Progress Guide

Progress 2015

Perham businesses

Supplement to the Perham Focus

behind-the-scenes

Dad

Mom

Bobby Jenny

Dr. Smith

Here, Everyone has a Doctor in the Family It’s why we call them visits.

Perham Health practitioners belong to this community and take time getting to know everyone in it. Together we create treatment plans which work with your schedule, your lifestyle and your family. Think of us as one of your own.

Visit us at perhamhealth.org and let us introduce you to our family.

Perham Clinic 1000 Coney Street West (218) 347-1200

New York Mills Clinic 20 Centennial 84 Drive West (218) 385-1800

Ottertail Clinic 105 Otter Drive (218) 367-6111

perhamhealth.org

     

Progress 2015: Perham businesses, behind-the-scenes

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Progress › 2015

Contents

6

› BIG PLAYERS

22

Behind-the-scenes of some of our biggest players

A closer look at candy ..... 6 The sweet, colorful world of Kenny’s

KLN's newest, nuttiest venture ............ 12 Cheese louise! ................ 14 Bongard’s churns out the cheddar, 24/7

46

› SMALL BUSINESSES Behind-the-scenes of small businesses

Please do feed the birds......................... 22

Goose Gang .................... 47

Jennie-O mill in Perham makes, delivers tons of feed for turkeys

Murdock’s Ace Hardware ....................... 50

Not just a hill of beans .......................... 30

Dean’s Country Market............................ 54

The Bean Mill cleans, ships millions of pounds of kidney beans each year

Less waste, cleaner air ...................... 38 Perham Resource Recovery expansion a win-win

Perham Office Supply .... 58 Hamann Family Dentistry ........................ 60

SUPPLEMENT TO THE PERHAM FOCUS JANUARY 29, 2015 222 2ND AVE. SE • PERHAM, MN 56573 P: 218.346.5900 • F: 218.346.5901 WWW.PERHAMFOCUS.COM

2 » Progress 2015: Perham businesses, behind-the-scenes

WE’RE GOING THROUGH A

GROWTH

SPURT. BUT WE’LL NEVER OUTGROW GIVING. In the last three years, Marco’s gone through quite a growth spurt. We’ve doubled our workforce and expanded from 11 locations to 40. That’s good news for the communities we serve. We give up to 5% of our pretax profits to local programs that make our communities stronger. Because growing is better when we’re doing it together.

taking technology further

marconet.com

Progress 2015: Perham businesses, behind-the-scenes

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EDITOR'S NOTE

› WELCOME

MARIE JOHNSON EDITOR

How many of you drive by Kenny’s Candy every day, or Bongards’, or Jennie-O, or any number of other businesses in Perham, but have never been inside? Do you sometimes wonder what goes on in those big buildings? What it looks like in there?

What the people in there do?

And we wanted to share what we saw with you.

the processes that have led to economic success.

We tried to get the back stories, a real behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to keep both large and small businesses going on a day-to-day basis. We took tours, and we took pictures.

Well, we wondered.

We would have liked to do more.

There were so many places in Perham that we were curious about and that are worthy of a closer look, but we could only feature so many in this magazine.

We hope that, as you read through this Progress Guide, you’ll learn as much as we did while putting it together – and that you’ll have as much fun. At the very least, we hope that the next time you drive by Kenny’s Candy, or Bongards’, or Jennie-O or any of the other businesses in this magazine, you can say ‘I know what’s in there,’ even if you’ve never been in there yourself.

We at the Perham Focus drive by a lot of big manufacturing facilities and smaller shops in town – all of which are the lifeblood of the community – on a daily basis. We write about them, we talk to people who work there, we research them and we understand their importance. And yet, in many cases, we’ve never seen the inside of them. At least, not their real ‘innards,’ where the heart of the action happens.

So for this year’s Progress Guide, we decided to change that. We figured it was high time we got out and explored some of our community’s success stories first-hand – not just meet in offices for interviews and report on what we’ve heard, but see it for ourselves.

1

Years of Service

PERHAM SEED Your local Peterson Farms Seed Dealer Jerry Morberg/Sales Jerry@perhamseed.com 218-298-1635

2

Years of Service

BREW ALES & EATS

124 E. Main St. Perham 218-346-5932 www.brewperham.com

4 » Progress 2015: Perham businesses, behind-the-scenes

In the end, we all agreed it was fun to get an insider’s peek into these Perham institutions, to see with our own eyes the people and

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Years of Service

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Years of Service

LAKEVIEW TRUST & ESTATE LAW Big firm experience… Small town values 316 MN HWY 78 North Suite 110 Ottertail, MN 56571 218-367-5253 • Fax: 218-367-6006 www.lakeviewestatelaw.com

Progress 2015: Perham businesses, behind-the-scenes

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5

BIG PLAYERS

Some candies, such as KLN’s Australian Style Outback Beans (Left), are put into large, rotating pans to get sugar-coated and colored. The candies have to be coated more than once, and have to sit overnight between coatings. On the fifth and last day, they’re coated in beeswax in a separate pan (Above) to give them a shiny finish. It’s labor-intensive, said Business Manager Andy Peeters during a tour, but is only a small part of the Kenny’s business. Background: Sugar-coated gummy worms are a candylover’s favorite. The addition of gummy candy products in 2013 helped Kenny’s grow by 30 percent last year.

6 » Progress 2015: Perham businesses, behind-the-scenes

BIG PLAYERS

A CLOSER LOOK AT

CANDY

The sweet, colorful world of Kenny’s

BY MARIE JOHNSON

I

Step into Kenny’s Candy Company, and the first thing you’ll notice is the smell.

T’S WONDERFUL. The sugary aroma in the air is almost sweet enough to taste, tempting you to stick your tongue out to see if you actually can taste it, as if the candy being made in the Kenny’s factory was falling all around you like snowflakes and you could catch some on your tongue.

For one childlike moment, your sense of smell will trick you into thinking that it could happen. And it’s a happy thought.

Step further into the factory, and you’ll soon learn that candy doesn’t actually fall through the air there.

Sometimes, however, it does move through the air alongside and above you, traveling from room to room on large conveyor belts as it goes through a step-by-step process of being mixed, cooked, coated, colored, shaped, packaged and shipped.

A tour through Kenny’s isn’t just a feast for the nose; it’s also one for the eyes. It takes nearly an hour to make your way through the massive candy-making

plant, and along the way you’ll see dozens of large, complex machines that steam, pop and fizzle as they cook and process all sorts of candies – mostly licorice and gummies.

Bright reds, greens, oranges, blues and all other colors of the rainbow are represented as the candies churn through the machines and wind their way around the factory.

You’ll see Juicy Twists in flavors like Blue Raspberry, Green Apple, Peach, Cherry and many more. There are Sour Twists in Bitter Berry, Manic Melon, Sour Apple and Blue Razz. There are the Wiley Wallaby Australian Style Gourmet Liquorice varieties, and the related Outback Beans. There are also licorices in highly familiar flavors – Dr. Pepper, Hawaiian Punch and Orange Crush, to name a few. Then there are the newest licorices put out by Kenny’s, Natural Planet organic options.

In expansive warehouses there are rows upon rows of candy-making ingredients and finished products Progress 2015: Perham businesses, behind-the-scenes

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BIG PLAYERS

The technologies and formulas that go into making licorice are kept private within the candy industry. At Kenny’s, finished ‘long licorice’ pieces, such as these Dr. Pepper twists, are rolled out on a conveyor belt to the packaging area, where workers like Jewel Moss, pictured, count and bag the strips by hand. Shorter licorice pieces, such as KLN’s popular Wiley Wallaby Australian Style Gourmet Liquorice, are chopped and packaged separately, by a machine.

ready to ship. In a well-heated room, 125,000-pound vats store corn syrup and fructose; outside, huge silos store wheat flour and sugar.

On the other end of the factory, in a new addition built in 2013, Kenny’s newest products, gummy candies, are made. These include gummy rings, gummy bears, gummy worms and fruit snacks. These new gummy products have been a fast success, helping the company achieve its goal of 30 percent growth last year compared to the year before, according to Business Manager Andy Peeters.

