S10 September 1, 2016 • September 5, 2016
FAMILY BUSINESS
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Young man takes over family business At 23, Babinski runs Babinski Properties By Nancy Vogt Echo Journal Editor At age 23, John Babinski is running the family business his grandfather founded in the way his grandfather taught him. “I’ve been part of the business since age 6,” he said of Babinski Properties, a family-owned property management and development company with an office in Pequot Lakes and main office in Sioux Falls, S.D. “I’ve been part of the business forever, working with my grandpa and my dad side by side, helping out after school.” After his grandfather, Donald Babinski, had a stroke that left him unable to talk for about a year before he died in August 2014, the younger Babinski took on a bigger role. He took over the helm and has been running Babinski Properties with the same people his grandfather employed. Babinski’s brother, Ryan, 22, also works for the company, as does their cousin, Donald Travis Grimler/Echo Journal Snyder. John Babinski, 23, talks about his grandfather, the late Donald The business builds Babinski, and the family company, Babinski Properties, while at and manages apartment the Babinski Foundation. buildings in Pequot Lakes (including Pequot Pines, Pequot Estates, Janice Estates and Pequot Cottages, which opened a year ago for people age 55 and older), South Dakota, the Twin Cities area and Naples, Fla. “I knew one day it was going to have to happen,” Babinski said of running of the company. After his grandfathered suffered the devastating and unexpected stroke, “I didn’t really have a choice,” he said. Now he learns every day he goes to work. “Everyone makes Travis Grimler/Echo Journal mistakes,” Babinski said. The Babinski Foundation, a no-kill animal shelter, is being con- “There’s no mistake you structed on 365 acres off County Road 29 in rural Pequot Lakes. can’t fix.” Completion is anticipated by the end of the year. He estimated his
grandfather built over 50 different complexes before he died. “Don started the business from nothing,” Babinski said, referring to his grandfather, “beginning in the 1940s forming steps, then digging basements.” John Babinski grew up spending half the year in Pequot Lakes and the other half in Naples. He attended Nisswa Elementary School, then attended high school in the Twin Cities, where his mom lived after his parents, John and Lynn, divorced. He continued spending the summers up north and working for his grandfather’s company. After his dad died in 2006, “Grandpa took on the role of being Dad,” Babinski said. The summer before his senior year of high school, Babinski decided to move up north permanently. He is a 2011 Pequot Lakes High School graduate who now lives in Nisswa, near his grandmother, Elizabeth (Betty) Babinski. He did try college after high school. “I went to college at CLC (Central Lakes College) for business management for about half a month,” he said with a laugh. “I realized that they were teaching me how to do everything. It just was a different way that my grandpa really did his business, and I figured the best way was to stay on board and keep making money and get to know the business.” One of Babinski Properties’ biggest projects right now is a no-kill animal shelter being built on 365 acres off County Road 29 in rural Pequot Lakes. Called the Babinski Foundation, completion is expected by the end of the year.
