Progress 2017 Business

Minot Daily News SATURDAY, APRIL 15, 2017

Business

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ABOVE: The first McDonald’s opened in Minot in 1970, not far from the location where this McDonald’s is located on South Broadway today. The first McDonald’s had no drivethrough or inside seating.

LEFT: Burger King installed the first drivethrough fast food window in Minot in 1976. Public response was very high.

Although the franchise has undergone several changes, Burger King remains in business at the same South Broadway location today.

Photos by Kim Fundingsland/MDN

Fast advancements in fast food

I

By KIM FUNDINGSLAND

Staff Writer • kfundingsland@minotdailynews.com

It’s a business that just seems to get bigger and better every year. Today the demand for “fast food” has never been greater. The evolution of fast food restaurants in Minot was a boon for city residents in the early years and has become an absolute must in today’s fast moving society.

One of Minot’s first fast food franchises was King Leo’s Hamburgers. Hamburgers were a mere 13 cents. The citizens of Minot loved it!

There were a few other fast food operations that opened up in Minot in the early to mid-60s as well.

Henry’s Hamburgers sold 15cent burgers from a North Hill location. AutoDine opened a similar business on North Broadway. The fast food, or burger wars, was under way in the city.

McDonald’s opened up in Minot in 1970, not far from where the South Broadway McDonald’s is located today.

On March 22, 1976, Burger King opened for business on South Broadway in the same location they are today.

Burger King brought a new and popular twist to the fast food business – a drive-up window. It proved to be a big hit with the hungry crowd in Minot.

When McDonald’s first opened in Minot it had no drive-through and no seating, simply an inside counter where food was ordered, bagged and handed to the customer. But my oh my it was busy!

“It was one of the busiest McDonald’s in the entire region, which included places like Minneapolis and Des Moines,” said Mort Bank, Bismarck, who opened the franchise in Minot. “Minot did more in sales than most other locations in the region.

See FAST — Page 2

RRISING ISING AABOVE BOVE TRENDS TRENDS

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By ALLAN BLANKS • Staff Writer• ablanks@minotdailynews.com

Dakota Square Mall thrives after 37 years of service

Throughout Minot and across North Dakota, Dakota Square Mall has earned a stellar reputation as a family friendly destination.

From hosting Splashdown Dakota Super Slides, the largest indoor water park in the Midwest region, to providing holiday themed photo opportunities for families and pets by J.C. Penney, Dakota Square Mall is a thriving center for the Minot community that employs an estimated 800 people.

For 37 years, Dakota Square Mall has adjusted with the times by providing the latest trends while never losing sight of the needs of its community.

Chuck Massey, the general manager of Dakota Square Mall, expressed great excitement about the shopping experience at Dakota Square Mall.

“I think when people come in the mall, they are excited about the variety of retailers to choose from,” Massey said. “They can see everything from apparel retailers, locally owned boutiques, sporting goods, dining options and entertainment. It’s all encompassing and that’s what I believe people feel and

sense when they come into the mall.”

Iconic retailers such as Barnes & Nobles, Victoria’s Secret, Target, Sears and J.C. Penney are matched with up and coming retailers Ulta Beauty, KJ’s Fresh Market, Apricot Lane and Carter’s OshKosh B’gosh.

With so much retail success, Massey credits Dakota Square Mall owners CBL and Associates, for attracting popular retailers to the growing venue.

“CBL and Associates have been very proactive in developing relationships with retailers,” Massey said. “They want to attract retailers with strong reputations for customer service. The owners also believe it’s important to employ local residents who execute great customer service as well. A great example would be Scheels. Everyone recognizes this store for its consistent practice of excellent customer service skills.”

See MALL — Page 2

Submitted Photos

ABOVE: The community area of Dakota Square Mall is a place for shoppers to rest and take in the sights of jewelry stores, specialty vendors and pop-up shops.

TOP: Iconic retailers such as Target, Barnes & Nobles, Victoria’s Secret, Hallmark Gold Crown, Sears and J.C. Penney are matched with up and coming retailers Ulta Beauty, KJ’s Fresh Market, Apricot Lane and Carter’s OshKosh B’gosh at Dakota Square Mall.

Minot Daily News PROGRESS

Page 2

Saturday, April 15, 2017

T.J. MAXX OPENING IN MINOT

Bu si n ess

T.J. Maxx is scheduled to open in Minot in early May. The new store is located on the south side of KJ’s Fresh Market and north of Dakota Square Mall. TJX Companies Inc., a leading off-price retailer of apparel and home fashions in the U.S. and several countries, operates stores including T.J. Maxx and Marshalls, according to its website.

Eloise Ogden/MDN

Fast Continued from Page 1

Mall Continued from Page 1

Since 2012, CBL and Associates have owned Dakota Square Mall and according to Massey, their commitment to investing in the mall’s future remains strong.

“As long term owners, they have plans to continue working with retailers and create opportunities for future developments,” Massey said. “Part of their vision is to reinvent and redevelop this shopping mall.”

Established in 1980, Scheels has the unique distinction of being one of the founding stores of the expanding mall.

Known for providing toptier sporting goods in conjunction with highly sought after brands, shoppers continue to frequent the popular establishment.

For shoppers who prefer indoor adventures, retailers such as GameStop, Gorilla Games and AMC Dakota Square 9 formerly known as Carmike Cinemas Stadium 9.

During 2016, Carmike Cinemas Stadium 9 transitioned to AMC Dakota Square 9. Although the name of the movie theater has changed, Massey said the high quality service and popular demand remains the same.

“Our movie theater is a staple in the community,” Massey said. “It’s one of the most popular destinations in the entire northwestern part of the state. Not only is it popular in the winter time when it’s cold and there’s not much to do, it also maintains its popularity all year. From first dates to families coming together to enjoy their favorite films, the movie theater remains a great place to go.”

Kim Fundingsland/MDN

This building on North Broadway was once the home of AutoDine, one of the early fast food businesses in Minot. It has housed numerous businesses throughout the years, including Dave’s Barber Shop and Pac N’ Ship. food was in the glory years and really growing.”

Prices were incredibly low by today’s standards. In 1976 Burger King’s signature sandwich, the Whopper, was just 59 cents. Regular hamburgers were 15 cents. Cheeseburgers a nickel more. Of course, French fries were on all fast food menus.

“We also had onion rings, still do,” said Hummel.

“That’s one of the things that we were known for.”

South Broadway was fast becoming a magnet for those seeking fast food. King Leo’s eventually gave way to Rax Roast Beef. Arby’s is at that location today. Broadway was known only as Highway 83 in the 1960s. Later improvements to the roadway enhanced Minot’s “burger row.”

“A big factor in the fast food business was the Minot Air Force Base,” said Bank.

“We could tell when it was base payday. They came to town to shop and eat at McDonald’s.”

Mike Kelly, Minot, worked for Burger King in Florida before coming to Minot in 1976 with the new Hardees.

“Burgers were 39 cents and a deluxe was $1.09,” said Kelly.

Hardee’s occupied the location where Henry’s Hamburgers had flourished for several years. Later it became the Green Lantern restaurant.

Today Tim Horton’s and Qdoba occupy the same spot.

“The big changes have been in technology. That’s been the key to quicker service and better controls,” said Kelly. “Everyone has a mobile app to order food and pick it up. That’s the biggest thing I see. Everybody has a debit card or credit card. It’s swipe and go.”

Kelly says the success of fast food is tied to corporate names that have become familiar with customers no matter where they are. Customers know what to expect from well known franchises anywhere.

“The corporate name, the advertising, people not familiar with an area knew what they were going to get,” said Kelly. “The food tastes the same today as it did in 1976.”

