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Paper Storm serves both commercial and residential customers. Its mobile service, with routes throughout central and northern Minnesota, features a custom truck with an industrial-sized paper shredder on board for shredding on site. No project is too small or too large. Locked containers are available for regular customers to use for free with ongoing service.

In addition to shredding paper, Paper Storm can shred digital media, too, like floppy disks, CDs and DVDs. Computer hard drives can be destroyed as well.

For smaller shredding projects, Paper Storm’s walk-up service might be a more convenient and cost-effective alternative. Customers can bring their materials to Paper Storm’s location without an appointment. Both the walk-up and mobile services are NAID AAA Certified.

The walk-up service is west of Baxter off Highway 210, in the Sylvan Commercial Park, 12806 Alfalfa Lane, Pillager. The cost is based on weight. For legislators and advocates to look to other states for lessons learned, though no state in particular stood out.

“What we’ve seen is that there is no single template that states have taken on,” Briner said. “Every state has done this somewhat differently. There are definitely lessons to be learned about what hasn’t worked. There are fewer that give us a roadmap because every state has taken a slightly different approach to legalization.”

With over a year of recreational cannabis use in the state, Briner said the first year was devoted to thinking about what the office’s regulatory framework looks like and spending a lot of time with Minnesota’s new law, figuring out how to turn the words on the page into an actual operational agency.

Over the next year, they are working on getting licenses out the door, and in early 2025, they hope to open up for the next round of business applicants. She said they will have multiple rounds of licenses as they work toward filling the market without it becoming oversaturated.

“We’re working with a universe of advocates and prospective business operators who haven’t always had a lot of experience in dealing with state agencies,” Briner said. “We’re dealing with a brand new industry that people have a lot of excitement and interest in and we’re dealing with a wide range of advocates. Everything from potential business operators to folks who have concerns around workplace safety to medical cannabis patients and caregivers. So it’s a broad range of stakeholders and interested parties who are watching what we’re doing.”

Briner said even before the state offered licenses, Minnesota’s uniquely positioned hemp-derived cannabidiol market had already collected more than $10 million in tax revenue in the last 11 months.

“There is a lot happening as we continue working to stand up the market,” Briner said. “There’s a lot of information on our website, whether you are a consumer, a medical patient or a potential business operator. So check the website frequently, because we’re continuing to add information, and we’re going to be working hard to make sure that we can stand up a market that is safe, accessible and transparent.” on July 18, 2024.

Getting in on the ground floor and looking to help others in the Brainerd lakes area are a few businesses whose owners believe in what they are doing.

We’re at about 400-500 plants a year now.

Molly Lewis, Cholly’s Farm CBD & More

Cholly’s Farm CBD & More Store, Garrison

Retiring from nursing and firefighting, respectively, Molly and Charles Lewis moved from Georgia up to the Brainerd lakes area in 2018.

Molly said Charles was forced to retire from their hometown fire department in Georgia due to health concerns and chose Minnesota due to it being one of the better states for air quality. As long as Canada is not on fire, that is.

“Being a fireman and breathing and all that stuff in the ‘80s, it really took its toll on his health,” Molly said. “He was on oxygen. He was very weak. So we moved up here because the air is better here than it is in Georgia.”

With retirement not all it’s made out to be, the Lewises decided to continue helping people in need while starting a farm. They landed on growing hemp to cultivate CBD after learning about all the medicinal properties of CBD in the hemp plant.

According to the Harvard Medical School, CBD, or cannabidiol, is the second most prevalent active ingredient in cannabis/marijuana. While CBD is an essential component of marijuana, it is derived directly from the hemp plant, a cousin of marijuana.

Starting with around 20 hemp plants in 2020, they first started selling at farmers markets in the area before moving into their Garrison store in 2023.

Molly said their first growing year was definitely an adventure, recalling one day when an inspector came to visit.

“He came up and said, ‘You’re kidding, right?’ And I said, ‘What did I do wrong?’ He said, ‘Everything. You did everything wrong,’” Molly said with a big smile on her face. “Fast-forward to today, we’re at about 400-500 plants a year now.”

In 2021 they expanded to grow to over 400 plants, including specialty plants that have different characteristics and levels of CBD to help with different ailments.