They, like all the candies made at Kenny’s, were formulated in-house, and are made with the help of machinery that has often been built inside the walls of the factory. Peeters said the candy business – especially the licorice side – is fairly secretive, so much of the equipment used to make it has been designed and made by employees of the company, and those designs are not made public. The same goes for the

Where will you land? It all begins with an idea and a phone call.

candy recipes, which have been formulated through a trial-and-error process, with the expertise of the company’s food scientist.

The people are a big part of Kenny’s.

Automation is used on large orders, but many things are done by hand. For this, the company’s 162 employees are crucial.

Peeters said about half of Kenny’s products are sold under the KLN Family Brands name (KLN is the parent company of Kenny’s), while the other half are sold under private label names, many of those involving major retailers.

The candies are shipped and sold all over the United States. Last year alone, Kenny’s shipped 21 million pounds of candy.

“Our niche in the market is to try to be everything to everyone,” said Peeters, explaining that instead of honing in on one product, Kenny’s tries to offer a wide variety of products and flavors.

The company is constantly working to increase and diversify its product lines. Founded by Ken Nelson in 1987,

Downtown Perham 121 2nd Ave SE 1020430

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8 » Progress 2015: Perham businesses, behind-the-scenes

Noon & Evening Buffet Dine-in a To-Go b Delivery

Perham-Dent School of Champions Welcomes You

A PROGRESSIVE DISTRICT

HEART EART OF THE LAKES ELEMENTARY Superior Instruction DESIGNATED A CELEBRATION ELIGIBLE SCHOOL 2014-2015 ■ Exemplary staff dedicated to creating a nurturing and child-centered environment ■ Small group, whole group, and 1-1 instruction matched to student needs ■ Intensive focus on success in reading, writing, and mathematics ■ Technology integration across the curriculum with SMART Boards, ipads, ipods, and PCs ■ GATE and Enrichment Programming ■ Honor Choir

PRAIRIE WIND MIDD IDDLE SCHOOL Teaching character on a safe campus

‘‘

Nothing worthwhile in life ever comes easy.” I learned man the gifted Teachers and y lessons from Perham School District, Coaches in the but one has become my life’s this particular BIG, and then work hard motto. Dream , be creative, and never, ever give up.

CORY HEPOLA - PHS CLA SS OF 2000, AWARD-WINN ING EMMY-NOMINATED SPO RTS ANCHOR

■ Facilities: each grade has its own house in which to learn, live, and grow ■ Above average school wide scores in reading and math ■ Exploratory Spanish, art, industrial technology, computer ■ A music program teaching band, choir and keyboarding ■ Day treatment for students needing mental health therapy as part of academic instruction ■ Character education program to create a caring, respectful culture in our school ■ A competent, skilled staff dedicated to the unique middle-schooler ■ A 3 night, 4 day environmental education experience deep in the Superior National Forest each year in December ■ 1:1 iPad initiative for 7th and 8th graders

g rs, challengin ing llent teache Through exce ding athletics, and inspir uil ol r-b ho cte Sc gh chara , Hi , ics am rh em Pe ad ac experience at of becoming an Air coaches, my eam hieve my dr helped me ac Force pilot.”

‘‘

PERHAM HIGH SCHOO HOOL Preparation for adult life ■ Learning trips to such places as Carnegie Hall & Puerto Rico, Mexico ■ AP, College and Tech Prep courses that are reducing costs of future college tuition ■ PHS REACH Program - providing students opportunities for success and accountability ■ Project i ENGAGE - Project i Engage is a learning initiative that has been developed to help support the mission in education at District 549 OUR TECHNOLOGY LEARNING INITIATIVE INCORPORATES FOCUSED STRATEGIES, TO MEET THE 21ST CENTURY NEEDS OF OUR STUDENTS ■ Residential Carpentry: Students earn credits and experience in residential construction

‘‘

PERHAM AREA REA LEARNING CENTER A different delivery ■ Offering students a full range of seat based and independent study courses

There’s no place like Perham-Dent Public Schools for a superior E-12 education!

As a student at Perham HS, I took s to advantage of my many opportunitie In addibecome a well-rounded individual. e tion to excellent academics and colleg e preparation, I was fortunate to explor in a variety of interests and participate to everything from student government topchoir, volunteering initiatives, and level athletics teams. Those experiences life -challenged me to find balance in my sa critical skill that has helped me succes sional fully navigate my career as a profes how runner. Most importantly, I learned to dream big in Perham -- great things I’m ings. beginn small truly can come from my looking forward to the chance to fulfill ian ultimate dream of becoming an Olymp in 2016!”

‘‘

GABRIELE (ANDERSON) GRUNEWALD PHS CLASS OF 2004

www.perham.k12.mn.us

EDREW STOLE - CAPTAIN AN ; F-22A PILOT, 00 20 CLASS OF EAPONS THE USAF W TRAINER IN L O O SCH

Not only did Perham give me an academic foun Public Schools my experiences in music, dation enhanced by longed inspiration to beco but gave me a proI am confident that the me a music educator. lessons I learned in and out of the classroom will continue to lead me in the paths I take as an indiv idual. From a seventh grade choir student to aspi the dream is still the sam ring choir director, inspire others like my own e--to influence and of Perham, but more imp teachers did. A piece I encountered, will remainortantly the people mind as my life adventur in the forefront my es continue Big cheers for Perham Scho to unfold. ols!”

PAIGE MEYER - 2011 GRAD

COCURRICULAR AC ACTIVITIES

A community that creates a “School of Champions”!

■ Offering over 30 Varsity Athletic, Fine Arts and Co-Curricular Programs for our students.

■ 8 Straight State Championships in Gymnastics 2004-2011.

■ State Champions in Boys Cross Country 2006, 2007, 2010, 2012 & 2013 with 13 straight State Meet appearances. (Girls Cross Country has 12 straight State Meet appearances.)

■ National Champions in Boys Cross Country 2012 & 2013 ■ State Champions in Boys Basketball 2011. State Runners-Up in Baseball 2013.

■ A perennial top public school in the Minnesota State High School League’s Challenge Cup (for excellence in athletics and arts) & Champions in 2008.

■ 2 National Coaches of the Year - Dave Cresap & Jeff Morris.

■ Top-level Speech Program boasting 6 state champions in its history.

■ PHS offers opportunities for excellence in programs normally found in large, suburban schools, such as Science Research, Robotics You will like what you see.

Come back for more than a visit!

Perham-Dent Schools

district office phone number

218-346-4501

progressive curriculum + proven results + student success Progress 2015: Perham businesses, behind-the-scenes

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BIG PLAYERS

Left: Candy lovers should know this shape well – these metal molds get imprinted into corn starch powder to create the shape of what will ultimately become gummy worms. Right: Here’s where most of the gummy ‘magic’ happens. Gummy molds – in the shape of fun things like bears or worms – are imprinted in corn starch powder. Soft gummy ‘jelly’ then gets deposited into those starch molds. The starch is later removed, and a new coating is added to the candies to give them their shiny finish. Gummies have to be cured overnight, so making them is a two-day process.

Kenny’s initially began as a supplier of a few basic licorice varieties. In 1996, the company expanded to include its Juicy Twist line, and in 2007 the Australian Style Gourmet Liquorices were added.

After that came the gummies, in 2013.

Coming up next, according to Peeters, are more unique specialty products, such as Dr. Pepper gummy candies in the shape of soda bottles. He said these

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10 » Progress 2015: Perham businesses, behind-the-scenes

NYM ISD #553 PREPARING STUDENTS FOR LIFE

T

he New York Mills Public School District has been serving the residents of the New York Mills Community for 141 years. Since the school formed in 1874, it’s fundamental goal has been to prepare students for success as adults in our society, and that focus continues today.

New York Mills Elementary starts building a positive foundation for our students right from the start with our intensely popular Eagle Pride program. Eagle Pride provides a character education lesson every week to the elementary students and addresses such topics as: Attitude, expected behaviors, bullying, and learning how to be flexible to stay positive.

