Southern Minn Faces & Places March 2024

FACES PLACES+

The people and businesses across our Newspaper Group.

SOUTHERN MINN

are two local investors behind Northfield’s newest restaruant.

Craig Korvela and Ken Pankow

FARIBAULT: Central Avenue now home to another eclectic secondhand store

NORTHFIELD: Fast, fresh Asian-Latin fusion restaurant opens in Northfield

OWATONNA: Long-awaited animal shelter taking shape

ST. PETER: Paddlefish Brewing Co. grand opening draws a crowd

LE CENTER: Le Center Floral up for sale; owner wants business to continue

WASECA: Aspyn Acres offers sense of belonging to animals and volunteers

KENYON: Traxlers realizing longtime goal with new construction

CALEDONIA: Evelyn and Lou Vintage hosts grand opening in Spring Grove

Darian Hunt

Randy Hunt

Central Avenue now home to another eclectic secondhand store

By KRISTINE GOODRICH kristine.goodrich@apgsomn.com

Asmall storefront at the end of Central Avenue is once again filled with thrift items. This time, there’s an eclectic mix ranging from Prince records to sequined purses curated by a native of Chile who

cleans and repairs shoes and clothing in between shoppers.

Juan Pablo Zuñiga Navarro last weekend opened Closet Sale, a secondhand store on Central near First Street NW.

Zuñiga Navarro has been salvaging and reselling items at flea markets and other events and online for a few years, but this is his first brick-and-mortar venture.

The Minneapolis resident had been looking for the right spot for a while before he made a trip to Faribault to support friends who share Latin American roots and an entrepreneurial spirit.

Zuñiga Navarro and his family came down to dine at Taqueria Espartaco, the Mexican restaurant that opened in downtown Faribault late last year.

Zuñiga Navarro and wife Kate Litzenberg, who helped share his story with the Daily News because he speaks limited English, said they saw a vacant retail space just steps from the restaurant. After inquiring and receiving an affordable rent offer, and learning more about Faribault, they decided to open Closet Sale in Faribault.

The new owner of Closet Sale is not afraid to do a little work to get them back into sellable condition. He pointed out a purse with a previously broken clasp and a pair of pants that previously had a broken zipper as examples. Cleaning tired sneakers is a specialty, he said while holding a pair of Nike Airs he’s selling for $40 that he said cost several times that when they were new.

“We fell in love with the area,” Litzenberg said. “We love the vibe down there.”

Litzenberg is a native Minnesotan but spent a decade teaching in Chile, where she met and married Zuñiga Navarro. After having a baby girl they decided to raise her in Minnesota and Zuñiga Navarro has focused on being a stay-at-home dad. With their daughter now in school, Zuñiga Navarro has more time to grow his business.

Zuñiga Navarro hunts at garage sales and thrift stores for items to resell.

“He loves to dig for treasure,” Litzenberg said.

One favorite hunting ground is a thrift organization that sells clothing by the pound that did not sell at its other stores.

While a profit to pay the rent and support his family is of course his first motivator, Litzenberg said her husband also prides himself in helping the environment by reviving items that otherwise likely would have ended up in a landfill.

In addition to clothing and accessories, Closet Sale has a selection of items for consumers of vintage media, including records, cassettes, CDs, movies on VHS, cameras and projectors.

In between, an assortment of action figures, troll dolls and other collectibles and other novelties make appearances throughout the store.

Closet Sale is, for now, open Thursdays through Sundays. Days and hours might be expanded as he hopes the customer base expands.

He also plans to expand into offering services to include shoe cleaning, clothing repair and screen printing.

Reach Associate Editor Kristine Goodrich at 507-333-3134 or kristine.goodrich@apgsomn.

Juan Pablo Zuñiga Navarro stands next to the CDs, cassettes and VHS tapes that he said vintage enthusiasts are still buying. (Kristine Goodrich/southernminn.com)

Juan Pablo Zuñiga Navarro cleans a shoe to sell at his new Closet Sale store in downtown Faribault. (Kristine Goodrich/ southernminn.com)

Juan Pablo Zuñiga Navarro brings a second life back to dirty sneakers.

Fast, fresh Asian-Latin fusion Restaurant opens in Northfield

By PAMELA THOMPSON pamela.thompson@apgsomn.com

Anyone wishing that a Chipotle, a Qdoba or a Panda Express fast food franchise would come to Northfield will be overjoyed with the February opening of Gong Loco, a fast, fresh international restaurant owned by a handful of local investors.

The brains behind the Gong Loco brand are Craig Korvela and Ken Pankow, a pair of investors with extensive restaurant and hotel experience.

