Progress 2013 by ECM Publishers

2013 Thursday, April 11, 2013

forestlaketimes.com

Vol. 110 No. 48

Successful restaurateur’s bold vision debuts next week Acqua of Forest Lake to offer fine dining with a view Clint Riese News Editor On the night in 2009 when Acqua Restaurant and Wine Bar opened in the space of a former deli, three customers came through the door. The kitchen was tiny, the ninetable dining room not much bigger. Four years and three expansions later, Daron Close and his team of friends and veteran restaurant workers have turned the White Bear Lake eatery into one of the most heralded fine dining options in all of the Twin Cities metro area. So it is fun to imagine what Close’s crew might do with the gem of a facility on Forest Lake’s Willow Point that was built as the Lake House restaurant and has sat vacant since the fall of 2009. Diners need not wait much longer to find out: Acqua of Forest Lake opens next Tuesday, April 16.

On the Menu

Close said the secret for Acqua’s success in White Bear Lake is not as complicated as, say, its sea scallop with duck bacon, seared foie gras, walnut-apple chutney and cabernet reduction. Rather, a tight-knit team’s commitment to fresh ingredients and outstanding service have set the restaurant and wine bar apart in short order. Those elements of success will not change in the 5-year-old building along Second Lake, Close said.

Photos by Clint Riese

Chris Whalen, J.J. Maleitzke and Daron Close bring significant fine dining experience to their new venture in Forest Lake.

Below: The bar at the former Lake House Restaurant features ample seating and natural lighting. Bottom: All tables will be dressed with cloths and wine glasses. Management wants to keep the focus on topnotch food and service.

In fact, very little will. Close estimates that 85 percent of the White Bear Lake menu will carry over at first. That means diners here should be on the watch for entrees like the herb-andpanko-encrusted, seared sea scallops with sauteed shrimp, crab-crusted Chilean sea bass, and braised pork shank with organic white sweet potato puree and port demi-glace. “Those are rock-star dishes that we’ve had for years, and to try to recreate something with the success level those have had would be naive, I think,” Close said. Sunday brunch, served family style, will include waves of platters featuring scones and muffins, a choice of eggs, pasta and potatoes, sausage and bacon, and crepes and fruit. Executive chef Chris Whalen will make the move north full-time along with a veteran Acqua sous chef. “We’re actually bring-

ing two of our core cooks right out here to make sure that the food doesn’t skip a beat,” Close said. And make no mistake, food is always the main focus at Acqua. Seafood is shipped in from Canada daily and is never frozen. The chefs use top-quality ingredients like Italian artichoke hearts and pomodoraccio tomatoes, with the thought that customers will be happy to pay for the extra cost once they taste the result. “Scratch cooking: You don’t get that many places anymore,” said Acqua veteran J.J. Maleitzke, who will work full-time at this location as general manager. “I think the average consumer may not understand or appreciate it always, until they get it. I think White Bear was blessed with that four years ago when these guys came in and did their thing. They were able to appreciate what a can sauce is and what a true demi-glace is, or what

frozen walleye tastes like and now what fresh, dailycaught walleye tastes like. I think Forest Lake will see that as well very soon.” Even Acqua’s drink menu, managed by

Close’s fiancee, Nicole Whetzel, demands more than the ordinary. Local craft beers will be on tap and in bottles, a wine list will rotate 10 whites and 10 reds ideal for pairing with the dinner menu, and a dozen specialty cocktails will feature ingredients like ginger and passion fruit purees from Napa Valley rather than pre-made mixes. The facility’s generous size will allow for flexibility. A double-decker pizza oven will crank out five varieties each of pizza and flatbread. Neither is on the menu in White Bear Lake. A second dining room may cater to a more casual crowd than the main room. Many meals will be had at a lower price than the original location. For example, Acqua’s three-course tasting menu will run $30 per person here, $40 there.

Creating a Feel

Most of the 30-some member staff has been hired, and Maleitzke has been pleasantly surprised by the pool of candidates away from the metro. On the whole, what may have been missing in experience was made up for in personality. Many new hires have been getting their feet wet in White Bear Lake, and a handful of top servers from there will work here temporarily to ease the transition. “In the Cities, people are job-jumping all the time,” Maleitzke said. “I think we can get some serious loyalty up here if we can build the establishThe main dining room at Acqua of Forest Lake features majestic views of the lake ment that we are looking through tall windows. A second dining room will be used as needed. It may take to create.” on a more casual feel or maintain the same elegance as the main room. A parking shortage is

the chief logistical problem management has been attacking. The 68-spot lot is not feasible if much of it goes to employees, so Close is making arrangements to lease an off-site lot for workers, who will be shuttled to and from the restaurant. The second prong in the solution is complimentary valet parking. Besides adding a nice touch for customers, it will allow 100 vehicles to be squeezed onto the restaurant’s lot. The managers also hope to get significant boat traffic. A dock attendant will help customers disembark in the summer. “It will be an interesting dynamic for us to try to balance traffic in the summer,” Close said. “Regardless, it should create a real energetic scene around here.” Acqua will not offer happy hour or be open for lunch, but boaters can stop for dinner or a drink – there is no dress code requiring slacks and collars. “We want to be food first, but by all means, come in here and get cocktails,” Maleitzke said. “We’re OK with that, too, but the one thing we don’t want to change is that we’re all about food and all about service. We do have a lot of pride in what we do and the product and the level of service, but at the same time, we try to eliminate that pretentiousness.” Acqua of Forest Lake’s hours will be 5-10 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday, and 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday. The management team takes pride in keep-

ing the doors open until the posted time; customers can stroll in at 9:45 p.m. and expect full service without feeling rushed. Reservations are suggested and can be made at 651-464-6130 or OpenTable.com.

Expecting Success

Acqua’s four partners – Close, Whetzel, Maleitzke and Whalen – are optimistic for several reasons. First, they do not have the pressure of a mortgage hanging over head, because their White Bear Lake landlord, Pete Sampair, purchased the building here March 1. “He’s got a lot of faith in what we do, and he’s been a real big piece in what we’ve done with the White Bear one,” Close said. Second, the success of their original restaurant is evidence of a working – even flourishing – business model. “We watched that thing grow, and it’s the same thing here,” Close said. “If you do what you do and everybody’s doing it well and the energy is right, you can watch that thing exponentially grow, which is awesome. This spot definitely has the room to grow, which is exciting.” Also, the initial rush that accompanies almost any new dining establishment will provide the ideal opportunity to impress. “Opening when we do, we have the whole summer to roll,” Close said. “There’s not going to be a shortage of people checking us out, so it’s just about using that as your opportunity.”

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PROGRESS

Photos submitted

Work on the Fairview Lakes addition nears completion. Above: A worker prepares a window in the X-ray control room. Below: One of several care team desks in the new orthopedic center nears completion.

Fairview Lakes marks 15 years of growth with new addition Orthopedic center to open next month at Wyoming campus Clint Riese News Editor Fairview Lakes Medical Center is marking 15 years of continual growth with a building addition that positions it to expand even further. When the $8 million orthopedic center opens May 20, it will mark the completion of the sixth expansion project since the Wyoming campus opened in February of 1998. The 20,000-square-foot facility will house all of the orthopedic-related

services currently offered on campus by Fairview and St. Croix Orthopaedics, a group of specialists based in Oak Park Heights. Currently, orthopedic patients often have to navigate between several areas. “They might end up at the wrong desk because they want you to go to this waiting area or that waiting area,” Vice President of Business Development and Support Services Bryan Gaffy said. “This will just take care of that. You’ll just walk in, there will be Fairview sign, a St. Croix Orthopedic sign and that’s it.” Starting next month, the Fairview and St. Croix Orthopaedics teams will have more room to work,

and they will be in close proximity to the physical therapy, hand therapy, sports medicine and podiatry care departments. “The bulk of the services are going to be right there, especially the things that require more frequent visits,” Fairview Lakes Medical Center President Steve Housh said, noting that a dropoff/pick-up lane will add to the convenience. Fairview is also taking advantage of the opportunity by adding an orthotics lab and a home medical equipment showroom. The lab will allow patients to be fitted with foot and body orthotics or prosthetic limbs. The Fairview see page 3

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PROGRESS Fairview from page 1 showroom will sell items like walkers, boots and splints. The orthopedics addition will have a spillover effect on the rest of the campus. As departments move into the building on the south end of campus, the spots they leave behind will create valuable opportunities for administrators to maximize. Indeed, officials are in the midst of a facility master plan to address the backfill. Prime candidates to benefit, according to Housh, are the primary care clinics, the cardiology center and the pharmacy. The addition lines up with growth in the cardiology department, and Housh said that area will have increased capabilities in the near future. The ability to take on more orthopedic work, though, is the project’s main result. The increased space will translate to a larger volume of work, and administrators left themselves with plenty of flexibility – the one-level addition is structured to support two additional 20,000-squarefeet floors. The timeline for that depends on several factors, including the pace of volume growth and the hospital’s ability to recruit physicians, but it may be sooner rather than later as baby boomers require more hip, knee and shoulder work. “You’ve got a doublewhammy to some extent,” Gaffy said. “You’ve got more people that will be in that age group and it’s an age group that does have a higher utilization range.” Construction on the current expansion began last October. The parking lot was expanded last fall. The addition’s location on the edge of Fairview’s Lshaped footprint kept to a minimum throughout the campus any disruption due to construction. Contracting is being done through Mortenson Construction, which will own the building and lease it to Fairview and St. Croix Orthopaedics. It will

be the same arrangement Fairview used for the medical office building/ cancer center constructed in 2003. “The big advantage for us is it allows us to expand our services, bring that presence to the community, without having to put all of that capital commitment up front,” Housh said. “It really kind of helps us. Because there are so many needs and opportunities across the Fairview system and our region, sometimes that partnering path just makes more sense in terms of the use of our limited resources.”