Role modeling is provided by high school students and teams, as well as school staff

and community members. The interaction between our elementary and high school buildings provides a beneficial relationship for students of all ages.

W i th c o l l e g e a n d c a re e r re ad i n e s s a primary goal at the school, New York Mills continues to employ a full time guidance c o u n s e l o r. I n a d d i t i o n to p r o v i d i n g counseling services, there is an intentional focus on a student’s future, which includes: academic planning, career aptitude testing, academic course load balancing, obtaining district credit requirements, completing courses for college credit, college selection, scholarship applications, and senior year mentoring.

Career curriculum is embedded in required courses for all 9th grade and 11th grade students. These courses focus on career exploration and allow students to take an in depth look at their personal interests, their career interests, and the many possibilities available in our changing world. In addition, college fairs and job fairs provide New York Mills students with exposure to their options throughout their high school years, allowing them the opportunity to make the best post high school selection possible.

Close par tnerships with area business remains an asset for the school district.

Students explore units on entrepreneurship and business ownership, and local business men and woman regularly visit classrooms to present topics fundamental to local occupational possibilities. Through additional coursework, students have opportunities for job shadowing and business placement opportunities, whatever their career interests may be.

New York Mills Public Schools continue to prepare students for life. Whether learning character education or utilizing the many resources available in our buildings to plan their future, we give our students wings to be mighty Eagles!

New York Mills Public School Where every day is a great day to be an eagle

www.nymills.k2.mn.us

Progress 2015: Perham businesses, behind-the-scenes

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BIG PLAYERS

KLN’S NEWEST, NUTTIEST VENTURE NutHeads Chocolate Factory, the newest branch on the KLN Family Brands company tree, opened its doors in 2011.

The sweet-and-salty snack food factory has already tripled its product list since then, offering savory goodies such as chocolate-covered potato chips and Kookamunga Crunch caramel popcorn with peanuts.

“Kenny (Nelson) likes chocolate, so here we are,” laughed Business Manager Jadi Anderson of how and why NutHeads got its start. Nelson is the head of KLN, which also owns Kenny’s Candy and Barrel O’ Fun Snack Foods, along with Tuffy’s Pet Foods, all in Perham.

NutHeads fits into the mix as a place where snack foods containing peanuts and other allergens can be made; common food allergens aren’t allowed in the other KLN plants.

The smell upon walking into NutHeads is almost as good as the sugary smell of Kenny’s – except it’s salty instead of sweet, with an aroma of popcorn filling the air.

The tour doesn’t take nearly as long here as it does at Kenny’s, as NutHeads is still relatively small.

The factory started as a 20,000-square-foot facility, and now is at about 40,000-squarefeet after an addition was built soon after the company’s opening.

Most of the space is used for making and cooking the snacks, while the rest is used as a warehouse.

Anderson said NutHeads’ specialty popcorn products, such

Above: This 20,000-square-foot warehouse area initially held the entire NutHeads Chocolate Factory.

A 20,000-square-foot addition was built as business picked up.

NutHeads is a relatively new branch on the KLN Family Brands company tree, having opened its doors in 2011. It has since expanded its product line three times over. The company offers sweet and salty snacks such as chocolate-covered potato chips and Kookamunga Crunch caramel corn with peanuts.

Right: A worker keeps an eye on freshly popped popcorn as it makes its way down a conveyor belt to be drizzled with chocolate.

as chocolate-drizzled popcorn, are fueling most of the growth at the company right now. About 2.75 million bags of product were moved through the facility in 2014, and the goal is to do even more this year.

As is the case at other KLN companies, the products at NutHeads are sold under either the KLN name or private labels.

New last year were holiday tins that carried an assortment of pretzels, chips, popcorn and other

12 » Progress 2015: Perham businesses, behind-the-scenes

snacks. Coming up this year will be a new look and new offerings for the chocolate line, including newly designed, classy packaging and some higher-end chocolates.

Anderson said NutHeads employs 21 full-time employees.

That number grows to about 50 during the busy summer and holiday seasons, with the addition of temporary hires.

For more information on KLN’s companies, visit www.kln familybrands.com. ■

FROM THE FLIGHT DECK

Rich McCrady offers a progressive vision of ßight training in Perham

JANUARY 2015 -- Wings Flight Training is committed to exemplary flight training. A training process of total engagement with our students ensures they maximize their efforts, control their flight training costs, and gain the knowledge that is critical in their pursuit of being the most qualified aviators they can be.

Growth in student enrollment over the past year has met our every expectation. Further, it’s our objective to use Wings as a vehicle to bring additional opportunities and knowledge to the community. We made huge progress last year with activities such as the 12-week Pilot Ground School; and the ‘Fly In & Car Show’ Event last summer which exceeded all our expectations.

The coming year will find us expanding our fleet to make available more primary trainers, including a flight simulator to take some of the aircraft cost out of primary and instrument syllabi. Further, it will offer flight currency capability for our instrument rated members. Our staff is conducting a feasibility study concerning a foreign student program that will allow Wings to offer a full array of certificates to students from abroad. (As witnessed in recent articles from Flying Magazine and others, it appears that the foreign commercial carriers have an urgent need to have well-trained aviators available to fill the cockpits of their flight systems.)

Also in 2015, Wings will offer new opportunities such as the Wings First Officers Club (aka Wings & Wine) and the newly organized Wings Flight Club, which offers reduced rates and increased availability of aircraft without ownership costs.

WINGS Flight Training is an FAAapproved Part 61 flight training school operating out of the Perham Airport.

The school offers one-on-one training to help students earn pilot certificates for single- and multi-engine fixed wing aircraft.

Call 346-2820 or visit www.WingsFlightTraining.net

It's safe to say that “we're having fun.” We have an incredible sense of pride when we send our students for their FAA check ride. We know they are prepared through proper training and mindset preparation. Thus, when we have students return with their certificate in hand - having accomplished the task in less hours than the industry average - we know we’re on the right track in providing a valuable education for anyone who wants to become a pilot.

To all of you who were our students last year, who have moved on to utilize your skills, and to all of you who are still here pursuing your dreams - thank you from all of us at Wings Flight Training. We are committed to the best in training, and will insure that this next year will provide additional opportunities for anyone who wants to be an aviator.

Fly In & Car Show at the Perham airport Progress 2015: Perham businesses, behind-the-scenes

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BIG PLAYERS

CHEESE LOUISE! Bongard’s churns out the cheddar, 24/7

T

BY ELIZABETH HUWE

here’s a place in Perham where the people keep working all day and night, even after the cows have come home.

In 1908, Bongards’ Creameries was founded in Bongards, Minn. In 2003, the company bought the former Land O’ Lakes plant in Perham and began producing cheese and whey products here. Over the past 11 years, Bongards’ has continued to turn out quality dairy products, with the plant operating 24/7, 365 days of the year.

At press time in early January, the company had 117 employees in Perham and was in the process of upgrading much of its equipment to help keep up with high demand.

Cheese is a nation-wide favorite food for pizza, sandwiches, pasta and more. But how many people know how it’s made? How does Bongards’ make its delicious Cheddar, Monterey Jack, Colby, Colby Jack, mozzarella and reduced-fat cheeses, not to mention protein powders and deproteinized whey solids? Keep reading to find out.

At Bongards’, raw milk comes in by the semi-tanker to begin the cheese making process (above). On any given day, about 50 trucks will deliver 2.7 million pounds of milk to be turned into cheese or powder products.

After a truck arrives, a sample of the

milk is taken and sent to Bongards’ lab to be tested. Tests are run to check for antibiotics or other contaminants. If the milk isn’t pure, it is never unloaded or used.

The lab also tests each batch of whey (shown above inset, in sample tubes) and cheese curds during different stages

14 » Progress 2015: Perham businesses, behind-the-scenes

of the cooking process to ensure allaround quality.

