope to see their hometown benefit from a new source of dependable, more recession-proof jobs.

“We feel a little bit like it’s our responsibility to grow a

Brainerd — West (50’s Store) Brainerd — East (PlayPlace Store) Baxter Wal-Mart Garrison Aitkin

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VISIONS OF GROWTH

S22

RESTAURANT MAKEOVER

September 3, 2015 • September 7, 2015

www.brainerddispatch.com

A FRESH LOOK FAST-FOOD RESTAURANTS LEAD THE WAY FOR TRANSFORMATION

By RENEE RICHARDSON Associate Editor

Travelers pulling off Washington Street and into the parking lot at Wendy’s restaurant in Brainerd this summer may have had the feeling they were arriving at a newly constructed eatery.

It might as well be.

A major renovation last fall transformed the established restaurant, both inside and out. After years of little construction activity, particularly on the commercial side during the Great Recession, significant updates to restaurants along the main thoroughfares in Brainerd and Baxter provided visible signs of economic recovery.

Hardee’s was the subject of a major Photos by Kelly Humphrey • kelly.humphrey@brainerddispatch.com

See NEW LOOK Page S23

A flat screen TV and an electric fireplace fill the wall at the remodeled Wendy’s in Brainerd. Diners eat in Wendy’s remodeled dining area (right). Major reno renovations completed last fall basically created a new restaurant, inside and out.

Advertorial

Get fit this fall at Anytime Fitness

By JODIE TWEED

JOIN DURING THE WEEK OF SEPTEMBER 14TH AND GET FIRST MONTH FREE!!!

While many people join a gym at the great way to relax after a stressful day. start of a new year, fall is the perfect time The Brainerd gym also offers live fitness to jumpstart your lagging fitness routine classes, everything from yoga, Zumba, and get a gym membership.

PIYO, Insanity and more. A step class will Don’t have time to commit to a gym be added in September, Pollock said. because of work and back-to-school The Baxter gym, located in the Westcommitments? Anytime Fitness is open port Mall, offers virtual fitness classes, or 24 hours a day, seven days a week, giving fitness on request. A kiosk outside the you the opportunity to work out whengroup fitness room offers hundreds of ever it fits into your busy schedule. fitness classes for people to choose from, Jeremy Pollock, owner of Anytime Fitincluding every fitness level and intensity. ness in Brainerd and Baxter, explained The virtual classes, showed on a projecthat his gyms offer state-of-the-art tor screen, are available 24 hours a day, equipment for both strength training and allowing you to go work out by yourself cardio workouts. The cardio equipment or to gather a group of friends to take a has an added perk: individual televisions class together. for each machine to help keep you moti“It’s a good mix that we offer both,” vated to keep going.

Pollock said, of the virtual and live fitness Pollock said September is a great time classes.

14091 Baxter Dr. 302 5th Ave. N.E. to recommit to a regular workout routine, Anytime Fitness members can take a Baxter, MN 56425 Brainerd, MN 56401 and Anytime Fitness not only offers the live fitness class for free. Non-members 218-454-2000 218-828-0909 14091 Band axtfietness r Dr.classes, but 30the 2 class 5th A N.EBoth . gym equipment can also take forve a .fee. anytimefitness.com they B also personal trainers axhave ter, M N 564 25 who can Anytime Fitness Brainelocations rd, MNoffer 564private, 01 *Offer valid with a minimum 12 month membership agreement at participating locations only. Terms and conditions may vary based on applicable state laws and regulations. offer extra support. individual bathrooms with tile showers, Monthly dues still apply. Eac h location is independently owned and operated. Expires September 19, 2015 ©2015 Anytime Fitness, LLC 218-454-2000 218-828-0909 Anytime Fitness is a gym franchise, one rather than locker rooms. of more than 2,100 in the country anytand imefitnesAnytime s.com Fitness has been in the Brainmore than 700 franchises in 12 countries. erd lakes area since 2005. Pollock took If you travel for work or for fun, there is over the locally owned and managed likely an Anytime Fitness location anyfranchise in 2007. id with a where minimuyou m 1go.