Growth history

Fairview Lakes Medical Center marked 15 years on Feb. 14, but the campus is holding off celebrating the occasion until the completion of the orthopedic center. The opening of Fairview Lakes symbolized the coming together of three health care organizations: District Memorial Hospital in Forest Lake, Chisago Health Services and Rush City Area Hospital and Clinic. “We were overwhelmed almost overnight,” Housh said. “You had the three hospitals coming together, and what wasn’t really appreciated was by bringing the medical center to a more prominent location and focusing the services in one place, the demand really built quickly. Within two years we were doubling our bed capacity.” With such rapid growth, Fairview Lakes has hosted plenty of ribbon-cuttings since that first one in 1998. Fairview gained one additional operating room and many beds in 2000. The medical office building was added in 2003, along with radiation therapy in the cancer center. The following year, Ebenezer opened senior housing and assisted living options with its Meadows campus. A 2007 expansion included significant additions to the emergency department, surgery and imaging units and the “Birthplace” neonatal clinic. Upgrades to the cancer center followed in 2011.

File photo above; submitted illustration below

The Fairview Lakes Medical Center campus is again growing. The above picture is from 2009. The new orthopedic center resides on the south edge of the campus (the image faces west). Below: An artist’s rendering of the finished building. It is scheduled to open May 20.

Fairview since 1998 has also added primary care clinics in Lino Lakes, Hugo and Pine City, bringing its total to seven in the region. An eighth is being built in North Branch. “One of the things about Lakes is we have a full scope of services as a health system,” Housh said. “What this campus has really done over time is to bring enhanced specialty care capabilities close to home.” Today, Fairview Lakes Medical Center has 99 active medical physicians on staff, including more

than 40 specialists. Fairview’s staff also includes 88 other professionals. Several hundred other physicians are credentialed to treat patients at Fairview Lakes. Including the medical center, its on-site and surrounding clinics, more than 1,200 people are employed in the full-time equivalent of more than 750 positions. This number does not include independent specialty groups that such as St. Croix Orthopaedics or University of Minnesota Physicians. The medical center

continues to win awards and recognition. WorkplaceDynamics named it a top employer in 2012 based on employee satisfaction. It was named one of the nation’s top performers in pneumonia and surgical care for 2011 by the Joint Commission, the leading accreditor of health care organizations in America. The Birthplace has been ranked in the top 10 percent nationally for infant care. Just this month, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota named Fairview Lakes as a Blue Dis-

tinction Center in knee and hip replacement. In the same study, it also achieved a designation for being at least 20 percent more cost efficient than its peers. Fairview Lakes is one of 32 Level III trauma centers in the state. The campus has 59 licensed beds and six operating rooms. The campus is located at 5200 Fairview Blvd. in Wyoming. See www.fairview.org/lakes for more information.

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PROGRESS

Sale positions Sunrise Fiberglass for growth Rieck family owned Wyoming manufacturer for 45 years Clint Riese News Editor One of Wyoming’s most stable businesses is going through a period of change. After 45 years of ownership by the Rieck family, Sunrise Fiberglass Corp. is now an LLC run by President and CEO Ray Pixley. The change, which took effect last Oct. 31, will allow former owner Barney Rieck to phase into retirement when he desires. He remains on staff, and his son, Tim, is the senior project manager. Chet Rieck, Barney Rieck’s father, launched Sunrise Fiberglass in 1968 after purchasing Central Plastics, the shop he ran in North St. Paul. That shop burned down in 1964, and Chet Rieck and the company principals had moved the operation to Rieck’s property in Wyoming. He sold off 4,000 chickens from his poultry operation to make room in a barn. Barney Rieck came on board full time in 1970. “I started by sweeping up and followed (dad) around,” he said. The growing company in 1974 moved to a plant on Fallbrook Avenue, where it operated for 26 years. After taking ownership in 1986, Barney and his brother, Dan, led a move to the current facility at 5175 260th St. in 2000. Dan passed away in 2003 and with Barney wanting to scale back, he acted last year to implement a succession plan. “It’s been some burdens lifted,” Barney said. “I’m able to do some of the things that I’m more suited for now than some of the housekeeping-type stuff that was done before. It’s working well.”

New hand at helm

Pixley provides a fresh, experienced voice, and he won over Rieck by agreeing to keep most existing affairs in order at Sunrise Fiberglass. “One of the things that got us together was the fact my intention was that my employees, my long-time people, would remain, the customer base would remain,” Rieck said. “That’s the way this was handed over. Not that everything’s going to remain the same, but everything is here and we’re going to expand on what we’ve got. That was probably the biggest reason why we went this direction.” Pixley, an Illinois native and current resident of Hudson, Wis., came across the opportunity at Sunrise Fiberglass while working with a group of private equity investors looking to get into manufacturing. He sees the new relationship between his group and the well-established business as an ideal pairing. “We’ve still got the support and everything from the folks that have been doing this business for 50 years, and yet we’re investing in the company, too,” he said. Pixley’s background in business has roots at 3M in St. Paul, where his work in acquisitions led him to become interested in running a small company. He co-founded a semiconductor manufacturing company in Austin, Texas, then helped position a military communications company for public sale. Most recently, as COO of Airworthy Aerospace, he guided the Hudson company through the Delta-Northwest Airlines merger. “I like the family atmosphere that is here at Sunrise,” Pixley said. “The people are great to work with. I think it’s a good fit and a good mix because some of the things I’ve seen in other technologies can be brought here and Sunrise can actually benefit from

Photo by Clint Riese

A partnership those involved call a win-win has Sunrise Fiberglass poised to remain successful for decades. Above: Former owner Barney Rieck, his son Tim, and new President/CEO Ray Pixley pose with one of the manufacturer’s main products, a crane cab. Tim represents a third generation of Riecks to be involved in the business. Barney Rieck is enjoying a reduced role, while Pixley brings a strong business resume.

some of the things that are happening in other tech- months. “It is a big initiative,” Pixley said. “It’s something nological industries that I come from.” Barney wanted to do for years here. ... It’s going to Strong outlook involve all the employees.” Indeed, the wheels are already in motion for several Pixley expects the fiberglass industry to continue upgrades. Sunrise Fiberglass is bringing in new CAD software that allows for in-house engineering work. to be strong. In fact, that is what led him to the job. “Manufacturing should be coming back to the Also, some product assembly is now being done on United States here a little bit more,” he said. “The the production line. The manufacturer’s wide array of work includes developing bodies for crane cabs and particular advantage that fiberglass has is the size of train cars. It also has clients in its own business park, these components. They don’t ship well, so it’s not a as it makes parts for Premier pontoons and Rosen- commodity that’s going to end up offshore as easily. It will probably be one of the first things that does ramp bauer trucks. The biggest project involves a quality certification back here in the United States as things start to turn Rieck has long sought to see achieved. Sunrise Fiber- around.” Rieck said that business is gradually recovering glass is in the process of becoming compliant with after bottoming out. Sunrise Fiberglass currently emISO 9001 standards. Once compliant, the business could seek certification if there is sufficient interest ploys about 45 workers. “We ride just the way the economy does,” he said. from clients. “It’s been down. It was severely down in 2000, 2001. It’s “It will open the door to expansion,” Rieck said. slowly been coming back. We’ve been on the way back “We’ll be able to talk to some people that (require for three or four years and are progressing steadily.” those credentials to) get your foot in the door.” The compliance process, for which a quality manager has been hired, is expected to wrap up within six

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PROGRESS

Photos by Clint Riese

Work progressed last week on the 111,000--square-foot facility that will soon house Teamvantage.