Diners may already know Korvela, a chef and restaurant manager from his previous fine dining association with Fielder’s Choice, Reunion and Fairfield Inn & Suites in Northfield, Redemption in Faribault and Roma’s Italian Eatery in Owatonna.

“The building drove the concept,” said Korvela. When the restaurateurs first considered the site, they saw a great space that was convenient and had curb appeal. “All those factors screamed fusion.”

Since nationwide franchises such as Chipotle will not locate in a market with a population less than 40,000, Korvela and Pankow immediately saw the opportunity to develop their own mix and match cuisine fusing Asian and Latin flavors.

“This is a healthy alternative to burgers and fries,” said Korvela. “We’ve been tweaking the recipes and exploring options for proteins and sauces. We want customers to take our menu, spice it, sauce it and toss it with noodles or wrap it in a tortilla. However you build it, your taste buds are going on vacation.”

With an open kitchen concept, diners will be able to build a bowl, a salad or a burrito by customizing their dish

with a variety of ingredients from rice and beans to noodles to steak, chicken, pork or plant-based tofu.

At last count, Gong Loco was offering 15 different sauces, including six salsas and picos and nine Asian sauces, such as sesame, teriyaki, curry and Szechwan.

“Our ingredients will be fresh and flavorful,” said Pankow. “We want customers to have fun building their bowls. We want to keep the options simple and tasty.” He said most Gong Loco dishes will be priced between $12 and $14, which is in line with similar fast food restaurants in the area. Add on items include chips and guacamole using Korvela’s own special recipe featuring fresh avocados, onions and tomatoes.

Trip about two years ago. A long due diligence was required to ensure that the environment was properly cleaned up and tested once the underground gas tanks were removed.

“What’s better than frontage on Highway 3 that’s right across from Target, a lot of traffic and a really good location,” asked Nystrom. Pankow, operating manager, said Korvela initiated the initial concept for the restaurant once he walked through the property and visionalized the long runway needed for the individualized meal preparation stations.

Location, location, location

Transforming the former Kwik Trip on Highway 3 and Honeylocust Drive from a gas and convenience store into a dine in and take out restaurant has “been a long time coming,” said Brent Nystrom of Rebound Partners.

Nystrom explained that an arm of Rebound Partners called Freetime Restaurants, which owns Reunion in Northfield and Redemption in Faribault, is behind Gong Loco.

He said the development started with a property agreement with Kwik

In the last few weeks, Pankow has hired and trained about 20 staff members. With 58 seats, customers can dine in or take out. Gong Loco will be open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. every day.

With a stoplight at Honeylocust and Highway 3 that allows for easy driving in and out, along with a substantial parking lot and a restaurant menu designed to cut across cuisine cultures, Gong Loco should has the markings of a runaway hit.

“We’re excited to get across the finish line,” said Pankow.

Gong Loco can seat 58 customers and will cater to both dine in and take out orders. (Pamela Thompson/southernminn.com)

Craig Korvela and Ken Pankow are two of the local investors behind Northfield’s newest restaurant Gong Loco. (Pamela Thompson/ southernminn.com)

Gong Loco is a fast, casual restaurant where diners build their own dishes featuring fresh ingredients with Asian and Latin roots. (Pamela Thompson/southernminn.com)

animal shelter taking shape Long-awaited

By JOSH LAFOLLETTE josh.lafollette@apgsomn.com

Alarge sign has long marked the property next to Lake Chase Dog Park as the “Future Home of Steele County Animal Shelter.”

After a variety of delays, workers have made significant progress on the structure this winter. With four walls and a roof now up, the building is beginning to look like home for the Steele County Humane Society. Construction is currently slated to wrap up late August.

According to Office Administrator Becky Bangs, the humane society’s sole employee, the recent progress has given their fundraising efforts a welcome boost.

“The minute that the walls started going up, I felt like there were more donations coming in because people are realizing that it’s actually happening. I think a lot of people were waiting to see if we were actually going to follow through, because we’ve been talking about it for so long,” she said.

Building an animal shelter was already a key agenda item for the humane society when Bangs came aboard seven years ago. Without a shelter, they rely exclusively on foster homes — severely limiting the number of animals they can take in.

After multiple COVID-related delays, the humane society launched a capital campaign for the project in 2022. Since then, the campaign has raised around $1.2 million thus far, with a total goal of $2 million.

“We’ll be able to build it with the $1.2

[million] — it’s a little close for that — but we need money to sustain it,” she said. “We don’t want to build a building and then we can’t sustain it because we don’t have enough donations.”