Testing results for incoming milk takes about 10 minutes. After given the (literal) green light, a vacuum hose is attached to the truck’s spigot and the milk enters a series of stainless steel pipes to go into the plant.

BIG PLAYERS Next, the curds and whey are piped into a large complex of conveyors, called the draining and matting machine (DMM).

The DMM’s purpose is rather straight-forward – it drains the liquid from the solids, and starts packing the small curds together to form larger pieces. Below, a part of the DMM salts curds on a mellowing belt before they are sent forward.

The DMM will handle about 20,000 pounds of curds, (below inset) in an hour.

When milk is about to be made into cheese, it must be pasteurized first. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration sets the standards for pasteurization, how long milk must be heated to a certain temperature, in order to kill any unwanted bacteria.

The Bongards’ pasteurizer (above) can super-heat 118,000 pounds of milk in one hour by forcing the milk through a series of thin plates that are heated by steam.

After pasteurization, milk goes into vats (above). There are eight vats at Bongards’, where 55,000 pounds of milk, rennet, starter, and any coloring are mixed together to be cooked down into cheese.

During a day, each of the vats will produce five batches over 18 hours, with 6 hours spent on cleaning.

The cheese making process, which takes about 4 hours, creates two products: cheese curds (solids) and whey (liquid).

During the process, this mixture is stirred, and later cut, by large agitators in the vat, and then cooked.

Once finished cooking, the curds and whey are sent into a new system of stainless steel pipes.

Progress 2015: Perham businesses, behind-the-scenes

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BIG PLAYERS

From the DMM, curds are sent into one of eight towers that can hold about 1,000 pounds of cheese.

At the bottom of the tower, curds are compacted into 40-pound blocks of cheese, which are bagged, vacuum-sealed and boxed for shipping or are conveyed to a filler to make 500-pound barrels.

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16 » Progress 2015: Perham businesses, behind-the-scenes

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Progress 2015: Perham businesses, behind-the-scenes

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BIG PLAYERS

For the barrels, cheese is sent to one last station, where the curds are compressed and vacuum-sealed in 500-pound cardboard barrels (above).

While waiting to be shipped, boxed blocks and barrels of cheese are kept in a cooler that can hold up to 5 million pounds of cheese (about 20 days of work).

If all these coolers are filled up every 20 days, that means more than 90 million pounds of cheese are shipped out of Bongards’ every year.

When the current expansion project is finished, Bongards’ output will rise to more than 100 million pounds per year.

Although the cheese is finished, Bongards’ also processes whey, which was separated from the curds, to create deproteinized whey solids and protein powders.

Deproteinized whey is shipped around the world from Bongards’, to be used in all sorts of baked goods and pharmaceutical products. Protein powder is used in sports and health supplements.

Depending on the demand in this part of the plant, Bongards’ may purchase and process truckloads of liquid whey from other cheese factories.

The whey is put through round after round of reverse osmosis, ultra and micro-filtration to separate the solids on a molecular level (above). This separates the proteins from the lactose (sugar).

Live Here. Do Business Here. progressiveperham.com The Most Jobs.

Help for Businesses.

Pound for pound, Perham offers more jobs than many communities similar or larger in size, and offers a great quality of lakeside life with big city amenities.

Local tax incentives and business services can help you achieve dreams of business ownership in a town with a great quality of life and midwestern work ethic.

“This is where so many people choose to vacation and I am lucky enough to live where I also vacation.”

– Sue Huebsch Owner of Wild Goose

The City of Perham • 218-346-9798 • www.cityofperham.com 18 » Progress 2015: Perham businesses, behind-the-scenes

2

2

Years of Service

MCDONALD’S

Years of Service

WINGS FLIGHT TRAINING

I’m Lovin’ It 100 Judd Street Perham

42706 Co. Hwy. 80 Perham 218-346-2820 www.wingsflighttraining.net

2

3

Years of Service

THE DOUGOUT BAR & GRILL

Years of Service

HOMARK HOMES

We have all your bases covered for a good time

Building Your Dreams, Your Way

104 N. 1st Avenue Dent 218-758-8000

218-385-2330 TOLL FREE: 1-888-676-1555 www.homarkhomesnymills.com

Hwy. 10 West New York Mills

Serving the area for

40+ years

Hamann Family Dentistry

Brooke Hamann D.D.S. Mike Hamann D. D. S.

Now Accepting New Patients 218-346-4775

OPEN MONDAY-FRIDAY 200 1ST AVE. SOUTH • DOWNTOWN PERHAM

4

Years of Service

HAUGAN HEATING & COOLING Furnace installation, air conditioning, boilers, duct work, water lines, drain lines, repairs Jesse Haugan 218-205-7065

4

Years of Service

www.hamannfamilydentistry.com

4

Years of Service

LIL’ EVIL INKORPOR8TED

“RE-USE-IT” THRIFT STORE

340 7th Ave. NE Perham, MN 56573

The largest and best selection of new, used and vintage second hand items in town.

218-346-5341

225 East Main Perham

www.lilevilinkorpor8ted.com

218-346-2616

4

Years of Service

THRIVENT FINANCIAL Jean Hallberg CLTC, FIC 155 7th Ave. SW Perham, MN 218-346-5073

Progress 2015: Perham businesses, behind-the-scenes

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19

BIG PLAYERS These filtered mixtures are sent through a combination of evaporators and crystallizer silos, then finally to five-story-tall dryers, to remove any remaining moisture, resulting in dry, fine powders.

Steam used to power some of these heating machines is provided

by Perham’s Resource Recovery Facility.

Powders are then sent through a sifter to eliminate any clumps before getting packaged in sizes ranging from 15-kilogram bags (33 pounds) to 1.5ton totes for shipping.

As Bongards’ has expanded the powder-side of its production, the company’s need for storage space has also grown, leading to the construction of a new warehouse. ■

It’s due time that you checked out the Perham Area Public Library!

Who bakes the best Pizza in town?

!

O D U YO

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225 2nd Ave. NE • Perham 218-346-4892 www.perham.lib.mn.us 1922-2015

Pizza: Wraps & Salads:

Free downloadable eBooks and Audiobooks available Free weekly story time for children find us on Facebook under Perham Area Public Library

20 » Progress 2015: Perham businesses, behind-the-scenes

We don’t skimp on portions! Our large wraps will satisfy anyone’s appetite for lunch or dinner. Made on a 12” tortilla available in four unique flavors, try one of the many favorites from Chicken Ranch to Southwest Chipotle, or Pastrami to Gyro. There’s a wrap for everyone!

Focused on fresh! Vegetables chopped daily, 5 blend cheese, premium sauces and gourmet meats make for a pizza everyone loves. Our handcrafted, made-to-order Take & Bake Pizzas are convenient and ready when you are! Pick a favorite or create your own masterpiece today!

11am - 8pm

5

Years of Service

CHILDREN’S CORNER LEARNING CENTER Hours: Monday-Friday 6:30 am – 5:45 pm Perham 218-739-2847 www.childrenscornerlc.com

6

Years of Service

HOMETOWN REPAIR Complete Car & Truck Repair • Diesels • Small Engines • Tires• Oil Changes • Auto Starts 425 E. Main Perham 218-346-3346

6

Years of Service

6

Years of Service

HOOT ‘N HOLLER SALOON AND DINING

LAKE COUNTRY HOME CARE, LLC

211 West Main Street Ottertail

You have family with us.

Serving Central Minnesota

218-367-2810

95 Miller Street New York Mills

Sunday Buffet: 11-2 Bring church bulletin and get $1.00 off!

218-385-3422

Our

Commercial Lenders

are here to assist your business in staying financially healthy.

2014 Lender of the Year by Minnesota Business Finance Corp

Contact us today!

We believe

in small business In fact, we are a small business.