The advancements in fast food in Minot were not only popular with customers but also had a much greater

As malls across the U.S. struggle to keep their stores open, Massey along with CBL and Associates are bucking this trend.

While keeping an eye on the future and their ears toward customer demand, Dakota Square Mall is making critical moves that continue to create employment for residents and expand retail opportunities for shoppers.

“One of the biggest trends we’re seeing in the last 30 years includes pop-up stores,” Massey said. “This gives unique retailers an opportunity to try some short term stores at the mall while creating some urgency for their product and introduce customers to something new. A good example of that would be Jax & Henley, they’ve done a terrific job at bringing needed products to the community that other retailers are not carrying. Their designer handbags have been well received.”

Established in 2016, Jax & Henley is becoming the hotspot for glamorous and affordable handbags.

Inside the newly opened store are designer brands by Michael Kors, Louis Vuitton, Coach, Tory Burch and numerous other brands.

In addition to the success of pop-up shops are the popular vendors.

As patrons stroll across the common areas, they can purchase customized T-shirts and cookware, specialty swords and martial arts paraphernalia along with a variety of fragrances and accessories.

“Vendors offer customers a very focused and unique opportunity for different products,” Massey said. “They create a lot of interest and variety that keeps the shopping experience fresh and exciting.”

Another exciting addition to Dakota Square Mall is the introduction of KJ’s Fresh Market.

Featuring the combination of organic, natural and clean label food, KJ’s Fresh Market puts an emphasis on locally grown produce.

In conjunction with KJ’s Fresh Market is Bruno’s Pizza, the newest addition to Dakota Square Mall’s food court.

“The food court is a huge draw and popular attraction of the mall,” Massey said. “We seat nearly 400 visitors and sometimes there’s not enough seats, especially during the weekends. Our goal is to provide a wide variety of food products. The newest member of our food court is the retailer Bruno’s Pizza. They’ve done a terrific job.”

Providing a menu of salads, pasta and desserts, Bruno’s Pizza continues to win over shoppers with their award winning pizza and calzones.

As Dakota Square Mall continues to evolve, Massey alongside CBL and Associates have plans to maintain its devotion to Minot-area families and community causes.

“Families really enjoy our Easter photo program, which is located within our mall court just outside of J.C. Penney,” Massey said. “We also try to do unique things such as ‘Pet Photo Night.’ To solidify our sense of community, we’ve worked to create educational opportunities with Minot State University and develop partnerships with Trinity Health and local animal shelters. At all times of the year, we’re always looking for ways to increase community participation.”

To learn more about Dakota Square Mall, visit online at www.shopdakotasquare.com.

reach. Hummel recalls a working visit from Herman Cain, the same Herman Cain who would later become a presidential candidate.

“He spent three days working at the Burger King here in Minot,” said Hummel. “He was being fasttracked to become a CEO and was in Minot so he could understand the business. That was in the late ‘80s. He became the president of Godfather’s Pizza.”

Most fast food restaurants have been able to avoid the expected ups and downs in the business world. In fact, many are more popular than ever as they have changed with the times and discovered more and more ways to meet the wants and needs of

predict, but one thing already being experimented with is kiosks where customers choose what items they want, insert a debit or credit card and pick up their order at the counter.

“What’s happening is an effort to reduce labor and keep costs down,” said Kelly.

“You can’t control increases in product costs at the other end.”

Another aspect to the prepared food industry is the introduction of the concept of “fast casual” restaurants. An example of fast casual is Five Guys Burgers and Fries. They have no drive-through, no national advertising and make food when ordered from fresh ingredients as opposed to frozen hamburger patties and fries used by most fast food operations. It is another option for consumers to consider when hunger pangs occur.

Minot’s fast food expansion through the years has included hamburgers, chicken, tacos, submarine sandwiches and other notable changes such as Dairy Queen’s “Chill and Grill.” All have evolved to meet the demand of hungry consumers in an increasingly busy world. It is a certainty that there will be more changes to fast food in the years ahead and that Minot’s fast food businesses will meet the challenge.

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It was always in the top five and sometimes number one.”

Don Hummel of Minot got his introduction to the fast food business by working at King Leo’s in 1969. In the fall of 1970, despite a reduction in pay from $1.25 an hour to $1.20, he switched to McDonald’s.

“That was where Dakota Bank is now,” said Hummel.

“Within two years McDonald’s required them to put in seating but there was still no drive-through.”

In 1976 Hummel became a partner for a new fast food franchise – Burger King.

“That’s when the first hamburger drive-through came to Minot,” said Hummel. “McDowell’s Big Boy was sort of the forerunner of drive-throughs.”

McDowell’s was located where Kentucky Fried Chicken is located on South Broadway today. Other early fast food spots in Minot during that era were the popular Daddy-O on West Fourth Avenue, later Glady’s Place; and The Keg located on what is part of the parking lot for Corbett Field across from Roosevelt Park, and A&W on South Broadway.

A few years after Burger King became well established more fast food franchises targeted Minot. In 1979 both Wendy’s Hamburgers and Hardee’s opened for business. Wendy’s remains at their initial location. Hardee’s first Minot store was located on North Hill. Later a second location was added at the southwest corner of the Kmart parking lot.

“That was a little bit nerve wracking for me,” recalled Hummel. “It was some added competition all at once. Fast

customers.

“There hasn’t been a lot of casualties as far as going out of business,” said Bank. “People are in a hurry and don’t always have the time to sit down and have someone wait on them. The drivethrough revolutionized the fast food industry.”

Drive-throughs initially accounted for about 20 percent of the fast food restaurant business.

Today drive-throughs account for 60 to 70 percent. Breakfast menus provided another huge boost for fast food.

“That was a really smart move. It allows us to use our facility for longer periods,” said Hummel. “McDonald’s was the leader and we were second.”

The “double drivethough” can be found at most fast food restaurants today, another indicator of changes designed to meet the demand of customers. As the popularity of drive-through windows increases there has been a corresponding downsizing of seating areas.

“Dining rooms are now a third of the size they used to be,” said Bank. “That’s because of the popularity of drive-throughs and that the food is good. The menu has changed as people have become more health conscious.

There’s salads now.”

What the next evolution of fast food will be is hard to

Saturday, April 15, 2017

Page 3

Minot Daily News PROGRESS

Business

Minot Area Chamber of Commerce To our 728 member: Thank you for all you do to make Minot’s business community and the City of Minot strong! Check out our website at www.minotchamber.org and learn more about our mission.