2 mAs onathmember, memberyou shipcan agreemenA t afree, t paseven-day rticipatingpass locaistiavailable ons only. Terms and conditions14091 may varBaxter y based oDr. n applicable state302 laws a nd reAve. gulatioN.E. ns.

5th Menjoy onthlmembership y dues still abenefi pply. tsEaatc hany locone atioof n is ionline ndepeat ndwww.anytimefi ently owned atness.com nd operafor ted. Expires September 19, 2015 ©2015 Anytime Fitness, LLC Baxter, MN 56425 Brainerd, MN 56401 those locations. anyone who wishes to try out the gym for The Brainerd gym, located near the a week. For more information, visit Any14091 Baxter Dr. 302 5th Ave. N.E. 218-828-0909 B218-454-2000 axter, MN 56425 Brainerd, MN 56401 East Brainerd Mall, offers a 24-hour time Fitness online or call the Brainerd 218-454-2000 218-828-0909 hydro massage bed as an extra service. location at 828-0909 or Baxter location anytimefitness.com anytimefitness.com The high-pressure water jet table is a at 454-2000.

JOIN DURING THE WEEK OF SEPTEMBER 14TH AND GET FIRST MONTH FREE!!!

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JOIN DURING THE WEEK OF SEPTEMBER 14TH AND GET FIRST MONTH FREE!!!

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*Offer valid with a minimum 12 month membership agreement at participating locations only. Terms and conditions may vary based on applicable state laws and regulations.

Monthly dues still apply. Eac h location is independently owned and operated. Expires September 19, 2015 ©2015 Anytime Fitness, LLC

RESTAURANT MAKEOVER

www.brainerddispatch.com

September 3, 2015 • September 7, 2015

NEW LOOK, From Page S22

S23

Burger King in Baxter under-

renovation in the spring of 2011. And Taco Bell took on a new look. More recently, Wendy’s and Burger King remade themselves with significant remodels late last fall. During the past three decades, Wendy’s owner Bob Sullivan said there have been numerous upgrades at Wendy’s, but it was time for a good facelift.

Increased confidence in a recovering economy was a factor in the timing for the reinvestment.

Every area of the restaurant was upgraded with a focus on creating a modern atmosphere in seating and design esthetics.

A Wi-Fi bar, with seating, plug-ins and a countertop for people using laptops and tablets, extends along a front window. In the other corner of the dining room, the seating is more reminiscent of a living room with an ultra modern, narrow and long wall fireplace flush with the wall below a wall-mounted flat-screen TV. Carpeting and tile was replaced with a faux wooden floor. The new flooring, lending the impression of wide wooden boards, is more forgiving of spills and easier to keep clean. Seating near the entrance and the streamlined front counter is screened from view with short frosted panels accented with blades of green grass.

Dynamic wall-mounted signs display menus and specials.

In addition to having the Wi-Fi table to appeal to those bringing in their own technology, Wendy’s has a technological attraction inside in the form of a computerized touch screen pop dispenser

by Coca-Cola. The pop machine has the ability to create 146 different beverages or combinations of beverages. The machine downloads data to Atlanta at the end of each day, so the company knows what flavors need to be reordered and restocked.

Those flavors are then shipped to Brainerd. Customers may use the touchscreen or their own smartphones to make their choices.

For each choice, beyond plain water itself, there are additional flavor choices; Vitamin water in a variety of flavors; Coca-Cola with vanilla or lime. Last year, USA Today reported Freestyle ranks as one of the largest equipment investments Coca-Cola has ever made.

“You can get raspberry in everything you want,” Sullivan said.

“You could put five or six different flavors in one cup. It’s pretty much endless.”

Customers familiar with the choices can make those same flavor orders through the drive-thru window. Sullivan said the more than 100 choices aren’t available from the windows of ve-

went a major renovation in the fall of 2014.

hicles just to keep the line from being bogged down as people flip through the nearly endless menu of options.

