Generations in Business - Vol1 Iss1

2012

A Brainerd Dispatch Publication

Generations_2012.indd 1 12/12/11 10:26 AM

2 2012 | generations in business

Is A Yearly Publication Of The Brainerd Dispatch

•For advertising opportunities

218.829-4705 or 1.800.432.3703

find our publication onthe web at

www.brainerddispatch.com

E-mail your comments, suggestions or topics to

[email protected]

copyright© 2012

VOLUME ONE, EDITION ONE 2012

Staff

ewspapers in Brainerd in the city’s formative

years were as robust and active as the frontier itself. During its history, at least six newspapers at one time or anoth-er told the story of this develop-ing community. The Brainerd Dispatch had its origin in 1881 and was established by J. W. Riggs and A. E. Pennell. The paper was actually to have been established by Frank Meyst, publisher of the Osakis Observ-er, who had decided to move his

plant to Brainerd. One of the owners was Pennell and Riggs bought out Meyst’s interest. Plans had called for calling the paper the Brainerd Observer. However, in December of 1881, this announcement was distribut-ed in Brainerd: “The undersigned having perfected arrangements and entered into a co-partner-ship under the firm name of Riggs and Pennell, have decided to change the name of the Brain-erd Observer to the Brainerd Dispatch and respectfully ask

the patronage of the people of Brainerd and vicinity. We hope to be able to issue our first num-ber next Thursday, Dec. 22, 1881, and all matter to insure publica-tion in No. 1 should reach us not

later than Wednesday noon.” It was signed by Riggs and Pennell. They made good their promise and the first Dispatch was pub-lished on Dec. 22. The paper was housed in “Sleeper’s New Brick Block, Front Street.” However, things were rather rocky going for the Dispatch with a number of personality conflicts arising and in 1882 Joe Riggs, a son of A. P. Riggs who had hand-ed his interest over to his son, sold that interest to attorney C.

B. Sleeper, in whose building the paper was housed. This was short-lived and a little later, Sleeper sold his interest to Fred Puhier of Ada. Puhler at the time was managing the political

campaign for C. F. Kindred who was opposing Knute Nelson for a Congressional seat. When the campaign ended so did Puhier’s interest in owning the Dispatch and he offered his share for sale. On June 6, 1883, N. H. Ingersoll and F. W. Wieland purchased the entire ownership. It was in 1883 that the paper became a daily in-stead of a weekly. Because the paper was a daily, the City Council voted on June 16, 1883, to make it the city’s of-ficial newspaper.

ewspapers in Brainerd N

FIRST SIXTH STREET HOME – This is an exterior view of The Dispatch building in the early 1920’s.

COMPOSING ROOM – This is an old photo of the composing room in the original Brainerd Daily Dispatch building.


2012 | generations in business 3

II would like to welcome you inside the Brainerd Dispatch’s newest publication…….Generations in Business. It is a magazine about our local communities, and the people who helped establish the foundation of our past, present and future.

The stories you are about to read are real life accounts of families that came to this area to build their American dream. You will learn about the successes and challenges that business owners often face during good times and bad. Leaving a business to the next generation is a very rewarding experience, and you will better understand exactly what that feels like.

I first started selling advertising in the Brainerd Lakes area in 1980. Over the past 31 years, I have had the honor of working with two, sometimes three generations of business owners. Although technology and products have changed over the years, one thing remains exactly the same. If you work hard, treat your customers with respect, are true to your family, with a little luck, you too can survive generations in business.

So put another log on the fire, sit back in your favorite reading chair and go back in time to a place that many of us have called home for generations.

PUBLISHERTim Bogenschutz

EDITORMeg Douglas

ART DIRECTORCindy Spilman

PHOTOGRAPHERJoey Halvorson

Is A Yearly Publication Of The Brainerd Dispatch

•For advertising opportunities

218.829-4705 or 1.800.432.3703

find our publication onthe web at

www.brainerddispatch.com

E-mail your comments, suggestions or topics to

[email protected]

copyright© 2012

VOLUME ONE, EDITION ONE 2012

Staff

GENERATIONSIN BUSINESS

Best Regards,Sam Swanson

Vice President of Advertising Sales


Contents GENERATIONSIN BUSINESS


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On the cover: ( left to r ight) Schaefers, WW Thompson, The Mil ls ’ family and Cragun’s : businesses that share a history with the Brainerd lakes area.

Keeping it (Mostly) in the Family . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5Six generations of the Mills’ family business share a rich history with theBrainerd lakes area. by Jenny Holmes

In Tune to Technology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8A careful approach has kept this family selling appliances.By Cynthia Bachman

Dancing for Decades . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11Dancing is big business for this lakes area family.by Mary Aalgaard

Doing What’s Best for Customers. . . . . . . . . . . . . 14Putting customers first has been a guiding principle in this Crosby organization.by Joan Hasskamp

The Business of Vacationing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16The Brainerd lakes area is home to some of the premier resorts in the Midwest.These three founding families still oversee the business.By Carolyn Corbett

Keeping Clothes Clean for 90 Years . . . . . . . . . . 20Brainerd-based for 90 years, Andersons continue to clean our clothes.By Karen Ogdahl

A Chip Off The Old Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22When Thompson brothers arrived in Brainerd, it was a rough and tumble lumber town.By Suz Anne Wipperling

Building a Family Business . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25It was a vacation visit to Paul Bunyanland that prompted Tom Bercher to movenorth and open his construction business.By Jenny Gunsbury

Customers on a First Name Basis . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28Pine River’s Gardiner’s Hardware has changed names, but kept ownership in the family.By Theresa Jarvela

What’s in a Name? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30Opened as a downtown Brainerd meat market in1914, Schaefers is now thegateway to Nisswa. By Arlene Jones


GENERATIONS


AAAt the age of 4, the biggest decisions life throws at Stewart Mills IV typically range from crayons or markers to juice or milk. Little does Stewart, aka I.V., know that someday he stands to become a successor of a Brainerd lakes area business, six generations old and rich with family tradition.

b y J e n n y H o l m e s p h o t o b y J o e y H a l v o r s o n

MILLS COMPANIESp h o t o b y J o e y H a l v o r s o n

A

Keeping it(Mostly)

in the Family

AMILLSAMILLSAMILLSMILLSAMILLSA Following in family footsteps: Stewart Mills III, CEO of the Mills Companies

(left) with son Stewart IV, wife Heather and daughter Jade.



The earliest beginnings of the Mills family business have been traced back to the 1850s and 1860s when the family operated a car-riage company in St Paul. In their archives, the Mills’, today, have one of the authentic brass plates from a carriage produced with the words “Mills Carriage Company.” In the 1870s, Henry Casper Mills moved to the Brainerd lakes area where he worked as man-ager of the Gull River Lumber Company, as well as the postmaster.

Over 160 years later, Mills’ great-great-grandson Stewart Mills III, sits in an office at the Mills Companies headquarters in the historic Lively Building in Downtown Brainerd, a place the family has called “home” for 91 years.“Our family has been on the Gull chain ever since (Henry) moved up here,” Stewart III noted. “That was really the start of our business.”

Henry Casper had a son, Casper Henry, who, like his father was also an enterprising young man. He started three meat markets in the area and still remained active in his for-mer business as manager of the company’s northern territory. In the late 1800s, Casper Henry started a boat delivery service. As visitors arrived by train to Smiley, now known as Nisswa, Casper Henry’s captain would pick them up by boat and deliver them to the various resorts on the Gull chain.

Over time, Casper Henry had two sons of his own, Henry Casper and Stewart Charles. Stewart Charles eventually took over the boat delivery business from his father until he went to the University of Minnesota to study law. While his education was interrupted by the call of duty and service in World War I, Stewart returned home and worked for Mahlum Lumber.

It was in the 1920s that Stewart went to work for, and earned the respect of, Ernest Lively, original owner and namesake of the Mills Companies headquarters. When Lively grew ill and was forced to relocate, Stewart purchased Lively’s Hupmobile-Chevrolet dealership, later Studebaker Oldsmobile. The beginning of a lineage of Mills automobile dealerships had been born.

In 1928, shortly before the Great Depression, Stewart and wife Helen wel-comed twin boys into the world, Henry (Hank) and Stewart (Stew) Junior. As young boys, the twins were thrust into the family business, doing anything and everything from patching roofs and cleaning, to filling the coal fire furnace. As they grew older, the Mills boys took on mechanical work and sold cars for their father. Following college and active duty in the Army, the brothers sus-pected they’d go back to work at the dealership.