1st Minot Management 2nd Story Minot Social Club for Exceptional Persons, Inc. 52 West Trading Company A & B Tours, LLC A & R Roofing A-1 Septic Tank Service Aaron's Sales & Lease Ownership Mr. Lynn Aas Accounting Solutions Ackerman Surveying & Associates Ackerman-Estvold Acme Tools Advanced Business Methods Ae2s (Advanced Engineering & Environmental Services) Aeroport Hobby Shoppe Affinity First Federal Credit Union AFLAC-Cassie Loard Aggregate Construction Inc. AGT Foods Ahern Rentals & Sales Alamo/National Car Rental Albertson Consulting, Inc. All America City Glass All American Trophies & Screen Printing All Saints' Episcopal Church Alliance Real Estate All-State Contracting Allstate Insurance Company,The Kim Albert Agency Alternative Health Solutions American Bank Center American Cabling Solutions American Cancer Society American Family Agency American Legion American Truck & Trailer Ameripride Linen & Apparel Services Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc. Anchor Realty & Management, Inc. Anderson, Wade & Whitty, PC Anne Carlsen Center Anytime Fitness API Bakken Chapter Applebee's Neighborhood Grill & Bar Arrowhead Ace Hardware Artco Promotional Products, Inc Artistic Floors & Lights, Inc. Ask Performance & Fitness, Inc. AT & T Wireless ATA Martial Arts Automated Maintenance Services Inc. Avis Rent A Car-Meier & Company Badlands Grill House & Saloon Badlands Power Fuels, LLC dba Nuverra Bank of North Dakota Batteries Plus Bulbs Baymont Inn & Suites Behm Energy BeMobile Dawn Berg Best Western Kelly Inn Beyond Shelter, Inc. BHG-Northern Sentry Bishop Ryan Catholic School Black Butte Communications and Consulting Blue Cross Blue Shield Boot Barn Boppre Law Firm Border States Electric Supply Boston's Plumbing & Heating Bourgault Industries, LTD Boy Scouts of America-Northern Lights Council Brady Martz & Associates, P.C. Braun Intertec Corporation Bray's Saddlery Bremer Bank Brite-Way Window Cleaning, Inc. Broadway Bean and Bagel Co. Broadway Family Dentistry Brock White Brokers “12” Real Estate Brookdale Brentmoor Brown & Saenger Buffalo Wild Wings Buffalo Wings & Rings Randy Burckhard, State Senator Burdick Job Corps Center Burger King Burlington Northern Santa Fe C&C Plumbing & Heating/Miller Sheet Metal Cal-Dak Cabinets, Inc Mr. Dean Caldwell Candlewood Suites Capital Financial Holdings, Inc. Capital RV Center Captain's Cove Cash Wise Foods Cellular Communications, Inc. Central Dakota Forensic Nurse Examiners Central Dakota Human Resource Association Central Machining & Pump Repair Inc. Central Michigan University Central Power Electric Coop., Inc. Century 21 Action Realtors, Inc. Century Eyewear CHI St. Alexius Medical Clinic Chippewa Resources Incorporated ChiroCare Family Center, P.C. Chiropractic Arts Clinic, P.C. Chiropractic Health & Wellness CHS SunPrairie Circle Sanitation, Inc. Classified Directories Clean Harbors Environmental Services Clean Tech Clute Office Equipment Coca-Cola Bottling Company High Country Cognizant Coldwell Banker/1st Minot Realty Cole Papers Comfort Inn Comfort Suites Command Center, Inc. Commercial Glass Systems Community Action Partnership-Minot Region Community Options, Inc. Companions for Children, Inc. CompuTech, Inc. The Computer Store, Inc. Concrete Mobile, LLC Congregational United Church of Christ Conlin's Furniture Connole & Somerville Plumbing, Heating & A/C Inc. General Scrap Inc, Continental Metal Products & Dakota Pipe & Steel Cookies For You, Inc. Cool Fish Services Inc. Copperhead Corporation CornerStone Chiropractic Cornerstone Mortgage Coughlin Construction & Development Country Financial Country Inn & Suites Craft Builders Inc. Creative Cabinetry Creative Printing Creedence Energy Service Cricket Wireless CTS Properties, LLC Culligan Water Conditioning Cummins NPower, LLC Curb 2 Curb LLC Dacotah Bank Dae Udder Place Dairy Queen West Dakota Agronomy Partners Dakota Baptist Church Dakota Boys and Girls Ranch Dakota Boys and Girls Ranch Thrift Store Dakota CDC Dakota College at Bottineau Dakota Concrete Construction Dakota Dental Health Center Dakota Fence Dakota Fire Extinguishers, Inc. Dakota Fluid Power/Prairie Truck Equipment Inc. Dakota Hope Clinic Dakota Inn Dakota Kids Dentistry Dakota Midland Grain, LLC Dakota Outdoor Advertising Dakota Square Dental Dakota Square Mall Dakota Stone & Granite Dakota Supply Group Dakota Tax & Accounting, Inc. Dakotah Rose Bed & Breakfast Dakotah Rose Delights Dale Carnegie Business Group/Eide Bailly LLP Days Inn Dean Foods/Land O'Lakes Delta Vacations Denny's Restaurant Designs on Broadway, Inc. Dickey's Barbecue Pit

Digital Office Centre Domestic Violence Crisis Center, Inc. Domino's Don Bessette Motors, Inc. Donovan Insurance Agency Dufner Construction, Inc. Eagles Wings Community Fellowship EAPC Architects Engineers Easter Seals Goodwill of ND, Inc. Ebeneezer's Eatery & Irish Pub Edgewood Minot Senior Living, LLC Brenda Cook - Edward Jones Mark Kohlman - Edward Jones Tom Miller - Edward Johns Ginger Neshem Quam - Edward Jones Dean Rubbelke - Edward Jones Jessie Seideman – Edward Jones Darin Scherr – Edward Jones Greg Tschetter - Edward Jones Mr. Jerry S. Effertz El Azteca Elevation Restaurant Elite Real Estate Elwood Staffing Embry – Riddle Aeronautical University Employer Support of the Guard & Reserve (ESGR) Enbridge Pipelines (North Dakota) LLC Enerbase Cooperative Resources Epitome Coaching and Consulting Esoterica Mr. Alan Estvold Evolution Salon Excavating Inc. EZ PARK Fairfield Inn by Marriott – Minot Faith United Methodist Church Fargo Glass & Paint Co. Farm Credit Services of North Dakota, ACA Farmers Insurance Latendresse Agency Farmers Union Ins/Marquardt Heilman Agency Farstad Oil Inc. Fast Positivity Life Coaching Fastlane Car Wash Federal Express FedEx Office Fiancee' Fiberglass Specialties Fire Extinguishing Systems Inc. Firehouse Subs First Assembly of God Church First Baptist Church First Choice Physical Therapy, Inc. First Command Financial Services First International Bank & Trust First International Insurance First Western Bank & Trust First Western Insurance Flower Box, Inc. Flower Central The Flower House Garden Center FMC Technologies Completion Services Food Management Investors, Inc. Food Services of America Forward Communication, Inc. 4 Bears Casino and Lodge Freedom Financial Group Mrs. Pat Gagnon Gate City Bank Gateway Building Systems, Inc. GCR Tire Center GEM Federal Credit Union Girl Scouts Dakota Horizons Glass Doctor Global Commodity LLC Goldstars Chem-Dry Gooseneck Implement Gourmet Chef, Inc. Graham Construction Services Grainger Grand Hotel Gratech Company LLC Gravel Products Greater Northwest Publishing, Inc. Ground Round Grow With Me Gutter Topper of North Dakota Team Resources Inc.-dba H & R Block Habitat for Humanity – Northern Lights Hampton Inn & Suites Minot Airport Hanson-Maves Co / Bekins Van Lines Harley's Arrowhead Harry's Tire Service/Dakota Truck & Farm Service Hartland Mutual Insurance Hatfield, Wass and Associates HD Supply Waterworks Headquarters Styling Salon HealthSource Chiropractic Heartland Ag Showcase Heartland Payment System Hedahl's Parts Plus U.S. Senator Heidi Heitkamp Helgeson-Norton Agency, CLU Inc. Heritage Baptist Church Heritage Insurance Services Hess Corporation HighAir Ground Hight Construction LLC U.S. Senator John Hoeven Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites Holiday Inn Riverside and Convention Center The Home Depot Home of Economy Home Sweet Home Homesteaders Restaurant Hometown Elegance Horace Mann Hostfest - Heritage Foundation Houston Engineering, Inc. Mr. Darrel Hovde Howard & Associates, P.C. Huettl Consulting, Ltd Humphrey Law Office, P.C. Hyatt House – Minot ICON Architectural Group iHeart Media iMagicon Independence, Inc. Indigo Signworks Inspired Interiors Integrity Viking Funds Interiors Plus Intervention Energy, LLC Investors Mgmt. & Marketing, Inc. IRET IRET Properties iWerx Media The JBRL Group – Merrill Lynch Wealth Management Jeff Stremick – Signal Realtors Jerome's Collsion Center JL Beers JLG Architects Joan's Hallmark Shop Jobbers Moving & Storage Company Johnson Eyecare P.C. Jerome C. Jorgenson, CPA Jost Masonry Construction, Inc. Kalix Karl's TV, Appliance and Furniture I Keating, Inc. Furniture World Keller Paving Kemmet Dental Design Kemper Construction Co. Kenmare Housing Corporation KeyCare Medical Kiwanis Club of Minot KK Bold KLJ KMCY-TV-ABC KMOT-TV, Channel 10 Knowles Jewelry of Minot Kopper Creek Building Blake Krabseth Comedian/Magician Karen K. Krebsbach, State Senator Krill Appraisal Services KXMC CBS13 Lafarge Dakota, Inc. I.F. LaFleur & Sons Landing Bar & Bottle Shop Dr. Tyrone O. Langager Larson Law Firm, P.C. Dr. Lowell Latimer Judge Gary Lee Lee's Hallmark Leingang Home Center Liberty Business Systems, Inc. Liechty Homes Lien's Jewelry Longhorn Steakhouse Lowe's Garden, Inc. Lowe's Printing Lulu Lane Lutheran Social Services of ND Mac's, Inc.