The additional expenses include the personnel, pet food and veterinary services necessary to operate the shelter once it’s complete.

Bangs said they hope to have room for 60 cats and 40 dogs in the shelter, but stressed that’s only a rough estimate. While they have fewer than 20 animals in foster homes right now, Bangs expects the shelter will see an influx of animals once it opens.

“We’re trying to prepare for that because we know it will be crazy,” she said.

She anticipates people leaving animals on their doorstep, noting she once found a cat abandoned at her current office, which doesn’t have any facilities to house animals.

The humane society also takes in some strays from Animal Control, but Bangs hopes the new facility will allow them to help out more.

both to handle large quantities of shed hair and to keep quarantine rooms contained.

Strays must be quarantined until they can be examined by a vet, as they may be carrying parasites or be behind on their vaccinations. Quarantining is especially important in foster homes, as they often have other animals in the house and some infections — including ringworm, which Bangs said has been abundant recently — can spread to humans. However, few homes have a good place to quarantine an animal, which can take weeks in some cases.

“That would’ve been nice to have a place for them to go to be quarantined, instead of trying to keep them in a bathroom or a garage to quarantine them there,” said Bangs.

“It just gives us more flexibility to help Animal Control. They just get overrun sometimes and we can’t always help them because we don’t have foster space available,” she said.

Keeping all those animals safe and healthy will require a variety of special facilities. The shelter will have a shower area, as some of the animals that come to them are infested with fleas or ticks or in desperate need of grooming. It will also need special ventilation systems,

The shelter will also have a laundry room to keep the animals’ bedding clean, rooms where people can meet the animals they wish to adopt, a board room for meetings and a new administrative office that Bangs is looking forward to working in.

These specialized facilities require a variety of permits from state and local authorities. While most of these permits have been resolved, Bangs said a state permit halted the installation of some of the necessary pipes for the building, which had to be installed before the walls could go up.

With the permit in limbo, they nearly opted to build three walls and wait on

Becky Bangs, currently the sole employee of Steele County Humane Society, in her office. Once construction is complete, Bangs will move her office to the animal shelter. (Josh LaFollette/southernminn.com)

Memory paw prints, one of the naming opportunities for donors who support the shelter’s construction. (Josh LaFollette/ southernminn.com)

The Steele County Animal Shelter under construction. After facing several delays, the project has picked up steam in recent months. (Josh LaFollette/southernminn.com)

Paddlefish Brewing Co.

grand opening draws a crowd

By CARSON HUGHES carson.hughes@apgsomn.com

The Paddlefish Brewing Company taproom was full and bubbling with excitement Wednesday, Jan. 10 and over the following weekend, as patrons crowded in to get their first taste of the locally-themed lagers served at the grand opening of St. Peter’s first brewery in over 70 years. Owners Dave Long, Luke Dragseth and Eric Johnson had their hands full with pint glasses the entire night as they served the bustling crowd. It was a rousing reception to the owners’ culmination of a year and half work spent building the business from a plan on paper to brick and mortar brewery.

“It’s been awesome to hear great reviews, people really seem to love the beer,” said Dragseth. “As a brewer I take a lot of pride in what I’m making and it’s good to hear that people are excited to drink it.”

The Paddlefish Brewmaster joined the project in the summer of 2022, when Johnson, his Gustavus-Adolphus College classmate, approached him with the idea of establishing a brewery in St. Peter. With the help of co-owner, general manager and traveling brewery enthusiast Long, the trio moved in to the bottom floor to the Nicollet Plaza and transformed it into a 1,500 square foot taproom capa-

ble of seating over 100 people.

The taproom’s collection of wooden tables and benches, couches and padded armchairs rapidly filled up with customers enjoying St. Peter-themed brews like the Engesser Light American Lager, named after St. Peter’s historic Engesser Brewing Company, and the the Red Owl Amber, an homage to the Red Owl supermarket that used to occupy Nicollet Plaza.

Patrons could also grab non-alcoholic options including soda, root beer and mocktails, on-site snacks like pretzels and popcorns and get a meal from the food truck parked outside.