However, Stewart C. Mills Senior had other plans brewing.

By 1954, the Mills owned the local Ford, Oldsmobile, Studebaker and used car dealer-ships, in addition to a series of gas stations, parts stores and a parts delivery service. During a time where Fair Trade Laws made it difficult for farmers to buy supplies and equipment at wholesale pricing, Stewart C. Mills Senior had a vision of retooling his auto parts stores and selling to these farmers as legitimate business owners.

In 1955, Hank and Stewart Junior estab-lished and opened the first Fleet Wholesale Supply Company store in Wadena, selling farm products at wholesale prices to eligible farmers. The Wadena store was later conced-ed to their Uncle Henry who went on to operate a separate chain of farm supply stores.

Recognizing the need and wanting to establish their territory further east, the Mills brothers packed up and, soon after, opened a store in Marshfield, Wis. Mills Fleet Farm, as it was later renamed, now has 18 stores in Wisconsin, one in Fargo, one in Iowa and 11 in Minnesota with a 12th currently being built in Carver, and plans further expansion

into Iowa and other parts of the Midwest. “People assume that our family is from

Wisconsin,” Stewart III pointed out. “But the only reason we wound up spending so much time there was that’s where my grandfather sent my dad and my uncle. And they were pretty busy over there. But 512 Laurel Street is still home base for all Mills operations.”

Over time, the Mills Companies contin-ued to grow, as did the branches of the family tree. In 1972, Stewart III was born to Stew Junior and Sandra Mills. In 1975, sister Marisa

The earliest beginnings of the Mills family business have been traced back to the 1850s and 1860s when the family operated a car-riage company in St Paul. In their archives, the Mills’, today, have one of the authentic brass plates from a carriage produced with

It was in the 1920s that Stewart went to work for, and earned the respect of, Ernest Lively, original owner and namesake of the Mills Companies headquarters. When Lively grew ill and was forced to relocate, Stewart purchased Lively’s Hupmobile-Chevrolet

However, Stewart C. Mills Senior had other plans brewing.

By 1954, the Mills owned the local Ford, Oldsmobile, Studebaker and used car dealer-ships, in addition to a series of gas stations, parts stores and a parts delivery service.

In the late 1800s, one of the first Mills’ businesses in the area wasa boat delivery service for visitors in the Nisswa area.Stewart C. Mills (right) was an Army Captain in World War I.

In 1955, Stewart Junior (Stew) (left) and Henry (Hank) opened the first Fleet Wholesale Supply Company Store in Wadena; a precursor of Mills Fleet Farm stores.

MILLSMILLS



was born. While Stewart III’s parents com-muted to and from the bustle of business in Wisconsin, Stewart III stayed with his grand-mother, Helen, at the family’s home on the Gull chain during the summer. But when he turned 14, Stewart III was, like others before him, thrust into the inner workings of the family business.

“It was something that was a given. My dad growing up during the Great Depression went to work at an early age. That was just the culture in our family where you have to work. That’s what’s expected of you. You con-tribute. Nobody gets a free ride.”

For the first three years, Stewart III worked at the auto dealerships, doing minor body repair and minor engine work and assisting wherever directed. For two summers, he worked in the parts department until starting college when he also began selling cars until graduation.

Despite what many would think, follow-ing his college graduation, Stewart III went to work at Fleet Farm. But rather than being handed a job in administration, behind a desk; Stewart III was handed an orange shirt, name tag and pointed to the sporting goods and automotive departments, where he was responsible for tasks including pushing carts and emptying trash. Later, he served as assis-tant manager at various Fleet Farm stores.

Stewart III said, while there was no time-table or formal training plan, his father made him go through the paces like any other employee would be expected to do and noted that he never once resented that. “The only way you can understand a job or job function is to actually do it. To know what they do, who they are. I will tell you it’s quite helpful. Until you understand how a store works, you don’t understand anything.”

In addition to Mills Fleet Farm stores, the Mills Family Companies also include the Mills Resolute Bank, a small bank started three-and-a-half years ago in southwestern Minnesota; as well as the Mills Automotive Group consisting of four automobile dealer-ships, a body shop facility and a wholesale parts supply business. Marisa, who has also worked her way through the ranks, is CEO of Mills Automotive Group. “She has pulled together the dealerships which were being run independently and has forged them into a cohesive group that have been highly suc-cessful since she’s taken over,” Stewart III said of his sister.

While Stewart III and Marisa have taken on leadership posi-tions with the Mills Family Companies, Stewart III said his father, even at the age

of 83, shows no signs of stepping down from involvement in daily operations of the busi-ness that has driven his family for six genera-tions. “My dad knows what is happening in every store. He’s on top of his game. In the last two to three years I’ve just tried to stay out of my dad’s way,” Stewart III laughs.

Now a father and husband himself, Stewart III recognizes the importance of family, heritage, community and doing busi-ness the way his great-great-grandfather would have expected. “This is where our heritage and our roots are. We came in the 1870s and we have certainly had business take us to other parts of the Upper Midwest, but we keep getting pulled back here. This is home.”

Jenny Holmes Jenny Holmes is a former reporter for the Brainerd Dispatch and

currently is a freelance writer, contributing to several area publica-tions. She lives in Nisswa with husband, Tim and her two children.

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TThe Schroeder family has owned and operated Schroeder’s Appliances for more than 50 years in Brainerd.

Marlen and Ken Schroeder arrived in Brainerd in 1957 as new-lyweds after they completed their education, Ken from Northwest TV and Electronics in Minneapolis where he trained as a TV repairman and Marlen as an X-ray technician.

Ken Schroeder originally worked at Norbert’s TV then took a position at Melin’s TV and Communications when George Melin needed a repairman. On Oct. 1, 1960 Ken purchased the TV busi-ness from Melin. Years later Melin sold the communication busi-ness to Kurt Martin. At that time the store was located at 109 2nd Ave. NE, Brainerd.

Ken Schroeder originally continued with the sales and the repair of radios, phonographs, as well as, black and white TV’s and later color RCA TV’s. As technology and times changed Schroeder’s slowly added appliances to their enterprise and appliances became Schroeder’s specialty.

Soon after appliances were added the store moved to 702 West Washington. As the appliance business expanded more space was required and the store expanded two doors down to 710 West Washington; the former McDonald Lumber Co.

On Labor Day weekend of 2006 Schroeder’s moved to their present location in Baxter on Highway 371. This location allows them three times the space and has incredible built-in displays with working models so customers can see and actually use microwaves, stoves, washers/dryers, etc. Included in the new loca-tion is a complete modern kitchen where professional Chef Marty prepares food for special events such as “girls’ night out.”

As Marlen and Ken grew their business they also were busy raising their family. All four of their children, three daughters and a son, were born in Brainerd. Of the daughters, only Karen contin-ues to live in the area. She works as a first-grade teacher and as Schroeder’s bookkeeper: a task she took over when her mother “retired.”

Their only son, Charles, assumed ownership of Schroeder’s Appliances on June 30, 1998. Charles’ immediate family refers to him as “Charles;” all others know him as “Chuck.”

b y C y n t h i a B a c h m a n

IN TUNE TO

p h o t o b y J o e y H a l v o r s o nSCHROEDER’S APPLIANCE CENTER - BAXTER

p h o t o b y J o e y H a l v o r s o n


Cynthia Bachman Cynthia Bachman lives in Pillager with her husband, Brian and commutes to

Minneapolis to work at the University of Minnesota Hospital as an RN. Liking to write, she has joined a writer’s group at the Lakes Area Senior Activity Center.


Chuck has worked at the business since childhood. When he was old enough he was in charge of sweeping the floors and dusting TVs. In his early teens he did deliveries, by high school he was in sales. He is self-taught in the repair of radio, stereo and microwaves; under the tutorage of his father and Ed Becker.

After high school Chuck attended Brainerd Community College then graduated with a degree from North Dakota State, majoring in chemistry with engineering electives. He then took business classes in St. Cloud. Throughout his education he would return to Brainerd to work weekends and summers in the family appliance store.

Of the employees, his father Ken and sister Karen are part-time staff. There are six full-time employees, which includes Chuck. Employees’ tasks include sales, repair, delivery and cus-tomer satisfaction. Chuck is proud to say, “We have good employees that do a good job.” As an example ,Ed Becker retired last December after 45 years with Schroeder’s.

