‘KEEP OUR LITTLE TOWN RUNNING’ Blooming Prairie business owner moves forward after fire
By BRIDGET KRANZ
T
his time last year, Linda Klemmensen was coming out of a daze. She had been running Sportstitch Inc. for over 25 years – creating custom embroidered and screen-printed clothing, promotional merchandise for businesses and Blooming Prairie Awesome Blossoms spirit wear. Then, in January 2020, her storefront was irreparably damaged in the fire that hollowed out the neighboring bakery in downtown Blooming Prairie. “It was all sort of a blur,” she said. “The firefighters were pulling our equipment outside. It was the middle of January, and we were backing
ABOVE: Linda Klemmensen, founder and owner of Sportstitch Inc. in Blooming Prairie, lost her storefront in a fire last winter. A month later, COVID-19 arrived in Minnesota. Despite this one-two punch, Klemmensen was determined not to quit, moving her operation to her home and launching multiple fundraisers for the Blooming Prairie community. (Photo courtesy of Linda Klemmensen) Page 40 | Profiles 2021