Michelle Cmela, an Aitkin resident, stopped in the store to talk with Molly about getting help with her multiple sclerosis. Cmela said she prefers hemp and cannabis as the pharmaceuticals she was prescribed had horrible side effects.

“I just got tired of it all and I came in today to get some relief,” Cmela said.

Each customer is greeted with a “How can we help?” when they come into the store, Molly said. And each of her employees takes a cannabis training course because there’s no sense in being there if they don’t know what they’re talking about.

Although they carry a plethora of products along with making their own, Molly said their best seller is a salve she makes herself to help with everything from joint pain to bug bites. From gummies to pet oil, when customers come into the store, employees talk with them to find out what they need help with. If they are looking for something she does not have on hand, she will specially make it for them. Molly said most of her customers are not someone looking for a hightype effect; they are in their 60s and 70s and looking to sleep or to help with pain without the side effects of a pharmaceutical.

She said there is still a stigma around the smoking of cannabis with that generation, and most prefer a gummy or a tincture.

With the changing laws, Molly said they are looking at applying for a marijuana license as she wants to use the different properties, cannabinoids, that some marijuana plants have over hemp plants. She said each plant is unique in its own chemical characteristics.

Cholly’s Farm CBD & More Store is located at 8037 Highway 169 in Garrison. More information on them can be found on their website at tinyurl.com/ y5px6xbh.

Cuyuna Cannabis, Crosby Also opening in 2023 on Main Street in Crosby but with a bit of a different start up story is Mark Hendrickson, owner of Cuyuna Cannabis.

Hendrickson said he graduated from North Dakota State University in 2012 with a degree in industrial engineering and management. Always looking to work his way back to Minnesota, he eventually found himself working for Wells Fargo in the Twin Cities. Then COVID hit.

Having saved up some money, when Hendrickson eventually got laid off from work, he found himself back in the Crosby area.

“I don’t know if I would have ever jumped if they didn’t (let me go),” Hendrickson said. “I’ve always thought of myself as an entrepreneur type for the longest time. But when you get the comfort of the steady paychecks, it’s hard. Any big change is hard.”

Once Minnesota legalized low-dose THC and CBD, he had an idea — to open his own shop.

“I always wanted to do my own branded version, that was important to me, just more creative than just selling other people’s stuff. So I wanted to at least try that first, which made it a little slower to start,” Hendrickson said. He decided to start a cannabis business, he said, after he had the idea

Cannabis: H36

By Nicole Stracek

hether you’re ready to pop the question or looking for something special to celebrate an anniversary, E.L. Menk Jewelers is ready to help make your next jewelry purchase stress free. Located in historic downtown Brainerd, E.L. Menk Jewelers has been providing exceptional customer service to the Brainerd lakes area since 1979. Offering a large selection of jewelry and accessories, the goal is to help customers find the perfect piece. From bracelets to rings to earrings and necklaces, E.L. Menk Jewelers boasts a wide selection of items that are hand-selected by owner Ed Menk.

“We know how important and precious a piece of jewelry is to you. That’s why we offer in-house services so you can take comfort in knowing your jewelry is in good hands.”

If you can’t find the perfect piece for that special someone, Ed Menk can help by creating a unique piece that will be cherished forever. “If you have something specific that you want but don’t see it on display inside the store, we can create unique customized items using our in-store workshop using our beautifully cut diamonds and gemstones.” EL Menk also offers repairs and jewelry maintenance to ensure your purchase stays beautiful for years to come. Because the team at E.L. Menk Jewelers knows the importance of all things that sparkle and shine, they provide customers with peace of mind when purchasing fine jewelry and accessories. Extremely knowledgeable with over 45 years in the business, the team at E.L. Menk Jewelers is excited to help make your jewelry purchase memorable and unique. Stop by E.L. Menk Jewelers to see the selection of beautiful jewelry. E.L. Menk Jewelers offer engagement and wedding rings, diamonds and gemstones, exclusive collections, custom jewelry, and estate jewelry. Visit www.elmenk jewelers.com or call 218-829-7266. during COVID as it helped him with his own ADHD.

