Business Traditions 2019

2019 Roll of Honor

Business Traditions Thursday, January 31, 2019

An Echo Journal & Brainerd Dispatch Publication

PEQUOT LAKES

40 YEARS LATER CAMPBELL FAMILY IS STILL MOVING HOUSES

By Nancy Vogt Echo Journal Editor

Jerry Jr. and Mike bought the company from their parents. In 2005, Jerry Jr. and hen Jerry Campbell Linda became the sole owners.

“I like helping people,” Jerry Jr. said Sr. co-founded C-B of continuing with the business. “I like Movers in 1978, little did he know dealing with customers and trying to the family business provide a good service for them.”

Jerry Sr. was working at the former would last more than 40 years with three generations of Durkee Manufacturing in Pine River when the opportunity to change careers Campbells working there.

Today, Campbell and his wife, Doris, arose. Doris’s sister had bought a cabin are retired, though he still does errands that needed to be moved from Crow Wing for the company that relocates buildings State Park.

“Dad pretty much did what he could do and lifts structures for new foundations to help her,” Jerry Jr. said. “He borrowed and basements. Their oldest son, Jerry Campbell Jr., and his wife, Linda, own some jacks from a guy, loaded it on a the family business based off County trailer and moved it.”

That “guy” asked Jerry Sr. to buy his Road 1 west of Pequot Lakes. Their son, Waylon, and nephew, Dustin - the third business. After some consideration, he generation of Campbells - also work for did just that, saying he always wanted to be his own boss. He partnered with Glen C-B Movers.

“Dad pretty much always had it in Bjoraker, and thus C-B Movers got its mind - it was Dad’s dream for us to take name using the first letters of both men’s it over and run it,” Campbell Jr. said of last names. himself and his brothers.

The three brothers – Jerry Jr., Mike and Basil – all worked for their dad. In 1990, C-B MOVERS: Page 8

W

117 Years www.fnbnorth.com

99 Years

www.fnbnorth.com Since 1902

54 Years

Since 1902

HWY. 371 & CR 16 Jenkins, MN

800-432-3777

Baxter~Pequot Baxter~Pequot Lakes~Crosslake Lakes~Crosslake Backus~Hackensack~Longville Backus~Hackensack~Longville Remer~Walker~Akeley Remer~Walker~Akeley

41 Years

46 Years

47 Years

9252 Breezy Point Dr. Breezy Point, MN 56472

218-568-8353

www.breezypointresort.com

www.apinerestaurant.com

37 Years

37 Years

41 Years

001812923r1

Submitted Photos

MAIN: C-B Movers includes current co-owners Jerry Campbell Jr. (left) and his wife, Linda (right); co-founder Jerry Campbell Sr. and Waylon Campbell, son of Jerry Jr. and Linda.

TOP: Jerry Campbell Sr. stands next to a house and the first truck he used to move buildings in the early 1980s.

BOTTOM: C-B Movers moved this home from Verndale Custom Builders in mid-January 2019.

CROW WING AUTO BODY & TOWING

001813112r1

www.merrittjewelers.com

21 Years

18 Years

PEQUOTLAKESSANITATION.COM

ISO 9001 Registered

28 Years

24 Years

13 Years

9 Years

001823463r1

001813110r1 001813980r1

218-568-8812

218-568-5025 www.nobleescrow.com

8 Years

rk

Chris & Brenda Greer

218-568-8448

30581 Patriot Avenue d

n

www.lonesomecottage.com info@lonesomecottage.com

Owners/Contact:

o

29309 Patriot Ave. Pequot Lakes, MN 56472

nema

La

Next to the DQ in Pequot Lakes 218-568-8223

31094 Government Drive, Pequot Lakes, MN 56472

4657 Engen Road, Pequot Lakes

218-568-5242

218-568-4343

001823672r1

Government Drive, Pequot Lakes (218) 568-8771 www.saloncouturemn.com

Christopher Clasen, CPA Aaron Stegner, CPA Susan Schiessl, CPA Stephanie Murray, CPA Jane Erickson, CPA

office@lakesareacpas.com www.lakesareacpas.com Tax Preparation 30954 Government Drive • Pequot Lakes 24314 Smiley Road, Suite B • Nisswa

Su

r veyin

g,

30206 Rasmussen Road, Suite #1 Pequot Lakes, MN 56472

218-568-4940

001821108r1

218•568•8069 www.pequottool.com

001813120r1

23 Years

pequotlakesphysicaltherapy.com

13833 riverwOOD Lane #3 CrOssLake, mn 692-4700

29313 Patriot Ave Pequot Lakes, MN 56472

Our Mission: To exceed our customer expectations by utilizing manufacturing technology & investing in a well-trained & motivated workforce.

001821240r1

29 Years

Precision Machining • Fabrication • Assembly

Call us for a free month of service.

001813071r1

218-568-4695

218-568-8241

31 Years

30960 GOvernment Drive 568-5555

218-568-5666

Jerry Campbell

LICENSED AND INSURED

Dr. Todd M. Wiedell OptOmetrist

31067 Front Street Pequot Lakes, MN 56472

HOUSE & BUILDING MOVERS

c.

218-829-2891

www.bldr.com

34 Years

35 Years

218-568-4040

401 S. 8th Street, Brainerd

In

At the intersection of Cty Rd. 39 & 16 in Ideal Corners (218) 543-4117

4326 E. Sibley Street, Pequot Lakes

St

001813012r1

(218) 568-8521

www.pineandlakes.com

~FAMOUS WHIMPIE BURGERS~

Brainerd Lakes Market

001822941r1

4285 W Lake St, Pequot Lakes, MN

001823472r1

•Hand-Pattied Burgers •Homemade Pizza •Tender, “Meat-Fall-Off-The-Bone” Ribs •Friday All You Can Eat Fish •Saturday All You Can Eat Chicken

001824769r1

...and our business is still picking up!

Pequot Lakes, MN 56472

218-568-5001 pequotlakessupervalu.com

Business Traditions

2 Thursday, January 31, 2019 www.brainerddispatch.com

Pine River bowling lanes are a product of the community

81 Years

Est.

1914

73 Years

73 Years

bowl there, eat there and play in the new game room.

In spite of immediate success, at end of their lease the women decided to move on.

“It was so much work,” Johnson said. “Seven days a week, nine months of the year. We just chose not to continue. It’s very labor intensive.”

That’s when Walters came in. Walters bought the operable bowling alley with an engaged customer base, complete with Ruigh’s original pizza recipes. Walters and the Pine River Community Bowl continued as an important attraction to Pine River, the nearest lanes for 32 miles that attracted customers into Pine River once again.

“At the time and even still, it is probably the major form of recreation not only for Pine River but there are a lot of bowlers from Longville, Hackensack, Crosslake and Emily that came here and

BOWLING: Page 3 101 Years

104 Years

Travis Grimler / Echo Journal

MAIN: Since 1959 the bowling alley in Pine River has risen from its own ashes, grown two lanes, gone through three names and added electronic scoring, but community support got it to where it is today.

ABOVE: Tami and Sandi Zoldey, along with Bill Zoldey, became owners of the Community Bowl and Pizzeria in Pine River in early 2017.