PERHAM 218-346-5700

DEAN’S

218-346-5707

DENT

218-758-2100

FRAZEE

218-334-5501

www.ucbankmn.com

6

Years of Service

6

Years of Service

MOSQUITO TRAP STORE

STITCHES BY SCHMITZ’S

43606 Mosquito Heights Road Perham

Custom Rug Binding Mike & Diane Schmitz

218-298-2358 Toll Free: 888-526-9407 Email: info@joemosquito.com www.joemosquito.com

45311 455th Avenue Perham 218-346-6359

7

Years of Service

MARK’S FLEET SUPPLY

7

Years of Service

REAL ESTATE RESULTS Cal Dockter, Broker

945 Market Street Perham

135 E Main Street Perham

218-346-6275 www.truevalue.com/marksfleetsupply

218-346-4663 info@RealEstateResultsmn.com We’re all about results …

Progress 2015: Perham businesses, behind-the-scenes

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21

BIG PLAYERS

PLEASE DO FEED THE BIRDS Jennie-O mill in Perham makes, delivers tons of feed for turkeys

J

ennie-O Turkey has a wide wingspan across northern Minnesota.

Based in Willmar, the company has several feed mills in the area, including one in Perham, as well as hatcheries and farms scattered through the region and a plant in Pelican Rapids.

With more than 850 people employed by Jennie-O in northwestern Minnesota alone, it is safe to say the company is a key player in many communities in this part of the state.

“I don’t think people know just how big our company is in northwestern Minnesota,” said Michael Jones, manager of the Perham feed mill.

The Perham mill, one of eight owned by Jennie-O, manufactures and delivers feed for turkeys that are raised on company-owned farms or by independent growers for Jennie-O. The mill produces feed five days a week and delivers to area farms 24 hours a day.

Other Jennie-O feed mills are located in Dawson, Henning, Swanville, Atwater, Faribault, Northfield and

BY ERIC HENDRICKX

Soybeans are unloaded from a truck into a lower level holding compartment at the Jennie-O feed mill in Perham. The beans will be made into turkey feed for delivery to area farms.

Barron, Wis. Trucks can be seen coming and going from the Perham mill almost non-stop. Those leaving the mill travel 360,000 miles to their respective farms

22 » Progress 2015: Perham businesses, behind-the-scenes

each year, delivering feed to hungry turkeys. Most of the feed is delivered to farms within a 50-mile radius of Perham, but some travels up to 100 miles to reach its final destination.

BIG PLAYERS

Top: Trucks coming into the Perham mill facility are stopped and weighed on a scale first. From here, loads are sent to an area in the back of the mill to be unloaded into proper holding areas.

Center Left : The first two compartments on this trailer are filled up before being sent out to a Jennie-O Turkey farm. Trucks have several separated compartments to hold different types of feed.

Center Right: Before the process of filling up the trucks can begin, an operator makes sure the amount of feed is correct. As each compartment fills, the truck driver is signaled to pull forward so that the tank can empty into another separate compartment.

Bottom Left: An empty delivery truck is filled with feed. The tank emptying into the truck holds between three and four tons of feed. A trailer full of feed leaves the mill weighing around 25 tons.

Progress 2015: Perham businesses, behind-the-scenes

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23

BIG PLAYERS The Jennie-O Turkey Store keeps all its feed internal, ensuring that feed production and corn purchases are consistent from year to year.

Feed is needed year-round, so business at the mills runs full throttle all year long. Winter weather in this part of the country can be unrelenting, but for Jennie-O, the show must go on, no matter what.

Cold weather can cause minor issues in the delivery process, but Jones said the Perham mill was fortunate enough to avoid any major weather setbacks in 2014.

Road construction that will start this summer along Third Avenue SE in Perham, near the mill, could cause a little stress on operations, but according to Jones, it should be minimal.

“Most of our trucks come using east and west routes along (County) Highway 80 here on Main Street,” he said, pointing to the roadway just south of the mill. “So even though there will be road work right outside the mill, it shouldn’t affect us much.”

BEHIND-THE-SCENES It seems simple: trucks come in, get filled up with feed, and then sent off to turkey farms. But there is actually much more to the process than that.

The Perham mill has a large trailer scale out front to weigh incoming truck-loads as they come in from farms to be stored at the mill. These trucks pull up to their designated unloading

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It’s Nifty to be Thrifty!

OF THE PERHAM AREA

Be “You” by shopping Re-Use-It Thrift Store. We have the largest and best selection of new, used and vintage second hand items in town.

From housewares and decor to appliances and furniture to clothes, linens, shoes, books and toys.

“Re-Use-It” Thrift Store 24 » Progress 2015: Perham businesses, behind-the-scenes

225 East Main • Perham, MN 218-346-2616

7

Years of Service

THRIFTY ALTERNATIVES 802 Jenny Ave Perham 218-346-3616 218-346-2131 www.paiff.org

8

Years of Service

PERHAM FAMILY DENTISTRY 918 Market Street Perham 218-346-7186

8

9

Years of Service

Years of Service

T.A. GOULD JEWELER

CarCare Paradise

125 West Main Street Perham

State of the Art Touch Free Car Wash Come feel the difference - “It Rocks!”

112 Judd Street Perham (Behind NAPA)

218-346-2550 www.tagouldjeweler.com

218-346-3122

BOAT SHOW SEASON SPECIALS SHOW SPECIAL 4000# Vertical Boat Lift 120” Wide W/23’ Canopy

$5,49500

LIMITED SUPPLY SAVE $1,000

32ft. Elite Dock Titan Decking

$2,78400

LIMITED SUPPLY SAVE $500

1000 E. Main, Perham, MN • www.hootssports.com • 218-346-3333

9

Years of Service

MICHAELANGELO’S TAKE AND BAKE PIZZA 657 W. Main St Perham 218-347-4992

9

Years of Service

10

Years of Service

NEW CREATION LUTHERAN CHURCH

JANUSZEWSKI PLUMBING

Sunday Morning Worship 10:00am

New Construction • Remodeling • Cabins • Service Drain Cleaning • Water Heaters • Softeners

295 Coney St. W. Perham 218-346-7203 garden@newcreationperham.org www.newcreationperham.org

P.O. Box 322 Perham 218-346-5389 Randy Januszewski Insured & Bonded, Master Plumber Lic #060559PM

10

Years of Service

MARK F. MCFARLANE, CPA Accounting & Tax Service Located in Mills Office Center, New York Mills Phone 218-385-2800 Fax 218-385-2824 markm@markmcfarlanecpa.com www.markmcfarlanecpa.com

Progress 2015: Perham businesses, behind-the-scenes

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25

BIG PLAYERS

The leader in service, price and quality!

Hosting a get together, graduation or family reunion? Let Dean’s Country Market take care of the food. Dean’s now offers a full catering service. From setup, service to cleanup, Dean’s will do it all.

For more information, stop in or give us a call today.

This Jennie-O Turkey truck has finished the process of being filled with feed, and is heading to a nearby turkey farm to feed the birds.

areas and then release their entire crop (usually corn and soybeans) into lower-level storage spaces.

Trucks coming in empty and leaving full of feed for the farms go through a similar process. These semis pull into the loading area to be filled with different types of feed. Once the trailer is ready to be filled, an operator gets on the controls

Wallpaper too!

NEW YORK MILLS: Monday-Friday 8 a.m.-8 p.m.; Saturday 8 am.-6pm; Sunday 9 a.m.-6 p.m.

Phone 385-2765 PERHAM: Monday-Sunday 7 a.m.-11 p.m.

Phone 346-6750 FOOD STAMPS AND WIC COUPONS WELCOME HERE

DEAN’S

Country Market NEW YORK MILLS AND PERHAM www.deanscountrymarket.com SERVING EAST OTTER TAIL COUNTY OVER

42 YEARS

FIX ROCK CHIPS BEFORE THE COLD CRACKS THEM OUT.

For all your flooring needs...

Carpet Vinyl Ceramic Tile Laminate & Wood

!