“I’ll have people from high school come in now and be like, ‘You were yelling at me for smoking weed in high school. Are you sure this is you?’” Hendrickson said. “Yeah, I changed my viewpoints. I was probably a little close-minded back then. … It’s been interesting.”

With his own line of drinks and gummies, Hendrickson said he is looking forward to 2025 when he hopes to be one of the lucky few in the state to receive a marijuana retailer’s license.

Hendrickson said one of the toughest things is the regulations can change overnight on what needs to be on a label or can’t be on the label.

Learning from past mistakes, he is doing better than most as he does not pre-label his whole stock, only what is in the showroom. That way if changes are made, he only needs to redo a few of his products.

“I have some gummies, seltzers, sweeter sodas, some topicals, some lotions like an icy hot muscle relief situation with CBD in them, as well as CBD dog treats. I just started doing those in my own brand recently,” Hendrickson said.

Hendrickson said he contracts with a few breweries and manufacturers in the Twin Cities to make his drinks and edibles, though it costs around $500 to get a batch tested. The hard part for him right now is figuring out how much inventory to order to make the testing worthwhile.

Coming from an industry that is rigid and always has people working has been a bit of a transition for Hendrickson.

“Coming from the banking and engineering world, and now my suppliers will come in and be wearing a tank top, shorts and whatnot,” Hendrickson said. “The relaxed nature of the industry is kind of annoying at times just trying to get people to reply or work things out. It’s been interesting. It’s more stressful (owning my own business), but at least I’m not stuck in a cubicle anymore, feeling like I’m wasting my time making money for somebody else.”

Though most of his customers are out-of-towners during the summer, Hendrickson said he has a steady amount of locals who help keep his lights on in the wintertime. Of everyone he meets, most are receptive and are genuinely looking for help.

Tom Bukowski stopped in on his way to their cabin for the week of vacation. He said he saw the store and wanted to support local businesses.

Cuyuna Cannabis is located at 2 E. Main St. in Crosby. More information on them can be found at tinyurl. com/373eycm9.

Happy Tree THC & CBD Products & Beverages,

Emily

Rick and Kathy Erickson, owners of Happy Tree THC & CBD Products & Beverages in Emily, said they moved up to Emily from the East Bethel area around 2020 and purchased the building for Kathy’s other business, Rustic Pines Custom Apparel, which she has operated for almost 20 years.

The custom embroidery machines and the apparel showroom take up most of the building, though there is a little side shop connected by a doorway. After being approached by multiple people looking to rent the side-shop as a place to sell cannabis edibles, they politely declined and did not think much of it until Rick saw an order she was working on and asked what it was all about.

Working on logos and apparel, Kathy had to call him back to find out about the order and told Rick she would inquire.

“Kathy goes, ‘Well, that’s one of Scott (Lissick’s) deals,’” Rick said. “What is he doing now? And she’s like, I don’t even know but I got to call him because he gave me the wrong amounts for the shirts he sent.”

Lissick’s original location of Happy Tree THC & CBD Products & Beverages is located at 2885 Country Drive in Little Canada.

Hearing about the THC and CBD store concept, a light went off in Rick’s head. If people are trying to buy the building to do the same thing, maybe they should look into it.

After listening to Lissick’s comments, Rick asked if he would be interested in franchising. They met the next day and drafted the franchise agreement.

Prior to opening the store, Kathy said they were helping to care for

Rick’s father, who was dying from cancer. The opiates were so bad for him that they looked for anything else that might help and found the power of cannabis.

Not wanting to enter something blind, Rick attended St. Paul College and received a certificate in cannabis retail. After completing his certificate, he received three job offers.

From there, it was pretty easy, like “plug-n-play” when Happy Tree showed up with their inventory, they already had everything they needed for inventory control and Rick and Kathy just needed to put everything on the shelves.

The classes he took covered everything from agriculture to how CBD and THC interact with the brain, giving Rick a leg up when someone comes in asking questions about what works best for PTSD or what they are doing wrong with their own homegrown plants.

“I have a CDL and I can’t use, but I’m growing just so when growers come in and talk to me I can help them because I understand some of the issues with growing,” Rick said

Rick said about eight out of 10 people who walk in that door need help with PTSD, chronic pain or sleep and are in their 70s.