95 Years

87 Years 218-963-2292

24238 SMILEY ROAD

(218) 963-2265 www.SchaefersFoods.com Schaefer’s Corner Hwy 371, Nisswa Open Daily 7am-10pm

Serving The Brainerd Lakes Area

218-828-1268

r3'71] NISSWA, MN

BOATS • PONTOONS • DOCKS & LIFTS SALES • SERVICE • STORAGE

800-346-2292

Nisswa, MN

Fax: (218) 963-4402 sales@nisswamarine.com www.nisswamarine.com

69 Years

60 Years

55 Years

25532 Murray Rd. Nisswa, MN 56468

5064 County Road 13 – Schaefer’s Corner PO Box 29, Nisswa, MN 56468

001821499r1

n the history of Pine River, many buildings have burned down, some of them businesses. But not even the popular Marlow Theater was rebuilt by other business owners and community members.

The same cannot be said of Pine River Lanes, now Community Bowl & Pizzeria on Barclay Avenue.

Before July 1992, Pine River Lanes had been in constant operation since 1959, when Martin Ruigh, his father and an extended crew built the six lanes next door to Ruigh’s house on Barclay Avenue. Ruigh ran it with his wife, Joan, until she died in 1991.

The business was an important recreation center for Pine River.

In addition to bowling, Ruigh’s pizza and food was well loved locally.

“It brought people to town,” said Pat Johnson, a former bowling alley manager. “They would go to the grocery store on the way to the bowling alley.

They might go to the liquor store on the way home from the bowling alley.

The collateral impact, I think, was the reason they wanted it.”

The bowling alley was so important, in fact, that the community apparently could not do without it.

In July 1992, a fire destroyed the structure in what then-Fire Chief Jimmy Dale Blanchard said was the worst fire he had ever fought. The fire crew fought the blaze for hours knowing the building and Ruigh’s house next door were complete losses, but wind buffeted the flames and pushed them east along with abundant black smoke toward a home next door and the church on the corner.

For a while it seemed like efforts to save those buildings were for naught, and fire crews began to remove furniture from the church in anticipation of the fire spreading.

“Everyone was so concerned about Martin,” Johnson said. “He was not in there but he lost his dog and he was emotionally distraught over that. I also remember the Pine River Fire Department taking furniture out of the Pine River United Methodist Church. That’s the oldest

church in town. They were taking stuff out because they were not sure they could contain that fire.”

In the end fire crews saved both the home next door and the church, but the bowling lanes and Ruigh’s home were destroyed.

A l m o s t immediately, business owners and community members gathered together to form an investment group that funded the $430,000 cost to rebuild the bowling alley with eight lanes. In September 1992, the group was considering a location near the Pine River Supper Club.

Eventually Ruigh donated his property to the group to have the alley built in the same location.

Members of the group were officially selected in included Mike Griep, Guy Wannebo, Doug Zaske, Pine September 1993.

“My friend Sue Davis River Chamber Director and I had been on the same John Wetrosky, Ruigh and bowling league at Pine many others. Nobody was guaranteed a return on River Lanes,” Johnson said. “We always loved the their investments.

It was a gamble, but it paid sport and when it burned off. The alley was named down we were already Pine River Community looking for a business to Bowl to commemorate the go into.”

Before the fire, Johnson community effort to bring and Davis already had a the alleys back.

“We sold stock and business plan and were made no promises on in contact with local development returns and hoped to get economic everybody’s money with a groups, but the new little interest,” Wetrosky bowling alley offered them said. “As it turned out, another avenue, and they we did that and it was took it.

Ruigh was involved from debt free the day the door the very start. Johnson opened. That’s a pretty rare thing. We had people said at the time Ruigh who donated or invested and others in town were that basically didn’t care if likely somewhat wary of they got their money back. a business run by two They just wanted to see it women. Johnson said Davis likely surprised in Pine River.”

“It was something to Ruigh because she was have in Pine River that good at maintaining the pinsetters. brings the same people in mechanical he always once a week for 30 weeks,” However, said former owner Tom watched them like a hawk Walters. “I remember when they made pizzas other business owners said with his recipes.

“Martin was there every they saw a downturn when the alley was gone. There single day,” Johnson said. are a lot of small towns “I can still hear him say, need the cheese that would love to have ‘No, you .

Minn wa, to the edge.’”

Niss a bowling center and we closer SuPaCo operated the are fortunate they got this alleys for just one year. running again.”

The fixtures, equipment Johnson said the business and furniture were bought boomed when the doors used from an alley that reopened.

“We had leagues closed in Avon. Before it opened, locals Sue booming,” Johnson said.

Davis and Johnson came “We had d 1914leagues every heof s the week except forward to operate the night i l ab bowling alley under theE stSaturday.”

Customers flocked to name SuPaCo, and they

001821830r1

I

By Travis Grimler Echo Journal Staff Writer

80 Years of Memories!

54 Years

Hwy. 371, Nisswa

800-322-3525 | info@nisswadock.com

www.NISSWADOCK.com

001821518r1

barharborsupperclub.com

001825485r1

(218) 963.2568

218-963-9946

25807 Main St., Nisswa www.nisswalegion.com

40 Years

53 Years

218-963-0085

001818260r1

License #A-01124-001 — Post 627 —

The Get-Together Place PUBLIC WELCOME North End of Gull Lake on CR 77

001824044r1

001824220r1

39 Years

Website: lccnisswa.org Email: lcc@lccnisswa.org Phone: 218-963-2564

23590 Smiley Rd., Nisswa

218-963-7333

33 Years

37 Years

The Company for Women

Sandy Strom-Gieseke Independent Sales Representative

800-247-6573

www.vikinglabel.com

5446 LAKERS LANE DOWNTOWN NISSWA 218-963-4361

32 Years

13 Years

Nisswa, MN

PO Box 1382 Lake Hubert, MN 56459

218-838-7006

stromgieseke@gmail.com

001821155r1

blackridgebank.com

001821142r1

218-963-2575

001821091r1

Nisswa

www.yourAVON.com/sstrom

Member FDIC

11 Years

11 Years

218-963-7470

22386 State Hwy 371 S “Better Boards, Better Service” 001821120r1

2 Years

9 1/2 Years

Brainerd Lakes Area Outdoor Youth Expo

Boating Season:

001823454r1

5445 City Hall Street Nisswa (across from City Hall)

@ Love Lake

Gull-Love Lake Marina: 19571 Love Lake Rd, Brainerd

Snowmobiling Season:

4758 County Rd. 77, Nisswa - Right on the trail system!

& SPA 24463 Hazelwood Drive, Nisswa, MN

Store: 218-961-PETS Spa: 218-961-7389

218-232-1960 & 218-820-9215

Escorted Small Group Travel Tours

001825629r1

963-7908

Join us for the 11th Annual Youth Expo June 8, 2019 Like us on Facebook 001824440r1

218-963-7700

001823199r1

Boats • Jet Skis • Pontoons Snowmobiles Fish Houses

24719 HAZELWOOD DR. NISSWA, MN 218-961-0095

Claudia Allene Your Personal Travel Guide

Phone 218-513-8922 www.ClaudiaAroundTheWorld.com

001823887r1

001822077r1

Business Traditions

Pine River Journal File Photos

TOP: A private investment group formed of local business owners and community members gathered approximately $430,000 to rebuild the Pine River Community Bowl on the site of the former Pine River Lanes.

used it as a recreation site for winter,” said Wetrosky.