Look no further than Winkels

145 Second Ave., SE, Perham Richard Winkels 218-346-2924 Store Hours: Monday-Friday 9am-5pm

26 » Progress 2015: Perham businesses, behind-the-scenes

The Clear ChoiCe For all Glass repair, replaCemenT & roCk Chips CLYDE & DONNA, OWNERS 507 East Main Street, Perham, MN 56573 www.visionsglassrepair.com

218-346-2075 • Toll Free 1-800-550-2447

10

Years of Service

NOOTZI’S ON MAIN Hours: Mon-Thurs. 6am-3pm, Fri-Sat 6am-8pm, Sun 6am-2pm

10

Years of Service

10

RED BARN GREENHOUSE

VERCON, INC

11

Years of Service

HOOT’S SPORTS 1000 East Main Perham

49822 County Hwy 67 New York Mills

106 Main Street Dent 218-758-9492

Years of Service

877-824-2040 www.VerconInc.com

218-385-2934

218-346-3333 www.HootsSports.com

Something for everyone!

Construction is underway!

We’re expanding our store to get more great products in for you and your pets! We’re bringing your favorite pet products to The Backyard!

www.thebackyardperham.com FIND US ON FACEBOOK AND FOLLOW US ON TWITTER

218-346-7487 105 9th Ave NE In the Industrial Park in Perham!

11

Years of Service

MINNESOTA STATE COMMUNITY & TECHNICAL COLLEGE Detroit Lakes, eCampus Fergus Falls, Moorhead Wadena

877-450-3322 www.minnesota.edu

11

Years of Service

12

Years of Service

12

Years of Service

TACTICAL DEFENSE

MIDWEST HEALTH BENEFITS

SEAMLESS GUTTER SYSTEMS

Minnesota & Utah Permit to Carry Classes

610 3rd Avenue SE Perham

Free Estimates

Classes held monthly in Perham and Wadena 218-346-7723 htmnlson@arvig.net

218-346-7642 Toll free 866-346-7642 www.MidwestHealthBenefits.com

Frazee Wayne King Cell: 218-841-0232 Home: 218-334-4425

Progress 2015: Perham businesses, behind-the-scenes

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BIG PLAYERS and makes sure the right amount of feed is set to fill the correct compartment.

Compartments are filled by an overhead tank, which holds up to four tons of feed at one time. Different types of feed are designated to certain compartments based generally on their protein levels. Different ages of turkeys require different diets of feed and protein.

“It’s really no different than feeding your dog at home – you feed the guy different types of food when it’s a puppy versus an adult dog,” said Jones.

Outbound trucks are sent to their destinations weighing between 24-26 tons each. With the Perham mill operating 20 hours a day, and trucks constantly coming and going, the tonnage of feed distributed to nearby Jennie-O Turkey farms is a substantial number.

LOOKING AHEAD With the region and the country continuing to crave turkey year-round, Minnesota’s Jennie-O Turkey feed mills are forecasting another busy year in 2015.

According to Jones, “2015 will be business as usual and full steam ahead. We’ve got a lot of turkeys to keep feeding, and the Perham mill is proud to be an integral part of the feed supply chain.” ■

LEARN FROM THE BEST

CLASSES HELD MONTHLY IN PERHAM AND WADENA

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Ask u how y s ou can white n Opale with scenc today e .

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SPECIALIZING IN NEW HOME PLUMBING REPAIRS • REMODELING WATER SOFTENERS & A COMPLETE LINE OF FIXTURES

218-346-5977 License #060339PM

46414 390TH STREET, PERHAM, MN 56573 28 » Progress 2015: Perham businesses, behind-the-scenes

A smile as white as the season.

Now Accepting New Patients

Smith Family Dentistry 218.346.7700

For a Lifetime of Healthy Smiles

smithfamilydentistryMN.com dentalps@arvig.net Dr.

Dave Smith

General and Cosmetic Dentistry

Perham, MN

135 Third Street NE

New Patients Welcome!

12

13

Years of Service

TENDER HEARTS HOME CARE Let us care for you 407 Carlund Parkway New York Mills 218-385-3466 tndhrt@arvig.net Call Kerrie for more information

Years of Service

14

15

Years of Service

Years of Service

LAKES FAMILY EYECARE

RL MILLER CONSTRUCTION, LLC

GEO-TECH OF MINNESOTA, INC.

Easy Payment Plan.

No Interest. Call for details.

EVENING & SATURDAY APPTS AVAILABLE

“You Dream It, We’ll Build It!” New Construction • Remodeling • Decks Rick Miller • Lic #BC318365

Family Owned & Operated

222 Market Drive Perham

43453 County Hwy 53 Perham

218-346-3073

218-346-6401

44362 454th Ave. Perham 218-346-3250 www.geotechofmn.com

I spy with my little eye...

Quality & Service at an affordable price!

...something amazing!

Water Treatment Systems Reverse Osmosis Bottled Water ~ Softener Salt

That perfect something for that perfect someone (even if that perfect someone is you).

125 First Ave. S., Perham, MN 218-346-4840 1-800-395-4868

15

Years of Service

TECTONIC WOODWORKING

16

Years of Service

JH SIGNS & DESIGNS, INC. Justin Helmke

640 3rd Street NE Perham

41357 460th Street Perham

218-346-2331

218-346-7446 218-346-7406 fax www.jhsigns.com

www.BenHolzerUnlimited.com

16

Years of Service

ROYALE RESOURCES Employment, Flex Plan, Payroll Administration 154 1st Avenue South Perham 800-485-2875 • 218-346-3000 www.royaleresources.com

17

Years of Service

GATHERING GROUNDS

134 1st Ave. So. Perham 218-346-7969

Progress 2015: Perham businesses, behind-the-scenes

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BIG PLAYERS Receiving bins and equipment take up a large area outside of The Bean Mill. On a busy day during the fall harvest season, 30 truckloads of beans will be taken in through this system. That’s 1.5 million pounds’ worth, in one day. On a day like that, this area swarms with trucks and workers as farmers bring their bean loads to the mill. Things are much quieter in the winter, when just a couple of employees remain at the mill, working from their indoor offices to help farmers procure seed and acres for the next growing season.

Left: Beans are sorted by type in the outdoor receiving area, so they are kept separate as they move into the processing plant. Shown is part of a kidney bean receiving system. Center: Inside the processing plant, the beans start going through a multi-step cleaning process. It starts at this machine, which vacuums off dust and particles while larger items are sifted out through slotted screens. Right: After being cleaned, beans are bagged here. Dust collection is critical throughout the entire cleaning and bagging process. To collect metal dust that comes off the machines, special magnets are located on the equipment. One of these magnetic ‘metal traps’ can be seen here, just above the yellow sticker that says “Clean all magnets daily.”

30 » Progress 2015: Perham businesses, behind-the-scenes

BIG PLAYERS

NOT JUST A HILL OF BEANS The Bean Mill cleans, ships millions of pounds of kidney beans each year

I

t’s not always strictly business at The Bean Mill, and that’s by design.

Owner Frank Vorderbruggen likes to develop his business relationships beyond the purely professional, to something friendlier, neighborly, almost family-like.

“The farmers want to bring their beans someplace where they feel like they matter,” Vorderbruggen said in a January interview. “Where you know their wife’s names, and their kids’ names, and you ask how everybody’s doing. That’s a big part of it.”

Even during the mill’s busiest season, as farmers and mill workers scramble to unload one huge semi full of beans after the next, Vorderbruggen makes time to catch up with the people around him, telling jokes and stories and sharing some laughs.

It makes everyone feel at home at The Bean Mill. So much so that one could almost forget how much work actually gets done there.

During the busy fall harvest season, The Bean Mill takes in 30 or more loads of beans every day. That’s 1.5 million pounds of beans – dark

BY MARIE JOHNSON

Every single bean that goes into The Bean Mill travels from the outdoor receiving area to the indoor processing plant via this main feed conveyor.

and light red kidney beans that come from growers all over the state of Minnesota.

Those beans get dropped off by the semi-full after the fall harvest. For a few weeks every fall, trucks are constantly coming and going to and from

the mill to drop off their loads.

The Bean Mill takes in those beans and sorts them by type, then sends them through a series of machines to be rigorously cleaned. Once clean, the beans are bagged and shipped to Hanover Foods in Hanover, Penn., a company that distributes canned and frozen vegetables and other food products to various outlets around the U.S. (Fun fact: for years, The Bean Mill’s beans were used in Wendy’s chili.)