“I got used to it real quick. Because they’re the ones who don’t want to be taking opiates,” Rick said. “They’re the ones that are having a hard time sleeping or they’re the ones with hip problems. But for a lot of them, there still is a stigmatism on the actual smoking of flower.”

And those are the people they are looking to help, looking for an alternative to hard prescription drugs and not necessarily looking to get high.

Deb, a customer of Happy Tree, said she has a cabin in the area and likes to frequent the store to help her sleep. She said she started coming in originally to get things for her husband, who recently passed away.

“The clientele is different than I thought it would be,” Rick said. “It is a ‘Field of Dreams’ moment for us. You know, if you build it, they will come. It’s just the people that have come, it’s been surprising. It’s not what I thought it would be. I thought it would be weekend partiers swinging in here. Grabbing their stuff off to their cabins. It’s not.”

Most have at least three-car garages. Some are slab on grade, with multiple looks to choose from in the home categories.

Rick said everyone is different and he helps them to find the product that works best for them.

“We’ve only been in for five months, and it takes a long time to develop customers, but many of our customers don’t smoke,” Rick said. “They don’t care if we have a dispensary; this is what they need and what they use.”

Though they have only been open for less than a year, the Ericksons are happy with their decision and look forward to what the future holds as the cannabis regulations in the state work themselves out.

Happy Tree THC & CBD Products & Beverages is located at 39948 Highway 6 in Emily. More information on them can be found at tinyurl.com/ n9tu7czw.

Chicago-based Green Thumb Industries. According to their 2023 yearend report, Green Thumb, established in 2014, has 20 manufacturing facilities, 91 open retail locations and operations across 14 U.S. markets.

RISE Dispensary Baxter opened in March 2024, allowing them to serve the largest concentration of Minnesota medical cannabis patients across the state, Hannigan wrote. In a 2023 Baxter City Council meeting, RISE reported Crow Wing County has the highest number of registered medical patients in the entire state of Minnesota, totaling roughly 4,000 patients.

“Serving both our existing patients and new adult-use customers, we plan to be ready to open our doors to customers 21 and over,” Hannigan wrote. “We’re excited to introduce more Minnesotans to the RISE experience, where our guests can expect a curated selection of premium cannabis products served up in a welcoming environment at great value.”

Kelly Drive and Emily Road. The company also has home sites of 0.34 to 0.55 acres in Jacklitch Estates a short distance from Whipple Beach. Price Homes also has larger acreage lots at Barbeau Road Estates, Cragun’s Legacy Courses and Lake Allen Drive, which is south of Gull Lake Dam Road, not far from Brainerd International Raceway and at Two Mile Road east of Brainerd, along with a couple of lake lots — one on Gull and one on Round.

Price Homes also has move-in ready homes in the lakes area and builds homes with two-story, rambler, splitlevel, villa and multi-level home plans.

In Brainerd, Level Contracting LLC, Thomas Allen Homes and Lumber One Avon have had the lion’s share of building contracts for new single family homes. Multiple homes have gone up in the Sugarberry Creek area, Serene Pines Court and Dal-Mar Drive near the roundabout on Wise Road and on Holton Avenue and York Court in the Brainerd Oaks development as well as Northtown.

Both Brainerd and Baxter have room to grow.

Brainerd neighborhoods like Northtown, just past the intersection of Beaver Dam Road and Riverside Drive, are looking more established with maturing trees now adding to the neighborhood’s appearance as homes are added. According to recent RE/MAX listings homes in Northtown — two bedroom, one bath; two-bedroom, two bath; three bedroom, two bath — run from $325,000 to $418,530. Annexation would give Brainerd more room for additional housing developments. From the June 15 Brainerd City Council meeting, Crow Wing County staff members were noted as being open to giving up some of the First Assessment District land to Brainerd.

Brainerd city staffers will continue working on a proposal for annexing a portion of land along Riverside Drive and adjacent streets into the city. The orderly annexation process would

At LINDAR and Eufouric Brands, we design, develop and construct tools, plastic parts and components, assemblies, and our own proprietary products for hundreds of industries worldwide. This Labor Day we salute you, our motivated and talented team.

THANK YOU!