Magic City Apartment Association Magic City Beverage Magic City Courier Magic City Discovery Center Magic City Financial Group, L.P. Magic City Garage Door & Awning Magic City Harley-Davidson-Minot Main Electric Construction, Inc. Mainstream Boutique Mainstream Investors, LLC Maintenance Plus Inc. Make-A-Wish Marco Margie's Art Glass Studio Market Pharmacy Marketplace Foods Mary Me Bridal & Formal Wear, Inc. Material Testing Services LLC/National Home & Building Inspections Mattress Firm Mattson Construction Co. Judge Douglas Mattson Maxson Law Office, P.C. Mayer Electric McDonald's Restaurant of Minot McGee, Hankla & Backes P.C. McGough Construction McLean Electric Cooperative Menards Mercer Engineering P.C. Mi Mexico Microtel Inn & Suites Midco Mindt Construction Minot Aero Center Minot AFB Homes Minot Air Force Base Minot Area Community Foundation Minot Area Council of the Arts Minot Area Development Corporation Minot Area Homeless Coalition Minot Association of Builders Minot Automotive Center Minot Builders Supply City of Minot Minot Commission on Aging, Inc. Minot Country Club Minot Daily News Minot Downtown Business & Professional Association Minot Electric Minot Health & Rehab Minot Hockey Boosters Minot Housing Authority Minot Lumber & Hardware, Inc. Minot Milling Minot Multiple Listing Service Minot Park District Minot Paving Co., Inc. Minot Plumbing & Heating Co. Minot Public Library Minot Public School District #1 Minot Public School Foundation Minot Sash & Door Inc. Minot State University Minot Symphony Association Minot Veterinary Clinic Inc. Minot Welding Company Minot Winnelson Co. Minot's Finest Collision Center Miracle-Ear Monarch Products Company Monson Dental Center Montana Dakota Utilities Company Montessori of Minot Moore Engineering, Inc. Morelli's Distributing Mouse River Players Community Theatre Mowbray & Son Plumbing & Heating, Inc. MSI Service & Solutions Murphy Motors Next to New, Inc. Muus Lumber and Hardware Mr. Richard Muus MWH Americas My Place Hotel ND Asia ND Division of Vocational Rehabilitation New Testament Baptist Church New York Life Insurance Co. - Betty Lewis CLU NewKota Services & Rentals Newman Outdoor Advertising NextHome Legendary Properties Niess Impressions Nite Train Pizza Noble Inn Nodak Mutual Insurance Company – Kelsey Holt Nola's Lounge Norsk Hostfest Association North Central Human Service Center North Central Research Extension Center North Coast Sanitation, LLC North Country Mercantile North Country Sportswear/School & Office Supply North Dakota Army National Guard North Dakota Envelope Co. North Dakota Guaranty & Tile Co. North Dakota Living North Dakota Port Services, Inc. North Dakota Safety Council North Dakota Society of CPA's North Dakota State Fair North Highlands Apartments North Hill Bowl, Inc. North Prairie Rural Water District North Star Community Credit Union North Winds Truck Accessories Northern Bottling Northern Brake Service Northern Plains Children's Advocacy Center Northern Plains Equipment Northern Tier Federal Credit Union Northland Bus Service, Inc. Northland Community Health Center Northland PACE Northstar Steel Inc. Northwest Building Improvement Northwest Contracting Northwest Projector Northwest Tire & Auto Service Northwestern Electric, Inc. Northwestern Mutual Financial Network The OBASA Group – Silver Springs Development, Inc. O'Day Equipment, Inc. Odney Off Broadway Laundromat Off the Vine, LLC Olson & Burn, P.C. Olson Family Dental Our Redeemer's Christian School Outback Autobody, Inc. Overhead Door Company of Minot Papa Murphy's Take 'N' Bake Pizza Paradise Spas & Motorsports Park South Holdings, LLC Park University Party City PATH ND, Inc. People of Earth Matter Peoples State Bank of Velva Perkins Restaurant & Bakery Pinkerton Animal Hospital Pinnacle Financial Group Pizza Ranch Pour House, LLC The Prairie Bistro Prairie Engineering, P.C. Prairie Federal Credit Union Prairie Supply PRAXAIR Distribution, Inc. Preferred Travel Inc. Premier Chiropractic Pringle & Herigstad, P.C. Probitas Promotions PROCollect Services LLC Professional Answering Service, Inc. Professional Hearing Services ProIT PUMPCO Energy Services Pure Honda Pursuit of Happiness, LLC Quality Health Associates of North Dakota Quality Landscaping, Inc. R & K Contractors, Inc. Rainbow Photo Lab, Inc. Mark B. Rasmuson – Rasmuson Law Office Raymond James Financial Services Hayhurst & Erickson Financial Advisors LLC Raymond James Financial Services, Inc. - Rob Dick RDO Equipment Co. Ready Builders, Inc. Real Builders, Inc. American Red Cross Mid-Dakota Chapter Red Deer Ironworks Refrigeration Equipment, Inc.