From 1994-2017, Walters was the face of the bowling alley. In that time, some things changed. Primarily, score keeping changed from manual to electronic in 2000, which drew in casual bowlers who were intimidated by score keeping.

“People would come in and if they didn’t know how to score I didn’t mind showing them, but they didn’t want to bother you,” Walters said. “They stayed and played one game. When we got the automatic scoring they just bowled and had fun and stayed a lot longer. It worked better for tournaments and whatnot.”

The alley continued to be Pine River’s primary recreation outlet in the winter, but Walters eventually decided it was time to move on. Bowling alley ownership was a busy lifestyle. They sold to Bill and Sandi Zoldey and their daughter, Tami, in February 2017.

“I still miss the people,” Walters said.

“I still bowl on Monday evenings because I didn’t want to lose touch with everyone.

I’ve been with them 20 years.”

“I told him (Bill), ‘I want it,’” Sandi said of the bowling alley in a 2017 story in the Echo Journal.

The Zoldey family took over and Travis Grimler may be reached at 218-855-5853 or travis. grimler@pineandlakes.com. Follow him on Facebook and immediately formed plans for the space, on Twitter at www.twitter.com/@PEJ_Travis. changing the name to Community Bowl and Pizzeria. They kept the same old pizza recipes from Ruigh (who died in 2014) and sought to expand the dining clientele. They 320-632-5441 removed some arcade www.chistgabriels.com games from the game — Facilities — room and moved lockers • St. Gabriel’s Hospital • Family Medical Center 218-546-5029 there, using the former • Little Falls Orthopedics www.cicourierinc.com locker space to expand • Alverna Apartments • CHI Health at Home the dining area. They also 001825014r1

BOTTOM: The bowling alley was outfitted using lanes, seats, pinsetters and kitchen equipment purchased from a bowling alley in Avon that was going out of business.

001813029r1

001824880r1

QUALITY BY LANE MARSHFIELD

45 Years

49 Years

www.cummingsjanzen.com www.midwestauctions.com/janzen www.janzenauctions.com

001823348r1

CLOW STAMPING COMPANY

Bonded & Insured

36 Years

1-800-692-2177

36 Years

36685 County Road 66 CROSSLAKE (218) 692-3752

001821303r1

218-692-2177

Sales & Service, LLC 001812998r1

001821839r1

23103 County Rd. 3 Merrifield, MN Phone (218) 765-3111 Fax (218) 765-3904

HEATING & AIR CONDITIONING

“We Serve”

34 Years

Established 1976

27 Years PUTNAM

Ideal SharpenIng

Hwy 371

3874 16th Street SW Backus, MN 56435

18 Years Your area Pharmacist since 2001

- Sanding & Finishing of New and Existing Hardwood Floors - Residential and Commercial

Adam Putnam 218-330-7851 Larry Putnam 218-746-3828

001813068r1

218-587-2250

001823741r1

Motley, MN Stop in or apply from home

21 Years

-Installation of New Hardwood Flooring

Chris Wohlers

19 Years

• Pequot Lakes • Aitkin

www.MnTaxPros.com

22 Years

• Free Estimates • 36 Years of Experience

Current Owner of 11 Years

218-587-2900

33 Years

DOWNTOWN PINE RIVER

(218) 587-3373

Serving Central and Northern Minnesota

MONDAY-FRIDAY 10-5

18 Years

14 Years

On 371 & the Paul Bunyan Trail a mile south of the light in Pine River

Sunday Worship

10:45am with Children’s Church and Nursery 13919 County Road 36, Crosslake, MN 56442

www.crosslakechristian.com

218-587-2564

Pastor Gary Espeseth • Youth Pastor Austin Krieger

14 Years

14 Years

www.bearpausetheater.com

218-587-2558 1389 St 84 SW Pine River, MN

5 Years

803 4th Street Ironton, MN

BAKERY

218-545-5715

215 BARCLAY AVE PINE RIVER

Will meet or beat any reasonable offer!

Call me today for your free estimate

Jeremy Woodwick

218-821-1800

Phone (218) 310-0735 www.The AdjusterGroup.com

7 Months

PINE RIVER

“THE LOCAL GUY”

Terry & Denny Aleckson

001823164r1

Movie Hotline

218-675-5373

A

10 Years

JEREMY’S SEAMLESS GUTTERS LLC

DOUBLE AUTOMOTIVE

001822622r1

Hackensack, MN

12 Years

www.brainerdroofing.com

218.270.0009

Professional Insurance Claim Representation

001814000r1

13 Years

218.692.4DOG

Public Adjusting Services

Roofing Specialist

320-676-3409 • millelacsdriving@gmail.com

001824650r1

13 Years

001812928r1

Crosslake Town Square • 218-692-2502

34420 County Road 3 · Crosslake NorthlandPetLodge.com stay@northlandpetlodge.com

001824610r1

Registered Pharmacist

001823343r1

Steve Kappes

218-829-8727 www.wastepartnersinc.com

Questions: 218-352-6600

21 Years

Lic. # BC586859 Residential / Commercial Trash and Recycling Collection

www.tridentseafoods.com

HARDWOOD FLOORS, Inc.

Complete Sharpening Service

Pine River, MN

• Crosslake • Baxter

001823331r1

Barnum’s Auto Parts

jandbwesternstore.com

001823699r1

28 Years

28 Years

218-829-8144

(218) 692-3772

www.SchruppExcavating.com

800-952-3766

greatrivereyeclinic.com

“Four Offices To Serve You!”

001825677r1

218-587-4038

001824062r1

001813017r1

www.emilygreens.com

1860 Scearcyville Dr SW Pillager, MN 56473

Baxter & Crosby

833-668-2977

Established 1985

Crosslake, MN

3003 36th St. S.W., Pine River

www.lfhs.sfhs.org 320.632.9211 001825701r1

Your Complete Fence Contractor

34 Years

DESIGNED, BUILT & INSTALLED

RAYMOND SCHRUPP

(218) 763-2169 emilygreens@tds.net

STATE CERTIFIED–BONDED–INSURED

1200 NE 1st Ave, Little Falls, MN

43 Years

44 Years

WURDEMAN CABINET CO.

1mi. west of Emily on Co Rd 1

001813209r1

www.crosslakecatholic.com

1-800-755-3118 218-534-3118 www.obergfence.com

HIGH GRADE WOOD PRODUCTS

Now hiring! visit us at www.jobswithus.org

35208 Co Rd 37, Crosslake, MN 218-692-3731

Meetings held 2nd Tuesday of Each Month 7:00 pm at the Birchwood Char House & Bar

36 Years

A Senior Living Community with Spirit & Compassion

Rev. Blake Rozier, Pastor

44 Years HACKENSACK LIONS CLUB

Shopping Us Last Since 1975

55 Years

Immaculate Heart Church

www.deerwoodcommerce.org

44 Years

Serving the lakes area since 1974.