Teamvantage stays in FL with roomy industrial park facility Manufacturer will more than double in space upon completion next month Clint Riese News Editor In many ways, it makes sense for Teamvantage to be the first tenant of the business park near the airport in Forest Lake. The component manufacturer is the city’s largest employer outside of the government and retail arenas. Its leaders desired to keep the company here. To do so, they needed a site where they could expand significantly from the current facility on Everton Avenue North. “We’ve been in Forest Lake for a good number of years and like the town,” Teamvantage Vice President Lester Jones said. “The number-one thing is it’s where our people are, around this area. We need to be in a location which is central to where our people live. It’s a nice industrial park, the city’s been good to work with. It’s all kind of added up to

be a good situation.” The company currently is jammed into 45,000 square feet. When it moves next month to its new headquarters just south of TH-97 along Fenway Avenue, it will be occupying a facility totaling 111,000 square feet. “We’ll have room to grow; that’s the intention of it,” Jones said. Few immediate changes are in store, but CEO Ray Newkirk said his privately held organization will be positioned to accommodate a significant uptick in production. “Our investment is in the facility, which will then create more need to invest in equipment,” Newkirk, of Wayzata, said. “As the customers say, ‘Gee, now you have room to manufacture this product for us,’ then we’ll have to add people and equipment. We just couldn’t add anything in the old building.” Teamvantage’s ability to grow comes while competitors have mirrored the struggles of the economy in recent years. “This industry has been horribly affected,” Jones said. “We’ve pulled together a great group of

people that are doing the right things that appeal to customers. We’ve been fortunate.” The project, being built by Minneapolis-based R.J. Ryan Inc., will only increase the company’s capacity. Nearly every work area will approximately double in space, and the opportunity to build from scratch will result in several design efficiencies. Teamvantage develops parts primarily for the medical and aerospace industries, or as Newkirk said, “tomorrow’s business, not yesterday’s business.” A highlight of the new building is a private product development room. The security this offers is necessary in the high-stakes race involving components that go into products such as implantable medical devices. “We’re highly engineering driven,” Newkirk said. “What we sell to our customers is primarily engineering and the product is just the conduit. What they come to us for is our engineering skills, solving problems.” Teamvantage officials are excited for the staff of approximately 115 permanent and up to 20

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workforce employees to make the move. Besides the spacious floor plan, the design also features many windows, and a paneled ceiling adds a comfortable touch not often found in a factory setting. “A lot of energy has gone into trying to make it a nice place for our employees,” Jones said. The company plans to move five of its 40 molding machines twice a week throughout May and be fully moved in around the end of the month. Teamvantage officials acknowledged plans are in the works regarding the current headquarters on Everton Avenue but declined to release details at this point.

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Teamvantage’s new headquarters is the first building in the airport industrial park. The city provided incentive to help keep the company here. Below: Window washing must mean the move-in date is soon. Indeed, the company targets the end of May.

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Page 6A – Thursday, April 11, 2013 – Forest Lake Times

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Pereboom’s Computer Service moves to Ozark Avenue in Scandia

MaxxAutos: ‘Superclean’ used cars at super prices Mary Bailey Community Editor Ali Alvi, general manager at MaxxAutos, is eager to help you get a nice used car. The busy dealership at 880 15th St. SW in Forest Lake strives to make the customer happy. One way the business does that is by providing a CARFAX report for each car, showing the vehicle has never been hit or otherwise damaged. “We buy nice, superclean cars,” Alvi said. A second advantage MaxxAutos offers is a lower price than other dealers. A 2006 Dodge Durango that sells for $12,000 elsewhere, he said, might go for $8,000. And you don’t have to be wealthy to trade at MaxxAutos. If your annual income before taxes

is at least $2,000, you’re approved for a car loan. Salesman Jimmie Evans works with five banks, doing whatever he can to get the loan approved. A down payment is required, but MaxxAutos will take your trade as down payment. For example, if the car you’re looking at needs $500 down, and you have a car worth $500, bring it in. “We take some trades that we would not sell,” Alvi explained. “Those go to auction. It’s a way to do business, to get customers in the door.” The other side of the business is auto repair. Again, MaxxAutos distinguishes its repair service by charging less than the competition. Lead mechanic Steve Heyer and the four other

mechanics are certified technicians. “Our labor costs $50 per hour, and there are no hidden fees,” Alvi said. The car repair service is always busy. The mechanics will do any repair on any vehicle from the 1960s to 2012. MaxxAutos started in 2012. It advertises on Craigslist and serves the Twin Cities metro area. Alvi said the goal is to expand the business, keeping this location and adding other locations as well. Hours are 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and Sunday by appointment. Call 651-398-3224 or visit www.maxxautos. com. The website includes a vehicle inventory and car repair prices.

Mary Bailey Community Editor When you need friendly technical support to keep your computer functioning, it’s nice if you don’t have to go far. For residents of Scandia, Stillwater and Forest Lake, Jesse Pereboom’s Computer Service is very handy. Last September Pereboom moved his business to the newly renovated Scandia Plaza, next door to the U.S. Post Office and easily accessible from Highway 97. Before that, he operated the business from his home in Scandia. Since moving, Pereboom’s business has doubled, he said, and he added repair technician Luke Nelson to help out. Also working in the store is Lorraine Campbell, who does the bookkeeping. Not shown in the photo is Stephanie Pereboom, Jesse’s wife and partner.

Stephanie Pereboom is not involved in the dayto-day operation, as she is a full-time teacher, but Jesse said, “I couldn’t do this without her.”

Services

A sluggish PC or Mac may need virus removal. Laptops and iPads can malfunction. Computer repairs, both hardware and software, can be done either in the store or in the customer’s home or office. For problems with desktop computers, which are harder to transport, or with in-home networks, a trip to the site is necessary. About 80 percent of his customers are residents or small-business owners, Pereboom said. A business with just a few employees probably does not have in-house tech support, so he fills that role. He can also access computers via the Internet to do repairs remote-

ly. Some of his remoteaccess clients are located just a couple miles away in Scandia, but some are in Wisconsin and South Dakota, including an implement dealer and a restaurant owner. “I like to do this for people I’ve met,” he said. Many of the local folks who bring in their computers are also people he knows, either through his church or Lions affiliations. They also buy and trade computers at Pereboom’s. An authorized Dell Partner, he sells new Dell laptops, plus desktop computers and printers. The Dell computers are loaded with Windows 7, a nice feature for customers “who don’t want to jump on the Windows 8 bandwagon,” he said. To reach Pereboom’s Computer Service, call 651-538-0321 or go online to www.perebooms.com.

Photos by Mary Bailey

Above: A car for sale at MaxxAutos on 15th Street SW in Forest Lake. Left: Working on a car in the repair shop. Below: A 1960s Volvo, in for service, is parked in front.

Photo by Mary Bailey

Office assistant Lorraine Campbell, owner Jesse Pereboom, and repair technician Luke Nelson.

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PROGRESS

Faith led early Lutherans Faith Lutheran celebrating 125th anniversary this year Cliff Buchan Staff Writer There are only a handful of Forest Lake businesses and organizations that can trace their roots 100 years or more. And then there is Faith Lutheran Church, which this year marks its 125th anniversary. It will be a busy summer for the Lutheran congregation that saw its start on Aug. 29, 1888, when it was officially organized as The Swedish Evangelical Lutheran Church of Forest Lake. It wasn’t until Jan. 12, 1929 when the name was changed to Faith Lutheran Church, but even in this period, many of the worship services remained in Swedish. Forest Lake counted just more than 400 residents in the late summer of 1888 when 15 Swedish families and one Norwegian family came together at the Alm School Aug. 29 to draft a constitution and organize a church. “It [the church] was chartered that night,” said Brian Tolzmann, a local historian and Faith member who has documented much of the history of the church and the Forest Lake community. For the better part of the next three years, the congregation met at the school or in homes while work proceeded on its first church that was built at 208 NW Third St., one block west of today’s Forest Lake City Hall. By late in 1892, the congregation occupied the still unfinished building. The congregation remained vigilant in efforts to build and improve the church, Tolzmann said. “It was pretty much a never-ending process,” he said. The building would serve the congregation until Oct. 13, 1960, when fire destroyed the house of worship. For nearly three years, the congregation worshipped at Forest Lake Elementary School as planning for a new church took place. Nearly two years later on Sept. 16, 1962, the congregation broke ground at its current site at 886 North Shore Drive. Three years from the date of the fire, Oct. 13, 1963, the new church was dedicated. During the next six months, the congregation will honor its past and look to the future with its 125th anniversary cel-