Rehab Services, Inc. Reiter Oil & Gas, Inc. Ressler Lawn Care & Snow Removal Riddles Jewelry Ringoen Financial Group Ritter Family Dentistry Rockin' Horse Rodan & Fields Team Clock Roger Ward North American Rolac Contracting Ron Lowman Motors Ron's Transmission & Auto Repair Roosevelt Park Zoo/Minot Zoo Crew Roosevelt Plaza Rotary Club of Minot Roughrider Campground Ryan Chevrolet Ryan GMC/Buick/Cadillac Ryan Honda of Minot Ryan Nissan Salon 18 Sammy's Pizza Pasta & Chicken Sanford Health Sanford Health HealthCare Accessories Satori Skin & Body Center Satrom Travel Schatz Crossroads Truck Stop Minot Dakota Square Scheels Scherr's Cabinet & Doors, Inc. Schock's Safe & Lock Miranda Schuler Agency – Farmer's Insurance SCORE Chapter of Minot SecurScreen Sertoma Club of Minot Servpro Sevens Bar & Restaurant Sherwin-Williams Company Shoe Carnival Sierra Inn Minot Signal Management Corp. - SMC Signal Realtors Signs Today Inc. Mr. Greg Simonson Simonson's Station Stores Sleep Inn & Suites Slumberland/Tollesfson's Carpetland/Carpet Garage U.S. Small Business Administration Small Business Development Center Smith Farms, LTD Snap Fitness Soltis Sportswear Jim & Vicki Soltis Mr. Dean Somerville Sons of Norway SOS Image Souris River Designs & Home Improvements Souris Valley Animal Shelter Souris Valley Apartments Souris Valley Dental Group Souris Valley Ready Mix SpartanNash Spicy Pie MSU Sport Clips SRF Consulting Group, Inc. SRT Communications, Inc. St. Joseph's Community Health Foundation Staples, Inc. Star City Golf Course The Starving Rooster Jessica Aardahl – State Farm Insurance Michael E Braun – State Farm Insurance Kellie Thorman – State Farm Insurance State Farm Insurance – Paul Siebert Staybridge Suites Sterling Optical Mr. John Stewart Stone Crafters, Inc. Stonebridge Farms of Minot Strata Corporation, Construction Division Strata Corporation, Ready Mix Division Strengthen ND Ms. Lila Striefel Sublime Aesthetic Professionals Subway Success Depot LLC Sundre Sand & Gravel, Inc. Super 8 Motel Superior Auto Repair Superpumper, Inc. SureID, Inc. Swanston Equipment Companies Swenson RV & Equipment Synergy Medical Massage Taco John's Taney Engineering Target Lillian & Coleman Taube Museum of Art Taylor Motors, Inc. Tecta America Dakotas Terhorst Manufacturing Terracon Consultants Thomas Family Funeral Homes Thompson Larson Funeral Home Thorsrud Supply Co., Inc. Thrivent Financial Tires Only Tires Plus Total Car Care Titan Machinery TJ Maxx Mr. Duane Tollefson Top Notch Travel dba Graff Travel Town & Country Center Town & Country Credit Union Town & Country Insurance Agency, LLC TrainND Northwest TriMedia Environmental & Engineering Svcs Trinity Health Trinity Homes Trinity Mental Health Services TSC Farm Home Auto Store Tuff Trucks UCP Personnel Services Unitah Engineering & Land Surveying Ulteig United Blood Services United Community Bank of ND United Malling Services Inc. United Rentals Souris Valley United Way The UPS Store US Bank Vallely Sport & Marine Val's Cyclery, Inc. Vardon Golf Club The Vegas Motel & Casino City of Velva Verendrye Electric Cooperative Veterans of Foreign Wars Viall Insurance Agency – Colonial Life & Ameritas Vibeto Orthodontics The View on Elk Drive The Village Family Service Center Vision Source – Minot Vision Systems Visit Minot Visiting Angels Vivint, Inc. Wallwork Truck Center Wal-Mart Super Center Ward County Ward Warehousing & Distribution Co. Waste Management of ND – Minot Watne Realtors Waxing the City The Welcome Table The Wellington Assisted Living Wellness Images Wells Fargo Wendy's West Dakota Fox Minot West Oaks Animal Hospital Western Agency Inc. Western Steel & Plumbing Westlie Motor Co. WGO/Zoo/Sunny Radio White Drug Wilbur Ellis Company Wildwood Golf Course Winston-Noble Adjustment Co. Wold Engineering, P.C. The WriteDesign The Wyatt Apartments Xcel Energy Minot Family YMCA YWCA of Minot Zaback Roise Wealth Management Zaderaka Transport, Inc. Zarr Financial Services Mr. Terry Zeltinger

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Minot Daily News PROGRESS

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Saturday, April 15, 2017

Creating Good becoming better in downtown Minot resilience

By JILL SCHRAMM • Senior Staff Writer • jschramm@minotdailynews.com

In the 1980s when new malls were luring businesses and shoppers, downtown districts declined as a hub of activity. In Minot, it was a gradual, extended process of decline, but some believe a corner has been turned.

“People are coming back to downtown,” said Roger Reich, president of the Minot Downtown Business & Professional Association.

It’s not the big department stores or national chains that are interested again in downtowns, though. Downtown is returning to the mom-and pop-stores and professional offices that would have been common in the community’s early history.

Resurgence of downtowns is a national phenomena. In communities from Chicago to Fargo, there are efforts to make downtown the focus, because if the downtown is resilient, the rest of the community will be resilient, Reich said.

“I think Minot is doing that,” he said. “Business owners have a great partnership with the city on that. The city is really focused on helping us make it a vibrant community downtown.”

Through its National Disaster Resilience Program, Minot is planning a downtown gathering space. Reich said the desire is not just to have a grassed area but to have a park with a pavilion or amphitheater, picnic areas and recreation, all of which connects with walking paths to other parks in the city.

The recent completion of two parking ramps adds another new feature to downtown. Although the construction history was troubled, the ramps are an asset now that they are in use, Reich said. A three-year downtown infrastructure improvement project that finishes this year also has been difficult for businesses because of the interruption to traffic, but it will be an asset when the streets and utility work are completed, he said.

Businesses are doing their part in making their storefronts attractive, Reich added. There also are downtown supporters determined to keep the central business district thriving. When Wells Fargo moved out of its downtown headquarters, others stepped in to make use of the building.

Chris Lindbo, a downtown property owner, was involved in bringing the concept of collaborative workspace to the Wells Fargo building with the opening of Success Depot last summer.

Lindbo said the infrastructure construction has slowed interest in sales of downtown buildings, but that interest is expected to increase again once the construction is done. He said he remains

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here. It’s very centrally located for our volunteers who go out and do the Meals on Wheels program.

We use our big space for community events. It makes sense to be down here,” Reich said.

The Parker Center offers upper level residences, as do a number of downtown buildings. From the inception of downtown Minot, housing above the shops was a feature of life. Downtown housing never went away but it has seen a resurgence among residents who want access to downtown for convenience or the lifestyle.

“Whether it’s young people or older people who have sold their homes, they want a smaller footprint,” Reich said.

Some of Minot’s downtown attention recently has turned to keeping Trinity Health properties vital when the day comes that Trinity moves the bulk of its operations to a new location.

Other attention is focused on making the downtown A historic fountain stands near an intersecattractive today. tion in downtown Minot. Re-installed after “The downtown has tried very, very hard, focusthe Main Street reconstruction in 2016, the ing on different events, not fountain is plumbed for water in the summer. only for adults but for kids,” Photo by Jill Schramm Reich said. interested in downtown properties because he Stores offer workshops and events, includfeels the downtown has a positive future. ing free events that allow merchants to give back “Part of it is faith. But there’s also a part of it to the community, he said. This summer, the that looked at other cities that went through the downtown association is partnering with Visit same thing,” he said. “Every city that was revi- Minot, Minot Park District, Minot Recreation talized went through exactly what we are going Department and other groups to host summer through.” olympic games that will encompass the entire Reich, who is executive director for the city.

Minot Commission on Aging, said the commisFor Reich, downtown Minot is in a good sion looked at whether it wanted to continue to place but there’s opportunity to move into an be in downtown Minot when it planned its even better place. soon-to-be-finished space remodeling at the “I am very positive about where the downParker Center. town is, where the community is. I think we are “Did it make sense to be in the center of the in a good spot,” he said. “I think we are there, city? I think it makes perfect sense for us to be and I think we can get better all the time.”

Saturday, April 15, 2017

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Corps turned over ‘key’ to Minot AFB 60 years ago

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Base important part of national defense

By ELOISE OGDEN • Regional Editor • eogden@minotdailynews.com

MINOT AIR FORCE BASE – Sixty years ago the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers turned the “key” to Minot Air Force Base over to Maj. Joe Roberts, the first base commander.