“People want choices,” Sullivan said.

The choices aren’t limited to the menu. The restaurant has a multitude of seating options from booths to both regular and high tables. Sullivan said it’s part of appealing to a broad demographic. It turns out a seating choice may be related to one’s age. Pick a booth, once the top seating choices of teenagers, and that may be more of a sign of middle age these days. Sullivan said millennials are attracted to the high tables. Some restaurants focus on that seating. And there are other reasons not to want customers

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Wendy’s • Location: Brainerd.

• Employees: 28.

• Seating capacity: About 98 not counting the patio.

• By the numbers: Sullivan owns five Wendy’s including ones in Brainerd, Nisswa and Duluth.

Wendy’s owner Bob Sullivan explains the Coca-Cola Freestyle machine, which boasts 146 flavors.

to sink in comfortably into the booth cushions to linger over that soda from the high-tech touch machine. The longer some folks stay, the fewer times the restaurant is able to turn the table over or bring new guests in and gain revenue from their purchases.

Not all the upgrades are readily visible.

Sullivan said gone are the heat lamps to keep food warm.

Instead, part of the extensive kitchen remodel meant a curved counter to place a food order. The design creates a better workflow, Sullivan said. He pointed to increased efficiencies in putting items closer together to eliminate steps. The change makes it easier to handle a lunch rush, which Sullivan said a staff member noted right away after the remodel. “It flows so much better,” Sullivan said, noting items are right at the fingertips of staff members, making it faster and easier as they are serving customers. “It’s just more efficient. I think customers like it and employees like it.”

Sullivan said the restaurant is Wendy’s new signature look and part of the goal to create a more modern design.

Sullivan said everytime he’s done an upgrade on a restaurant there has been an increase in sales, anywhere from 10 percent to 40 percent. “We’ve gotten a major increase since we did the total remodel,” he said of Brainerd. He added costs for remodels can range from $150,000 for a small renovation to $500,000 for a major upgrade.

For Wendy’s, the remodel was done in three phases, which allowed the restaurant to keep the drive-thru open longer reducing the number of days the restaurant wasn’t able to serve customers.

Other restaurant upgrades, as well as new businesses are creating an updated look for entire sections of Highway 210, also known Washington Street, such as AutoZone recently bulldozing a long vacant property and building a new store.

“I feel good about the direction the economy is going,” Sullivan said.

Advertorial

Commander Bar now open for breakfast serving breakfasts, and last December, they did.

The new breakfast menu has been a success, and is even driving more business to their lunch crowd. The Commander opens for breakfast every day at 6:30 a.m., closing its doors at 2 a.m., keeping the staff of 35 full- and part-time employees busy nearly around the clock, seven days a week.

The Commander is one of the few nightclubs in the Brainerd lakes area that consistently runs live bands every weekend year round. If you’re in the mood to listen and dance to a live band, the Commander Bar should be your first stop.

“We’re pretty proud of the business that we do,” Narveson said.

The bar runs charitable gambling for the Pelican Lake Conservation Club, including pull tabs and their overwhelm-

ingly popular bingo events held at 6:30 p.m. Thursdays and 2 p.m. Saturdays. They also host other fundraising events throughout the year that support the Pelican Lake Conservation Club.

“It’s been a great partnership for us,” Narveson said.

The Commander closed for 12 weeks during the fall of 2013 to undergo a $300,000 remodeling project to the upstairs portion of the building. It reopened Jan. 17, 2014, offering an open, inviting atmosphere to gather with old friends or meet new ones. The building also includes 10 motel rooms, which are rented out and also are provided for bands that play at the Commander on weekends.

Narveson said his staff has had to deal with a lot of changes since the restaurant remodel and the addition of breakfast,

and he thanked them for their dedication and hard work.

“They’re a hard-working staff. It’s been a challenge this year to be open so many hours a day,” Narveson explained.