About a dozen extra seasonal helpers are on hand at the mill every fall to help process all the beans that come in. It takes an extensive amount of equipment and machinery – plus manpower – to move the beans through from start to finish. Every load must be thoroughly checked for moisture content, seed coat or other physical damage, and exposure to toxic plants such as nightshade. Bad loads must be tossed or kept separate from other loads, or they can contaminate an entire bin, ruining millions of pounds of beans.

After going through the sorting and pre-cleaning process at the mill’s outdoor receiving area, the beans are

Progress 2015: Perham businesses, behind-the-scenes

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31

BIG PLAYERS moved indoors to the processing plant via a large conveyor belt. Inside the plant, they go through an automated multi-step cleaning process that removes stones, dirt, dust and any anomalies before being bagged and shipped.

Technologies are always changing to make the process more efficient and to meet ever-increasing food quality standards, Vorderbruggen said. He updates his machinery often: “I’m always trying to make things easier, better, faster.”

His newest machine, for example, a photoelectric color sorter, can process 20,000 pounds of beans per hour.

The beans run through the sorter in single-file lines, and the computerized machine will spot and remove anything that is off-color, guaranteeing that no corn kernels, half-beans, stained beans or other undesirables make it into the final batches for shipping.

During quieter, non-harvest times of the year, it’s usually just Vorderbruggen and his production supervisor, Brian Kupferschmid, at the mill every day.

Though there are no beans to take in, there’s still work to be done, such as

helping farmers procure seeds and acres for the next growing season.

There’s also always a lot of paperwork to be done, as well – a tough job that Vorderbruggen said his wife, Becky, deserves all the credit for.

“She’s been instrumental in making this fly,” he said of her involvement in the business. “She’s the checks and balances.”

It’s because of Becky that The Bean Mill even exists. She and Frank bought the property, located on the southeastern outskirts of Perham, from her family in 1996, and it’s been their combined experience in the business that has ensured the mill’s survival and success over the years.

In the beginning, the property consisted of three corn bins and a small block building. That was it. There were no offices – those were built just before the company took in its first load of beans in 1997, 6 million pounds from growers within the state. There was no hired help, it was just the Vorderbruggens. That first harvest season, Frank had to stay up all night bag-

This surge bin, attached to a 3 million pound bean bin, keeps the flow of beans in check so there are no spills. When things start to get full, the bin’s internal paddles stop moving and the connected conveyor belt stops running.

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32 » Progress 2015: Perham businesses, behind-the-scenes

Our Spartan Center gets students the support they need to succeed, nd employment or transfer.

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THE IMPACT OF ALCOHOL AND DRUG ABUSE ON BUSINESS IS STAGGERING. CONTACT SCHMIDT & ASSOCIATES TODAY TO DECREASE YOUR LOSSES. We are proud to be a member of the Perham business community and provide quality services and products to meet all your needs.

Drug, alcohol and nicotine testing services Pre-employment screening and background checks Local, mobile and onsite testing eScreen (MN rapid testing) Pregnancy, DNA, paternity testing Background checks Drug free workplace policy development

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Progress 2015: Perham businesses, behind-the-scenes

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33

A member of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universi es System. An Equal Opportunity Educator/Employer. Un Educador/Empleador de Oportunidad Igual.

BIG PLAYERS

Bags of dark and light red kidney beans await transport to Hanover Foods in Hanover, Penn. All the beans processed at The Bean Mill end up at Hanover Foods, where they are canned or used in soups and other Hanover products.

This high-tech piece of equipment, informally called a color sorter, is only four years old and can process 20,000 pounds of beans in an hour. Beans are filtered through the machine in single-file lines, and anything that looks off-color gets pushed out by small puffs of air. This process ensures that only clean, whole beans remain. Stained beans, corn kernels, half beans and other unwanted materials are completely filtered out by the end of this process.

ging beans so he would have room to dump another load the next day.

The following year, The Bean Mill entered into an exclusive agreement with Hanover Foods, and business quickly began to grow.

“That’s when we started expanding the plant,” Vorderbruggen said. “We’ve pretty much added new things every year since then (new bins, conveyor belts and other machinery, for example).”

More recently, ever since the plant got big enough to handle its capacity needs, the focus has been on increasing efficiency

COMPETITIVE

PRICES on the appliances and brands you want.

And, you don’t have to leave Perham to get them!

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Sales and Service. Everything you need.

34 » Progress 2015: Perham businesses, behind-the-scenes

200 WEST MAIN, PERHAM • 218-346-2936

17

Years of Service

17

J&L NUTRITIONAL CONSULTING

Years of Service

PERHAM TRUCK SERVICE

18

Years of Service

PERHAM AUTO REPAIR

From The Field … To The Table Fort Thunder Road Perham

43589 Fort Thunder Road Perham

105 9th Ave NE Perham

218-346-4875 Office 218-346-648

18

Years of Service

VISIONS GLASS AUTO AND HOME 507 East Main Street Perham www.visionsglassrepair.com 218-346-2075 Toll Free 1-800-550-2447

218-346-7376

Ales & Eats

124 East Main Street h Salt or Cinnamon & Sugar and served with Dijon Mustard or Caramel Sauce Perham, Minnesota 218.346.5932

& Chives +$3 or Bleu Cheese Crumbles & Buffalo Sauce +$3 &/or Homemade French Onion Dip +$1

10 Goat Cheese Spread with Chicken, Bacon & Walnuts in a Flour Tortilla with a Balsamic Glaze

Sauce Spear, Smoked Gouda Cheese wrapped & fried in a crispy Egg Roll paper served with Chipotle Aioli topped with Garlic Cheese Curds, Pulled Pork, topped with Guinness Gravy $12 Your choice of Buffalo, Thai Chili, BBQ, General Tso’s or Peanut Butter & Jelly – Served with pon request

According to Thrillist, Brew Ales & Eats is considered one of the best bars outside the Twin Cities. This small town bar features live music almost every weekend, 24 beers on tap (mostly local crafts), a variety of creative cocktails, and fresh bar food. Whether you’re kegSor trying one ofctheir unique lunch specials, this the place to go in Otter Tail County. c Mixed Greens, killing Asian the Pear lices, Asiago heese & crushed Candied Wbrick/wood-clad alnuts tossed ispot n a Cisranberry

Mixed Greens, Asiago Cheese, Carrots, Tomatoes & Cucumber Slices heese, French, Thousand Island, or Cranberry Vinaigrette (extra dressing +$.50)

iches.

19

Years of Service

19

Years of Service

19

Years of Service

SCHMIDT & ASSOCIATES, INC. oice of House Cut Fries, House Cut Chips or upgrade to a Small House Salad +$2.50 PHIL’S PLUMBING

PRIDE AUTO PROS, INC.

ef Patty, American cheese, Sauteed Onions, Lettuce, omato & B urger Countywide Plumbing Service Your Full T Service Auto Repair … Sauce

er $7.75 A vegetarian option, Greens, Tomato & Cilantrapeno Aioli 300 West Main, Ste C Specializing in Newtopped Home with Mixed 203 1st Avenue North

20

Years of Service

BARRY MARTHALER RENOVATIONS LLC. Free Estimates ID#BC036009

Perham Repairs • Remodeling of vegetarian... Plumbing ¼ lb Beef Patty, Pulled Pork, Cheddar Cheese, Dent Bacon topped with an Over Easy Egg Frazee • Water Softeners and a Patties topped with Swiss Line cheese, Guinness Aioli & Bacon Complete of Fixtures 218-346-3320 218-334-2341 & ½ Reuben – ¼ lb B218-346-5977 eef Patty & Corned Beef topped with American & Swiss Cheese, Sautéed www.schmidtandassociatesonline.com “PLUMB CRAZY!”Thousand Island D 218-758-2016 mato, Burger Sauce & Homemade ressing on a Hamburger bun y topped with American & Swiss Cheese, Sautéed onions, Bacon on Marble Rye Progress 2015: Perham businesses, behind-the-scenes » 35 ed Beef, Swiss Cheese, Thousand Island & Kraut on Marble Rye Magic Hat Pale Ale braised Pork topped with House BBQ sauce $9 Cajun seasoned Chicken topped with Swiss cheese, Crumbled Bacon, Lettuce, Tomato &

BIG PLAYERS Todd Rodeman Frazee, MN ▼ Stonework ▼ Fireplaces ▼ Brickwork The Bean Mill, Inc. is located on the southeast side of Perham, not far off of County Highway 80. The business has been operational since 1997.