Metal Stamping • Fabrication • Weldments & Assemblies

Deerwood Gun Show March 2-3 22 Years Deerwood Summerfest August 9-10 32 Years

14 1st street NW Aitkin, MN 56431

MAYTAG • CROSLEY

GARDINER’S FURNITURE

Upcoming Events:

218-692-2777

64 Years

Deerwood Civic & Commerce

218-927-4488 or 218-851-0879

FOR ALL YOUR HARDWARE NEEDS

GARDINER’S APPLIANCE

218.675.9191

001813989r1

Jeremy Janzen Auctioneer/Broker Janzen Auctioneers / Cummings Janzen Realty

GARDINER’S HARDWARE HANK

888-870-4464

Toll Free: 800-266-6037

PO Box 70 Crosslake, MN 56442 800-992-8220

001821480r1

Club open Tuesday thru Sunday

www.simonson-lumber.com

Your hometown choice providing local customer service and support since 1925

001813984r1

JANZEN AUCTIONEERS

Downtown Pine River

pineriverstatebank.com

001824745r1

218-587-2585

3 Businesses In One Convenient Location

Pine River • Breezy Point • Emily Pillager • Nowthen

37568 County Road 66, Crosslake Phone: 218-692-3101

001823979r1

“Where everyone meets to have a good time”

www.legionpost202.com Downtown Hackensack

83 Years

Gardiner’s

AMERICAN LEGION POST #202

Five Locations To Serve You

3855 Independence Rd, Baxter Phone: 218-829-5798

70 Years

83 Years

94 Years

001821248r1

86 Years

101 Years

106 Years

001824024r1

108 Years

001823398r1

128 Years

MIDDLE: A fire in July 1992 destroyed the original Pine River Lanes, but community members worked to bring it back.

001824015r1

From Page 2

paid for a liquor license. Bill said some longtime customers were distant at first, but they warmed up.

“We heard stuff. People said since Tom wasn’t running it they weren’t coming back. Then we saw them in a couple months,” Bill said.

The Zoldeys worked to make the alley more popular during the summer, a season when bowling alleys are typically less active. Expanding the dining area was part of that ploy, but so was renewed promotion and advertising. Tami, for example, is active on social media, drawing in crowds all year long with specials, events and expanded leagues.

As a result, Bill and Sandi said 2018 finished strong, and 2019 started just as strong. Dining was at least part of that.

“We kind of focused a lot more on food,” Bill said. “Going over our books, a little over half of our sales is in food, which is nice because it kind of helps cover the summer months while bowling is down. We also expanded our menu.”

Growing on their successes, the Zoldeys plan to expand their menu. They optimally would like to add a selection of burgers.

Of course, Martin Ruigh’s pizzas will remain a major attraction that connects the alley to its roots as a business the Pine River community just couldn’t do without.

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BOWLING

Thursday, January 31, 2019 3

001824707r1

www.brainerddispatch.com

218-587-2545

John & Julie Sigafus Welcome You. VOTED BEST OF BRAINERD LAKES 2018

Carrie Espeseth

Mycolorstreet.com/CarrieShares Real Nail Polish Strips That Apply Easily & Last!

001822666r1

Business Traditions

4 Thursday, January 31, 2019 www.brainerddispatch.com

Risk management is good for Brainerd business Insurance company has storied past, looks to the future

T

By Frank Lee Brainerd Dispatch Staff Writer

he clients of Weizenegger-Engel Insurance hope they never have to file a claim with the longtime Brainerd-based company, but they will be glad if they do.

Weizenegger-Engel Insurance has served the insurance needs of more than 1,500 businesses and families in the state for close to a century by managing risks.

“What I would emphasize is we’re probably 90 percent business insurance is what we do. We’re handling commercial business enterprises for insurance,” said Craig Miller, agency principal.

Weizenegger-Engel Insurance has licensed agents in all states except Alaska, Hawaii, Vermont and New Hampshire.

“We have gotten farther out in our geography of where we do business. We have clients on the Iron Range, down in the Twin Cities, out in far western Minnesota, so we have expanded our service area,” Miller said.

The company insures, for example, businesses in these industries or groups: auto sales and service, building materials, contractors, equipment dealers, funeral directors, hotels and restaurants, manufacturing, medical, professional, retail, resorts, tire dealers and retreaders.

“In 2008, we saw a lot of our contractors go out of business, so there was a big slump for several years … but we pretty much weathered through it,” said Robyn Rudek, senior agency marketer.

Miller said, “We were still very aggressive with our marketing - getting out there and doing business with new businesses to replace what we were losing. And we Steve Kohls / Brainerd Dispatch have diversified over the past 15 years. We only insured Weizenegger-Engel Insurance in Brainerd has served the insurance needs of more than 1,500 businesses and one school district 15 years ago.”

families in the state for close to a century.

148 Years

INSURANCE: Page 5

147 Years

146 Years

137 Years

135 Years

202 8th Ave. N.E. Brainerd

2019 Fair Dates: July 30 - August 3 2000 13TH STREET S.E., BRAINERD, MN 56401

www.isd181.org (218) 454-6900

001821486r1

218-822-4040

001823685r1

9th and Juniper

506 James Street Brainerd, MN

130 Years

132 Years

829-4705

315 North 6th Street, Brainerd 218-829-4116 www.parkunitedmethodist.org Sunday Worship, 9:00 a.m.

www.brainerddispatch.com 001812975r1

829-4755

Continuous Service Since 1882

126 Years

129 years years 126

Brainerd Elks Lodge #615

110 Years

The Parker Building Downtown Brainerd

218-829-2344

96 Years

84 Years

110 Years1/5/16

Logo 1.6875x2 126 Years.indd 1

10:00 AM

“Community involvement — people helping people”

www.brainerdelks.org 001823478r1

102 Years

Eagles

Serving Brainerd Lakes Area Communities, Youth and Veterans

218-829-4216

215 South 9th St. • (218)829-2643 BrainerdElks.org • email info@brainerdelks.org

124 Front Street, Brainerd

102 Years

97 Years

001813006r1

001813023r1

110 Years

8027 Highland Scenic Rd Baxter MN 56425 218-829-8726

Brainerd Aerie #287

001822916r1

FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE AVAILABLE

Brainerd • 829-8781 Baxter • 828-5191 Aitkin • 927-3794 Member FDIC

001823128r1

1420 South 6th Street Brainerd MN (218) 829-5147 www.trinitybrainerd.org

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602 Oak St., Brainerd, MN 218-829-4767 brainerdlakesymca.org

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BRAINERD FAMILY YMCA

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116 Years

119 Years

Trinity Lutheran Church, ELCA

218-829-6680

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St. Francis Catholic Church

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137 Years

10424 Squaw Point Road Brainerd

218-829-3918 www.erniesongull.com

Phone 829-9674

81 Years

81 Years

www.clcmn.edu

Lighting the lives of 37,000 members Since 1937

SHIPMAN 1711 Southeast 13 St. Brainerd, MN 56401

218-829-4779

301 N.W. 6TH ST. BRAINERD, MN

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th

Don’t Be A Heel, Save Your Soles!

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79 Years

74 Years

73 Years

73 Years

Beth & Curt Watson 509 Washington St Brainerd

Brainerd BN Credit Union “Serving our members since 1940”

804 Laurel Street Brainerd, MN

218-829-2496

218-829-9065

71 Years

69 Years

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829-4721

Staples Campus 1830 Airport Road, Staples (218) 894-5100 or 800-247-6836

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79 Years

81 Years

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AUTO PARTS

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61 Years

60 Years

58 Years

51 Years

schroedersappliance.com

Commercial printing, fulfillment,mailing, and more.

711 Washington Street Brainerd, MN 56401

63 Years

62 Years

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523 N. THIRD ST • BRAINERD, MN

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“You’re Locally Owned Backyard Nature and Gift Store”

Your Area Volkswagen Dealer Since 1959

New owners as of July 2017!