“It wasn’t much of a ceremony when Maj. Joe E. Robert, acting base commander, started moving his operations from temporary quarters in the Chamber of Commerce (in Minot) to the base but to commemorate the occasion Lt. Col. T.W. Roe, area engineer for the Corps of Engineers, presented Maj. Roberts a large cardboard “key” to the base,” the Minot Daily News reported in its Feb. 16, 1957, edition.

Roberts and a noncommissioned officer were the first two Air Force members to arrive at the base.

Minot AFB initially was developed as an air defense command and that same year, 1957, the first unit at Minot AFB, the 32nd Fighter Group along with the 32nd Materiel Squadron and 32nd Air Base Squadron were activated.

Two years earlier on July 12, 1955, an official groundbreaking ceremony was held for the new base and later that year, the first portions of land for the base were purchased.

Minot AFB was off to a running start – as far as construction.

By September 1956, the base already had some of the basics completed or being constructed. Dormitories, mess hall (dining hall), hangars, noncommissioned officers club, chapel, gymnasium, heating plant and six-story control operations tower, concrete parking aprons, taxi strips and a mammoth runway being enlarged from 8,100 to 13,200 feet in length were among the projects.

Owen Brenden of Minot was an engineer at Minot AFB from 1962 until his retirement in 1987. When the base paper did a story about Brenden for his retirement, the writer said Brenden “is as much a part of Minot AFB’s history as the ICBM or the B-52.” Brenden began working at the base only a year or so after it was activated. He was the second civilian engineer assigned to the base. He became the base’s chief engineer in 1962 and continued until his retirement.

During his years at the base he saw many construction projects completed.

‘Spy planes’ at Minot AFB

It wasn’t long after the base was activated that aircraft began to arrive.

Before any other aircraft was assigned to the base the famous U-2 “spy planes,” arrived. The U-2s and personnel came to the base in the late 1950s for a special project called “Operation Crowflight.”

The Minot Crowflight unit was based out of Laughlin AFB near Del Rio, Texas, and temporarily assigned to Minot AFB. Retired Air Force Tech. Sgt. Glenn R. Chapman of Tucson, Ariz., was at the Minot base with the U-2 unit from January to March 1960 as a camera repairman.

He told the Minot Daily News in a story published in December 2002, “Our mission, although highly top secret at that time, was to sample for upper air radioactivity.” He said samples were collected to determine how much radioactive fallout was in the atmosphere.

He said they also had operating locations in Puerto Rico, Argentina, Australia, Alaska, Panama and other places. “The idea was to sample air at altitudes of 70,000 feet plus from the North Pole to the South Pole,” Chapman said.

In a book Chapman wrote about being with the unit, he said the U-2 operations were top secret until 1960 after pilot Francis Gary Powers went down in his plane over the Soviet Union.

Minot Daily News files show the U-2s were at the base from September 1958 to May 1960 but Operation Crowflight went on until the late 1990s.

MDN File Photo

ABOVE: Minot Air Force Base was only two years into construction when this photo was taken in May 1957. The official groundbreaking for the base was held two years earlier on July 12, 1955.

Tankers 1st permanent aircraft

Submitted Photo

ABOVE: From the left, Senior Airman Allan Jungst and Staff Sgt. Alex Yount, 5th Maintenance Squadron crew chiefs, install an About four years after upper wrap cowling at Minot Air Force Base, Minot Air Force base “opened March 20, shown in this photo by Airman for business,” the first plane to 1st Class Jonathan McElderry.

be permanently assigned to the base arrived on Sept. 23, 1959 – a Boeing KC-135 stratotanker called “Miss Minot.”

The first F-106 Delta Dart followed on Feb. 4, 1960. The 5th Fighter Interceptor Squadron was assigned to the base. Minot became a true fighter base.

Two Kaman HH-43 Huskie helicopters arrived in August 1960 for permanent assignment at the base.

About 16 months later on July 16, 1961, the first B-52H bomber arrived.

Maj. Clyde Evely was the commander of the crew flying that first B-52 to Minot AFB that day. North Dakota Gov. William L. Guy and Air Force Col. Harold Radetsky, then commander of the 4136th Strategic Wing at Minot AFB, accompanied Evely and the aircrew on the last leg of the flight to the Minot base where an open house called “Peace Persuader Day” was held. The plane was christened “Peace Persuader.”

Clyde P. Evely Jr., of Catawba, Va., told the Minot Daily News in an interview in 2011, it was an honor for his father to bring the first B-52 to Minot AFB. “He had a lot of respect for the B-52,” Evely Jr. said.

About a year later, in 1962, Evely headed a crew that gained notoriety in another B52. Operation Persian Rug, a B52 flight halfway around the world from Okinawa, Japan, to Madrid, Spain – 12,219 miles – without refueling. They set a distance flight and other records.

With a variety of aircraft in place at Minot AFB – fighters, bombers, tankers, jet trainers, C-47 cargo planes and helicopters, now the base would take another step, this time into the intercontinental ballistic missile world.

Minuteman ICBMs

Construction began on Jan. 12, 1962, on the new Minuteman I intercontinental ballistic missile complex covering several counties in northwest and north central North Dakota.

By April 1964 all 150 missiles were in place and ready to go, if needed.

A few years later a change would come to the missile field when the Minuteman I ICBMs were replaced by the Minuteman III ICBMs, the current missiles in the Minot missile field. The 741st Strategic Missile Squadron became the first operational Minuteman III squadron.

Countless other changes have taken place at the base over the following years.

The Bell HH-1H helicopters arrived at the base in January 1980 to replace the previous fleet.

The 5th Fighter Interceptor Squadron converted from the F-106 to F-15s in the mid1980s, and in 1988, the See AFB — Page 6

MDN File Photo

President John F. Kennedy congratulated Minot Air Force Base’s B-52 crew after their record-setting Persian Rug flight in January 1962.

The flight halfway around the world from Okinawa, Japan, to Madrid, Spain – 12,219 miles – without refueling set a distance flight record and other records. B-52s arrived at the Minot base the previous year – 1961.

Gerald Ferdon, 91st Missile Maintenance Squadron corrosion control specialist, paints a panel mod stand at Minot Air Force Base, Feb. 2, shown in this photo by Airman 1st Class Jonathan McElderry.

Submitted Photo

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AFB Continued from Page 5

squadron was deactivated.

Among other changes at the base were the air-launched cruise missiles added to the 5th Bomb Wing’s arsenal in October 1989. In 1993 the bomb wing received advanced cruise missiles for the B-52.

The 906th Air Refueling Squadron, one of the base’s oldest units, and its KC-135s left the base in the early 1990s.

Units were activated, deactivated, names changed, etc., over the years of the base.

In 2009 and 2010, the 91st Missile Wing followed by the 5th Bomb Wing became part of Air Force Global Strike Command, the Air Force’s newest major command to focus on the nation’s nuclear enterprise. Lt. Gen.

Minot Daily News PROGRESS

Saturday, April 15, 2017

Bu si n ess Frank Klotz, a former Minot AFB misCurrent population of the base is sile wing commander, led the new 12,129 people – 5,501 military memcommand. bers – and the base has an economic impact of $591.5 million on the local area.

Present-day base Many Minot AFB people deploy Today, Minot AFB is the only dual to areas around the world. Recently, wing nuclear-capable base with its BB-52 bombers and more than 400 air52s and ICBMs. The 5th Bomb Wing flies, main- men deployed to support U.S. Central tains and supports the B-52 bombers Command’s Operation Inherent Reand the 91st Missile Wing oversees solve in the Middle East. The operathe Minuteman III ICBMS in under- tion is U.S. Central Command’s ground facilities in the Minot missile combined joint task force operation to eliminate ISIS terrorist groups in Iraq complex.