When asked how a small family business can survive in the “Big Box world” Chuck answered, “Schroeder’s is part of a buying group that allows us to be competitive. We provide service that is timely and reliable. It is about customer satisfaction.”

He is right about that. My husband and I purchased our appli-ances from Schroeder’s when we built our house in 2006.

Ken Schroeder (left) turned over Schroeder Appliances to his son, Chuck in 1998 and in 2006, the store relocated to Baxter.

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Although it only lasted an hour, the meet-ing held at 823 Maple Street in Brainerd changed the lives of thousands. It was May 19, 1950 when seven men joined for the first official meeting of the Crow Wing Cooperative Rural Telephone Company, which was later to become Consolidated Telephone Company.

Prior to this first organizational meeting, the residents of rural Minnesota, and throughout rural America, did not have an option when it came to telephone service. Although the telephone had been invented decades earlier, for millions of U.S. residents getting service was only possible for those that lived in the city.

The seven founding directors had the dream, and initiative, to create a telephone company to serve the rural areas in the Brained area, but now they had to share-and sell-that dream to the residents in those areas. Knocking on doors throughout the region, the directors worked to sell member-ships in a company that at the time had no product, no service and no employees. Their work was obviously challenging.

With the company established and offer-ing service in some areas of their desired service territories, the directors made the decision to purchase smaller, existing tele-phone companies. The Motley Telephone Company, the Randall Telephone Company, Northland Rural Telephone Company, Rushbrook Rural Telephone Company, Midway Farmer’s Rural Telephone, Crooked Lake Township Telephone and many more companies scattered around the area.

It was for this reason – the addition of so many telephone companies that it was decid-ed to change the name of the company. A contest was initiated among the membership to rename the cooperative, the winner of which received one year of telephone service at no charge. The contest resulted in the selection of the name Consolidated Telephone Company – chosen to reflect the consolida-tion of the many small rural companies that made up the cooperative.

When Consolidated Telephone Company (CTC) was formed nearly fifty years ago there was no way that the founding board of direc-

tors had any idea of the vast changes that would take place in the telecommunications industry. Fortunately, they laid the ground-work for a company that continued to look forward, being able to take advantage of opportunities as they arose.

The new millennium saw those technolo-gies that just years earlier were merely luxury items, become everyday necessities.

It is with the past 50 years of growth and change in mind that CTC looks to the future and celebrates the past. The success of the company would never have been possible without loyal customers, dedicated employ-ees and forward-thinking board members. They are all elements behind the success of CTC and are what will make the company be a success in the decades to come.

CELEBRATING 60 YEARS— Consolidated Telephone Company —



SSSteve and Cindy Clough are dancing through life as founders of Just for Kix. Was this a well-choreographed life plan or improvisa-tion as one request and opportunity lead to another?

The football game is on and little Cindy is off playing until she hears her dad say, “It’s halftime!” As she comes running into the living room to watch the dancers during the half-time entertain-ment, the seed is planted. She was part of the first dance team at the Brainerd High School in 1976. After she graduated, she came back to coach. She also taught baton twirling at the YMCA. When she had her team perform for a local Girl Scout troop, mothers rushed up to her and asked if she’d offer dance classes for their daughters.

Dance fever quickly spread, and Just for Kix was established in 1981. Steve and Cindy became partners in life in 1978 when they got married, and he joined her in the dance business in 1983. It is a wonderful marriage of business and creativity and a couple who brings music to life through dance classes for girls and boys in the Brainerd lakes area and beyond.

The art of dancing is so much more than technical skills. While precision and skill build up the body and train the muscles, the beauty of dance comes from the soul. The music reaches in, pluck-ing your deep emotional chords and your body sings in response. You become the song with each pirouette, plié, kick and pose. The audience watches the dancers experience the music.

There is a calling in the universe that pulls us in the direction we

are meant to go. As a careful observer of life, Cindy followed her heart’s desire to be a dancer. She found a way to share that gift and enthusiasm with others by making herself available to teach. As the dance studio grew, Cindy hired more instructors and invited in guest choreographers. The need for costumes, props, shoes and accessories motivated the Cloughs to hire costume designers, sew-ers and staff. Soon, they were renting and selling dance attire and accessories to other groups. They started a catalogue order com-pany. They were able to fill their own need for immediate demand, especially when a dancer was new to a program and needed a cos-tume on short notice. Cindy didn’t want anyone to feel left out.

Students of Just for Kix grew up, graduated and moved to new communities where they saw a need for dance classes. They wrote letters to Cindy telling her what a positive influence she had in their lives. She’s been the subject of numerous college essays on who is your mentor.

Her former students wanted to offer dance classes where they live. Soon Just for Kix studios were formed in other towns and states. Just for Kix is now in 10 states with more than 20,000 par-ticipants. The Brainerd lakes area hosts a number of summer dance camps, bringing in dancers and their families from all over the country. They have been known to fill up local hotels during camp weeks. Another option for dance studios of some distance away is to fly in an instructor for private camps. Steve and Cindy’s daughter, Alexandra, is one of the numerous instructors to fly into those com-munities.

The Cloughs have three children who are all in the business. Their oldest son, Joel, is the numbers guy who works on the finan-cial end. His wife, Dana, is a graphic designer. Their second son, Jerad, runs their newest business, The Tee Hive, located in down-town Brainerd, a building which was once their studios. Jerad also uses his marketing and business degrees and creativity to enhance their business. His wife, Jamie, a former student of Just for Kix, is the director of the Wadena program and an instructor in the Brainerd studio. Both couples have daughters, who are now 3 years old and newborn sons born just eight days apart. The girls have already started dancing, carrying on the legacy.

The Cloughs’ daughter, Alexandra, who is in her early 20s, is very involved in the business. When she was a baby, she traveled with her mom when she taught in Spokane, Wash. Now, she has returned as an instructor. She has also gone to Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, and worked with Wendy Anderson Inman, one of Cindy’s first students. She is a costume designer and patterner, as well as an instructor. She brings to life new styles and movement. She

Dancingfor Decades

b y M a r y A a l g a a r d p h o t o b y J o e y H a l v o r s o n

JUST FOR KIX - BRAINERD

To watch us danceis to hear our hearts speak. ~Hopi Indian Saying


Mary AalgaardMary is a freelance writer who contributes

regularly to Her Voice. She lives with her four sons in the Brainerd area and teaches piano and

writing for kids.


showed her mom the emotional impact of lyrical dance. They have plans for a powerful show this winter using songs such as “Goodnight Saigon” by Billy Joel, which they have been planning since Alexandra was in the eighth grade. In the spring, they’ll have an angel theme show.

Cindy believes they are turning out well-rounded dancers in their studio. From a place that started out with precision and kick, popular in the ‘80s, they now offer every form of dance from classical ballet, tap and jazz to lyrical and hip-hop, which appeals to young men. The number of boys in the studio has also increased with 18 boys partici-pating this fall.

The men in the Clough family aren’t likely to don a leotard, but they have participated in father-daughter dances. They see the impor-tance of dance in the lives of young people and how it builds esteem in young women.

For some, dance is a creative outlet, something to try and enjoy in the moment. For others, it becomes their life blood, that thing that gets them excited and makes them feel whole. At Just for Kix you can experience dance the way that is right for you. They teach through encouragement and respect. They assess by asking, “How have you improved today?” From the tiniest of dancers who move free and easy

in class, but clam up when watched too closely by parents, to the most experienced performers, there are rewards for everyone.

Now, Cindy, who once marveled at the halftime dancers on TV, takes a dream team of girls to the Outback Bowl in Tampa, Fla., as an annual event. The dancers come from Just for Kix studios throughout the country. Teams bond. Mothers and daughters or fathers and daughters travel together. Generations of dancers share an experience and pass it on.

Involved in the Clough family business on many levels: (Back left to right: Jerad and Jamie Clough, Alexandra Clough and Brady Schellin, Dana and Joel Clough. Front left to right: Eva , Steve and baby Cato, Cindy and baby Carver, Cora.

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Part of the first dance team at BHS, Cindy established Just for Kix in 1981.


TThe Christenson family knows insurance. John, the owner, and his two sons, Erik and Mikael, work together in the Christenson Agency offices in Crosby and Deerwood.

They are all following in the footsteps of John’s dad, Wally Chrestenson, who worked for the First Insurance Agency in Deerwood for almost 30 years. When Wally retired in 1982, John joined the agency.