AUTO IMPORT, INC.

218-829-5436

516 C St NE, Brainerd, MN 001822918r1

22 WASHINGTON ST. BRAINERD, MN

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16603 State Hwy 371 North

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1022 Madison Street Brainerd, MN 56401 218-829-5982 printrp.com

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Since 1940 830 Brook Street • Brainerd, MN

(218) 828-7610

210 NE 10th Avenue Brainerd, MN 56401

Brainerd, MN 56401

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309 NW 3rd Street

Sales & Service

S.T. Monda, O.D. T.J. Swanson, O.D. J.J. Hanske, O.D. Dr. A.M. Archibald-Swanson

Business Traditions

www.brainerddispatch.com

INSURANCE From Page 4

Rudek said the company now insures “a number of school districts … and a number of municipalities and a number of nonprofits.”

Miller added, “And most of the major manufacturing in the community. …

We’ve had people that have done business with us for over 50 years.”

Miller is one of 10 employees of Weizenegger-Engel Insurance, which is affiliated with Primary Source Insurance, a nationwide organization based in Owatonna.

“Insurance is very dependent upon and the pricing of it, long term - handling your claims and minimizing your claims, so we’re very involved with our clients to help them develop strategies, best practices, to minimize claims,” Miller said. “Our core is going to continue to be business insurance, but what we want to do is also do the group health for the business owner, so we want to be that onestop shop to handle their needs, so they’ve got one agent to talk to, one agency to talk to, to solve their problems.”

Rudek has worked at Weizenegger-Engel Insurance for more than four decades and is not the only employee at the company with that kind of longevity. Renae Vogt, who retired about a year ago, also worked for the company for more than four decades.

company’s origins. “I originally started with Opsahl Insurance - Butch Opsahl, he was in downtown Brainerd - and his father started it in 1921, I think it was.”

She said she thought that it was in 1981, after Butch Opsahl’s death, that the company was purchased by the Graham Weizenegger Insurance Agency.

“Steve Engel and Bob Weizenegger brought our agency together, and we operated separately from the Weizenegger office for a few years and then we all merged,” Rudek said.

Weizenegger-Engel Insurance is owned

by Federated Insurance Companies of Owatonna.

“That’s who Steve Engel sold out to 15 years ago,” Miller said.

Other notable changes that affected Weizenegger-Engel Insurance include how computers became standard office equipment. Rudek said when she started at the company, everything was done by

Thursday, January 31, 2019 5

paper.

“We’re totally internet based with our software and records retention, so all client policies, all client service management,” Miller said. “We’ve got records of phone calls, we’ve got records of conversations, emails, all catalogued when we used to have walls of file cabinets in this building.”

Growing cyber-liability and computer hacking Rudek said another change is employment practices liability has grown a lot over the years.

“It just seems like something keeps getting added every couple of years, like now the hot item is cyber-liability with all the computer hacking,” Rudek said.

Miller added, “Or employees losing a computer - obviously consumer information, credit card information being

Company origins

obtained. … Or you can get duped into wiring money into an account, and businesses - it’s happening in our neighborhood quite frequently … being approached to do it.”

Weizenegger-Engel Insurance provides its clients with annual review for their safety and risk management practices, financial and business succession planning, insurance coverage and options, and insurance renewal, according to its website.

“I also see us adding additional companies that we represent,” Miller said of Weizenegger-Engel Insurance, which represents an estimated 18 different insurance companies, too.

“Every insurance company has their specialty of what they want to do, so over the past four years, we’ve added two new companies, and over the next two years, I’d like to add another company, so that we can write more diverse types of businesses out there.”

And as for the future of Weizenegger-Engel Insurance? Miller said he expects their clients will come from even farther areas in the internet age.

“But it still comes down to two real key areas: one, businesses are more complex, and it takes some expertise, and, two, that’s where our people come into play,” Miller said of his coworkers’ strong work ethic and professionalism that have stood the test of time.

“Anybody can sell insurance. What it comes down to is how well do you understand the policies and the coverage needs of the client.”

Frank Lee may be reached at 218-8555863 or frank.lee@brainerddispatch. com. Follow him on Twitter at www. twitter.com/DispatchFL.

50 Years

48 Years BOB’S HELIARC WELDING

50 Years

50 Years

50 Years

49 Years

Celebrating Our 50th Anniversary!

Precision ProPeller Works

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218-855-8199

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47 Years

www.unitedwaynow.org

Family Owned for 50 Years

45 Years

14250 Conservation Drive Brainerd, MN 56401

218-829-5516

Brainerd Lakes Regional Airport Brainerd, Minnesota 001824637r1

40 Years

40 Years

41 Years

218-330-6067 www.LittleYukon.com

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4805 Ojibwa Road Brainerd, MN 56401

“Your One-Stop, Locally-Owned

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BRAINERD INDUSTRIAL PARK

43 Years

44YEARS Years 41

E-Bikes

BURTON

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46 Years

46 Years

302 South Sixth Street P.O. Box 411 Brainerd, MN 56401 218-829-1451 (main) www.brainerdlaw.com

Brainerd’s Only Family-Owned Pharmacy

Engineering | Architecture Surveying | Environmental

Locations in Brainerd, Crosby, Nisswa and coming soon to Breezy Point!

218-829-5117

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WidsethSmithNolting.com

40 Years

40 Years

40 Years

Greg A. Anderson, LUTCF Agent

24-Hour Domestic Violence Shelter

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A 50-year tradition of performing arts excellence.

Marine & Motorsports,Welding, Propellers, Lower Units, SKEGS, & Cracked Engine Block Repairs

001821828r1

Steve Kohls / Brainerd Dispatch “We were kind of a melding of two business- Joni Ebert (left, front row), Seante Sibbert, Robyn Rudek and Jill Janzen, and Jayme Steele (left, back row), Jake es,” Rudek said of the Huser and Craig Miller smile for a group photo in the conference room of Weizenegger-Engel Insurance in Brainerd.

218-829-0347

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Medical Supply Company.”

American Welding & Gas, Inc. 1223 Wright St. Brainerd, MN 56401 Office: (218) 829-3391

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Welding Supplies, Bulk & Compressed Gases

40 Years

40 Years

206 W. Washington St.,Brainerd

(Located in the Tyrol Hills Shopping Center)

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FREE Delivery in our service area!

Major Credit Cards Accepted 24 Hour Emergency Oxygen Service We Process Medical Assistance, Medica, Blue Cross, Medicare and Most Insurance.

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BRAINERD MEDICAL SUPPLY

218-828-4197

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39 38 Years Years

39 Years

39 Years

Stick With a Pro!

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39 Years

Financial Services Professional

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www.thebrainerdcenter.com 803 Kingwood Street Brainerd, MN 56401

www.mikehamadupholstery.com

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37 Years

38 Years

Serving Crow Wing, Lower part of Cass and Wadena Counties

Visit our website for a list of our members

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Your resource for reputable Licensed Builders and Contractors

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36 Years

34 Years

35 Years

35 Years

Scott Parsons Agency

829-2881 18441 State Hwy 371 Brainerd

Laurie Hall, Agent

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33 Years

33 Years 001673538r1

Better fresh.

Better valu.

Better than ever!