RISE Dispensary, Baxter

RISE Dispensary is a medical marijuana dispensary located in the Westport Shopping Center in Baxter.

In an emailed response, Patrick Hannigan, RISE Minnesota’s commercial general manager, said RISE dispensaries are a national cannabis retailer with a mission to promote well-being through the power of cannabis.

The company was founded by

In addition to RISE Baxter, there are six other RISE locations serving Minnesota patients in Eagan, Mankato, New Hope, St. Cloud, St. Paul and Willmar.

RISE Dispensary is located at Baxter Dr #14091 in Baxter. More information on them can be found at tinyurl.com/4asnn6uu.

TIM SPEIER, staff writer, can be reached on Twitter@timmy2thyme, call 218-855-5859 or email tim.speier@brainerddispatch.com.

Lindar is the Industry’s Leading Thermoforming Company

LINDAR is a Baxter, Minnesota, company specializing in plastic thermoforming and rotational molding — a process that forms plastic in shapes using custom designed molds.

Using this process, LINDAR designs, develops, and produces products that are part of people’s everyday lives.

Whether you’re at a Lowes in Sacramento, a Target in Toronto, a Kwik Trip in Des Moines, a Wal-Mart in Mexico City, a construction site in Tampa, on a golf course in Charlotte, or in a farm field in central Illinois you are likely within arm’s reach of products that have been custom designed and made by LINDAR for some of the most well-known brands today.

LINDAR’s roots run deep as Tom and Ellen Hagin started the company over 30 years ago with one manufacturing machine and one product.

“The name LINDAR represents the entrepreneurial spirit of two people that put everything on the line to start a company whose vision today remains unchanged,” said Steve Lund, president of LINDAR. “We bring together a team of like-minded and incredibly talented people focused on helping companies achieve success with their products in the market. If we consistently deliver this to our customers, we will also achieve success.”

Now a multi-generational family-owned company, LINDAR has grown to over 175 employees who use industry-leading technology and processes in its over 200,000 square feet of facilities on its manufacturing campus in Baxter.

With the same entrepreneurial spirit that started LINDAR over 30 years ago, a new company was formed in 2019. Leveraging all of LINDAR’s product design, development, and manufacturing capabilities, EUFOURIC BRANDS, LLC is a consumer products company that has several of its own proprietary brands with many different patented products. golf course part of those plans didn’t pan out at that time, Peterson said there was a lot of interest in the housing piece.

Whether it’s their line of Maluna brand coolers, whose ice retention performance outperforms the industry leading competitor by 35 percent, or the vast assortment of DUHA brand storage cases for nearly every model of truck, SUV and UTV in the market today, EUFOURIC BRANDS, LLC is a consumer product company focused on bringing new and innovative products directly to consumers. Using creative marketing strategy and tactics, EUFOURIC BRANDS sells its products through multiple channels, such as traditional retail stores, Amazon and other retail websites and its own proprietary websites.

“Being part of the team at LINDAR or EUFOURIC BRANDS, LLC deeply connects you to the energy and excitement of bringing products to life and following them right to the consumer,” said Lund. “I would be willing to bet that you have a LINDAR made product close to you right now.” To learn more, visit www.lindarcorp.com and www.eufouric.com.

The development sold out in about three years and is composed of mostly one-level patio homes, with a couple two-levels thrown in as well, valued at around $500,000 to $800,000. No two houses next to each other look exactly the same, and well-manicured lawns give the neighborhood the charming curb appeal Peterson envisioned.

“I like to think of it as like a townhome development but with your own walls,” he said. “It has all the benefits of townhome living, and it’s right off the main trail.”

That main trail winds through the golf course and surrounding area, allowing residents to traverse their neighborhood — go have dinner, visit the resort, get to the lake — without having to get their cars out.

“All of our developments are about lifestyle and getting the East Gull Lake lifestyle, or the resort lifestyle,” Peterson said.

Demographics in the Village lean more toward retirees and snowbirds, those who spend the winter months in warm climates, though there are also younger families and residents that call the neighborhood home as well.

A homeowners association — with fees Peterson said are kept relatively low — takes care of tasks like lawn maintenance and snow removal.

“I’d much rather be spending my summers on the golf course than mowing my lawn and taking care of that,” Peterson said with a smile.