“But they’ve done a fantastic job.”

Narveson also thanked his customers, both at the Commander and J.J.’s Pub, located downstairs, for their support and patronage. He has owned the restaurant and bar since the fall of 1997, but the Commander dates back to the late 1960s.

The Commander recently purchased a LED sign in front of the building to better communicate with customers about what is happening at the restaurant and bar each week.

Narveson said he’s received many positive comments from the public about the new electronic sign.

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When a Breezy Point restaurant closed its doors, reopening as a hardware store, the longtime informal coffee groups that had met there had few options on where to gather and socialize over breakfast in the morning within the city.

But the closure presented an opportunity at the nearby Commander Restaurant and Bar. Commander Bar owner Neal Narveson said his customers began asking him to start

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By JODIE TWEED

Many thanks to our

Commander and JJ’s Pub St aff for all their hard work each and ev ery day.

And thank you to our loca l patronage throughout the year.

It’s what makes us what

we are!

& LOCATED 1 BLOCK WEST OF BREE ZY POINT GATE 218-562-4198

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September 3, 2015 • September 7, 2015

www.brainerddispatch.com Advertorial

Fall is a great time to sell with Positive Realty

By JODIE TWEED

Jack Antolak Broker/Owner

218-831-1990

Doug Campbell Broker/Owner

218-839-9091

Dale Johnson Broker Associate

218-820-8619

Katharine Herold Realtor/Agent

218-838-3777

Jerry O’Reilly Realtor/Agent

218-820-3486

Jeff Torfin

While many homeowners may think spring is the best time to list their homes, you may be at an advantage if you list your home with Positive Realty this fall.

“It’s a great time to sell,” explained Jeremy Johnson, salesman with Positive Realty. “Interest rates are still low, but they are going to continue to go up.

Now is a good time to buy and sell. The market is moving and any house that is priced right will sell.”

Johnson said there is a lot of turnover in the market in the fall as homeowners want to be into their new homes before the snow flies.

Positive Realty has been locally owned and operated in the Brainerd lakes area since 1979. Jack Antolak, Clint Nelson and Joe Zak started the firm as a three person office and Positive Realty now has 32 real estate agents and five administrative staff members who work at offices in Brainerd, Baxter and Nisswa.

Johnson said the company had a productive year as more homes and businesses continue to sell. Positive Realty offers experienced and knowledgeable staff; the average real estate experience is 18 years for its agents.

A recurring theme is that the Positive Realty agents are very personable and easy to work with.

“We have a family-type business atmosphere,” added Antolak. He said company-wide, the staff feels a strong connection to the community. Many are deeply involved in local churches, clubs and organizations and volunteer their time for charitable events.

“Our agents feel very connected to our community,” Antolak explained.

They also take time to take care of their customers. Positive Realty owns its own moving vans. The vans are available for customers to use, and local charitable Kent Swenson organizations may request Realtor/Agent to use the vans if they need 218-232-2994

them. It’s another way that Positive Realty takes care of their customers and gives back to the community.

If you’re in the market for a new home or you are thinking about selling yours, stop by or call Positive Realty. While people may think you should contact a real estate agent after you’ve decided to sell your home, Johnson recommends consulting an agent early on in the process, even before you may be ready to list your home.

Johnson said an agent can guide sellers in what home projects they should tackle before they list.

You don’t want to spend money on home improvement projects that aren’t necessary to selling your home.

“Some projects cost a lot more money than they’ll ever get back selling,” Johnson explained. “Believe it or not, sellers can get more bang for their buck by just having their home neat, clean and smelling fresh for showings.”

Today’s home buyers are savvy. They can determine whether or not they’re going to buy a home even before they step inside the door. If they pull up to a home with a clean, neatly trimmed yard and no weeds, it’ll make a great first impression, Johnson said.

Remove your pets from your home if possible before the showing. It allows buyers to walk through the entire home, not just part of it, Johnson said.