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“Serving the insurance needs of the Lakes Area”

Little Falls Brainerd Pierz Pine River

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America can depend on Farmers

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1021 Industrial Park Road, Brainerd, MN 56401

A Community Supporter and Locally Owned Company

417 South 5th Street Brainerd, MN 56401

712 Maple Street Brainerd MN 56401 218.828.9000

829-0076

416 S. 7th St. Brainerd

36 Years

36 Years

We believe dance class should start with eager anticipation and end with happy memories

36 Years

Dance Studio & Video/Audio Production

OPEN 24 HOURS 7 DAYS A WEEK

East Brainerd Mall

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Transforming our Community Through the Power of Mentoring

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Business Traditions

6 Thursday, January 31, 2019 www.brainerddispatch.com

Culligan Man fades to background as company markets to millennials

By Theresa Bourke Brainerd Dispatch Staff Writer

and services.

“They want it done; they he days of “Hey, Culligan Man” are coming to a close, but the business itself want it done right,” she is still booming. said.

“They’re For younger generations who might not going to do their research before, and they want understand that reference, you’re not alone.

The 1960s-70s advertising slogan likely strikes it to be as simple as possible, and they also want the service aspect. They’re busy, so they want a chord with older folks, but Culligan Water, it to be something that is all taken care of for established in 1936, is doing away with the iconic them.” phrase in efforts of appealing to millennials and With the new goal of targeting life quenchers an emerging group of consumers identified as and millennials, marketing strategies are “life quenchers.” shifting at the water treatment company. One “The life quenchers are not necessarily in a new initiative is simply adding the word “water” particular age demographic, but they are people to the Culligan name. that typically own their home, want a healthy “Doesn’t that just make sense?” Reponen said, lifestyle,” LoAnn Reponen, general manager noting Culligan International spearheaded the at Culligan Water Conditioning in Baxter, said, effort in 2016 after realizing many millennialexplaining this group of consumers is often aged consumers were not familiar with Culligan particular about how they receive their goods at all. “That was the biggest ‘ah ha’ moment.”

31 Years

1-800-458-0895 17274 State Hwy 371, Brainerd www.preferredhearingaidcenter.com prefer2hear@gmail.com

7790 Hastings Road Baxter, MN 56425 (218) 828-0110 www.avantech.com

24 HOURS A DAY, 7 DAYS A WEEK 828-HELP (4357) OR 1-800-462-5525

29 Years

29 Years

001821376r1

29 Years

Renee Richardson / Brainerd Dispatch

Culligan Water’s blue and white building on Industrial Park Road in Baxter houses offices and a tidy multiple vehicle bay.

CULLIGAN : Page 7

31 Years

30 Years

31 Years 001821116r1

Crisis Line And referrAL serviCe

Contact us Today For All Your Hearing Aid Needs

Though the rebranding is still in the early stages, Reponen said indicators look positive.

“I think it’s a journey, and it will take consistency and just to keep putting the same message out there, but I do think it’s going to resonate with the younger folks,” she said.

Along with the rebranding came new advertising campaigns that - unfortunately for some consumers - no longer focus on the famed Culligan Man. “I think he’s introduced humorously here or there,” she said, “but now it’s the little cute girl and guy.”

BRAINERD lptv.org

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31 Years

32 Years

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T

Custom Residential & Commercial Construction 11360 Business 371 Brainerd, MN

1223 Oak Street | Brainerd, MN 218-829-7790 kthesing@lakesprinting.com www.lakesprinting.com

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25 Years

24 Years

27 Years

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Residential & Commercial

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23 Years

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New Construction & Remodels

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WE CAN HELP WITH ALL YOUR APPAREL NEEDS

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EST. 1992

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22 Years

22 Years

“35 Years Experience” “We Sell Fun”

218.825.7030 www.edshawlaw.com

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www.brainerdsports.net

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218-828-4728 800-450-7669

722 South 6th St. Brainerd, MN 56401

21 Years

22 Years

218-829-6764

Locally Printed and Published Magazine

13540 Ironwood drIve BraInerd, Mn 56401

1022 Madison Street Brainerd, MN 56401 218-828-6424 www.lakecountryjournal.com

www.shannonsautoBody.coM

18 Years

18 Years

Thanks for your business in 2017

18 Years

16 Years

Chem Dry of the Lakes

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Thank you for voting us #1 Cleaning service in the Brainerd Lakes Area

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Independently Owned & Operated

624 Washington St, Brainerd, MN 56401 218-297-0130

365-Day Alex & Brandon Child Safety Center (218) 828-0022 midminwomenscenter.blogspot.com

14 Years

14 Years

14 Years

Serving Crow Wing, Aitkin, Morrison, Southern Cass & Todd Counties 001812992r1

S.THOMAS

ASSOCIATES

ESTATE SALES SERVICES

(Steve and Julie Foy-owners) www.sthomasestatesales.com 218-851-0834 • Brainerd, MN 001823713r1

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GreenheckAutoGlass.com

BAXTER: 218.824.0923 CROSSLAKE: 218.692.7682

218-829-6300

8 Years

8 Years

8 Years

7 Years

Brainerd Baxter’s Youth Defined Space

An LCMC Congregation …Lutheran Congregation in Mission for Christ

Truth Lutheran Church

201 S. 6th Street Historic Downtown Brainerd

Located in: Franklin Arts Center, Studio #115.

1001 Kingwood St, Brainerd, MN 56401

(218) 454-0133

LeAne Finlay, 4-Year Owner Facebook.com/A2ZYarn,LLC

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EstatE salEs

723 Washington St. Brainerd, MN 56401 Facebook.com/TheShopBBYC www.theshopbrainerd.org

118 Washington St. • Brainerd

Sunday worship 9 AM Fellowship and Sunday school following worship

501 Kingwood Street, Brainerd, MN (Corner of 5th & Kingwood) truthlutheranchurch.com

218-828-7844

10 Years

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12 Years

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218.824.0077

ESTATE SALES SERVICES

10 Years

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Danae Blanck Anderson, ASID, CID

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arrowwoodbrainerd.com S.THOMAS001812926r1 ASSOCIATES

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6967 Lake Forest Road Baxter, MN 56425

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14 Years

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HOURS: MON-SAT 10-6

2 Years Brighter Horizons Adult Day Care Amy Bauer Nelson, Program Director 218-232-0541 (cell) Michele Hall, Business Director 218-851-0093 (cell)

307-1/2 8th St. NW Brainderd, MN

218-829-0636

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13377 State Hwy. 25 Brainerd, MN 56401

Business Traditions

71 Years

109 Years

97 Years

800-291-6597

www.deerwoodbank.com

YOUR HOMETOWN DEALER SINCE

“We Are Where You Need Us!”

1922

67 Years

65 Years

Renee Richardson / Brainerd Dispatch

Jessi Johnson, left, and Kaitlyn Messerschmidt staff the front desks in the Culligan Water offices in Baxter. The business has been in the lakes area for about 65 years evolving with the times and sporting a fresh ad campaign to reach “life quenchers.”

Renee Richardson / Brainerd Dispatch

A Culligan Water crew sets out from the Baxter offices. they need,” she said. “And continuous improvement is one of our values, so we look toward that too.”

But perhaps the best - and maybe even most important - part of her job at Culligan Water and Conditioning?

“Just basically making

sure everybody is enjoying and loving their job,” she said with a smile. “And I have wonderful people that I get to do it with every day.”