The homes in all of the Cragun’s developments also come with a resort club membership, which includes various perks at the resort. Residents can get discounted golf rates, access to the resort’s boat club and sporting amenities, and discounts on dining, shopping and lodging at the resort. The new boat club grants them access to Gull Lake and various marina rentals like boats, jet skis, kayaks, paddleboards and canoes.

Legacy Pointe

Farther to the east, along holes 4, 5, 6 and 7 of the Lehman 18, lies Legacy Pointe, another residential development with sweeping views of the green, accessed via Gull River Road.

Here, buyers can purchase just a lot or to-be-built spec homes on one of 16 sites with an average size of an acre. This development is in its infancy stages, with just one home built so far and a couple more lots sold.

“Obviously the interest rates spiked in 2022 and into 2023, so the housing market has slowed a little bit,” Peter- require public hearings to take place before properties were admitted into Brainerd and able to be assessed for street projects and hooked up to city utilities.

Brainerd Oaks also has homes for sale with recent Century 21 Brainerd Realty listings from about $275,000 to $365,000 in east Brainerd. Developers of Country Manor promise to bring a senior living and day care complex just off Beaver Dam Road.

The Foundation for Health Care Continuums,also known as Country Manor, plans to build a facility composed of 92 senior apartments, 18 memory care units and a day care component serving eight infants, 14 toddlers, 40 preschoolers and 30 school-aged children off Beaver Dam Road in Brainerd. The complex would also offer rehabilitation services for residents and the public.

Brainerd is also working with the school district and developers at Tapestry Companies on an agreement for land at and next to Buffalo Hills Park.

In May, Tim Trimble, of Tapestry Companies, said in a memo to the city of Brainerd the land would be an ideal location for three housing complexes. One building is proposed to have 60 units for families, while a second would have 65 units for seniors. Both facilities would have income restrictions of 50% area median income, which is a variety of housing city staff has confirmed the city needs. Any residents would have to make 50% or less of the local area median income. According to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, 50% median income for Crow Wing County as of May 1, 2024, is $32,100 for a single person and $45,800 for a family of four.

Brainerd Public Schools owns the 20-acre parcel of undeveloped land on the north side of Buffalo Hills Park but has indicated there are no plans for future use. The proposal from Tapestry Companies has the developer purchasing that land from the school district and then swapping about 7.95 acres of the western portion for about 5 acres of the eastern portion of Buffalo Hills Park.

Creekside Community, the cleared land behind the Tyrol Hills Shopping Mall with Ace Hardware by Walgreens, is expected to eventually include a 12-plex apartment complex with 10 studio apartments and two two-bedroom units.

This building is the second 12-unit apartment complex planned for the development, which is spearheaded by

• Sat-Sun:

Vicky Kinney and My Neighbor To Love Coalition as a project to provide housing for the homeless. Work and fundraising efforts are now focused on the first complex planned to the north, with a boarding house going between the two apartment buildings. The two apartment buildings will be called Creekside North and Creekside South.

Just how many other existing lots in Brainerd would be available for single family housing is a little more complicated to pin down. Eric Charpentier, Brainerd Housing and Redevelopment Authority executive director, and Tyler Glynn, executive director of the Brainerd Lakes Area Economic Development Corp., are working on getting a reliable estimate of the single family homes now in Brainerd. Charpentier recently noted the U.S. Census data doesn’t provide a good delineation of single family versus multi-family homes in the city. Charpentier said estimating the bare land that isn’t yet platted is difficult. Housing was also a top priority for the respondents to the Crow Wing County community survey as part of the comprehensive plan update. The community survey input showed the top two issues to address are housing (27%) and jobs and economic development (27%). Many survey respondents feel there should be higher quality housing options for those of all incomes and age groups.

Forty-eight percent of respondents felt more senior housing options are needed, and 58% said there needs to be better incentives or resources to maintain existing housing.

The survey also identified respondents’ top priorities for the area’s natural resources, including increased protection of water quality (73%), preserving natural forests (75%) and protecting quality farmland (64%).

A 2019 study that indicated the region needed more than 4,500 residential units during the next 15 years to meet the housing demand for yearround residents.