When you are debating how much to price your home, make sure the price is competitive for the market. Johnson said many sellers think they need to build in a little “wiggle room” into their listing price. However, most sellers actually get more money for their property if they price it well from the start. The longer your home is on the market, the less likely you’ll receive a good offer,” Johnson said.

Another reason your “wiggle room” pricing may not work in your favor is that the first buyers who will want to see your home are those who have been searching for a new home for awhile. They have researched home values in the Brainerd lakes

area and, most important, they know what they want. This is why most showings occur within the first couple weeks of a listing and why some homes sell quickly with multiple offers, Johnson said.

“I wish I had a crystal ball sometimes and I knew exactly what price to list properties,” Johnson said.

“The market dictates the price. The market will tell you if your price is too high, and it’s important to have an agent that pays attention to it.”

Johnson offers this suggestion for buyers: Getting a deal doesn’t always mean talking the seller down from the listed price. Some homes are competitively priced and you’re probably already getting a deal on a great home.

“If you’re an educated buyer, you’ll know a deal when you see it,” Johnson said. “Keep your longterm goal in mind and use that to help guide your decisions.”

People buy homes any time of the year. Fall may sometimes mean there are fewer homes on the market, as there are in the spring, but the key to a well-positioned home is to attract the right buyer.

For many buyers, fall is their favorite time of the year. The busy summer is over and they’re ready to commit to investing time in looking at homes in person.

An experienced real estate agent knows how to help clients prepare their home before it is ready for sale, how to price their home to compete in the current market and, of course, find prospective buyers. They understand that buying or selling a home is a big decision.

Agents at Positive Realty understand what their clients need to buy or sell a home, and they work hard to make that happen.

Johnson said, “Give us a call.”

To learn more about Positive Realty, visit their website, www.positiverealty.com Jana Froemming Realtor/Agent or call (218) 829-1777.

Tim Nelson

Jeremy Johnson

Mark Schmutzer

Andy Hayes

Brad VanVickle

Tina Anderson

218-232-0399

218-821-95

218-838-0540

218-831-1955

218-820-3527

Curly Olson

Wayne Whitehead

Barb Anderson

Curt Lovitz

218-821-9763

218-821-1859

218-839-8831

218-839-2121

Realtor/Agent

Realtor/Agent

Realtor/Agent

Realtor/Agent

Realtor/Agent

Realtor/Agent

Realtor/Agent

Realtor/Agent

Realtor/Agent

Broker/Owner

218-820-3025

Rod Carlson Broker Associate

218-820-8629

Joe Zak

Broker Associate

218-820-8838

Mike Pikula Realtor/Agent

218-821-3733

Nikki Turcotte Realtor/Agent

218-820-3282

218-330-6490

Mike Flynn

Lyndsay Szymanski

Antje Anderson

218-330-1650

Commercial Realtor/Agent

218-851-7380

218-825-3371

218-330-7032

Marlys Meyer

Patrick Buckley

Gina Meixner

Mark Meixner

Keith Schwankl

Ken Oaks

800-996-5771

218-820-3099

218-820-4525

218-820-0696

218-330-7360

218-820-1682

Broker Associate

Broker Associate

Broker Associate

Realtor/Agent

Realtor/Agent

218-851-7400

Broker Associate

Broker Associate

Realtor/Agent

Clint Nelson

Realtor/Agent

Realtor/Agent

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“Serving the Lakes Area with Integrity Since 1979” 218-829-1777

www.positiverealty.com | www.positivecommercial.com

514 South 6th St. • Brainerd

15244 State Hwy 371 • Baxter

4820 County Rd. 77 • Nisswa

Our mission is to continue to foster long-term relationships through trust and integrity.

“Make A Positive Move”

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Positive Realty was founded with a different goal in mind; to create a family environment where all team members support each other. Adopting this philosophy has allowed us to better serve our clients with a wealth of shared knowledge and experience.

Positive Realty is truly a unique company.