The 5th Bomb Wing’s current and Syria. This is the first time in 12 leadership is Col. Matthew Brooks, years Minot AFB bombers have decommander, Col. David Ballew, vice ployed to the Middle East for combat commander, and Chief Master Sgt. operations.

Airmen from the 23rd Bomb Paul Elliott III, command chief.

The 91st Missile Wing’s current Squadron and other base units were leadership is Col. Colin Connor, com- deployed March 9, base officials said.

The 23rd’s B-52s replaced B-52s mander, Col. Kelvin Townsend, vice commander, and Chief Master Sgt. from Barksdale AFB in the Middle East operations. Later his year the 23rd John Burks, command chief.

AIR FORCE’S 70TH ANNIVERSARY This year marks a significant anniversary for the U.S. Air Force; the 70th anniversary of its founding on Sept. 18, 1947.

The Air Force ended a 40-year association with the U.S. Army to become a separate service on that date when President Harry S. Truman signed the National Security Act of 1947, creating the Department of the Air Force. will swap airmen and planes with the Minot base’s 69th Bomb Squadron.

The Air Force is looking ahead to the future of the base’s weapon systems. Three contractors – LockheedMartin, Northrop Grumman and Boeing – are vying for contracts for the initial work on the new Ground Based Strategic Deterrent program or GBSD to replace the Minuteman III ICBMs. The Air Force is also making plans for a next-generation bomber.

Lt. Col. Raymond Castro, commander of the 5th Comptroller

Squadron at Minot AFB, who released the base’s annual economic impact report in February to the Minot Area Chamber of Commerce’s Military Affairs Committee, said, “Minot Air Force Base will continue to have a positive economic impact on the Minot community and surrounding cities in the year 2017 and beyond.�

He said those at Minot AFB appreciate the strong support of Minot and the surrounding communities.

Sources include Minot Daily News and Minot AFB.

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ALL IN THE FAMILY Stanley’s Springan still going strong after 100 years

By JILL SCHRAMM • Senior Staff Writer • jschramm@minotdailynews.com

STANLEY – The history of America’s small towns is one of family-owned businesses, often handed down from generation to generation. In Stanley, the Springan family has kept two businesses thriving for 100 years and, along the way, have helped make sure the community shared the same kind of success.

Springan Furniture and Funeral Home, both owned and operated by Steve and Cathy Springan for the past 30 years, celebrate 100 years in the family this year. The relationship built with the community over the years is a major reason for the longevity.

“That’s our business – knowing our business and our customers, remembering their families,” Steve Springan said.

Bev Neset has seen the value of those customer relationships as a Springan employee since 1991.

“People like coming somewhere where they know the people and we remember them,” said Neset, who added it’s also about trust. “There’s nobody more respected for funerals or stores than Steve Springan.”

Steve Springan grew up in the business, delivering furniture and performing other odd jobs. He remembers his grandfather, Henry, stopping by the store to check on things.

Henry Springan proved up on his homestead near Wildrose and worked for a Stanley bank before buying the local furniture store and funeral parlor in 1917. The joint businesses had been established around 1910. Henry was the third owner in that short time, but Steve Springan said his grandfather clearly saw opportunity with the purchase.

Henry attended embalming school in Bottineau in 1918 and graduated in three months, according to a history by his son, Rolf. Henry was believed to be the first embalmer in the Stanley area.

H. Springan Furniture and Funeral Home moved from Main Street into its present building on First Avenue.

“The earliest recollections I have of the business were when they were both in one building,” wrote Rolf Springan, who bought his father’s business in 1958. “The embalming room and casket show room

ABOVE: Springan Furniture, along with Springan Funeral Home, is celebrating 100 years in Stanley under family ownership.

LEFT: Cathy and Steve Springan stand at the counter of Springan Furniture, where an heirloom cash register holds a prominent place. The cash register remains in use.

Photos by Jill Schramm/MDN

were both part of the back of the furniture store. The original hearse was horse drawn and the sides and back were carved to look like curtains. In about 1927 or 1928 my father bought a truck chassis and mounted the body of the old funeral coach on it which was the first gas driven coach he had.

“I also remember that at an early age I accompanied my father into homes where the embalming was done right there in their home. Some of these earlier days and nights were quite filled with fascinating impressions and experiences. We really worked under rather primitive conditions such as no electricity or running water.”

At one time in America’s history, furniture makers were called upon to build caskets, and many cabinet-makers trained in embalming to be able to offer undertaking services.

Although a differentiation began occurring after the Civil War, it wasn’t unusual to see combination furniture/funeral homes around the country into the 20th Century, according to historians. Today, the numbers of the funeral homes and furniture stores under joint ownership are unknown, but the combination has been termed rare by those in the industry.

Springan is the only funeral home in North Dakota connected to another business.

Along with providing furniture and funeral services, many of these early funeral homes also provided ambulance services. The Springan business was no exception. Steve Springan said family and staff would respond to calls with the hearse or family station wagon, typically taking a nurse along.

Eventually, the service transitioned into a community-run ambulance service.

The Springans built a separate funeral home building in 1940 beside the furniture store.

“I helped some on the construction of this building,” Rolf Springan wrote. “When the funeral home was completed and we moved into it we were able to remodel and expand the furniture store.”

Rolf attended the University of North Dakota and graduated from mortuary college in Indiana in 1948, returning home to go into business with his father.

In 1952, a fire in the furniture store led to its remodeling and improvement. In 1964, the store was torn down and the existing, larger structure built.

Rolf was the only one of six siblings who carried on from his father. His son, Steve, one of four siblings, followed in his father’s footsteps. Steve Springan said he never felt pressure from his parents to go into the business, but neither did he think, growing up, that he would do

so. After attending college and then graduating from mortuary school on the West Coast, he came back to Stanley in 1976.

Springan said he still wasn’t convinced the family business would be his career path, but he could see his parents needed some help in the businesses.

His offer of help turned into ownership in about 1986.

“Steve’s personality is to take care of people,” Cathy Springan said of her husband’s decision to assist his aging parents. “That’s a natural part of who he is.”

It’s a quality that enables him as funeral director to assist people in their grief, just as his father did. With deep roots in a small, rural community, the Springans often shared that grief in the deaths of friends, neighbors and even family.

“Rolf was the most compassionate, caring person,” Cathy Springan said. After Rolf died in 2005, his wife, Donna, continued to check in each morning at the businesses until her death in 2013, she said.

“She was the anchor,” Cathy Springan said of Donna, who not only provided the business acumen but worked to preserve memories associated with family and business history.

Steve Springan has his own memories of earlier days, before technology. One phone line rang into the funeral home, fur-

niture store and both Rolf’s and Steve’s homes. A call to any of those places would ring in all four.

“Everybody was just sort of on call all the time,” Steve Springan said.

He said it was a nice change when separate phone lines were installed. Today, cell phones provide access without tying a person down at home, which is especially welcome in the funeral home business, where the Springans continue to offer 24-hour service, seven days a week.

The furniture business also has changed, starting with the disappearance of a number of furniture manufacturers.

“Companies have merged or are gone. They were all longtime, good American companies,” Steve Springan said.

Customer needs have changed, too, as more frequent redecorating has diminished the importance of long-lasting products. Meanwhile, the industry has moved toward more specialization. Focusing on furniture, Springan Furniture no longer carries televisions and stereos or offers flooring or window covering installation.