Theresa Bourke, Dispatch staff writer, contributed to this story. New units by

Renee Richardson, managing editor, may be reached at 218-855-5852 or renee.richardson@brainerddispatch. com. Follow on Twitter at www.twitter. com/DispatchBizBuzz.

ADVERTORIAL hen I started in the glass business, I had not envisioned myself making this my longterm dream. Well, here I am some 30-plus years later. I started at the very bottom and worked my way to owning my own business. I met my wife because of it and in turn had two wonderful children. son said. “But we’re patient with it.”

Along the way I have worked with and beside some very wonderful people. When my wife and I purchased Brainerd Glass in 2009 we had visions of growing the company and in doing so also creating a bond and trust with not only our clients but also with our employees.

Treating people with respect and listening to what their needs are is the foundation of what we do at Brainerd Glass. Integrity, hard work and going the extra mile is not only sound business practice but the right way to do things.

As we look to the future, our hope is to not only grow our business, but to also maintain up-to-date standards. We will embrace and utilize all the new technology that increases the value of our products and services. Our bottom line is to create a positive work environment for our employees and a quality product and service for our customers.

In today’s economy, unfortunately, the products we purchase have run into some time delays. Whether it is a lack of workers from our suppliers or lack of material, our lead times have grown. When you work with Brainerd Glass you will get full disclosure on the status of your project. Our goal is to work as quickly and efficiently as humanly possible. Sometimes the path may get crooked, but the result will always be for us to give the highest quality product and service available.

I personally want to thank all my employees, both present and past. Brainerd Glass is more than just a name; it is a reputation that has stood the test of time. It is a tradition that was started in 1943 and continues to this day. We consider it a blessing to live and work where we do. We actively take part in the community both physically and monetarily. We look forward to the future and will always strive to be the very best that we can be.

These homes are adjacent to the Gravel Pit Golf Course and not far from Madden’s either, giving residents — especially golf enthusiasts — even more amenities beyond Cragun’s.

“You start doing all the math, and you’ve got 120, 130 holes of golf just by your golf cart,” Peterson said. “So to me, it’s all about owning a golf cart and enjoying that experience.”

Aside from the golfing perks, the homes come with a variety of scenic views. A few lots even have dual sunset and sunrise views, catering to all tastes and preferences.

“It’s not a golf course housing development. It’s a little bit of housing around a beautiful golf course,”

Peterson said. “So the purpose wasn’t housing and then, ‘Oh, we’ll squeeze a golf course in.’ The purpose was, ‘Let’s build a great golf course, and if there’s some land left over, let’s maximize that for some really beautiful home sites.”

Legacy Ridge

Going south on the golf cart trail leads to Legacy Ridge, the last of the new developments, situated on holes 9-14 of the Lehman 18.

Purple, yellow and white flowers line the picturesque trail, leading to views of not only the golf course but also environmental Lake Stephens, for those who relish being on the water.

“Here you get golf, lake, golf,” Peterson said. “Usually you get one thing in

Legacy: H40

Wishing you all a Happy Labor Day Weekend!

Covering area communities from Nisswa to Hackensack and Pequot Lakes, Pine River to Crosslake and surrounding communities ADVERTORIAL

Echo Journal earns 15 awards for quality coverage

By Pete Mohs

The PineandLakes Echo Journal staff enjoyed one of its best Better Newspaper Contest finishes in recent years with 15 total awards, including first place for top website, earlier this year at the Minnesota Newspaper Association annual convention.

Second-place finishes for the Echo Journal were Use of Photography as a Whole, Classified Advertising Section, Best Magazine Design, Best Magazine Cover, Best Magazine Article (Nancy Vogt), Magazine Use of Photography as a Whole and Best Use of Multimedia (Advertising team and Sara Leitheiser).

Placing third were Typography and Design, Best Magazine, Best Magazine Design, Best Magazine Cover, Best Magazine Article (Nancy Vogt), Best Magazine Photography and Magazine Use of Photography as a Whole.

The Echo Journal works hard to produce quality coverage of local news in its printed weekly newspaper and daily digital news. The staff covers local meetings, feature stories, community events and sports activities for the cities of Pequot Lakes and Pine RiverBackus, plus a dozen area communities in its readership area.