ebration, “The Journey of call the church at 651-4643323. Faith.” On the same day, the Special Sundays church will host special Two speaking events activities. There will be tied to the anniversary games, a dunk tank and celebration have taken food, including grilled place. Last fall, retired Faith hotdogs, chips and beverPastor Don Fultz, who ages. A big church anniversaserved the church from 1980 to 2000, delivered a ry event around the community’s Fourth of July sermon at Faith. In January, retired Pas- celebration is also being tor Alton Knutson, who planned. “Homecoming” has a long history with at Faith Lutheran Church Faith as an associate pas- will take place on Saturtor and visitation pastor, day and Sunday, July 6-7. delivered a special Sun- A barbecue picnic is on the schedule for 6 p.m., day sermon. A number of other Saturday, July 6. On Sunguest pastors are slated day, July 7, the Barbary to speak during upcoming Coast Dixieland Band will Sunday services at Faith. perform in concert during the morning worship serThey will include: • Pastor Jim Sbertoli vice. Faith Lutheran Sunon Sunday, June 9. He was an assistant pastor to the day worship services will late Pastor Frank Johnson switch from three serfrom 1968 to 1971. He re- vices to two from Memorial Day weekend through sides in Iowa. • Pastor Arlyn Tolz- Sunday, Sept. 8. During mann, Sunday, June 30. He the summer months, is a Forest Lake native and church services are at confirmand of the church 8:15 and 10 a.m. Historical notes who went on to a 40-year Here are some other career in the ministry in Ohio, Texas and Colora- historical notes and fun do. He is now retired and facts tied to Faith’s 125year history. living in Illinois. • The Alm School • Pastor Susan Pepin Peterson, for a date in where the Faith organizJuly yet to be determined. ers first met was located She is a Forest Lake na- near what is today TH-97 tive who was confirmed and Harrow Avenue. • A key individual at Faith. She went on to a career in the ministry that who helped organize the included lead pastoral du- church was Olaf Carl Henties at Gloria Dei Lutheran drickson. He was a Stillwater blacksmith who latChurch in St. Paul. • Pastor Peter Ruggles, er moved to Forest Lake Sunday, Aug. 4. He will and started a blacksmith lead an outdoor service business. • Two area pastors who on the church grounds at 10 a.m. He is a Forest helped the formation of Lake native and one of the the church were Johannes nine sons and daughters Lundquist of Chisago City of Faith Lutheran who be- and Erik Hedeen of Scancame Lutheran ministers. dia. Lundquist would travHe lives in Marshfield, el by buggy over Indian trails to reach Forest Lake Wis. The series of special while Hedeen would be Sunday services will con- taken by rowboat across clude on Sunday, Sept. 8, the chain of lakes to reach when Faith Lutheran will the gatherings. • For years records of welcome Bishop Peter Rogness, leader of the church charter members St. Paul Area Synod of listed August Olson when the Evangelical Lutheran in actuality his name was Church in America. His August Alm. Alm was sermon will cap the anni- named in the 1888 regisversary celebration. try but in 1938 an error A luncheon will follow transposed the name to Rogness’ sermon. Olson before it was corrected in 2005. Other Events • Other charter memThe schedule of annibers were Hendrickson, versary events will gain Olaus Anderson, Gustaf speed this spring. All Engstrom, C.W. Carlson, events are open to the Carl Chack, Andrew Erpublic. On Saturday, May 4, the ickson. J.B. Anderson, Edchurch will sponsor a Jell- ward Engquist, Erik John O Jog 5K family fun run Nygren, Hans Bergerson, and walk along the Hard- Samuel Johan Peterson, wood Creek Trail in For- Carl Thornquist, Carl Anest Lake. The trail over- derson, August Johnson looks the new residential and family members. • Nine of the 15 Swedarea where the first Faith ish families immigrated to Lutheran Church stood. A the United States from the costume contest for the Dalsland area of Sweden. fun run is being planned. • Pastor A.F. Almer of For entry information,

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Rock Island, Ill., became the first resident preacher in 1898. • The first confirmation class was In 1899. • The first telephone lines connecting Forest Lake to North were in service in 1899. Electricity would not be available until 1915. • Church records indicate as many as 19 children were baptized prior to the organizational date. They date to May 1, 1887, when Erik Berggren, George Engquist and Carl Engquist were baptized. • Original plans called for the church to be located near Scandinavian Cemetery, but opposition led to the selection of the site on what is today NW Third Street. • The old parsonage still stands at 220 NW Third Street and the parsonage built in 1954 is at 268 NW Third Street. • Gov. William Merriam, who owned a summer home on First Lake, not far from where Faith Lutheran is located today, contributed $25 to the church building fund in 1891. He was governor from 1889 to 1893. • 1920 was the last year that church reports were written in Swedish and it was in 1931 when it was determined that only one Sunday service each month would be in Swedish and not English. • Five congregation members were killed in action during World War II. They were Ronald I. Lilkin, Clyde Lindahl, Harlan Christensen, Donald Furrer and former church choir director Owen Moede. As of 1944, 37 members of Faith were serving in the military. • Emma Erickson, Faith’s last charter member, died in December 1953 at age 93. • The marriage of Fran and Sue Schlaeger on Sept. 10, the baptism of Nancy Setterholm on Oct. 9 and the funeral of Ernest Gilbert on Oct. 11, 1960, were three of the final milestones in the old church. • Ten area families are direct descendants of church charter members. Many are still members at Faith Lutheran. • The cause of the 1960 fire was never determined but it is believed to have started in the vicinity of the furnace. (Editor’s Note: Facts and dates used in this story were taken from the church’s 100th anniversary publication, “A Century of Faith.” Pastor Phil Peterson, anniversary committee member Bev Larson and historian Brian Tolzmann all provided information for this article.)

Photo by Cliff Buchan

Pastor Phil Peterson, center, is flanked by church historian Brian Tolzmann, right, and anniversary committee member Bev Larson by the old church bell that was refurbished following the 1960 fire that destroyed the congregation’s first church. A cement block from the foundation of the first church is also pictured.

Photos courtesy of Faith Lutheran Church

The original Faith Lutheran Church following its construction between 1891-1893. During its first 60plus years, the church was remodeled and expanded a number of times. Below: The building was lost to fire in October of 1960.

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Page 8A – Thursday, April 11, 2013 – Forest Lake Times

www.forestla

DOWN THR

these area business 3,123 years 159 Years

145 Years

125 Years

111 Years

Landmark Insurance

110 Years

ECM Publishers, Inc. 20 years in Forest Lake Publishing, Printing, Distributing

Forest Lake Times forestlaketimes.com

St. Croix Valley Peach 59 years Forest Lake

elimscandia.com

Pastor Renee Patterson

faithfl.org

20971 Olinda Trail Scandia

5979 Wyoming Trail Wyoming

886 North Shore Drive Forest Lake

ECM Post Review

138 years North Branch

232 South Lake St. Forest Lake

880 SW 15th St. Forest Lake

651-433-2723

651-462-5212

651-464-3323

651-464-3332

651-464-4601

68 Years

63 Years

59 Years

58 Years

Forest Lake VFW Post 4210 www.vfwpost4210.com

556 SW 12th St. Forest Lake

Forest Lake Area Athletic Association (FLAAA) “Supporting Youth”

5530 206th St. N. Forest Lake FLAAA.org

Olson’s Sewer Service & Olson Excavating Service

Carbone’s Pizza

85 North Lake St. Forest Lake

17638 Lyons St.

Lake Shoppes

Serving the Lakes Area Since 1954

Bob & Mary Carter

Forest Lake

(in franchise) 33 years Forest Lake

We Deliver

Forest Lake

651-464-6827

651-982-2857

651-464-3378

651-464-2082

651-464-7570

51 Years

50 Years

49 Years

Sunrise Fiberglass Corp.

Gold Dusters Jewelry

Forest Lake Chamber of Commerce

Forest Lake Sanitation

Hult & Associates, Inc. 5 Years

Hult & Hebeisen, P.A. Surveyors, Engineers Wetland Specialists

6641 Lake Blvd. Forest Lake

651-464-3130

5175 260th St. SW.

Wyoming

hultmn.com

651-462-5313

39 Years

Thomco Carpet, Inc. www.ThomcoCarpet.com

Waldoch Crafts & Custom Center

968 South Lake St. Forest Lake

608 South Lake Street Forest Lake

www.flace.org 568 South Lake Street PO box 474

Forest Lake

651-464-4442

651-464-3200

651-464-2321

38 Years

Joe’s Refrigeration & Appliance Service

Forest Lake Travel

651-464-2405

13821 Lake Drive Forest Lake

55 N.W. 7th St. Forest Lake

20 North Lake St. Town Square Forest Lake

21438 Forest Blvd. N. Forest Lake

651-464-3215

651-464-6378

651-464-5092

651-464-4540

33 Years

32 Years

Waldoch Sports www.WaldochSports.com

13824 Lake Drive Columbus

651-464-5776

Forest Lake Dental Lab, Inc. 255 Hwy. 97, Suite 8B Forest Lake

Wyoming Family Dental Dr. Scott Timmons Dr. Chad Rasmussen Dr. Brian Peters

5305 E., Viking Blvd. Wyoming

Lakes Dental Clinic

Dr. Stensrud • Dr. Goodein Dr. Ruther • Dr. Pink lakesdentalclinic.com

956 West Broadway

Tired Iron Collision Center

Music Connection (Musical Instruments & Sound Systems) connectwithmusic.com

(Across from Perkins)

77 8th Ave. S. W. Forest Lake

Forest Lake

651-464-7207

651-462-5150

651-464-7277

651-464-5252

26 Years

25 Years

24 Years

Northwoods Optics

Old Log Cabin

Grooming Salon

Our Prime Rib has no equal

20 North Lake St Town Square Building

Forest Lake

northwoodsoptics.com

651-464-4824

9726 Scandia Tr. Forest Lake

651-433-5646

Petstyles

In the heart of Wyoming

651-462-1211

608 South Lake St. Forest Lake

Where your pet is one of the family!

rapidpressprinting.com

petstylesmn.com

651-464-6200 651-464-2645

143 North Lake St. Forest Lake

(Fax)

651-464-6996

Page 8A – Thursday, April 11, 2013 – Forest Lake Times

www.forestla

DOWN THR

these area business 3,123 years 159 Years

145 Years

125 Years

111 Years

Landmark Insurance

110 Years

ECM Publishers, Inc. 20 years in Forest Lake Publishing, Printing, Distributing

Forest Lake Times forestlaketimes.com

St. Croix Valley Peach 59 years Forest Lake

elimscandia.com

Pastor Renee Patterson

faithfl.org

20971 Olinda Trail Scandia

5979 Wyoming Trail Wyoming

886 North Shore Drive Forest Lake

ECM Post Review

138 years North Branch

232 South Lake St. Forest Lake

880 SW 15th St. Forest Lake

651-433-2723

651-462-5212

651-464-3323

651-464-3332

651-464-4601

68 Years

63 Years

59 Years

58 Years

Forest Lake VFW Post 4210 www.vfwpost4210.com

556 SW 12th St. Forest Lake

Forest Lake Area Athletic Association (FLAAA) “Supporting Youth”

5530 206th St. N. Forest Lake FLAAA.org

Olson’s Sewer Service & Olson Excavating Service

Carbone’s Pizza

85 North Lake St. Forest Lake

17638 Lyons St.

Lake Shoppes

Serving the Lakes Area Since 1954

Bob & Mary Carter

Forest Lake

(in franchise) 33 years Forest Lake

We Deliver

Forest Lake

651-464-6827

651-982-2857

651-464-3378

651-464-2082

651-464-7570

51 Years

50 Years

49 Years

Sunrise Fiberglass Corp.