Some guests welcomed the establishment’s pet-friendly policy like Michael Parks, who brought his pup Moka to Pad-

dlefish’s debut. Customers may regularly catch Long’s own dog Izzy on the premises as Paddlefish’s four-legged mascot. Paddlefish celebrated its debut with five beers on tap, but over the next several days, Dragseth said they will be rolling

Paddlefish Brewing Co. Owner Eric Johnson takes customers orders during the brewery’s grand opening. (Carson Hughes/ southernminn.com)

Michael Parks got a glass with his dog Moka at the pet-friendly Paddlefish Brewing Co. (Carson Hughes/southernminn.com)

Customers lined-up halfway to the front door to order a drink during a packed Paddlefish grand opening. (Carson Hughes/southernminn.com)

(Left to right) Josh Wills, Stacy Hahn, Joe Bergstrom and Ben Smith play a game of crokinole while enjoying glasses of Paddlefish’s Red Owl Amber Ale and Engesser Light American Lager. (Carson Hughes/southerminn.com)

Le Center Floral up for sale; owner wants business to continue

Jennifer Smisek, owner of Le Center Floral, poses with her Valentine’s Day arrangements. The florist announced on Jan. 9 that she was seeking a buyer to purchase and continue the business. (Carson Hughes/southernminn.com)

ter Floral was more of a passion project than a profitable venture.

“When I bought the shop it couldn’t support me. I worked a lot of years for free, and I was lucky my husband was supportive of me,” said Smisek.

But Smisek was determined for the business to succeed, and over time, word of her colorful designs and arrangements caught on with customers, wedding venues and funeral homes.

There was a real need for flowers, Smisek said, especially as florists in other communities started closing their doors. When flower shops in cities like Le Sueur and St. Peter shut down, Le Center Floral stepped up to meet the needs of funeral homes that were suddenly lacking a steady supply.

“Now I’ve built it up to where it can support someone, so now I think it’s a great time for someone starting out,” said Smisek.

By KRISTINE GOODRICH kristine.goodrich@apgsomn.com

For 27 years, Jennifer Smisek has played a hand in countless special moments. From weddings to funerals, graduations, Valentine’s Day dates and everything in between, the Le Center Floral owner’s arrangements have made many important occasions in Le Sueur County all the more memorable.

But as Smisek has grown older, Le Center Floral has only gotten busier. Once just a small flower shop delivering primarily to the Le Center area, the store has blossomed into something more akin to a floral boutique with its large selection of clothing, house plants and home decor.

As business has bloomed over

the past decades, Smisek has also branched out to deliver floral arrangements to clients across the region in communities like Le Sueur, St. Peter, Lonsdale, Montgomery, New Prague and Kilkenny. With few options for reliable part-time help, Smisek typically runs the business all on her own.

Those factors led Smisek to announce she was putting Le Center Floral up for sale Jan. 9 and looking for a buyer to purchase the building and keep the flower shop thriving. It was a difficult decision for the florist, who relishes the joy that comes with knowing her floral arrangements are bound to make someone’s day.

“No matter what you’re doing, how many people don’t love to get flowers? I feel like, no matter what, your job is full of happiness,” said Smisek. “Don’t get me wrong, it’s work too; there’s a lot more

to it than talking to people and arranging flowers, but it’s fun. Even though you work a lot of hours, there’s never been a time where I’ve been mad that I had to come to work.”

Following a passion

Smisek’s passion for the art of floral arrangement dates back to her high school days when she worked at Posy Floral and Gifts in Montgomery. Her love for the craft persisted after she graduated and upon realizing that she wanted to become a florist, Smisek left business school for a nine-month retail floral program at Hennepin Technical College.

The program gave Smisek the knowledge and confidence needed to know she could open a flower shop and do it right. Soon after, she bought the Le Center Floral shop from Debbie Struckman, who took over the business after founder Rhea Denning.

Smisek was just barely scraping by in the first few years. Then just a quaint shop without much thru-traffic, Le Cen-

Over her years in business, Smisek has gained a reputation for her willingness to take on any order, no matter how challenging, if given enough time. Beyond crafting bouquets, baskets, standing splays and arrangements, Smisek also makes specialty arrangements where customers can get creative with their requests.

She recalled once making a well-drilling truck and a John Deere tractor out of flowers for the owner of a well-drilling company.

“I always tell them, ‘I can do it; you just need to let me think about it.’ I don’t know how I’ll do it, but I’ll put some thought into it,” said Smisek. “Where there’s a will, there’s a way.”

One-stop shop

While flowers are the foundation of the business, Le Center Floral is notable for being the one retailer in Le Center, outside the Thrift Store, that stocks ap-

The Le Center Floral and Gifts building is up for sale as owner Jennifer Smisek prepares to depart the business after managing it for 27 years. (Carson Hughes/southernminn. com)

Jennifer Smisek shows off a finished arrangement crafted in the back of her workshop at Le Center Floral. The florist has created countless bouquets and designs for funerals, weddings, holidays and other special occasions in the region. (Carson Hughes/ southernminn.com)

Aspyn Acres offers sense of belonging to animals and volunteers

By LUCAS DITTMER

lucas.dittmer@apgsomn.com

Joey Mullins goes out to Aspyn Acres about once every two weeks to volunteer and help clean the farm sanctuary. He finds solace there.