John described his dad, who died in 1988, as a charismatic person with a strong work ethic. “He was a product of the Depression and World War II and those experiences helped shape his character,” John said. One of the major factors that made his father successful in the insurance business, accord-ing to John, was his daily commitment to do

what was best for his customers. That same desire to assist others led John

into the business. In 1990, John decided to take a risk and start his own business, the Christenson Agency, in Crosby. “My dad paved the way for me,” John said. He explained that Wally had built up such strong relationships with a myriad insur-ance company people that they were willing to work with him on his new venture.

In particular, John attributes his success to the fact that Auto Owners took a chance on him. As an independent agent, John said, it was imperative to have quality companies with competitive rates on board and Auto Owners was one of the big players in the insurance industry. Roger Looyenga, who

later became chairman and CEO of the company, gambled on the startup company which was practically unheard of. “I proba-bly never would have made it if they hadn’t put their trust in me,” John said.

While it was a struggle initially, over time John built up a thriving business. In fact, in 2002 John purchased the First Insurance Agency from the Deerwood Bank and absorbed it into the Christensen Agency. It was especially satisfying to John because his dad had always encouraged him to start his own company. With two offices to operate, John was very excited when his two sons expressed an interest in joining their father in the business.


CHRISTENSON AGENCY - CROSBY & DEERWOOD S t o r y & p h o t o b yJ o a n H a s s k a m p

DO

ING

WHAT’S BE

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Wally Christensen was the founder of Christenson Agency, now with insurance offices in Crosby and Deerwood.


Erik joined the agency in 2005 while Mikael came on board four years later. After graduating from Gustavus Adolphus, Erik accepted a position as an underwriter with Auto Owners in the Twin Cities. After a couple of years he decided to return to the Cuyuna Range. “I wanted to work with a variety of people. I’m more of a people per-son and I missed that aspect when I was an underwriter,” Erik said. Besides looking for a more fulfilling professional life, he also missed all of the recreational opportunities the area had to offer.

Mikael attended the University of North Dakota where he took business management classes. After graduation he sought out a career in law enforcement. Several years later he realized that he wanted to interact with people on a different level. “I wanted to work in insurance because it provided an opportu-nity to help people plus I could work with

people who actually wanted to work with me.”

Both Erik and Mikael savor the opportu-nity to work with each other and their father. Erik said that it works because they commu-nicate well and they have such a good rela-tionship with each other. “We each have dif-ferent strengths so we complement each other very well,” Erik added.

Mikael echoed those sentiments. “We’re very tight knit,” he said. I’m very close to my dad and brother. It’s good to have different perspectives and be able to share them.” Mikael spends the majority of his time in the Deerwood office but, like his dad and brother, he moves between offices regularly. As the newest family member in the office, he said he looks to his dad for advice and wisdom. He enjoys being able to discuss business and share the workload with his dad and brother.

John is thrilled to be working with his two

sons. He said the greatest compliment he receives is when his customers tell him how terrific his sons are to work with and how knowledgeable they are. “Our slogan at the Christenson Agency is, “We’re Working for You,” and we all really believe in that.”

John attributes the success of his business not only to his sons but also to his very qualified and capable staff. “We’re extremely proud of our staff, their professional knowl-edge and their desire to serve our clients. They are instrumental to any success we enjoy.”

John said the insurance business has never been more competitive. He credits their suc-cess in the Christenson Agency to always looking out for the best interests of their cus-tomers. What worked for his dad in 1953 still works today, John explained. “‘Working for You’ is not just a slogan, it’s what we do every day.”


nity to help people plus I could work with John is thrilled to be working with his two day.”nity to help people plus I could work with John is thrilled to be working with his two day.”

Joan Hasskamp Joan Hasskamp is a financial

assistance supervisor for Crow Wing County Community

Services. She lives in Crosby.Christensen Agency staff include: (left to right) Bev Kunz, Deb Sundsvold, Erik Christenson, John Christenson, Mikael Christenson, Tanya Jacobs and Stephanie Trotter.

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WWith an abundance of lakes in the Brainerd lakes area, the tourist industry began about 1915. People traveled here by railroad, horse-drawn carriage and motor cars for the “lake entertainment.” The railroad builders, loggers, miners


R U T T G E R ’ S B AY L A K E L O D G E • M A D D E N ’ S O N G U L L L A K E • C R A G U N ’ S R E S O RT A N D H OT E L O N G U L L L A K E

WJoe and Josephine Ruttger Historic Ruttger’s Bay Lake Lodge

Jim and Alice Madden Madden’s Lodge


and farmers all contributed to the development of Brainerd, but by the 1920s the “vacationists” had become a main emphasis. Even in its earliest growth, tourism ranked with iron ore mining and farming in dollar volume.


R U T T G E R ’ S B AY L A K E L O D G E • M A D D E N ’ S O N G U L L L A K E • C R A G U N ’ S R E S O RT A N D H OT E L O N G U L L L A K E

b y C a r o l y n C o r b e t t b y C a r o l y n C o r b e t t

Ruttger’s dining hall before electricity

An historic Cragun’s photo: family croquet Cragun’s historic photo of Gull Lake.

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toric

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ard


Ruttger’s Bay Lake Lodge is the oldest resort in Minnesota still operated by its founding family. The resort came into being in 1898 when Joe Ruttger, who had emigrated from Germany in the late 19th century, built a few cottages on the farmland he had home-steaded at Bay Lake. Over the years the resort, originally serving fisher-men, passed from Joe and Josie Ruttger to their son, Alec, who invested in e x p a n s i o n . Next, grand-son Jack grew the confer-ence facilities and doubled the number of rooms. Now great-grandson Chris is the general manager.

The Ruttgers’ home, built in 1901, was eventually transformed into the lodge. The original portion of the building remains. The boys’ bedrooms became guest accommodations and then offices. The log dining hall built in 1922 from local poplar logs, was the center of resort activity and is used to this day. The lobby was added to con-nect the house with the dining room and all were sided with logs in about 1935. It is a tradition that a fire always burns in the fire-place in what was originally Joe and Josie’s living room.

Golf began in 1921 when a friend brought the idea of golf to Ruttger’s after a trip to California. In those days guests golfed in the pasture with the cattle. Other attractions of that time were the water slide and water wheel, and the tennis courts. When the Green Lantern was built a few years later, the big bands played and lots of people kicked up their heels. Many guests enjoyed horseback riding through the years till in 1982 horse rid-ing ended to make way for The Lakes golf course.

Across from the Country Store, purchased by Max Ruttger in 1914, is Auntie M’s. It is named for Mae Ruttger Heglund, who at one time ran the gift shop. Built in 1954, it has served as the Paul Bunyan Trading Post, Putt & Putter Shop, Corner Sportswear and now Auntie M’s Kaffeehaus.

Many of the present day cottages have his-tory dating back to the early days of the resort. Constant updating has kept them up to date with all the modern conveniences while retaining the classic cottage charm from nearly a hundred years ago.

The Maddens we know today is the result of merging a number of different properties. In 1906, entrepreneur T.H. Harrison began planning the development of his Gull Lake property, property that would become the Madden’s resort complex. Jack Madden first visited the Pine Beach area, a stunningly

beautiful peninsula jutting far into the south end of Gull Lake,

in 1931. Jack discov-ered the Pine Beach

Golf Course and the Pine Beach Hotel built by Harrison and Chester Start. It was golf that started

the Madden brothers on the

road to the resort business.In an era when cad-

dies were paid 25 cents per round, and many workers earned as little as $20 per month, golf vacations became an unaffordable luxury for most. As the Depression deepened, Harrison and Start were struggling financially and offered Jack and his Uncle Tom a no-money-down deal to buy the golf course and clubhouse property.

The purchase of the Pine Beach Golf course was followed in 1936 by the building of a small three-cabin resort named Mission Point. By 1941, Jack and his brother Jim were sole partners of Mission Point and the Pine Beach Club, consolidating ownership exclu-sively in Madden hands.

Wi t h t h e advent of World War II, Jim was called to active duty, Jack and his wife Peg’s efforts kept Madden Lodge and The Pine Beach Golf Course running through shortages in materials, labor and cash. Following the war, Madden Lodge and the golf complex continued to expand. In 1956 a

new facility named Madden Voyageur was constructed on the west shore of the Pine Beach Peninsula, adding an additional 40 accommodations.

A fire destroyed the golf complex in 1964 and Madden’s response to the fire has become a point of resort pride. Jim Madden considers one of the highlights of his hospi-tality career the fact that Madden’s was open for business the next day!