“He loved dogs and cats and hated the government,” Babinski said of his grandfather, so before he died he left his apartment buildings to run the Babinski Foundation, a dog and cat refuge. A five-member board will be established to run the foundation, which will become a horse refuge in a few years as well. “So we have to keep building more apartment buildings and keep generating revenue to make this thing run, and that’s what we’re going to keep doing. So we’re planning on next year starting to really take off on new construction of apartments, and hopefully everything goes smooth for the future,” Babinski said. Donald Babinski bought the former Crafters Mall buildings at Highway 371 and County Road 107 in Pequot Lakes to house the animal shelter. He died before that became reality, and those buildings now are the home office for Babinski Properties. When John Babinski started looking at costs to turn that complex into an animal shelter, he decided it made more sense to build a new facility in a different location, rather than along the new fourlane Highway 371 being built right behind the buildings. He admits he had no idea how to build an animal shelter and has learned a lot along the way. Work continues on the expansive building that will house up to 100 dogs and 100 cats, with expansion plans already in the works for room for 100 more of each. “We have no idea how many animals will come in,” Babinski said. The Babinski family is also philanthropic. The
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Babinski Properties
City: Pequot Lakes and Sioux Falls, S.D. Number of employees: 60 Full Time Fun fact: John Babinski is an animal lover who has three dogs: Terry, a German shepherd; Sasha, a St. Bernard; and Kernal, a German shepherd/husky. family donated $50,000 for the playground at Sibley Lake Park in honor of Donald and Elizabeth Babinski. Babinski Properties helped install the playground at the Adams Family Playground in Pequot Lakes, and the company donated and installed the dog fence at the Babinski-Wilson Dog Park in Pequot Lakes. John Babinski said his grandpa was like a second dad, even a main father, to him, and he’s had help from good family friends along his journey. “It’s my job,” he said of running Babinski Properties. “I wake up and do it. “It doesn’t pay too bad,” he added with a smile. “I’m making pretty good money for the age I am.” Regarding the future, Babinski noted plans to build a new office building for Babinski Properties on the cleared lot between the mini storage buildings and Mid-Minnesota Federal Credit Union in Pequot Lakes. Also, the plan is “to keep throwing apartment buildings up like crazy,” and, perhaps, townhomes and rental units as well. NANCY VOGT may be reached at 218-855-5877 or nancy.vogt@ pineandlakes.com. Follow on Twitter at www.twitter.com/PEJ_Nancy.
Advertorial
Schroeder’s Appliance is famous for quality product and customer service By JODIE TWEED
JULY 1 - SEPTEMBER 26, 2016
Owner Chuck Schroeder said he’s noticed that the housing market has been steadily improving because of all of the orders for new appliances he’s seen come in from builders and homeowners. But then, Schroeder’s Appliance Center has a strong customer base. The locally owned and operated appliance sales business has been in the Brainerd lakes area for more than 56 years. The company was founded in 1960 by Schroeder’s father, Ken, who bought the company from Melon Communications. At the time, radio was popular, and the company sold and serviced radios. The business soon evolved into television sales and repairs, and then transitioned into selling appliances. Today Schroeder’s Appliance Center is known for its quality name brand appliances and the fact that the company services what they sell. This is a big reason why many people chose to purchase their appliances from Schroeder’s; they know if there is a problem they have a local company to call for repairs. “We have a service department that takes care of customers,” Schroeder
explained. “If you have problems, you’re not calling an 800 number. We get things taken care of right away. It’s very important to our customers and our customers rely on us. We service anything we sell.” Schroeder’s Appliance Center remains a family business. Chuck Schroeder’s father and company founder, Ken Schroeder, still works part-time there and Chuck’s sister, Karen Schroeder-Stave, a first-grade teacher, also works part-time. Chuck Schroeder said word of mouth is one of the biggest reasons why new customers walk through the front door. They also keep prices low to compete with the larger stores. “Nine times out of 10, our new customers say somebody told them to come here because we take care of our customers.” When you visit the store, you’ll get personalized service from one of Schroeder’s knowledgeable sales staff. They offer a wealth of knowledge about the appliances they sell, and they can work with you to find the appliance that fits your needs, but also your budget.
*See store associate for rebate form with complete details. Only valid at participating KitchenAid brand retailers. Consumer may choose one model per appliance type up to a maximum of 6 models, with a maximum rebate amount of $1,500 per household. Rebate in the form of a KitchenAid brand MasterCard® Prepaid Card by mail. Additional terms and conditions apply. ®/™ ©2016 KitchenAid. All rights reserved. To learn more about the entire KitchenAid brand line, please visit kitchenaid.com. CCP-19152
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When local contractors need an entire set of household appliances they know to stop by Schroeder’s Appliance Center in Baxter.
16603 State Hwy 371 North, Brainerd/Baxter • 218-829-3624 (Just North of the Pine Beach Rd)
Schroeder’s Appliance Center has six full-time and two part-time employees. “On this Labor Day, I’d like to thank all my employees for the hard work,” Schroeder said.
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