While Aspyn Acres’ mission is to tend to wildlife and offer sanctuary for farm animals in need, it also offers a chance for members in the community to volunteer and interact with animals they normally wouldn’t have the opportunity to see.

Aspyn Acres, which is located just north of Waseca, started as a wildlife rehabilitation after it’s owners Chasity and Jake Marquette became permitted wildlife rehabilitates in 2020. Since then, they have also added a farm sanctuary onto the land, helping farm animals in need.

Mullins and Unique Abilities

Mullins was born in South St. Paul and grew up in Wichita, Kansas. He now resides in Waseca and works as a professional cleaner.

When he was a teenager in Kansas, he used to work on a farm, which involved doing similar things he does while volunteering at Aspyn Acres. While it reminds him of his work as a teenager, volunteering at the sanctuary also helps him take his mind off things.

“It’s good for your mental health,” he said.

Mullins pointed out that helping on

LEARN MORE

To find out about upcoming events and general information about Aspyn Acres, Chasity Marquette encourages people to visit their social media pages, especially Facebook. Once the spring season gets underway, the sanctuary and wildlife rehabilitation center plans on hosting multiple events for people to visit the animals.

“We don’t have something like this around here,” said Chasity.“We don’t have a farm sanctuary anywhere close that does all this kind of stuff.”

the sanctuary is a good way to get him out of the house. He noted that it is hard for him to volunteer at places because he is introverted.

“I’m not really able to volunteer for anything, because I’m people shy, and I don’t like putting myself out there,” said Mullins.

Mullins is a client of Unique Abilities, LLC, which is owned by Jennifer Lenz-Cassidy and Ashley Barlow. Unique Abilities is an in-home agency based in Waterville that promotes person-centered growth and independence for people with disabilities and mental health conditions.

Unique Abilities’ affiliation with Aspyn Acres all started when Lenz-Cassidy was looking for her own place to volunteer. She saw something on Facebook about Aspyn Acres and went out and met Chasity Marquette.

After volunteering a couple times, Lenz-Cassidy thought the farm sanctuary would be a great place for clients of Unique Abilities to visit. She took small

groups of individuals out to the sanctuary a little over a year ago, and they loved it. It soon became a regular thing for groups of clients to stop by and see the animals.

On top of visiting the farm sanctuary, clients of Unique Abilities also make and donate tie blankets for animals on the rehabilitation side of Aspyn Acres.

“The blankets are an activity that a lot of them can just sit and enjoy,” Lenz-Cassidy said. “If they’re having a day where they’re depressed or something, they can just take their mind off things.”

Along with sending clients out to the sanctuary to visit and volunteer Unique Abilities also sponsors some of the animals on the sanctuary, including a turkey named Elvis.

By sponsoring animals, the agency provides Aspyn Acres with money that will go towards feeding and caring for the animals.

“We like to give back to our community and help when we can,” said Lenz-Cassidy. “It just gives all the clients

(Lucas Dittmer/southernminn.com)

Cows feed at Aspyn Acres. The sanctuary offers care for animals who have health issues. After Lloyd Christmas (cow on left) was sick due to malnutrition, Aspyn Acres took him in and nursed him back to health. (Lucas Dittmer/southernminn.com)

Elvis the Turkey. (Lucas Dittmer/ southernminn.com)

Lloyd Christmas was given his name due to his hairdo being similar to Jim Carrey’s character in the movie Dumb and Dumber. (Lucas Dittmer/ southernminn.com)

Owner of Aspyn Acres Chasity Marquette feeds the animals. (Lucas Dittmer/southernminn.com)

a sense of purpose.”

Mullins was one of the clients that visited Aspyn Acres and the animals. He loved the sanctuary so much that he ended up cleaning the barn. Later, he helped out in the aftermath of Aspyn Acres’ Halloween fundraiser, cleaning with Lenz-Cassidy. Mullins’ and Lenz-Cassidy’s volunteer work soon became a regular fixture.

“When we first came out here, there was a mound up in there, and they had to get a skid loader and get it all out, but we try to maintain it now,” Lenz-Cassidy said about the barn.

Mullins is able to volunteer at Aspyn Acres, due to the animals always wanting attention and the owners’ welcoming spirit.

“We do it for the animals,” Mullins said.