Madden’s not only redesigned and rebuilt its golf club, but shortly thereafter purchased the adjacent and historic Pine Beach Hotel and Pine Beach Lodge on the peninsula’s west shore. Now Madden’s had full owner-ship of all resort properties on the tip of the Pine Beach Peninsula.

When Jack Madden died in 1978, C. Brian Thuringer, who had served eight years as manager of the Madden-owned Pine Edge Inn in Little Falls joined the resort’s manage-ment staff, becoming the newest partner in 1989. Today, Brian and his wife, Deb, Jim and Alice’s daughter, own the resort where Madden’s offers everything from the basics to an excellent tennis club, art gallery and the first international-style croquet lawns in Minnesota. Their 33-year-old son Ben is vice president of the company. Daughter Abbey was sales manager until September when she returned to school to get her MBA. She’ll be rejoining the resort in about two years.

Merrill K. Cragun, and his wife, Louise, also saw possibilities in the Pine Beach area. Having copyrighted the name Paul Bunyan and traveled the state selling the Paul Bunyan Vacationland concept, in 1940 they bought

seven acres of property from Jack Madden. There were no contractors at that time,

so eight different families were hired to build eight different cabins in the Pine Beach area of Gull Lake. Wanting to make some improve-ments, Merrill went to the bank and signed a mortgage on Dec. 6, 1941, the day before Pearl Harbor. The war years were

tough, but they hung on. Louise ran the resort, 9-year-old Dutch

sold minnows and worms, and Merrill worked in Minneapolis dur-

ing the week, making Skippy Peanut Butter labels for the war effort. Still, by 1947

they had 12 cabins and a lodge. The resort expanded throughout the

1940s, adding 12 cabins, a 20-seat dining room and motel units. The tourist season ran from Memorial Day to Labor Day. In 1957, Dutch. took over as resort manager and con-tinued building onto the resort each year.

resort, originally serving fisher-men, passed from Joe and Josie Ruttger to their son, Alec, who invested in e x p a n s i o n .

son Jack grew

beautiful peninsula jutting far into the south end of Gull Lake,

in 1931. Jack discov-ered the Pine Beach

Golf Course and the Pine Beach Hotel built by

Chester Start. It was golf

The Ruttger’s

Dutch and his wife, Irma, oversaw further development throughout the several decades that included adding outdoor and indoor pool complexes, winterizing the resort and acquiring two adjacent proper-ties. At first they did everything themselves, from painting to sew-ing the curtains.

In the late 1990s, Dutch and Irma built the 45-hole world class golf course at Cragun’s Legacy Courses. The Craguns have no chil-dren and the Legacy Courses are a way to leave behind something of last-ing value. The Audubon Signature Sanctuary Course designation of the Legacy Courses certifies high standards in wildlife-habitat management, erosion control, water testing, wetland protection and more.

Today, in addition to the 61 cabins, Cragun’s offers a 185-room hotel, complete conference and meeting facilities and 4500 feet of shore-line. Since Cragun’s opened in 1940, an esti-mated 3 million people have been guests.

Beach Club, consolidating ownership exclu-sively in Madden Vacationland concept, in 1940 they bought

seven acres of property from Jack Madden. There were no contractors at that time,

so eight different families were hired to build eight different cabins in the Pine Beach area of Gull Lake. Wanting to make some improve-ments, Merrill went to the bank and signed a mortgage on Dec.

The Thuringer’s


Ruttger’s Bay Lake Lodge Madden’s on Gull Lake

Cragun’s Resort & Hotel on Gull Lake


Dutch and his wife, Irma, oversaw further development throughout the several decades that included adding outdoor and indoor pool complexes, winterizing the resort and acquiring two adjacent proper-ties. At first they did everything themselves, from painting to sew-ing the curtains.

In the late 1990s, Dutch and Irma built the 45-hole world class golf course at Cragun’s Legacy Courses. The Craguns have no chil-dren and the Legacy Courses are a way to leave behind something of last-ing value. The Audubon Signature Sanctuary Course designation of the Legacy Courses certifies high standards in wildlife-habitat management, erosion control, water testing, wetland protection and more.

Today, in addition to the 61 cabins, Cragun’s offers a 185-room hotel, complete conference and meeting facilities and 4500 feet of shore-line. Since Cragun’s opened in 1940, an esti-mated 3 million people have been guests.

One important advance over the years has been the extension of the resort season to accommodate both conference groups and winter vacationers. Vacationers in the lakes

area today are golf groups, wedding parties and guests, family reunions, those looking for eco-friendly experiences, scrapbookers, snow-mobilers, people on holiday packages and more.

It is not only the resorts that are passed down through the generations. It is also the vacations themselves. Families spanning gen-erations, some for over 40 years, continue to return to the resorts where they vacationed with their family years ago, even if now they make reservations on smartphones.

Multi-generational family vacations at multi-generational family resorts!

development throughout the several decades that included adding outdoor and indoor pool complexes, winterizing the resort and acquiring two adjacent proper-ties. At first they did everything

The Cragun’s Enjoy

p h o t o b y J o e y H a l v o r s o n


Carolyn Corbett Prior to playing with words for a living, Carolyn Corbett taught elementary school for 14 years. At 35, she

resigned and sailed off into the sunset. Literally. Along the way she became a contributing writer for a num-ber of sailing magazines. Today, as a freelance writer/editor, she has over 200 articles published in cruising,

parenting and general interest magazines. Her web site is at www.carolyncorbett.com

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ggTrends & The Future

Enjoy


b y K a r e n O g d a h lp h o t o b y J o e y H a l v o r s o n

OOOver 90 years ago, Fred Anderson and his brothers opened a dry cleaning business on Laurel Street in Brainerd. Today Fred’s grand-daughter, Rose Feriancek and her husband, Jerry, are proud to be the third generation of Andersons to own Anderson Cleaners.

The original business began on 614 Laurel Street in 1920. The store sold diamonds, jewelry and made-to-order clothing. Catering to the fashions of the times, they specialized in hat refur-bishing — and, of course, dry cleaning. “We still have some of the hat forms and irons from the original build-ing,” Rose said. “A few of the irons weighed 15 pounds!”

When the brothers went their separate ways, Fred moved the dry cleaning business into his home at 416 S. Eighth Street, and the cleaners have been there ever since, with a few changes. “In the early days the dry cleaning was done in the base-ment and pressing and cus-tomer service was on the main level,” Rose said. “The back of the house and the upstairs were the living quar-ters for my grandparents and their four children including my dad, Everett. As the business expand-ed, the family moved to a new home, freeing up more space for the dry cleaning.”

The neighborhood was primarily residential in those days, but

today most of the houses have been replaced by commercial proper-ties. Although the equipment has been updated several times, ves-tiges of the early days still exist. A coal bin in the basement brings back memories of times when the business needed coal to heat the build-i n g and generate steam for the cleaning pro-

cess. The original Anderson family kitchen sink is still in use today.

Although Rose is very proud of her career now, she never intended to go into the family business. “In high school I wanted to be a home eco-nomics teacher,” she said, but after college she changed her mind and returned to the cleaners. Rose’s knowl-edge of sewing helped her with the alterations service and with clothing care. “I loved chemistry, which is so important to what we do. We are a leader in stain removal, and it’s because we know what we’re doing. It’s not by-guess-by-gosh.” The Ferianceks keep up with new tech-niques and environmental standards. They have been active in the

Minnesota Dry Cleaners Association, and Rose has held several offices including state president.

The name on the door may be the same, but many of the services reflect modern needs. Surprisingly, people still bring their everyday clothes to the cleaners. “People are so busy,” Rose said. “They want


ANDERSON CLEANERS - BRAINERD

The original business began on 614 Laurel Street in 1920. The store sold diamonds, jewelry and made-to-order clothing. Catering to the fashions of the times, they specialized in hat refur-bishing — and, of course, dry cleaning. “We still have some of the hat forms and irons from the original build-ing,” Rose said. “A few of the irons

separate ways, Fred moved the dry cleaning business into his home at 416 S. Eighth Street, and the cleaners have been there ever since, with a few changes. “In the early days the dry cleaning was done in the base-ment and pressing and cus-

i n g and generate steam for the cleaning pro-

When Fred became the sole owner, Anderson Cleaners moved to their present location on 8th Street.