Gold Dusters Jewelry

Forest Lake Chamber of Commerce

Forest Lake Sanitation

Hult & Associates, Inc. 5 Years

Hult & Hebeisen, P.A. Surveyors, Engineers Wetland Specialists

6641 Lake Blvd. Forest Lake

651-464-3130

5175 260th St. SW.

Wyoming

hultmn.com

651-462-5313

39 Years

Thomco Carpet, Inc. www.ThomcoCarpet.com

Waldoch Crafts & Custom Center

968 South Lake St. Forest Lake

608 South Lake Street Forest Lake

www.flace.org 568 South Lake Street PO box 474

Forest Lake

651-464-4442

651-464-3200

651-464-2321

38 Years

Joe’s Refrigeration & Appliance Service

Forest Lake Travel

651-464-2405

13821 Lake Drive Forest Lake

55 N.W. 7th St. Forest Lake

20 North Lake St. Town Square Forest Lake

21438 Forest Blvd. N. Forest Lake

651-464-3215

651-464-6378

651-464-5092

651-464-4540

33 Years

32 Years

Waldoch Sports www.WaldochSports.com

13824 Lake Drive Columbus

651-464-5776

Forest Lake Dental Lab, Inc. 255 Hwy. 97, Suite 8B Forest Lake

Wyoming Family Dental Dr. Scott Timmons Dr. Chad Rasmussen Dr. Brian Peters

5305 E., Viking Blvd. Wyoming

Lakes Dental Clinic

Dr. Stensrud • Dr. Goodein Dr. Ruther • Dr. Pink lakesdentalclinic.com

956 West Broadway

Tired Iron Collision Center

Music Connection (Musical Instruments & Sound Systems) connectwithmusic.com

(Across from Perkins)

77 8th Ave. S. W. Forest Lake

Forest Lake

651-464-7207

651-462-5150

651-464-7277

651-464-5252

26 Years

25 Years

24 Years

Northwoods Optics

Old Log Cabin

Grooming Salon

Our Prime Rib has no equal

20 North Lake St Town Square Building

Forest Lake

northwoodsoptics.com

651-464-4824

9726 Scandia Tr. Forest Lake

651-433-5646

Petstyles

In the heart of Wyoming

651-462-1211

608 South Lake St. Forest Lake

Where your pet is one of the family!

rapidpressprinting.com

petstylesmn.com

651-464-6200 651-464-2645

143 North Lake St. Forest Lake

(Fax)

651-464-6996

Thursday, April 11, 2013 – Forest Lake Times – Page

aketimes.com

R0UGH THE YEARS

ses have provided you with s of sales & service 99 Years

99 Years

First State Bank of Wyoming

First Service Agency

94 Years

Security State Bank of Marine on St. Croix/Scandia Chisago Lakes Forest Lake

91 Years

Reub’s Tire Shop

Member FDIC

86 Years

Forest Lake Chiropractic Clinic P.A. Family-owned & operated since 1928

651-462-7611

651-462-4712

651-433-2424 651-433-2265 651-257-4141 651-464-1033

57 Years

54 Years

52 Years

Holiday StationStores

Carousel Hair Care

Lakes Gas Co.

Rolseth Drug

lakesgas.com 655 South Lake St.

107 North Lake St.

26741 Felton Ave. Wyoming

75 SW 5th Ave.

26357 Forest Blvd

(Hwy. 61) Wyoming

Dr. David J. Lewis

308 North Lake St. Forest Lake

591 North Shore Dr. Forest Lake

651-464-2245

651-464-2133

We care enough to do our best

Forest Lake

5 Convenient Locations Forest Lake

633 South Lake St. Forest Lake

651-464-5551

651-464-2673

651-464-3331

651-464-3345

651-464-2114

48 Years

43 Years

42 Years

40 Years

Walker Plumbing Company, Inc.

Anderson Masonry, Inc.

Bracht Bros., Inc.

Stewie’s Submarine Sandwiches

Chris Sauro Insurance Agency

next to Big Apple Bagel

24049 Irish Ave. Forest Lake

7349 North Shore Trail Forest Lake Carroll

651-464-7741 Andy

Sand & Gravel Landscape Supplies & Retaining Wall Blocks

Forest Lake

Same Great Subs 8303 216th St. N.. Forest Lake

804 South Lake St Forest Lake

5305 E. Viking Bldg. Wyoming

651-462-5534

651-466-0229

651-464-3130

651-464-5889

651-462-1212

37 Years

35 Years

34 Years

33 Years

Lakes Transmission Service

Wyoming Drug

25 years in Forest Lake

SRC Recycling Center

Veterinary Hospital

6320 E. Viking Blvd. Wyoming

Shadow Creek Stables shadowcreekstable.com

43 SW 6th St. Forest Lake

26710 Forest Blvd. Wyoming

380 W. Broadway Forest Lake

651-464-8285

651-462-2082

651-464-4210

651-462-1099

651-464-8270

31 Years

29 Years

28 Years

27 Years

26 Years

Buys Chiropractic g John L. Sullivan

Dr. Joel Buys

7661 Lake Drive Lino Lakes

20 years in Forest Lake

Abra Auto Body & Glass abraauto.com 238 19th St. S.W. Forest Lake

Affordable Muffler affordablemuffler.net

1031 South Lake St. Forest Lake

6150 202 St. N. Forest Lake

Wine & Roses Liquors, Inc. “Where Your Party Begins”

1107 South Lake St. Forest Lake

651-464-5572

651-784-4423

651-464-3979

651-464-1860

651-464-7130

21 Years

20 Years

19 Years

18 Years

15 Years

Montzka Legal Services

Thrivent Financial for Lutherans

Attorney at Law 5305 East Viking Blvd Suite 201

Wyoming

651-462-4200

Benjamin Wendell

24708 Greenway Rd, Ste 1A Forest Lake

651-464-4849

in Forest Lake 13 years in Pine City

Expert care Close to home

Restaurant 4848 Viking Blvd

Wyoming

651-462-2669

www.dancetechstudios.com 308 15th St. S., Ste 300 Forest Lake

651-464-4449

5200 Fairview Blvd. Wyoming fairview.org/lakes

651-982-7000

Page 10A – Thursday, April 11, 2013 – Forest Lake Times

www.forestlaketimes.com

PROGRESS

True to form, Jimmy John’s finds a speedier location Sandwich chain moves closer to city’s center

Photos by Clint Riese

Miranda Beimert and Ashley Rhoden say fresh fruit works well with frozen yogurt.

Cherry Berry ready to be the taste of summer Inver Grove Heights and Rosemount. Compared to other Cherry Berrys in the region, Langfitt said, business in Forest Lake was above average in its opening month. This location serves 200-300 customers daily, including a strong pull of high-schoolers and younger children who enjoy the 50 toppings available. “I think the kids like that they decide what goes on their frozen yogurt, and it’s fun for them to make it,” Langfitt said. “There are these juice-filled balls, like Fruit Gushers, called bobas that are probably the most popular topping here.” Cherry Berry also rotates 50 flavors of frozen yogurt as a base for the toppings. Customers

Fast-growing frozen yogurt chain lands in FL Kat Ladwig Staff Writer There’s a cool, new spot in town serving tasty treats just in time for the warm weather. Cherry Berry, a frozen yogurt bar, opened its doors just a month ago next to Cub Foods west of the freeway in Forest Lake. The self-serve sensation is one of 30 locations in the state, with at least three more on the way. Manager Brian Langfitt also oversees a location in Cottage Grove and is preparing to open others in

mix and match any they like, add goodies on top, then pay by weight. Each ounce costs 45 cents. Although much of the customer base and staff are young, Langfitt said people of all ages have been exploring their favorite combinations. Adults who watch what they eat often top the frozen yogurt with fruit. “It’s liquid yogurt, not powdered, so it’s creamier and healthier,” Langfitt said. Cherry Berry in Forest Lake will be open yearround. Hours are noon to 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and noon to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday. For more information, visit www.cherryberryyogurtbar.com.