Chasity and Aspyn Acres

With the Marquette’s having both the farm sanctuary and rehabilitation on their land, Aspyn Acres is really an umbrella term — two separate operations.

Aspyn Acres started due to the Marquette’s love of animals and the loss of their child Aspyn. In honor of her, they planted Aspen trees around the property and decided to get the property licensed as an official wildlife rehabilitation center through the Minnesota DNR. Aspyn Acres was permitted in 2020 but was not made public until 2022.

Through the wildlife rehabilitation center, the Marquettes get calls about animals who are hurt and they raise them up to be eventually released again.

Aspyn Acres also has a wildlife rescue team that is based in Mankato. Fifty-seven people are part of the group and help in rescuing and transporting animals that can be a little more dangerous.

At the farm sanctuary, the Marquettes take in animals that need ongoing veterinarian care that other farms don’t want to deal with. Aspyn Acres has the funding to treat animals with the vet care they need. The sanctuary has animals that come from all sorts of different situations.

Sometimes the Marquettes get calls about animals that are not a fit for the sanctuary, usually because they don’t have the proper living conditions for certain species and breeds. Because of this, Chasity networks with other sanctuaries to see if they are able to house the animals.

There are a total of 37 animals on the

sanctuary, including four different types of cows, two mini donkeys, three sheep, six goats and two emus.

Aspyn Acres has been successful in recruiting volunteers to help out at the sanctuary, whether it’s cleaning or helping prepare for upcoming projects and events.

“A lot of them say they love animals, but they can only have a cat or a

dog, so coming out here, they get to interact with all sorts of everything,” Chasity said. “Just like us, animals have their own little differences, and it’s important for everybody to acknowledge that.”

Along with volunteering, Chasity encourages people to come out to the sanctuary just to interact with the animals. Among 15 acres of land, there are 3.5 miles of trails people can walk on

— sometimes even with goats following them.

“We encourage anybody, even families to come out so that they can be around the animals,” Chasity said. “It can be therapeutic.”

Lucas Dittmer is a reporter for the Waseca County News. Reach him at 507-333-3133.

Joey Mullins volunteering at Aspyn Acres. (Lucas Dittmer/southernminn.com)

Annie Mangan makes a small tie blanket that will be donated to Aspyn Acres for use with animal rescues. (Photo courtesy of Jennifer Lenz-Cassidy)

RIGHT: Emus on Aspyn Acres. (Lucas Dittmer/ southernminn.com)

ABOVE: An emu and goat on Aspyn Acres. (Lucas Dittmer/southernminn.com)

Animals on the sanctuary side of Aspyn Acres eating. (Lucas Dittmer/southernminn. com)

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Paddlefish General Manager Dave Long announced raffle winners every hour of the grand opening. (Carson Hughes/ southernminn.com)

Paddlefish co-owner Luke Dragseth chats up customers while sipping on an amber ale. (Carson Hughes/southernminn.com)

from people volunteering to be dog walkers.

the fourth. In a case of fortuitous timing, the permit came through and they were able to build all four.

Help needed

Bangs said the shelter will require more staff and volunteers. The committee overseeing the project — which includes Bangs, humane society board representatives and other community members — will have to determine staffing levels and hours in the coming months.

Bangs is confident that volunteers will come through once the shelter is up, noting that she’s already getting calls

While donors have stepped forward to cover some of the major expenses, there are still a variety of naming opportunities for people who wish to give. The human society is offering brass memory paw prints for general donations of $100 or more. The paw prints will be displayed in the shelter’s lobby, and can be dedicated to family members or pets. Other naming opportunities range from $1,000 to $35,000.

Although the shelter will fulfill many of the humane society’s needs, Bangs still sees a place for foster homes in the future. Animals already placed in foster homes when the shelter opens might remain where they are until they’re adopt-

ed, and some animals don’t adjust well to shelter environments.

No matter how much space they have, there will always be some restrictions. The shelter won’t accept aggressive dogs or animals that need to be put down. Bangs said some people may try to surrender a dying pet to avoid the veterinary costs for euthanasia.

Bangs said winter is the “calm before the storm” for the humane society, which typically sees a surge of kittens in the spring. Last year was atypical, with a sudden wave of kittens coming in the fall. Bangs said most of those had been adopted, but some of them had to be

quarantined for ringworm and only became available recently. Unfortunately for them, most people are looking to adopt as young as possible.

“Once they hit that six month mark, people are like ‘oh, they’re kind of old,’ even though they’re still babies. People just like that itty, bitty stage,” said Bangs.