OOver 90 years ago, Fred Anderson and his brothers opened a dry OOver 90 years ago, Fred Anderson and his brothers opened a dry O today most of the houses have been replaced by commercial proper-today most of the houses have been replaced by commercial proper-

Keeping Clothes

Clean92 years

for


Karen Ogdahl Karen Ogdahl is a

retired teacher living in Baxter.


their clothes to look good, but they don’t have time to do the washing and ironing. Also, we clean a lot of down comfort-ers and pillows. We can make down pillows from old comforters and can make pillows from a down substitute that doesn’t flatten with use.”

Rose’s grandfather could never have imag-ined that Anderson Cleaners would be doing business all over the world, but the Internet has created a wide customer base, especially for family treasures. “One of our specialties is heirloom cleaning,” she said. “We do every-thing from tablecloths and quilts to dresses. Many other cleaners won’t do heir-

loom work because it’s so time

consuming. You have to know the fabric, the embellishments on the fabric and the types of stains. Once an item is cleaned, we package it in an acid-free storage box to preserve it.”Rose and Jerry have cleaned

items from Europe and England as well as all over the United States. “We have a

c u s -tomer from Hawaii who has sent us her pillows three times to be restored,” she said. “We’ve con-nected with so many interesting people. Mostly they email us, but other times they call and chat for awhile.”

Just as her grandfather and father did, Rose still treasures her customers close to home. “The best part of the business is the people, and that doesn’t change,” she said. “We love owning a business that’s been in the family so long, and Jerry has a special talent for remembering everyone’s names. Some of our customers have been with us for years. We know their families and they know ours. They are more to us than just business, we have become friends. We’ve also had out-standing employees. They put pride in what they do and have stayed with us a long time.”

What would Grandpa Fred think about the present-day Anderson Cleaners? Rose said, “My grandfather would probably be amazed at how similar the procedures are to those he used, yet how rigid the safety and hazardous standards have become. I feel he would be proud that we have carried on the dry cleaning business that he started in 1920.”

Fred Anderson (left) and his brother opened a dry cleaning business on Brainerd’s Laurel Street in 1920.

After college, Fred’s grand-daughter, Rose, used her sewing skills to help with the busi-ness.

their clothes to look good, but they don’t have time to do the washing and ironing. Also, we clean a lot of down comfort-

c u s -tomer from Hawaii

Fred Anderson (left) and his brother opened a dry cleaning business on Brainerd’s Laurel Street in 1920.

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Rose Feriancek and her husband

Jerry are thirdgeneration owners

of Anderson Cleaners.


For W.W. Thompson Concrete, the original “blocks” were two brothers, R.B. (Burt) Thompson, and D.C. Thompson. The broth-ers started the company with I.C. Clausen in downtown Brainerd in 1909. As they built their business they helped Brainerd become the town it is today.

In 1931 the Thompson brothers bought out Clausen, and called it Thompson Brothers Concrete Works. In 1946, Burt’s son Bill came home from World War II and bought out his uncle and it became a father and son enterprise.

Burt loved to recount his family history. His father, George Thompson, was born in Nova Scotia in the mid-1800s. When George heard of a big boom happening in a town called Brainerd, he moved here and had his family follow later. At the time Brainerd was a rough lumber town, where “every other door was a saloon, a red light (district) or a gambling den.” The young town needed homes built to accommodate the influx of loggers. George took up mason-tending and working in the brickyard during the summer, logging in the winter.

When Burt died in 1954, Bill bought out his mother’s share of the business. In 1959 Bill moved the business to its present location on the corner of Business 371 and Industrial Park Road and improved and expanded it, calling it W.W. Thompson after him-self (William Walter).

Todd, Bill’s son, began working at the plant in 1971 when he was 14. He has always known he would follow in his father’s and grandfather’s foot-steps. He began full time in the company when he graduated from high school.

In 1980 Todd, who was 25, bought out his dad when he retired. Although Bill took to retirement with gusto, he was always ready to help with moral support and to help make major decisions. In 1991 and 1996, Todd upgraded the block plant and rebuilt it in 2000, con-structing the plant you see today. Todd expanded into the construction supply business while raising his family, two children, Brett and Sara, with his wife of 31 years, Roxanne.

Brett says, “I worked there summers when I was 14 or 15, when I wasn’t playing baseball.” He gradu-ated from NDSU in civil engineering because he always had an interest in building. In 2004 he decided to come back to the family business because he loves the industry and the people in it. In 2009 Brett signed a pur-chase agreement with his father and became part owner in the corporation.

Brett says, “We have good days and bad days, but it is very neat to be part of a family business, to know the history and see how

it’s changed over the years.”Todd agrees, “Pretty neat dream to have that reality coming

true, to be able to offer my children the same thing I had. I’ve never worked for someone else and I can give my children that. I could have been the worst employee in the world. This business has treated our family well. It’s been a lot of hard work, and we’ve been fortunate. Hopefully we have treated our employees well, as they’ve been a large part of our success over the years.”

“Brett and I don’t always see eye to eye, but to work side by side with my son is pretty special.” Todd says, as Brett nods. “We can yell and scream at each other, and blow off steam, but at the end of the day we were still father and son and move on.”

Todd is so grateful to all of their customers, large and small. Todd says they also try to buy local as much as they can. It is

FFor W.W. Thompson Concrete, the original “blocks” were two FFor W.W. Thompson Concrete, the original “blocks” were two brothers, R.B. (Burt) Thompson, and D.C. Thompson. The broth-Fbrothers, R.B. (Burt) Thompson, and D.C. Thompson. The broth-ers started the company with I.C. Clausen in downtown Brainerd

Fers started the company with I.C. Clausen in downtown Brainerd


WW THOMPSON CONCRETE - BRAINERD

FA Chip Off the Old Block

Early W.W.Thompson owners, left to right, W.W. Thompson (Bill) with his parents, Hester and R.B. (Burt) Thompson.



S t o r y & p h o t o b y S u z A n n e W i p p e r l i n gS t o r y & p h o t o b y S u z A n n e W i p p e r l i n g

important to them to see this region pros-per. He would never think of going somewhere else to buy a new car.

In August of 2008 they bought a company in Park Rapids, and so expansion into that area is devel-oping. Brett says “I see our company getting into more of an architectural block, colored rockface block exteriors, burnished block, the ground face you see in schools,

government buildings and expanding into more commercial line products.

Todd adds, “WW Thompson is upgrading, purchasing a new concrete products manufacturing machine, which is state of the art and versatile. It gives us the ability to make block one hour, and retaining wall the next. Before this machine we would have to take time to retool. It will be much easier with new innovations in the industry, this machine will allow us to adapt.”

About the industry Todd says, “The big guys have got-ten bigger, but there is still room for the smaller company.

We can offer a lot more personal service than the big guys.”

As the saying goes, he’s a chip off the old block.And proud of it.

Suz Anne Whipperling Suz Anne Wipperling is a regular contributor to Her

Voice, a member of Brainerd Writer’s Alliance and Heartland Poets and has both poetry and photography includ-

ed in a Bemidji State University “Dust and Fire” collection.

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A Chip Off the Old Block

Current owner Todd Thompson (left) took over the business from his father in 1980 and was joined by his son Brett in

200

4.



b y J e n n y G u n s b u r y p h o t o b y J o e y H a l v o r s o n

BERCHER DESIGN & CONSTRUCTION - BRAINERD

IIIt all started with a trip to Paul Bunyan Land in July, 1976. “Well there’s Jenny and Tim, all the way from New Hope, Minnesota. Good to see you!” boomed the larger-than-life woodsman from his seat at the famed amusement park, then located at the junction of Highways 371 and 210. “How does he know our name?” wondered the kids. “He just does,” replied their father, Tom. Tom and Elaine Bercher had brought their children up to the lakes area for a family vacation.

After a day of rides, the family decided to explore the area. They drove around Gull Lake and noticed a “Lots for Sale” sign on the west side. After talking to the owner, Fred Schupert, local real estate agent, Ray Ruttger, and a few more weekend trips to the area, they pur-chased the lot for $18,000. “It seems like such a bargain now, but it was a lot of money back then,” says Elaine.

In 1974, Tom started his own construction company in Minneapolis, Tom Bercher Construction. From a young age, he knew he wanted to be a carpenter when he grew up. When he was 8, his father was building an addition onto their home near Chicago. Tom loved to help pound in the nails. His father would even intentionally leave some nails out so Tom would have more to pound in when he got home from school. “From then on, that’s all I ever wanted to do,” recalls Bercher. After graduating from high school, Tom learned his craft on residential and commercial jobsites in the Chicago and Minneapolis areas.