78 Years

77 Years

Theresa Bourke may be reached at theresa.bourke@brainerddispatch. com or 218-855-5860. Follow her on Twitter at www.twitter.com/ DispatchTheresa.

better water. pure and simple.

8240 Industrial Park Rd. Baxter, MN

829-5137

63 Years

63 Years

Serving the entire Brainerd Lakes Area

Safely Serving Our Community for 71 years. www.reichertbus.com

Westgate Mall Brainerd/Baxter

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www.brekkens.com

50 Years

54 Years

62 Years

Fashions & Footwear for Men & Women

Brainerd • 218-828-7000 Crosslake • 218-692-5200 Hackensack • 218-675-7575

EdinaRealty.com

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50 Years

43 1/2 Years 001825741r1

62 Years

Culligan Cares,” she added.

“And that gives us in the dealership an opportunity to raise money for the community.”

For the 13 employees at Culligan’s Baxter location, that activism comes in the form of silent auctions and other events throughout the year to raise money for local nonprofits like the Salvation Army, Habitat for Humanity and Camp Confidence. Any money the employees raise for charity will be matched by the owner. Packard will also donate $25 for every hour an employee spends volunteering for a nonprofit.

“It’s wonderful,” Reponen said. “Every year I feel the employees are getting more and more engaged with it and we have fun.”

Culligan owner Packard also encourages managers and leaders at each location to be involved with area organizations like the chamber of commerce or rotary club so they can remain active community members.

Along with supporting the community through involvement, as general manager at Culligan in Baxter, Reponen works to support the rest of the staff as well. She described her job as monitoring the business’s financial status and making sure other staff members have the resources they need to accomplish their duties.

“A big part of my role is with the sales staff, making sure they have the tools and the coaching

001818569r1

829-2823

Reponen moved from the Twin Cities to the lakes area to become the general manager at Culligan’s new Baxter location.

“It was interesting in 1992 because a woman manager was not very common … in our industry,” she said. “That’s part of, I think, the fun part of my personal journey, coming into a very male-oriented business and proving that a woman can do it if you have the right people.”

Reponen came shortly after Culligan moved from its location on Washington Street in Brainerd to Industrial Park Road in Baxter in 1991.

“At that time it was a great location because it was right next to the railway,” Reponen said of the previous Brainerd location, “and the salt would come in by railcar.”

Now having been wellestablished in Baxter for more than two decades, Culligan Water Conditioning works not only to supply quality water services to the lakes area but to be an integral part of the community itself as well.

“It’s kind of hard sometimes with some of the bigger businesses not to be - I hate to say cookie cutter - but not have the personal touch,” Reponen said, explaining the company’s owner encourages each of its 33 U.S. branches to be as involved in its local community as possible.

“Something that he has initiated in the last four years is what we call

001818565r1

NAPA Baxter

14751 Edgewood Dr. Baxter

Renee Richardson / Brainerd Dispatch

Culligan Water’s work team gathers in the vehicle bay at the company’s Baxter facility.

001823957r1

73 Years

From Page 6

Thursday, January 31, 2019 7

001824076r1

That guy, she mentioned featured in a new ad campaign, might be recognizable to fans of the popular 1987 movie “The Princess Bride.” A new Culligan commercial features actor Cary Elwes and his famous “as you wish” line. The ad, which first aired during the Golden Globe Awards in January, features a young girl who asks Elwes - her onscreen dad - for pasta, more bubbles for her bath and super clean ice cubes with her lemonade. “The Princess Bride” actor responds to every request with, “as you wish.” The last scene then shows the actor raving to his neighbor about how his Culligan water helps with cooking great food and getting clothes soft and clean, while still tasting fantastic too.

Another relatively new Culligan commercial features family members doing several household activities, like cooking, showering and giving water to their pet dog, ultimately finishing with the tagline “your whole home drinks.”

The idea with these new ad campaigns, Reponen said, is to market Culligan as a company that does it all for those millennials and life quenchers who want all of their services taken care of at once.

“We offer programs, the Culligan Advantage Program, where we do everything for them,” Reponen said. “They don’t have to put their own salt in, they don’t have to change their own filter. …

They don’t have to think about it.”

With Baxter’s Culligan branch offering residential and commercial water treatment, bottled water dispensers and coolers, in-home water testing, emergency repair and maintenance, online salt and bottled water ordering, and home and office water delivery, consumers can certainly leave most if not all - up to their proverbial Culligan man and his team.

Three truck drivers hit the roads each day for deliveries, sometimes driving routes up to 200 miles and traveling as far as Hackensack, Remer and McGregor. Routes often expand in the summer, as the lakes area population increases exponentially, but the business accomplishes its work with its regular amount of employees.

“We just work harder, longer, faster, smarter,” Reponen said, noting her branch sometimes has the

“wonderful” challenge of trucks that aren’t able to hold all the product needed for some delivery routes.

“That’s where having a team that works together is definitely an asset because everybody pitches in to figure it out,” she said.

Having been in the area for about 65 years, the Baxter Culligan branch deals heavily in filter replacements, Reponen said, rather than new water softeners, though that service is still available.

“And then, of course, our drinking water and bottled water,” she added.

“That’s really the exciting part of our business now because the awareness of the drinking water has heightened, and we feel it’s our obligation to educate people so they know what is potentially in their water and then how to treat it.”

Culligan partners with A.W. Research Laboratories for testing purposes, as Culligan can test for indicators of contaminants but doesn’t have a lab of its own identify harmful elements that may be in water.

“Because what we’re talking about is so essential to life,” Reponen said, “people need to not only have good working water but good drinking water.”

Just like clean water is essential to everyday life, technology is becoming essential to Culligan’s success, especially when it comes to allowing customers to buy goods and services online.

“It’s the way people want to shop now,” Reponen said. “We had to figure out a way to offer the same services and resources and stuff that we do but do it online. So we had to try to get those two to come together, where we still go into people’s homes and do onsite water analysis with them.”

Adapting to technological advances isn’t the only change Reponen has seen during her roughly 35-year career with Culligan though. While working at a branch in the Twin Cities, she remembers the initial meeting that kicked off Culligan’s bottled water service.

“Our owner, John Packard, said, ‘We’re going into the bottled water business,’ and I remember thinking, ‘Who is going to buy bottled water? That’s crazy,’” she recalled, noting that change came less than 30 years ago, but in that time, Culligan’s bottled water customer base has grown from just 12 in the metro area to more than 100,000.

Fast forward a few years from the bottled water undertaking to 1992, and another significant change occurred when

001821527r1

CULLIGAN

001813003r1

www.brainerddispatch.com

BAXTER LIONS

Over $125,000 Donated back to the Community in 2018

41 Years

HEALTHCARE

n

COMMERCIAL

n

NOR-SON.COM MN LIC# BC001969

HOSPITALITY

7760 Excelsior Road, N., Baxter, MN 56425

Phone 218-829-3011

001821288r1

www.ChristBaxter.com Sunday Worship: 9:00am Little Lambs Preschool

bercher.com 218.829.1381 Lic. No. BC004461

40 Years

39 Years

36 Years

35 Years

(218)829-4511

The Best Foods, The Absolute Lowest Food Prices!