The exterior walls and roof of the Steele County Animal Shelter have all been installed since mid-December. The project is slated for completion in August.(Josh LaFollette/ southernminn.com)

The roof of the shelter under construction in late January. (Photo courtesy of Steele County Humane Society)

Traxlers realizing longtime goal with new construction

By JOSH LAFOLLETTE josh.lafollette@apgsomn.com

Though the business inside has grown and expanded, the shop that houses Traxler Power and Equipment has remained largely unchanged for decades.

Now, that shop stands in the shadow of something much larger — its replacement.

After years of aspiring to build a bigger shop, owners Jeff and Ann Traxler broke ground on the project in December. They hoped to move into the new building and begin tearing down the old one this fall, but that’s only the first

phase of a larger plan.

In addition to the shop, which they purchased in 2002, the Traxlers own the NAPA Auto Parts on main street. Once the new shop is up and running, they’ll begin phase two — a new building to house NAPA right where their current shop stands, bringing their businesses onto one property. They hope to finish that project next year.

The Traxlers credit the abnormally mild winter with speeding up construction.

In total, Jeff estimated their facilities will occupy 11,000 square feet once complete.

“It’s always been our dream to have the two businesses in one location. We

could just be more efficient,” said Ann.

The new NAPA building will also include space for Traxler Law, the practice Ann currently runs out of their home. Ann became an attorney in the fall of 2017, after attending law school parttime while working at the shop. She looks forward to consolidating to one office, and no longer having to do legal work at her kitchen table.

The new shop will give them more room to work on larger vehicles and potentially hire another mechanic, while giving the business an updated look.

The project will also make their work at NAPA easier. Currently, trucks have to drop deliveries behind the store and employees have to drag it inside across

gravel. The new building will streamline that process with a loading dock. Jeff also noted the new location will offer a better parking situation. The location offers limited street parking, which is often occupied due to the high-traffic liquor store next door.

The change will be especially beneficial for Levi, the Traxlers’ son, who works at the shop and NAPA, splitting his work day between the two.

“My brain rocks back and forth all day long,” he joked.

Levi and his three brothers spent many days working in the shop after finishing up school across the street.

Between father and son and their

The current Traxler Power and Equipment, which was built as Rixe Repair in 1979. The Traxlers purchased the business in 2002. (Josh LaFollette/southernminn.com)

Owners Ann and Jeff Traxler with their son Levi, in front of their current construction project. (Josh LaFollette/ southernminn.com)

NAPA Auto Parts, which is also owned by the Traxlers. Once the new Traxler Power and Equipment is complete, they plan to build a new home for NAPA with a loading dock and improved parking. (Josh LaFollette/southernminn.com)

Evelyn and Lou Vintage hosts grand opening in Spring Grove

By ROSE KORABEK rose.korabek@apgsomn.com

Evelyn & Lou Vintage had its soft opening in mid-February on Main Street in Spring Grove. By early March, its Facebook page already had 169 followers. Owner Chris Sanvik said, “The store is named after my grandmothers. We sell a large variety of vintage clothes, decor, toys, furniture, pottery and other unique items. New items

are added daily.” The grand opening for the store was held Saturday, March 9 in conjunction with West Main Boutique, which now has only one owner, Marsha Vonarx. Both stores had extended hours that day. Sanvik is a part-time nurse who lives in Winona. She gets her haircut in Spring Grove. When the hair salon moved across the street, this space became vacant. One thing led to another and now she has opened a vintage brick and

Evelyn & Lou Vintage sells vintage furniture, home decor and work clothes, which are popular with young people today.

Evelyn & Lou Vintage owner Chris Sanvik.

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FROM PAGE 13

mortar store.

“Yeah, that escalated quickly. I’ve been thrifting for 23 years and have bought and sold on eBay that entire time, predominantly selling vintage clothes, toys, dolls, and unique items,” said Sanvik. “I’m also a collector of antique Valentine, Hal-

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longtime mechanic Justin, the crew has years of experience with a variety of machinery — and their “extensive” library of service manuals doesn’t hurt. Still, Jeff maintained he learns something new every day.

“Jeff never says no to somebody. There’s maybe only one or two pieces of equipment in our whole time here that he really had to say ‘I can’t do it, I can’t fix that.’ Otherwise, we figure it out,” said Ann.

Jeff had training and experience as a mechanic before he and Ann decided to pursue business

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parel, like clothing, jewelry, bags and backpacks, and home goods, like glasses and mugs, calendars and books, candles, fishing gear, home decor and more.