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While Tom worked out in the field, Elaine helped by answering the phone, filing and doing the bookwork from a small home office. She took accounting and real estate classes at a local community college to enhance her business skills. They grew from two to eight employ-ees, working on a wide range of residential projects in all areas of the Twin Cities.

By 1978, the couple had purchased several more lots on Gull Lake and in Nisswa. “By then, we said to ourselves, ‘Let’s either move up there or sell the lots’,” recalls, Tom. “The beauty of the lakes, the friendly people, and the opportunity to get in on the lake home indus-try really drew us here,” says Elaine. “At that time, there was still a lot of lakeshore available, much of it with good elevation.” In 1979, they finished up jobs in Minneapolis and headed north.

“When I first came to town, I visited the Chamber of Commerce. The Commerce and Industry Show was about to start,” says Tom, “so I rented a booth. That’s where we got our first jobs.” It’s also where Tom met local builders Jerry Stromberg, Bob Gmeinder and Jack McDonald. By April 1980, this group, along with several others, established and became charter members of the Mid-Minnesota Builders Association. Today, the organization has more than 250 members and is involved in local, state, and national issues that affect the building industry.

The couple recalls that the early 1980s were interesting times to be a builder in this area. “Compared to today, interest rates were sky-high at around 20 percent,” says Elaine. “But,” Tom adds, “Those were also some of our best years. It seemed that when the economy was bad, peo-ple took their money out of the stock market and invested in real estate and construction projects. Our reputation grew during that time as builders of lake homes.”

As Tom Bercher Construction evolved and became Bercher Construction, their work portfolio included more commercial and remodeling projects. They moved their office out of their home and rented space on Golf Course Drive in Baxter. In the early 1990s, the Berchers built the Design Drive Professional Court on Design Road, where their offices are now located.

Over the years, Tom spent more time in the office doing sales and managing projects and Elaine hired office staff to help with the daily accounting tasks. “I became more active in managing the entire office, marketing, advertising, photographing projects and helping with inte-rior design,” says Elaine.

“We also realized how important it was to be involved in the com-munity,” says Elaine. Tom’s leadership roles at the local, state and national level of the National Association of Home Builders helped them bring new ideas to the area and network with builders and sup-pliers from around the country. He also served as Board Chair of the Brainerd Chamber of Commerce and coached youth hockey and baseball. Elaine was active as a Chamber Ambassador, worked on United Way campaigns, served on the Bremer Bank Advisory Board and enjoyed membership in the Newcomers Club, Lioness of Nisswa

and Zonta organizations. After 25 years in business, Tom and Elaine started thinking about

retirement. “First, we approached our children,” recalls Tom. “But they weren’t interested.” While the Berchers pondered their options, Jenny and her husband, Brent Gunsbury, began to reconsider the offer. “It was very appealing from a family aspect,” says Brent. “We realized it was a great opportunity to raise our kids in a strong community near extended family.”

Like Tom, Brent knew what he wanted to do from an early age — own his own business. Similar to Jenny, he grew up in a family busi-ness on Gull Lake and had a good idea about the benefits and occa-sional drawbacks to that lifestyle. With business management and

psychology degrees in hand, along with experience in sales, marketing, public relations and a job with an architectural firm in Minneapolis, Brent agreed to become part of the Bercher team.

In 2000, Brent, Jenny, and their two young children moved from Minneapolis to Brainerd. Brent was to take over Elaine’s role in the company so she could retire first. Tom says with a grin, “But she really wasn’t ready to give it up completely, so I started giving Brent my responsibilities.” Tom officially retired in 2002 and Elaine followed in 2004. That’s when Jenny stepped in and took over many of Elaine’s duties. In 2007, the Gunsburys purchased Bercher Design & Construction from the Berchers.

“Getting my general contrac-tor’s license, learning about human resources and under-standing the specifics of construc-tion management were my first tasks,” says Brent. “Tom and Elaine were, and continue to be, great mentors for all aspects of the business. They also have a

firm grasp on the importance of separating business and family, which I think is healthy. There’s a link, but they’re not one and the same.”

Both generations agree that working with a spouse has its ups and downs. “We never had to ask each other about their day because we already knew,” says Tom. “We also understood the long hours and weekend appointments,” adds Elaine. “For clients, it can also be help-ful to have a couple assisting them with the building process. I think Jenny and I complement one another in our skill sets,” says Brent.

Many things have changed in the lakes area since 1976. Even Paul Bunyan has a new address. As Bercher Design & Construction enters its 38th year of business, the family agrees that the reasons for its longevity and success remain the same. “Our clients, dedicated and talented employees, and commitment to the industry have made all the difference,” notes Tom. “Staying current on trends in the market-place and being fiscally responsible helped us weather the tougher times, too,” says Elaine. “The construction industry is constantly changing,” says Brent. “The one constant, though, is approaching each client in a way that addresses and respects their unique set of circum-stances. If we keep focusing on what is important to them, we should be doing fine for the third generation.”

PlannersDesignersBuilders



Jenny Gunsbury Jenny Gunsbury enjoys working with her husband, carrying on the family business. She loves the smell of a newly framed house and remembers reading Professional Builder and Qualified Remodeler at the

breakfast table growing up. Her free-lance articles can be found in various publications.

Tom Bercher (second from left) and his wife Elaine, moved to Brainerd in 1976 where Tom started Tom Bercher construction, now owned by son-in-law Brent Gunsbury (far right) and his wife Jenny Bercher Gunsbury.


IIn September of 1935 a Labor Day hurricane hit the Florida Keys, killing 423; Howard Hughes, flying the

Hughes H-1 Racer, set an airspeed record of 352 mph; U.S. President Franklin Delano Roosevelt dedicated

Hoover Dam; and in Pine River, a business was born that would live to see three generations at its helm.

Recently I sat down with Paul and Marge Gardiner in a pleasant room (in a house they have lived in their

entire 68-year marriage) overlooking the Pine River, to talk about the hardware store that Paul’s father

opened in 1935. I’ve known Paul and Marge and their son Gary for — well, let’s just say for a long time —

and they are just as personable now as they were when I was a youngster.

Hardware history began when Clarence Virgil (aka CV), Paul’s father, left Ree Heights, S.D., and eventu-

ally settled in Pine River, an area that he had fished, hunted and grown to love. In 1935 he purchased the

Gambles Store, which today is known as Gardiner’s Hardware Hank and occupies the corner of First and

Barclay on the main street of town.

Paul worked after school and weekends for his father and when he graduated from high school in 1936

became a full-time employee. When asked about products in his father’s store, he recalls the battery-oper-

ated radios that were popular due to the lack of electricity in the rural areas. “They sold for $27.45. A cus-

tomer could purchase one on a payment plan, $5 down and $5 a month.” According to Paul, many families

bought their first washing machine from the store, most of them gasoline-powered. He smiles when he

relates what a perfectionist his father was. “Before he would deliver a kitchen range to a customer, he’d bake

a cake in it to make sure it was working.”

In 1948 Paul and his brother Kenneth purchased all but part of the appliance business and the bottle gas

business from their father but about a year later, due to health reasons, CV sold that part to them as well.

In 1960 the store became a Hardware Hank and in 1970 it was expanded. Months later, tragedy struck

when a fire destroyed the new addition and gutted the main part of the store. But the Gardiners persevered,

rebuilt the store and today it is bigger and better than ever — furniture, appliances, hardware, sporting goods

and toys. In 1977, when Kenny decided to retire, Marge and Paul became sole owners.

I asked them what they missed most about the store after they retired and without hesitation Marge

replied (and Paul agreed), “Meeting nice people.”

Gary came into the family business at an early age when he was given the job of sweeping floors and

putting away stock, but after witnessing the long hours his parents spent at the store he harbored no ambi-

tions to follow in their footsteps. Instead, upon graduation from college, he headed southwest to Denver

and went into real estate. And that’s where he met his wife, Janice, who worked in mortgage banking.

Life as they knew it changed when in 1990 they relocated to Pine River with the idea of exploring the

possibility of acquiring the family business. At the end of their self-imposed three-year trial period they

made the decision to stay.

Gary is quick to point out that his wife has adjusted well to the hardware/furniture business. In the begin-

ning, however, customers would ask Janice if there was a man who could help them. That’s when Gary came

up with a plan. “My way of supporting her was to disappear, forcing that customer to discover how

knowledgeable she was. I may have created a monster as now when the

phone rings or a customer comes in they always want Janice to help.”