Jace Frederick Murphy News Service Jimmy John’s has found a new home in Forest Lake. The sandwich restaurant relocated to 1966 W. Broadway Ave. in late January, manager Tony Navarro, 23, said. “We were down by Cub in that strip mall,” he said. “Now we’ve moved up toward Taco John’s and AT&T.” The new location provides greater visibility. “Before, if you weren’t from Forest Lake, the only reason you’d know we

were back by Cub was if you drove back there,” Navarro said. “Now when we move up towards this area, we’re closer to the highway, we’ve got signs on both sides of the store so people can see us from the highway. It’s got a lot better traffic. More people are going to see us and stop in.” Jimmy John’s is a good fit for Forest Lake, even with many other fast-food options in the area, Navarro said. “We do our freaky fast delivery,” Navarro said. “We have lots of competition. There are plenty of other places around here where you can go and eat. I just think we offer exceptional service. Our service is definitely going to be better than anyone

else’s. We have deliveries in and out of the store to the customer within five minutes.” Its atmosphere also sets it apart, Navarro said. “It’s fun and exciting,” he said. “We’re always trying to have a good time. We have a sense of urgency in here, trying to get people their food as fast as they can. We play loud music. It’s just a fun place to be.” The change in location has already paid off. “It’s great,” Navarro said. “Sales are up.” Jimmy John’s is open daily 10:30 a.m. to 10:10 p.m. Murphy News Service is part of the University of Minnesota’s School of Journalism & Mass Communication.

Photo by Clint Riese

Jimmy John’s manager Tony Navarro and his team now make freaky fast sandwiches at 1966 W. Broadway Ave. The store moved from another Forest Lake Fifty toppings await customers at Cherry site in January. Berry. Fifty frozen yogurts rotate, as well.

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DOWN THR0UGH THE YEARS these area businesses have provided you with 3,123 years of sales & service

15 Years

Dr. Greg Koch, Dr. Greg Harvey, Dr. G. Rankin Patet, Dr. Deb Wynia

M FADSEN IXTURE & M ILLWORK, INC.

1068 South Lake St. Suite 209 Forest Lake

G-2 Dental

Dentists

651-464-2248 2 Years

321 19th St. SW Forest Lake

651-236-6377

11 Years

10 Years

921 15th St, SW PO BOX 12 Forest Lake

2013 W. Broadway Ave. Forest Lake

26685 Faxton Ave. Wyoming

651-982-6220

651-982-4511

651-462-1200

5 Years

It’s fun to watch you grow!

Place your Business here next year

www.greendoorconsignment.com

25 Lake St. N., Ste 125 Forest Lake

651-464-7630

If you would like to have your business included in

Down Through the Years next year, please contact Carol or Steve at 651-464-4601

Thursday, April 11, 2013 – Forest Lake Times – Page

www.forestlaketimes.com

11A

PROGRESS

Entrepreneur opens eco-friendly bridal shop

Sarah Barchus Murphy News Service Reduce, reuse, recycle. The phrase may be turned about too many times, but Lisa Ramlet, owner and founder of Sienna Cole, puts her own spin on eco-friendliness in the bridal industry by keeping her business close to home. Ramlet has no formal training in fashion, but discovered a passion for it when she started working as a bridal consultant in the late ’90s and began designing dresses

cole and Sean. Ramlet also designs new dresses from ecofriendly materials like silk, organic cotton and an innovative hemp and silk blend, the result of months of online research. “I’m super excited to use hemp, which is the most eco-friendly textile,” Ramlet said. She said that hemp strengthens the dresses and the silk will still give them that luxurious sheen. Ramlet is not only conscious of her craft’s impact on the earth, but she also requires that every dress be produced on home turf. Ramlet said that the three seamstresses who make her dresses live in the United States and she ensures that all the materials are fair trade. Ramlet keeps her work close to home and also strives to make brides feel at home. Ramlet said that she spent a lot of time decorating her cozy shop to make it feel like a living room. Sienna Cole is open by appointment only, which ensures that the bride will have Ramlet’s undivided attention for as long as needed. Working at large bridal shops, Ramlet disdained running from bride to bride. “I’d tell them, ‘Oh you look beautiful’ and then, ‘Got to go!’” Ramlet said. “I had to deal with the rules at other bridal shops, but now I do things differently. It’s more relaxed and not rushed.” The one-on-one principle also benefits Sienna Cole customers when it comes to prices. Sienna Cole dresses are as economically friendly as they are environmentally friendly. Despite

not outsourcing labor for cheap production, Ramlet avoids the markup on the price tags because she deals directly with her customers. Sienna Cole also sells accessories. Ramlet makes her own sashes and orders jewelry and veils from other businesses, but true to form, everything must be made in the U.S. Behind the seams, Tami Anderson, owner of Anderson Alterations, Etc., handles the alterations. Anderson said she has sewn for major Minnesota sports teams and strives to be precise in her craft. A customer once asked her, “Did you even do anything?” Anderson said that was the best compliment she ever received. “Alterations should be seen and not heard,” Anderson, of Wyoming, explained. Business has been quiet the first year, Ramlet said, but she is working to gain visibility in the greater Twin Cities area. Sienna Cole took

Photos by Clint Riese

Lisa Ramlet and Tami Anderson take pride in putting a new spin on the bridal shop industry. At right, Ramlet shows off one of her favorite creations: a silk organza petal-top ball gown.

a step toward that goal when Ramlet’s dresses hit the runway in February at a significant wedding expo in White Bear Lake. Ramlet said she has already met some great local customers who share her environmental concerns. She said she would love to reach more eco-conscious young women who don’t want the cookie-cutter factory dress that every-

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Lisa Ramlet puts own spin on industry at Broadway Avenue store, Sienna Cole

in 2008. All dressed up with somewhere to go, Ramlet opened a shop of her own near her Forest Lake home last March. Sienna Cole is all about rethinking what already exists to make wedding dresses without the waste. Ramlet buys old samples, previously owned dresses and vintage gowns and redesigns them. About 10 of her original designs are displayed at her shop, along with 30 or so vintage dresses. “My mission is to repurpose what’s been produced,” Ramlet said. “We could go on to infinity if we just rework what we already have.” Ramlet has this down to a T; even the name Sienna Cole is a remixed version of the letters in her children’s names: Ni-

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one else has. Sienna Cole is located at 719 W. Broadway Ave. For more information, call 651-982-9100 or visit www.siennacole.com. Murphy News Service is part of the University of Minnesota’s School of Journalism & Mass Communication.

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Page 12A – Thursday, April 11, 2013 – Forest Lake Times

PROGRESS

Stacy knitter finds her niche

Photo by Clint Riese

Mike Tel hopes his franchise has staying power in a building that has seen many eateries come and go.

Mr. Large serves up good eats for cheap Tel finds success with pizza, burger, burrito joints Jace Frederick Murphy News Service Mr. Large franchise owner Mike Tel is expanding menu offerings at his restaurants and planning a makeover at one location. Mr. Large $5 Pizza, 1507 Lake St. S., is set to undergo a monthlong renovation this spring to add new seating and an outdoor patio. Tel also plans to begin offering delivery service. The pizza joint’s renovations will likely be completed by June, he said. Mr. Large $6 Burrito and Mr. Large $5 Burger, which Tel, 29, also operates at 21450 Forest Blvd. N., has an expanded menu that includes Caesar salads, sloppy joes, mac and cheese bites and fries, manager Joshua Bergan said. Tel developed the Mr. Large franchise more than two years ago, starting with the creation of the pizza place. “I was just sick of people overpaying,” Tel said. “I don’t want people going and paying $10, $12, $13 for a meal.” Tel’s ownership and low prices draw the community to the Mr. Large restaurants, Bergan said. “There are multiple reasons, but the best reason I can think of is he’s fair,” Bergan said. “He doesn’t overcharge you and he doesn’t completely undercharge you. He’s nice, friendly and always

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willing to help out. He’s trying to help the community and have it become a better place.” Burritos were a logical addition to the franchise last year. “Everyone loves burritos,” Tel said. Mr. Large $6 Burrito and Mr. Large $5 Burger are off to a great start, Bergan said. “It has been surprisingly busy,” he said. “The two slower months of the year for every business are January and February. We actually have not seen much of a decrease in business since we first opened.” One of the new deals is the burger of the week, which Tel concocts on his own. “I like to keep coming up with crazy, different combinations,” he said. His favorite is the spicy amigo — a burger topped with guacamole, chipotle cream sauce, Tabasco sauce, several cheeses and spicy salsa. Tel said he received a lucrative offer to sell both businesses but he turned it down because of a clause preventing him from opening similar establishments in the area. He hopes to see the franchise expand. “I don’t want to charge anyone for franchising,” he said. “I want to franchise out to college campuses. That’s my main objective.” For more information, visit mrlarge5dollarpizza. com, mrlargeburrito.com or call 651-464-4111. Murphy News Service is part of the University of Minnesota’s School of Journalism & Mass Communication.