The store’s eclectic collection of gift items began to grow when the Buck-n-Up Store closed its doors in 2013, and Smisek began to stock the Titans gear formerly sold at the small retailer. This spurred Le Center Floral’s expansion into a one-stop-shop,

loween and Christmas items. I display my Christmas tree with around 600 antique ornaments every year. I like to travel all over to search for items to sell. My husband and 3 kids have all played a part in my business. I am excited for this new venture and hope to see you, at my shop.”

Michelle Voelker works

ownership.

When they first came to town, the shop was still Rixe Repair, owned by Vern and Anita Rixe. The Traxlers didn’t know them well, but they approached them about a possible sale.

“We were looking for a business to buy. We had stopped in and approached Vern and he wanted some time to think about it, so he took some time. One day he showed up at our doorstep and said ‘I’m ready to sell. Are you interested?’” recalled Ann.

The Traxlers initially focused on farm equipment, like Vern before

giving Le Center residents a place to go for home goods without having to drive out of town.

That expansion also saw Le Center Floral temporarily partner with Savvi Formalwear to rent out tuxedos and suits to those in need of formal wear for their upcoming wedding or prom until the service was discontinued.

In her decades running the store, Smisek has gained a reputation for generosity, whether it’s gifting flowers to a new business opening in town

at both shops, helping to organize displays and assist customers. Voelker is from Spring Grove, so she knows the area and customer base. Both said they love Spring Grove and love to decorate, so this just fell into place.

“It’s super fun to work here,” said Voelker. “It’s different every day and I look forward to bringing

them, but gradually expanded into much more — from “four wheelers to forklifts,” as Ann put it. Jeff and Levi prefer vintage repair, but they work on plenty of newer machinery too.

While the Traxlers have plenty of technical knowledge, Ann said the main takeaway from decades in business is the importance of “treating everybody with respect and honesty.”

Above all, she’s happy the new expansion will allow them to keep doing business the community they’ve called home for years.

in new people.”

The two work together on the store’s displays and have put a lot of time in to get it open quickly.

“I can’t imagine doing something like this alone,” said Voelker. “It’s great to partner together because when one brain shuts down, the other is ready to help and provide honest feedback

about whether a display looks right or not.”

Sanvik gets merchandise from estate sales, auctions, personal belongings and her online sales. She still sells online on eBay.

Down the road, the shop may offer consignment options for vintage furniture, housewares, clothes and dolls.

Evelyn & Lou Vintage is located at 106 W. Main St., behind West Main Boutique. Hours of operation are Thursday and Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sanvik plans to expand hours in May.. Rose Korabek is the associate editor for The Caledonia Argus. Reach her at 507-5561701.

The new and expanded Traxler Power and Equipment, still under construction, stands behind the current shop. Ann and Jeff Traxler expect to move into the new building and tear the old one down this fall. (Josh LaFollette/southernminn.com)

“In general, we’re just really happy with this community. When we looked to build this building, we looked at some other options and decid-

or giving away the store’s stock of older flowers for free.

When the COVID-19 pandemic forced her business to close its doors in March 2020, Smisek ensured her flowers wouldn’t be wasted by gifting them to residents at the Horizon Place and Carriage House assisted living facilities and the Central Health Care nursing home.

Smisek was surprised when the first two calls she got expressing thanks were from male residents,

happy that the flowers gave them something new to look at.

“It shows that people don’t have to spend $100 on a bouquet. A $1015 bouquet can make someone’s day, just as well as a $100 bouquet can,” said Smisek. “It’s just that little touch of something that you can do for somebody else.”

While the building is up for sale, Le Center Floral isn’t going anywhere soon. Smisek announced that she is committed to managing the shop un-

ed we really wanted to stay here and work with the people we have this long history with,” said Ann.

til a new buyer can be found and is willing to stay on for the first few months to help with the store’s transition to new ownership. Smisek further said she will personally arrange the flowers for all the weddings she has booked through 2024.

What’s next for Smisek?

The florist currently plans on letting go of the hefty responsibilities of small business ownership and picking up a job with a regular 40-hour work week.

“It’s bittersweet, be-

Reach

cause I have a job that I love, and I think it will be a happy moment if I find someone that continues it, because the last thing I want to do is close it. There’s a need for a flower and gift shop,” said Smisek. “If I find someone that’s going to love it, it’s going to be a happy moment. But when I have to leave, it’s going to be one of the hardest moments of my life.”

Reach Associate Editor Kristine Goodrich at 507-3333134 or kristine.goodrich@ apgsomn.

Evelyn & Lou Vintage has vintage clothes and toys.

Evelyn & Lou Vintage has vintage clothes and toys. Assistant Michelle Voelker helps get displays set up.

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