Baxter, 218-829-1789, 1-888-420-2015 Nisswa, 218-963-2020, 1-877-963-2010 Pine River, 218-587-2020, 1-888-970-3937

Brainerd Office: 1920 South 6th Street 218-824-7900 Baxter Office: 7638 Woida Road 829-1484

Baxter

(218)568-5011 Pequot Lakes

www.lakesdentalcare.com

001813106r1

001823195r1

41 Years

218-851-3543 BrainerdAreaRealEstate.com

13815 Cherrywood Drive, Baxter, MN 218-829-4105

In the Brainerd/Baxter area since 1980

7895 Excelsior Rd., Baxter 218-828-2160

001814010r1

Dr. David Pelowski Dr. Michael Marvin Dr. Daniel Clayton

001825524r1

www.holdenelectric.com

www.burschtravel.com

Colleen Goedker, REALTOR

“Custom...delivered.”

001823338r1

829-1976 800-950-4707

(218) 829-4759

001822073r1

7837 Excelsior Road Suite 100 Baxter, MN

001821130r1

Lutheran Church and Preschool

7669 College Road Baxter, Minnesota 56425-2688

001823160r1

Business Traditions

8 Thursday, January 31, 2019 www.brainerddispatch.com

C-B MOVERS From Page 1

Jerry Jr. was in eighth grade then and started helping his dad at work in the summers.

“When they were working, I was there. Dad and I basically learned together,” he said.

After graduating from Pine River-Backus High School in 1982, he joined his dad at C-B Movers.

His father was always a good welder and made the equipment needed to move buildings. In the early days, they used wooden beams to support structures. That evolved into using steel beams.

C-B Movers serves central Minnesota but does travel across the state to move buildings. Taking jobs farther away did become necessary during the 2008 recession, but the business survived.

C-B Movers moves various types of buildings, from yard sheds, pole buildings and garages to cabins, houses and barns. For 10 years the company worked with Verndale Custom Homes, and thus started specializing in moving rambler homes. Jerry Jr. said he’s moved 550 Verndale Homes. That company now has a new owner and C-B Movers is working with them again.

The business has moved buildings for area resorts, including Madden’s and most recently Grand View Lodge. A recent challenge was moving a residential house from Pelican Lake to Lake Margaret.

“I told him, there’s no way to move this thing unless we can cut it in two,” Jerry Jr. said, noting they cut the house in half lengthwise and set each half on a basement. “It was remarkable how it turned out. You’d never know it was moved.”

The job is not just about moving buildings. It includes contacting power companies, getting the necessary permits and police escorts.

And the rise in roundabouts on roads presents new challenges.

“Roundabouts are an enemy of house moving,” Jerry Jr. said.

Contacting the correct power companies can be burdensome. One 20-mile haul involved five different power companies that had lines along the route, Jerry Jr. said. He’s working with first responders to try to get state legislation that would require power companies to put their nameplates on power poles.

C-B Movers has year-round work, but May-December is the busiest with many 60- to 70-hour work weeks.

“It signals go-time when (road) restrictions are off (May 15),” Jerry Jr. said.

He said house movers are known as “original recyclers” because they repurpose buildings instead of tearing them down and depositing them into landfills.

Jerry Sr. said the company has come quite a long way from when he first started it. He and Doris live next door to the business on County Road 1 in a home they moved there from Gull Lake.

They’re happy to see their oldest son keep the family business going and are hopeful the third generation will do the same.

“I like the work,” Jerry Jr. said. “I like the challenge of it. It’s hard work, there’s no doubt about it. Our family has always enjoyed the gratification that comes with hard work.”

Nancy Vogt may be reached at 218-855-5877 or nancy.vogt@pineandlakes. com. Follow her on Facebook and on Twitter at www.twitter.com/@PEJ_Nancy.

Submitted Photos

TOP: C-B Movers moved this barn from the Verndale area.

MIDDLE: Around 1983, C-B Movers moved a building at McGuire’s Piney Ridge Lodge in Pine River to another location on the property to make way for the first tee of the former resort’s golf course.

BOTTOM: C-B Movers moved this structure for Grand View Lodge in Nisswa.

33 Years

32 Years

SECOND HAND STORE

218-829-1224

Baxter

(218) 829-9238 or 1-888-221-5785

Open March-December

Kevin W. Dens, DDS Christopher K. Dens DDS

Hwy. 371 North 6 miles north of Brainerd

218.454.7000

001821980r1

28 Years

001823632r1

28 Years

Better fresh.

Better valu.

Better than ever!

13021 Evergreen Drive Baxter, MN 56425

Gentle Dentistry www.densdental.com

218-828-0122 www.Cygnetureonline.com

26 Years

OPEN 24 HOURS 7 DAYS A WEEK

Practicing in the Brainerd Lakes area for 30 years.

7870 Excelsior Rd., Baxter Brainerd Office: 218.828.9545 • 877.338.3957

001824009r1

Second Time Around www.gnhomecare.com

29 Years

31 Years

001822649r1

34 Years

001823116r1

35 Years

23 Years

Baxter, MN 828-4601

22 Years

(Next to Kentucky Fried Chicken)

829-3080

22 Years

21 Years

218-829-3457 www.lindarcorp.com

www.ridelifecycle.com

17 Years

17 Years

Nisswa Square Nisswa, MN Open mid-April to mid-Oct. (218) 963-0699 Call for hours–varies in season

001821819r1

7789 Hastings Road Baxter, MN 56425 001824111r1

14466 Dellwood Dr. Baxter, MN

16 Years

Baxter 218.855.1320 Crosslake 218.692.2455 Nisswa 218.963.3316

001823962r1

323 S 6th Street Downtown Brainerd, MN 56401 (218) 829-8542 Hours M-F 9-6; Sat 9-5

frandsenbank.com Member FDIC

13 YEARS

218-822-3736

001821463r1

12 Years

11 Years

9 Years

Rock Solid Rehab

• Remote Starters • Heated Seats • Marine & Car Audio • Boat & Vehicle Detailing

Serving the Brainerd and St. Cloud Community

Your precious moments stored in old formats are never sent away for processing.

218-829-5529

001825716r1

15620 Edgewood Dr, Suite 240, Baxter www.rocksolidrehab.com

info@lakesaudio.com www.lakesaudio.com

7658 Design Rd Suite 300 Baxter, MN 1257 2nd Street North Sauk Rapids, MN 888-650-1136

www.goldleafpartners.com

8 Years

7 Years

Owner/Operator

14643 Edgewood Dr. Baxter

7208 Fairview Road Baxter

jgp18ped@gmail.com

www.pizzaranch.com

(Copyright Free Materials Only)

Jennifer Pedersen 001824957r1

218-454-7012

001813098r1

12 Years

218.824.6119

7837 Excelsior Road Baxter 218-822-3026 www.thefeetpeople.com

218-330-0990

001821504r1

218-454-3290

218-822-1133

001824106r1

15240 Dellwood Dr. 218-833-1400 www.applebees.com

www.cedarbrook.us

Also Custom Orthotics

14221 Golf Course Drive, Suite 200 Baxter, MN 56425 001813036r1

218.454.0090

218-829-2929

7734 Excelsior Road North, Baxter Lakesareaeyecare.com

Jerry Jensen, MA, LP (42 yrs service)

001813993r1

Dr. David Anderholm 7115 Forthun RdSuite 105 Baxter, MN 56425

001822931r1

001822050r1

Footwear for Everyday People

Dr. Kristel Schamber Dr. Brooke Fenstad Greg Olson, Optician Theresa Van’t Hul, Optician.

Ellen Kraling, Optometric Assistant