The Echo Journal staff was also recently honored by finishing third among the entries in the “Best Newspaper” division of the “2024 Best of” contest judged by area residents. your view. Here in these couple of lots you get all of it.”

The Echo Journal staff focuses on local news coverage of a dozen communities in Crow Wing and Cass counties. The publication also covers the school districts of Pequot Lakes, Pine River-Backus, Brainerd (Nisswa School) and the Crosslake Community School.

The Echo Journal, combined with the Brainerd Dispatch staff, produces more than 30 special sections and magazines each year. They also help produce the weekly EcholandPiper Shopper.

The PineandLakes Echo Journal has continuous news updates at pineandlakes.com. Before the digital age, Echo Journal readers were forced to wait, sometimes almost a week, to receive the local news. Today, the coverage is updated 24/7 with breaking news on its website. This development has helped the website reach more than one million page views in 2023.

The Echo Journal newspaper is the result of a merger between the Lake Country Echo and Pine River Journal newspapers in the fall of 2013. The Pine River Journal was established in 1935 while the Lake Country Echo began in 1972.

Legacy Ridge includes 53 home sites between half an acre and 2.5 acres in size, starting around $100,000, with three residents already moved in as of mid-July. To-be-built spec homes start around $639,000. Prices for this development vary more on the location and view than on size.

Both residential and owner rental homes comprise Legacy Ridge. Drivers along County Highway 77 can glimpse the five Private Collection homes built and valued at about $900,000 to $1.1 million. These fully furnished homes are available as permanent residents or owner rentals. In the rental scenario, owners are able to occupy them for up to 42 days in the summer and 100 days in the winter. The rest of the time, they’re rented out through Cragun’s, with the resort and the owner splitting the rental income. Boasting between five and eight bedrooms and several bathrooms, along with recreational areas with pool and poker tables, the homes are ideal for large groups of vacationers or corporate retreats, as well as owners who are working professionals.

Carrie Lee, the listing agent on the Legacy Ridge properties through Evolution Resort Real Estate, said the homes would be perfect for medical professionals who might need to live within a certain distance to a hospital, or snowbirds who might want to move off the water but remain in the Brainerd lakes area.

“When you think about the Brainerd lakes area and what drives value, it’s the concentration of the amenity package,” Lee said. “And so a lot of times I tell people, it’s like taking that and duplicating it at a higher level when you have resort style living because you have all of the Brainerd lakes area, but now you’ve plugged yourself into a resort and that amenity package. And so it’s even more accessible without being on the water.”It’s what Lee calls a microeconomy.

“The community within the community that offers an owner really good leverage because they’re getting the best of what the community has at a price that is still in that range of — we’re not on the lake, but we’re really, really close, and we have all the amenities,” she said. “And then when you par tner that with the boat club that Cragun’s does and all of that, there’s all these ancillary things that add value beyond just living in the Brainerd lakes area.

”It’s like plugging your home into an outlet that’s much larger than a traditional power source.

“You plug into those things at the resort that you otherwise wouldn’t have access to,” Lee added.

Peterson sees the developments as great opportunities for retirees, as the Brainerd lakes area is an attractive place for friends and family to want to come visit.

And if those summer visitors overstay their welcome, there’s plenty of golf holes and lakes nearby to spread out and enjoy some more personal space.

Cragun’s Legacy housing developments

City: East Gull Lake

Number of employees: About 40-50 on the golf courses and around 500 at the resort.

Interesting fact: The new roads created for the Legacy Ridge development are named for golfer Tom Lehman (Tom Lehman Drive) and the golf course where he won his British Open (Royal Lytham Court and St. Annes Court), after Royal Lytham and St. Annes Golf Club.

THERESA BOURKE may be reached at theresa.bourke@brainerddispatch.com or 218-855-5860. Follow her on Twitter at www.twitter.com/DispatchTheresa.

Over the course of 53 years, the Scamp Trailer company has built such a loyal following that in and hold a big party.

BY TRAVIS GRIMLER

Echo Journal

PINE RIVER — September marks the 10-year anniversary of the opening of the Northern Sales and Manufacturing Ice Castle fish house manufacturing plant in Pine River.