What hasn’t changed is the need for businesses to support the local community. The Stanley community knows it can turn to Steve whenever there’s a project, a committee or an ac-

tivity that needs a volunteer.

“He doesn’t know the word ‘no,’ very well,” Cathy Springan said with a smile.

Sara (Springan) Herr said her parents, along with many of their friends and fellow business owners, are pillars for the community.

“They serve on committees, support local businesses and advocate for the health and longevity of the community.

They are active members of their church. They connect people with resources. They drive down main street and wave, whether or not the face is familiar. Our dad is one of the grand marshals of the annual 4th of July parade. At end of the parade, he and his co-grand marshal scoop horse poop off the streets. There is nothing he won’t do for his community,” she wrote in sharing the family’s story.

Herr lives in Missouri and her brother, Gregg, lives in Wisconsin.

Steve and Cathy Springan say this likely will be the last generation in family hands for the Springan companies.

Someday, they expect to hand the keys to new – likely separate – owners. They would do so with pleasure if it keeps the businesses operating.

“I want to make sure we leave two businesses here,” Steve Springan said. “We serve northwest North Dakota so they are very good, viable businesses. We want them to continue.”

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Saturday, April 15, 2017

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Business development on Broadway is holding strong

By MARK JONES • Staff writer • mjones@minotdailynews.com

A drive along Broadway in Minot in either direction, and you can see the variety of companies doing business in the community.

According to John MacMartin, president of the Minot Area Chamber of Commerce, businesses in that part of town are holding their own.

“Businesses on Broadway, I see less help wanted signs,” he said.

Business on Broadway also continues to grow.

In the last month or so, two different companies have either found a new location on Broadway or moved from a different location in Minot on to Broadway.

Pizza Hut, which has had multiple restaurants in the city for several years, closed down one location and moved up just a block to a new location on South Broadway.

“I can only surmise that (they are focusing on) take out

M

Mark Jones/MDN

Starbucks recently moved to 1340 South Broadway from its old location on Burdick Expressway near the Minot Municipal Auditorium. and delivery,” MacMartin said.

“And doing away with the restaurant. You’ve got a lot less people, if you are trying to run a restaurant. Their (business) model may be changing.”

Pizza Hut, which also has a restaurant on North Hill across from the airport, also had a

third location near Dakota Square Mall close down.

MacMartin wasn’t sure if that closure had anything to do with the new opening on Broadway, but offered the following.

“All that land belongs to the mall,” he said.

MacMartin did say Pizza Hut has had problems maintaining a full staff.

“Finding employees has been an ongoing problem for them,” he said. “And the money wasn’t there.”

In addition to the new Pizza Hut location, Starbucks moved

to 1340 South Broadway from its previous location on Burdick Expressway near the Minot Municipal Auditorium.

And while the old Starbucks location was likely a problem for motorists to navigate, MacMartin suggests the move was for another reason.

“Rent was changing enough for them,” he said, “that they decided to go get a new place.”

The new location for Starbucks allows the business to offer the same menu items as before, but at a cheaper business cost, and perhaps from a better location.

So are there any other business planning to make a move to Broadway?

“Not that I have heard,” MacMartin said. “But that doesn’t mean there isn’t. There are a number of people out there recruiting for these strip malls.”

MacMartin says the Cham-

ber of Commerce will provide assistance to potential businesses, if asked.

“We will certainly provide information to people,” he said. “But we don’t go out and do active recruiting.”

And while businesses, overall are doing well, along Broadway, there are some that still have concerns.

Construction began March 20 on the U.S. 83/Broadway Bridge near downtown. The project, which will last through the fall of 2018, has some business owners worried.

“I’m sure some of the businesses (in the construction area) will have some concern once First Street closes down,” MacMartin said.

He did say, however, that the construction must keep a path to the businesses open for the public.

“They won’t be completely cut off,” he said.

Broadway has seen its changes over the years

By ANDREA JOHNSON • Staff Writer • ajohnson@minotdailynews.com

Minot’s Broadway, also known as U.S. Highway 83, has undergone a number of transformations in its more than a century of existence.

One early photo owned by Minot photographer Wayne Johnson shows the flooded Broadway bridge and water over the roadway back in 1923.

It is a sight that is all too familiar to Minot residents – including those who weren’t born in 1923 – who have experienced subsequent flooding of the Souris River.

There were other floods in the 1920s, and many people still remember the flood of 1969 and, of course, the devastating Souris River flood of 2011.

But Broadway has seen more than flooding over its years of existence.

Ben Tollefson, lifelong Minot resident and former state legislator from Minot, said he well remembers some of the changes in landscape that occurred on the roadway long before it was even called Broadway.

“That was not Broadway,” said Tollefson. “It was Second Street (west).”

The roadway, the major northsouth route through the city of Minot, did not become known as Broadway until some time after Tollefson’s youth.

It is also U.S Highway 83.

In the early years, the main activity on the thoroughfare was in the north-

Submitted Photo

ern part of town, not the south half as it is today, said Tollefson.

The farthest store to the south was Swenson’s Furniture. The landscape past that was largely farmland.

Some mainstays on Broadway still stand, but they have different inhabitants these days.

For instance, Tollefson said today’s Tractor Supply store at 1325 South Broadway used to be a Red Owl grocery store.

The Town and Country Shopping Center on Broadway was the first big shopping center for this part of the state.

It, too, housed a number of different businesses before it became largely a medical complex for Trinity Health.

The Trinity CancerCare Center in

ABOVE: The bridge that is now called the Broadway Bridge flooded in 1923.

LEFT: North Broadway, pictured on April 5, is quite difwhich is off Broadway.

“Down from that was the Nifty ferent from its early days. The Nook,” said Tollefson. “He made the Broadway Bridge is currently best hamburgers in town.”

He also well remembers the Serv- under construction.

Photo by Andrea Johnson/MDN

Town and Country was the site of a Piggly Wiggly grocery store as recently as the early 1980s. The mall was also home to the B. Dalton Bookseller and an ice cream shop at one time. The mall was built in 1963 and was called the biggest shopping center in North Dakota. Tollefson said the mall was built by the Westlie family.

Scheels, now located at Dakota Square Mall, once occupied a building at the corner of Burdick and Broadway.

According to the blog entry by David Lehner at minotmemories.com, the building was formerly the home of Ace Hardware. It was a grocery store before that. Now it is occupied by a mattress store.

Tollefson remembers a big Texaco station near Minot State University,

ice Drug on North Broadway where his family used to go for treats at the soda fountain after church.

“At that time there were quite a few residences on Broadway yet,” said Tollefson. One local doctor had a clinic in his house on Broadway.

“Broadway also had a lot of auto dealers,” said Tollefson, recalling Hugh Nelson Motors and Frosaker Motors, a big Chevrolet dealer that was located at Broadway and First Avenue.

Before World War II, when Tollefson was growing up, he said there were a lot of families that had small neigh-

borhood grocery stores, some in walking distance of where he grew up.

One grocery was owned by the Maragos family, across the street to the south of where Sammy’s Pizza is located now. Tollefson said George Maragos Sr. had three grocery stores at one time.

Tollefson said the flood of 1969 caused some stores to move. For instance, he said Mowbray and Sons Plumbing and Heating used to be located at the bottom of the viaduct going south and had to move after the flood.

Westhope

NORTH DA KOTA DAKOTA The origins of Westhope actually happened in 1903; however, the town’s beginning can be traced back to a small community called Richburg, which was made up of farmers and businessmen and originated in 1898. In that year, pioneer businessmen plotted the city of Richburg in Richburg Township. The immigrants of Richburg saw

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potential in their new world and named the “rich” and they had journeyed too, to symbolize their dreams of a more prosperous life.

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