When asked what she likes most about working in the store Janice

replies, “Trying to get customers what they need so they want to come

back. We know a lot of our customers on a first name basis and it’s

always a challenge to try to take care of everyone.”


Customers on a

First Name Basis

GARDINER’S HARDWARE HANK - PINE RIVER

knowledgeable she was. I may have created a monster as now when the

When asked what she likes most about working in the store Janice


While Janice and Gary find their garden and remote location with much wildlife a real therapy for the stress of business, their Springers (Bud and Beau) who accompany them to the store daily prefer to snooze on the job.

Whether another generation of Gardiners will take the helm (Gary’s son, Sean, is currently working as a pastor in Kansas and is the father of three daughters) is unknown, but what is known is that 76 years ago Clarence Virgil had a secret to success and today Gary and Janice own it.

Theresa Jarvela Theresa Jarvela lives in Brainerd, is a member

of Great River Writers, Brainerd Writers Alliance and Sisters in Crime Organization.


S t o r y & p h o t o b y T h e r e s a J a r v e l a

While Janice and Gary find their garden and remote location with

S t o r y & p h o t o b y T h e r e s a J a r v e l aS t o r y & p h o t o b y T h e r e s a J a r v e l aS t o r y & p h o t o b y T h e r e s a J a r v e l a

G

Theresa Jarvela

Gardiner’s Paul and Marge (center & right) have passed on ownership ofGardiner’s Hardware Hank in Pine River to their son, Gary and his wife, Janice.



What’s in a Name?

b y A r l e n e J o n e sp h o t o b y T r a c y W a l l i n

SCHAEFER’S FOODS - NISSWA

SCHAEFER’S MODEL MEAT

SS Schaefer’s…its synonymous with the lakes area. It is a fixture, a landmark and the gateway to the Nisswa business area. “Take a left at Schaefer’s corner.” “Go a mile past Schaefer’s.” And if you’ve been around long enough, “go right at the Airport Market” might have been what you heard. Yes, at one time, there was an airport just west of the store and Schaefer’s was once known as Schaefer’s Airport Market.

In 1914, Theodore “Ted” Schaefer opened the original Schaefer’s store in the Brainerd area, Schaefer’s Model Meat Market, on the corner of 6th and Maple. His sons, Ted II, Bud and John Schaefer, opened a new store with groceries at the corner of 7th and Maple (currently The Office Shop). The Schaefers owned and operated a third store in Little Falls, just west of the river. The fourth store opened as Schaefer’s Airport Market, in Nisswa, at its current location, in 1964.

When the brothers purchased the store, it was known as “Jimmy’s” and included The Flight Room — a cafe and dance hall for local teenagers, a laundro-mat and a variety store. The variety store was a one-stop shop for folks vacation-ing in the Nisswa area where they could get what they needed without having to travel to the big city, Brainerd. Ted III says that this store filled a niche and shelves were stocked with items from clothing to shelf paper, to children’s toys and kitch-en gadgets and had a “tad of everything.”

At first the stores were seasonal so one of the first orders of business was to keep the store open year round. When the Schaefer family purchased the Nisswa grocery market, the family owned and operated four grocery stores in the region: two in Brainerd, one in Little Falls and one in Nisswa. Eventually, the stores in Brainerd and Little Falls

were sold and the Schaefer family remained in the grocery business with the Nisswa store.

The current Schaefer at the helm of the family business, Ted Schaefer III, is the third generation Schaefer to own and operate a grocery store in the lakes area. Ted Schaefer III was born into a family of six siblings with four older sis-ters and a younger brother on Brainerd’s south side. Ted III began working in his grandfather’s grocery business when he was 12 years old. He says his first “job” was to sort pop bottles, and with another smile says that his first promotion was to mow lawns.

When the Nisswa store was pur-chased in 1964, his father, Ted II, moved his family from Brainerd to the Nisswa area. In 1969, the store name was again changed to Schaefer’s Red Owl when the brothers began to purchase groceries from a Hopkins distributor.

Ted III graduated from Brainerd High School in 1970 and was employed full time at the Brainerd store. In 1972, when an employee returned from a military deployment, Ted was “let go” from his job. As he was the last one hired, Ted III was released from employment in order for the soldier return to active employ-ment. This turns out to have been a good thing. Ted III decided to take advantage of his employment condition and travel. He landed on the slopes of Vail, Colo., where he met his future wife, Robyn. Ted III and Robyn were married in 1973.

The first major remodel of Schaefer’s Red Owl began in the spring of 1975. The store remodel project was complet-ed by Bud Schaefer, who had left the grocery business and owned Brainerd Construction. When finished, the store was enlarged by 4,300 square feet. All

Top Photo: Opening Schaefer’s Model Meat Market on 6th and Oak in Brainerd were Schaefer brothers (left to right): Ted II, John and Bud.

Bottom Photo: Schaefer Family (left to right): Tony, Tiffany, Ted III, Robyn, Andy and Ted IV.



G

new refrigeration was added and the laun-dromat received all new laundry equip-ment. With the increased size, the store was able to receive daily bakery items from its sister stores in Brainerd and was able to hire additional employees. The store reduced the variety component of inven-tory and focused on general merchandise related to food preparation and kitchen gadgetry. The remodeling job took almost a year to complete and the store was ready for the spring season of 1976.

At the age of 30, Ted III and his brother, Tom, bought the Nisswa store from their father, Ted II, and their uncle, John Schaefer in 1981. At this time, Ted II retired from the grocery business and eventually sold the stores in the Brainerd and Little Falls areas. Ted II and his wife, Bettie Jane, retired to the hobby of training and showing Tennessee Walking Horses.

The face of Schaefer’s again changed when it remodeled in 1993, almost dou-bling in size. The store moved to a full service in-house bakery and upgraded existing deli departments by adding sit-down areas for full service meals. The cur-rent storefront with the iconic timber fram-ing was reopened in the spring of 1994 as Schaefer’s Foods. When I asked what makes for a successful stand-alone grocery business in the face of larger stores, Ted says, “You listen to your customers, not big city marketing trends, and that is a success-ful model.”

Schaefer’s Foods is also an outstanding

example of a family-owned business that is fully integrated into their community and its needs. One of the most well-known events in the Nisswa area is the annual Schaefer’s “Taste of the Holidays,” held the first Thursday of December. The store is elaborately lit from its roadway entrances with luminaries and the entire store is decorated for the holidays. Vendor after vendor fill the aisles, demonstrating their products. Ted says that it is not only a way to showcase the vendors, but a way to showcase the store and its capabilities for holiday entertaining. Additionally, pro-ceeds are given to a different benefactor each year.

Today, Schaefer’s Foods still remains a landmark in Nisswa. It also is a good, old-fashioned grocery store that has managed to maintain much of its small town values and characteristics. There is a full service meat department where beef and pork are still hand cut by meatcutters. Ted explains that traditionally employees who worked in the meat department were trained at meat cutting school. Though meatcutters today are not formally trained, Ted says that he can still hear his Uncle John’s words and they “help convey meat cutting tra-ditions.”

At Schaefer’s Foods, you can still find pies

from scratch which bear yet another Schaefer name, Bettie Jane. It is a store where your groceries are bagged for you and carried to your vehicle, even in the snow and rain, everyday of the year. Schaefer’s Foods employs 75-80 year-round employees and as many as 120 employees through the summer months.

Ted III and Robyn Schaefer and their four children, Ted IV, Andy, Tony and Tiffany, all work at the store in varying capacities. Working with family requires consistent communication that spans over generations of diverse values, interests and ideas. If success can be measured by gen-erations of working with family success-fully, then the Schaefer family has mas-tered the course.

Schaefer’s motto is “Your family tradi-tion; our family’s legacy.” In 2014, Schaefer’s Foods will celebrate its 100th anniversary of being in business under the Schaefer name in the Brainerd area. You can be sure that there is a community-minded celebration coming.

Arlene JonesArlene Jones owns and operates The Farm

on St. Mathias with her husband, Bob. When not farming or collaborating with the community on food-related issues, she spends time with

her children and grandchildren, traveling, read-ing and researching genealogy.

makes for a successful stand-alone grocery business in the face of larger stores, Ted says, “You listen to your customers, not big city marketing trends, and that is a success-ful model.”

Schaefer’s Foods is also an outstanding


Generations in Business - Vol1 Iss1

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