products online; the majority of her orders and sales come from regional trade shows. For custom knits, there Carolyn Cagle runs growing is a minimum order of 12 for scarves and hats and 24 for embroidery business mittens. Locally, Strikke Knits products can be purchased at Elizabeth Hustad The Nesting Grounds coffee shop in Wyoming. Murphy News Service Cagle said her business involves as many as 52 peoStrikke Knits warms Minnesota fingers with custom ple during the busier season, from embroiderers to her sales representative who travels the Midwest. fleece mittens and a family tradition of embroidery. Most of her work is hyper-local, but Carolyn Cagle, 52, opened Strikke Knits Cagle has worked with customers from with a nod to her Norwegian heritage all over, from a polar plunge in Connecti(Strikke is Norwegian for knit) in 2004 afcut to the Minnesota Wild. ter working in the prints and textile indusLinda Emery, 41, of East Grand Forks, tries since her student days at what is now said she was shopping for jewelry on Century College. Etsy.com when she came across Cagle’s Customers can choose from stock Wild mittens. graphics or use their own designs for em“My focus on Etsy went from jewelry broidery on mittens, hats and scarves. right to the mittens,” she said. “I emailed “I can take their artwork and transfer Carolyn about the mittens, if we could that into thread for them,” Cagle said. work on a design for East Grand Forks Embroidery has long been in the famHockey.” ily as an artistic endeavor and a source of Cagle said the economic downturn income. Her family’s company, Hisdahl’s has affected her business only minimally. in White Bear Lake, has been open for 47 “They’re consistently ordering, years. She worked for years with prints they’re just ordering less of it,” Cagle said there before transitioning to embroidery. Cagle of retail stores. From Hisdahl’s, Cagle eventually The online story is a little different. branched off with her own startup embroidery busiCagle said she has seen an average 20 percent growth ness, through which she learned how to work with texin online sales year over year, even as retail stores are tiles and laser engraving for print graphics. There was “a learning curve every day,” she said. “I cutting back. Her company is approaching its 10-year anniversary was having somebody else do all the manufacturing, so next year, and Cagle said she sees her business continuI had no control over the fabric.” Strikke Knits manufacturing moved on-site in 2007 ing to grow, emphasizing the local character of her knits. “I see a positive outlook for small companies like to Cagle’s home on Echo Lane in Stacy. Cagle has faced mine making their products in the U.S.” market challenges, being a small-town small business. Strikke Knits is located at 4460 Echo Lane in Stacy. For “My biggest challenge is I can’t compete with importing,” Cagle said. “I no longer strive to compete with that more information, call 651-278-2795 or visit www.strikkemittens.com market.” Murphy News Service is part of the University of MinInstead, Cagle contracts with retail stores like Custom nesota’s School of Journalism & Mass Communication. Lettering in Hibbing and Scheels while also offering her Photos by Clint Riese

Strikke Knits products are sold at The Nesting Grounds coffee shop in Wyoming.

At left: Barista Jess Tomasko shows off a pair of Forest Lake Ranger mittens.

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Insurance agency makes quick impression in FL Tom Carney’s business wins award Clint Riese News Editor Carney Insurance Services, a local familyowned insurance agency in Forest Lake, has only been open a year and a half, but it has not wasted any time in getting noticed. It was named 2012 Agency of the Year by Atlas Insurance Brokers, a group of more than 60 agencies and 90 agents. The business, located

at 840 W. Broadway Ave., is run by Tom Carney, a 1991 Forest Lake High School graduate who lives two houses down from where he grew up. Carney said it was an easy decision to open an agency in his hometown after spending 16 years working in White Bear Lake. He’s not alone: The entire Carney team is from the Forest Lake area, including Carney’s father, Mike. Many of their clients are also the businesses that they have been supporting for years as community members.

The agency may be young, but the agents at Carney Insurance Agency are industry veterans with more than 60 years of combined experience. As an independent agency, they are not limited when it comes to finding coverage that meets the needs of their clients. The agency offers all types of insurance, be it home, auto, commercial or something more specific. For more information, call 651-464-6001 or visit www.carneyinsuranceservices.com.

Photo submitted

The Carney team poses with the Atlas Insurance Brokers 2012 Agency of the Year award.

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CLASSIFIEDS To place your Classified ads Please call 763-241-3650

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Let us know Forest Lake Times 651-464-4601 Editor Clint Riese

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Forest Lake resident brings auto glass shop to Broadway glass industry for 16 His business, loOwner of former years. cated at 1079 W. BroadBlaine business way Ave., repairs and replaces any part of a takes pride in made of glass: customer service vehicle windows, windshields, mirrors and more. If a Danielle Dullinger windshield is chipped, it Murphy News Service can be repaired, he said, and if windows are Dariush Vaziri, broken, they can owner of D’s Auto be replaced. Glass, has been D’s Auto Glass pleasantly surworks with any prised with the automobile insurwelcome he has ance company and received in Forest can assist with Lake. claims, Vaziri said. “Business is betVaziri He will even faciliter than expected,” tate a conference Vaziri said. call with an insurance After about three years company to make it simin Blaine, the Forest Lake resident moved the shop pler and convenient for here last September. He customers. “Not too many placexpected business to be es do that,” Vaziri said. slow for at least a year, “Other businesses ask a but that is not the case. The Chicago native lot of questions, and that has been in the auto can be confusing.” This method seems to

Photo by Clint Riese

Dariush Vaziri enjoys running his auto glass shop, which he moved here from Blaine last fall. work for Vaziri because D’s was recently accredited by the Better Business Bureau. Being a BBB accredited member means the business is able to receive an independent rating based on the number of complaints a business

has received. D’s Auto Glass has a rating of A-, with its only detraction coming from its status as a new business, the site said. Being accredited is important to Vaziri. “That means credibil-

ity,” he said. Vaziri is currently relying on word-of-mouth, referrals, recommendations and advertising to help his business grow. The shop can be reached at 651-464-1213. For more information,

see www.autoglassds. com. Murphy News Service is part of the University of Minnesota’s School of Journalism & Mass Communication.

Trauma scene cleanup company an ally in trying times

Photo by Clint Riese

Bio-Tec Emergency Services Vice President Adam Backstrom oversees an office of about a dozen employees in Forest Lake. The company specializes in cleaning up after crimes and traumatic incidents, as well as home restoration. Chamber of Commerce. “We had all of our equipment out, and they were able to suit up and take some pictures,” Backstrom said. “People aren’t aware of services like this. That’s kind of

our goal, to make sure we have awareness.” Bio-Tec Emergency Services is located in Suite A at 24139 Greenway Road. For more information, see www. usacsc.com or call 888-

846-9111. Murphy News Service is part of the University of Minnesota’s School of Journalism & Mass Communication.

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lice Association and the Minnesota Coroners & Medical Examiners Association. Backstrom said potential customers also learn of companies like his through the Minnesota Department of Health. Bio-Tec is active in the Forest Lake business scene. The staff of 12 recently hosted a walk-in event for fellow members of the Forest Lake Area

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Joseph R. Fishbeck Murphy News Service When tragedy strikes, cleaning up in the aftermath can leave innocent bystanders and distraught family members with tremendous strain. Bio-Tec Emergency Services, a nationwide crime and trauma scene cleanup company based in Forest Lake, is dedicated to relieving the stress on those caught in the wake of distressing incidents. “It’s something you never want the family to have to deal with, so for us it’s nice to be able to take that emotional burden off of them,” Bio-Tec Vice President Adam Backstrom said. Bio-Tec, which came to the Forest Lake area from California nearly two decades ago, started out as a one-man operation. It has since grown to have a national presence – Backstrom estimates that Bio-Tec manages about 110 crews across the country, each one ready to jump into action at a moment’s notice. The company tracks work orders around the clock from its dispatch center in Forest Lake and sends out responders

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Based in Forest Lake, Bio-Tec Emergency Services has national presence

from the crew closest to each incident. Bio-Tec’s services are not limited to crime and trauma scene cleanup anymore. The company also works closely with banks in the area to assess foreclosed properties. Bio-Tec teams often return to those sites to perform restoration in difficult cases. Its crews are trained to restore properties following fires, water leaks and mold invasion. Such operations can be laborious and time-consuming. “Depending on the environment and temperature of the home, when you’re suited up it, can be kind of hot, and if you’re dealing with that over the course of 10-12 hours – that’s the part that’s the hardest,” Backstrom said. Bio-Tec is taking care of a number of mold restoration jobs right now, including a large project in Bloomington. Business is growing. Bio-Tec submitted project bids totaling $3.7 million in March, and that number is rising by the month. Its crews respond to about 25,000 calls per month. Currently, Bio-Tec Emergency Services’ biggest goal is making sure people in the area know that cleanup services are available. The company often receives referrals from organizations like the Minnesota Chiefs of Po-

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ECig Crib helps smokers find alternatives Former corporate carpenter starts home business

Learn from experts at downtown business, then relax in lounge Kim Thompson Murphy News Service After almost 35 years of being a smoker, Deb Morin quit. And she said it was easy. The secret: electronic cigarettes, or e-cigs. “I used it and I literally never smoked again,” Morin said. “It worked from the first time I tried.” That was what motivated Morin and her husband to open ECig Crib near their home in Coon Rapids last April. Their son, Tim Morin, and his business partner, Mike Weidenhamer, opened another ECig Crib in downtown Forest Lake last December. A basic starter kit normally includes a fake, battery-operated cigarette and e-juices – the fluid that goes into the e-cig and is vaporized. The level of nicotine in e-juice is determined by how much nicotine, if any, the customer requests. But ECig Crib does more than merely sell the equipment and replacement fluids. “It’s not a typical smoke shop,” said owner Tim Morin. “Our place looks like someone’s living room. It’s called a crib because our home is your home.” Customers can sit down with an employee, who asks them how much they smoke and what brand or type they usually smoke. Then, the employee custom mixes the ejuices using the requested flavors and nicotine level and shows the customer

Tim Wegscheider runs Lakeshore Floors and More

Photo by Clint Riese

ECig Crib general manager Mike Stoner explains to customers all the equipment that goes along with e-cigarettes, such as these tips. He stands in front of the downtown Forest Lake store’s smoking lounge. how to use the electronic cigarette. Morin said customers turn to his shop for many reasons – some in an effort to quit smoking regular cigarettes, others just as a cheaper alternative. For example, a 15 milliliter bottle of e-juice, which typically sells for around $10, is the equivalent of approximately 150 cigarettes. “It’s such a cost saving – it’s crazy how much money you’ll save,” former customer and recent hire Cassidy White said. “It’s probably saving my family $400 a month.” White had also been a heavy smoker for years when she discovered the store. The first thing she noticed after she started using her e-cig was that she still got the same sensation from smoking that she loved, but that her clothes smelled better. She started mixing her e-juices with the same

level of nicotine found in a normal cigarette, but says that she’ll soon start lowering that level and weaning herself off nicotine entirely. The Food and Drug Administration has yet to regulate electronic cigarettes, and there is some skepticism surrounding many vendors’ claims that e-cigs are safer than normal cigarettes. If the e-juice one uses still contains nicotine, there is the same risk of pulmonary problems and addiction. However, many of the thousands of other carcinogens found in cigarettes – such as tar – are not found in e-juices. Most of the problems the FDA has with e-juices is with their varying quality. Certain providers, especially those from Chinese companies, have been putting unapproved substances in the juices, even putting nicotine in bottles labeled “nicotine-

Rebecca Curtis Murphy News Service In a struggling economy shines a silver lining: Residential remodeling and spending are on the rise. From 2011 to 2012, residential improvement spending increased by 11 percent, from $114 billion to $126 billion, according to the U.S. Department of Commerce. And that’s good news for Lakeshore Floors and More, a flooring sales and installation company that opened in Forest Lake last April. “Business has been really good,” company founder Tim Wegscheider said. “I’m doing as well as I anticipated. I’m pretty much busy every day of the week.” Lakeshore Floors and More specializes in tile, hardwood, laminate, vinyl and carpet flooring, but also offers general carpentry work.

Wegscheider decided to create his own company after the Woodbury tile store he was employed by went out of business. “I have been in the flooring business since 2000, spending my time in sales and installation, and I really enjoy bathroom remodels and tile design,” he said. Wegscheider runs the business out of his home in Forest Lake, but does most of his work in the homes of his customers. He said he strives to save his customers time and money by going to them to help them choose the right product and plan the job. “I can measure the job right away and give the price to the customer,” Wegscheider said. “I only know of a couple other companies that do that.” For more information, contact Wegscheider at lakeshorefloorsandmore@gmail.com or 651775-8251. Murphy News Service is part of the University of Minnesota’s School of Journalism & Mass Communication.

free.” But that is not a concern for customers of ECig Crib, whose e-juice is supplied by Vermillion Rivers in Lakeville, which uses only the following ingredients in the juice: water; nicotine (optional); FDAapproved, kosher flavoring; vegetable glycerin; and propylene glycol, which is FDA approved for consumption in various foods, such as bread. “We try to buy everything as close to home as we can,” employee Jamie Hafner said. In all, Tim Morin is very happy that he chose Forest Lake as the site for his new business. “Business is going pretty well. Forest Lake has taken pretty well to what we have to offer,” he said. ECig Crib, located at 67 S. Lake St., is open 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday. For more information, call 651-982-2700. Murphy News Service Photo submitted is part of the University of Local flooring expert Tim Wegscheider specializes Minnesota’s School of Jourin floors, but also takes on complete remodels, such nalism & Mass Communias the this kitchen project. cation.

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Sporting goods store tees off TradeWins Sports offers new and used gear, and a facility to test it out

Photos by Clint Riese

Whitaker Buick GMC has a new feel, inside and out. Above left: A new facade gives the Forest Lake dealership a sleek look. Above right: A rock wall, fireplace and leather furniture cater to customers. Every surface of the building is new, as is a bay off the showroom where vehicle buyers can pick up their ride in a climate-controlled environment.

Whitaker Buick GMC sports new look Dealership benefits from $1M renovation Clint Riese News Editor The road has not been without a bump or two, but since opening in Forest Lake in 2006, Steve Whitaker’s dealership has built an award-winning reputation for customer service. In 2009, during a dark time for the American automobile industry, General Motors announced plans to scrap 40 percent of its franchises, including his. In 2010, Whitaker won reinstation. This past winter, he deepened his investment in the community with a $1 million renovation to the facility just west of the freeway in Forest Lake. “People like to know that dollars are being spent in their community and being reinvested,” Whitaker said. “I think it shows a commitment by the business – by us – to say we like Forest Lake and we plan on being here a long time and we want to have facilities that really reflect a modern business.” Whitaker had considered the project for a few years. The building dates to the late ’80s and had undergone only mild remodeling. “It’s not inexpensive, but we think it’s money well spent,” he said. “It’s not just the customers that like the environment. They’re just here for a couple hours. I think the employees really appreciate it, as well.” The results are striking. Whitaker Buick GMC

Steve Whitaker, owner of Whitaker Buick GMC, stands in the new-look showroom of his Forest Lake dealership. The building underwent significant remodeling over the winter, to the tune of $1 million. The new design meets standards set by General Motors. now sports a black-andwhite paneled exterior centered by an impressive, pillared entrance. Inside, the showroom floor has been reconfigured, the guest lounge spruced up and the service desks moved from the vehicle bay to a quiet centralized office. Also, an enclosed new addition now extends east of the building’s main area. From this climate-controlled room, buyers can pick up their keys and drive their new vehicle off the showroom floor. It also allows a private space where a member of the Whitaker team can go over features with the customer and answer any final questions. In addition, every surface – from floors to walls to ceilings – has been replaced as part of the fourmonth makeover that wrapped up in February. The result is a sharp look that is consistent with design standards set by

General Motors. “Buick GMC is a premium brand,” Whitaker said. “The thought is we want to make sure we have a premium environment for our customers.” Construction last fall was aided by unseasonably nice weather. The project made for some winter adjustments – no cars could be displayed indoors – but the early push allowed work to be completed in time for the annual spring sales rush. Whitaker expects a strong spring, as Buick has released a new subcompact crossover, the Encore. Also, GMC will release a new Sierra pickup truck this summer. And Whitaker continues to put his dealership’s used vehicle sales process and service department up against any. “We try to be a onestop shop, and that’s not always the way that dealerships were viewed in the old days,” he said.

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The stability of the staff of about 40 speaks for itself, Whitaker said. “We have pretty static employment here,” he said. “Once we find good people, we make sure we hang on to them, and they like our work environment. It’s always nice for our customer base if they can come back and deal with the same service advisor or same sales consultant that they dealt with originally.” The newly remodeled Whitaker Buick GMC is located at 131 SW 19th St., just off Broadway Ave. “As far as changing the way we do our business, (this project) really hasn’t,” Whitaker said. “We’ve always been a very ethical, transparent, customer-service-oriented place to do business. That hasn’t changed, but our surroundings have.”

Wendy Lu Murphy News Service TradeWins Sports, an independent, familyowned sporting goods store, is getting ready for the spring season even though winter is hanging on. The store opened in September at 79 S. Lake St. in Forest Lake. Through its first winter, the primary customers have been hockey players and ice-skaters. However, many softball and baseball players are already shopping for equipment. “We are gearing up for the spring season,” said Chisago City resident Tim Dubbs, who owns TradeWins Sports with his sister, Carey Dubbs. The store will stock plenty of gear for baseball, soccer, softball, golf and other sports this spring. “We had a little down time in January after the holidays, but it is starting to pick up with spring sports again,” Carey Dubbs said. “The business is improving every month.” TradeWins Sports features a mix of new and used equipment. Though approximately two-thirds of the inventory is new, customers are encouraged to bring in used gear. If it is to the staff’s liking, the seller can get cash or store credit. The pair targeted For-

est Lake for their business venture because they felt it is an active sports area that had a need for such a store. “Everybody has to drive down to the cities to get their equipment. There was nothing up here,” Carey Dubbs said. “(Tim and I) were in the corporate world for a very long time, and we are working hard in the business, but we enjoy it a lot.” The store has a “sports zone” — a versatile, indoor space designed to accommodate many activities. Customers can rent the space for individual practice or group events like birthday parties. “Many men are getting ready for starting softball, coming in and hitting balls along with lots of kids,” Carey Dubbs said. As part of FLake Festival in February, TradeWins Sports hosted a kendama competition featuring local kendama icon Matthew “Sweets” Jorgenson. It drew about 200 children and 100 adults. “It was a success, and brought a lot of business into the store,” Carey Dubbs said. TradeWins Sports is open 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. For more information, call 651-464-2994 or visit www.TradeWinsSports.com. Murphy News Service is part of the University of Minnesota’s School of Journalism & Mass Communication.

Photo by Clint Riese

The brother/sister team of Tim and Carey Dubbs opened TradeWins Sports last September in downtown Forest Lake.

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