▼ Blockwork ▼ Excavating ▼ Concrete Foundations

and quality. Equipment upgrades over the past several years are helping the company save money by reducing the number of wasted beans, and they can ship their products with more confidence knowing they’re sending out a cleaner product.

Today, according to Kupferschmid, The Bean Mill takes in 500 semi-loads of beans per year, or 25 million pounds. That’s a far cry from the 6 million pounds that the mill took in its first year.

Vorderbruggen said he is happy with where things are at right now at the mill, and is not seeking out more growers at this time. Instead, he’s continuing to focus on the ones he already has, maintaining those neighborly relationships, as he’s so good at doing. ■

Lakeview Trust&&Estate EstateLaw, Law, AtAt Lakeview Trust attorney Amy Mursuprovides provides attorney Amy Mursu guidance about wealthtransfer transfer guidance about wealth planning and supportspeople people planning and supports through legal andtaxtaxprocess process through thethe legal and after a loved one passesaway. away. after a loved one passes Amy concentratesher herlaw lawpractice practice Amy concentrates solely in in estate and solely estate andtrust trustadminadministration; estate and istration; estate andgift gifttax taxissues; issues; and, estate and business and, estate and businesssuccessuccession planning.

She sion planning.

Sheassists assistsclients clients with a variety ofof estate with a variety estateplanning planning issues including: wills, issues including: wills,trusts, trusts,charcharitable giving, minimizing itable giving, minimizingestate estate tax, planning forfor incapacity, tax, planning incapacity,and and major giftgift planning. major planning.Amy Amyalso also advocates forfor her clients advocates her clientsininestate estate and gift tax audits with and gift tax audits withthe theIRS IRS and Department ofofRevenue. and Department Revenue.

▼ Poured Walls ▼ Flatwork

218-334-3274 Fax: 218-334-3277 gmocinc@yahoo.com

www.gemstonemasonryinc.com

AttorneyAmyAnn AmyAnnW. W. Mursu Mursu Attorney 316 316MN MNHWY HWY78 78North North Suite Suite110 110 Ottertail, Ottertail,MN MN56571 56571 Phone: Phone:(218) (218)367-5253 367-5253(LAKE) (LAKE) Fax: Fax: (218) (218)367-6006 367-6006 E-mail: E-mail:amy@lakeviewestatelaw.com amy@lakeviewestatelaw.com www.lakeviewestatelaw.com www.lakeviewestatelaw.com

Attorney AmyAnn Mursu Mursu Attorney AmyAnn

Big firm experience… experience… town values. values.

Small town

Helping Estate Law. Law. Helpingyou youplan plan for for your your future, future, at at Lakeview Lakeview Estate 36 » Progress 2015: Perham businesses, behind-the-scenes

20

Years of Service

BOEDY APPLIANCE Sales & Service New & Used Appliances “Your In Home Repair Experts” 200 West Main • Perham 218-346-2936 boedyappliance.com

20

Years of Service

20

Years of Service

FOSTER’S MARINE SERVICE LLC

GEMSTONE MASONRY

43767 Fort Thunder Road Perham, MN 56573

Concrete • Excavation • Septic Systems Todd Rodeman Frazee

Phone: 218-346-3773 Fax: 218-346-6394 Email: foster2@arvig.net

20

Years of Service

JANUSZEWSKI ELECTRIC 37211 South Little McDonald Drive Perham

218-334-3274 218-346-6006

MAKE WISE FINANCIAL DECISIONS Reflect your values, protect your future Our financial representatives can help you reach a place of comfort and confidence in your finances, all while helping you strengthen your community and supporting the causes you care about most.

At Thrivent Financial, we believe that being financially prepared and living generously go hand in hand. So we provide sound financial guidance—and help you make the best use of your time, treasures and talent.

For more than 100 years, we’ve helped families connect their Christian values with their finances. If that’s important to you, let’s talk soon.

Dale R. Wanderi CLTC®, LUTCF, FIC Financial Associate 218-346-5090

Jean Hallberg CLTC®, FIC Financial Associate 218-346-5073

155 7th Ave. SW • Perham, MN 56573 Thrivent Financial representatives are licensed insurance agents/producers of Thrivent Financial, the marketing name for Thrivent Financial for Lutherans, Appleton, WI. They are also registered representatives of Thrivent Investment Management Inc., 625 Fourth Ave S., Minneapolis, MN 55415.

For additional important information, visit Thrivent.com/disclosures.

Appleton, Wisconsin • Minneapolis, Minnesota • Thrivent.com • 800-847-4836 25638LG R3-14

21

Years of Service

ALL SEASONS HEATING & AIR CONDITIONING LLC 35 years in the heating business 216 West Main Street Ottertail, MN 56571 218-367-3300 www.allseasonsottertail.com

21

Years of Service

PIZZA RANCH 121 2nd Avenue SE Perham

218-346-7890 www.RanchRewards.com

21

Years of Service

22

Years of Service

SUBWAY OF PERHAM

SERVICE FOOD MARKET

The place where fresh is the taste!

More Savings Everyday!

More Freshness Everyday!

Certified Angus Beef Brand

642-3rd Ave. South Perham

250 East Main Street Perham

218-346-6886 218-346-7800 Progress 2015: Perham businesses, behind-the-scenes

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37

BIG PLAYERS

LESS WASTE, CLEANER AIR Perham Resource Recovery expansion a win-win

I

BY TOM HINTGEN

t was a big year for the Perham Resource Recovery Facility.

Originally opened in 1986, a major expansion at the facility was unveiled in 2014 – an expansion making operations more efficient and environmentally-friendly.

Once shut down because it could not meet air emission standards, the facility is now top-of-the-line and well below permit limits, despite its processing capacity increasing from 116 to 200 tons per day.

The shut-down happened in 1998, at which time the building and property were donated to the Brian Schmidt, the Perham Resource Recovery Facility’s manager, led tours of city of Perham. Soon after, Perham the newly expanded facility at an open house in October 2014. Here is a baler and Otter Tail County were sharing used to crush and bundle corrugated cardboard that will be sent for recycling. ownership, and then Becker, Todd and Wadena counties got on board.

Together, they applied for state Garbage from the five counties employees. funding to improve the facility. It is taken in and processed at the Among the improvements is a reopened in 2002.

Perham facility, and the resulting new Materials Recovery Facility, Today, these same counties, steam is sold as energy to local inwhich was added and attached to the along with a newer partner, Clay dustries such as Tuffy’s Pet Foods solid waste incinerator. This facility County, continue to maintain ownand Bongard’s Creameries. has multiple interconnected conveyership under the joint powers name The expansion has led to many or belts, bins and chutes that splay of the Prairie Lakes Municipal Solid changes at the facility, requiring out across the interior of the buildBrian Schmidt, the Perham Resource Recovery Facility’s Waste Authority. more machinery, equipment and ing. The Materials Recovery Facility manager, led tours of the newly expanded facility at an open house in October 2014. Here is a baler used to crush and bundle corrugated cardboard that will be sent for recycling.

38 » Progress 2015: Perham businesses, behind-the-scenes

BIG PLAYERS

Left: Trash is dumped onto the ‘tipping floor’ at the facility. From here, it gets scooped up and put onto a conveyor belt feeder to the picking area in the Materials Recovery Facility. There, a mix of machines and workers sort and separate the garbage from recyclables, and remove non-combustibles before what’s left goes to the incinerator. Right: Workers pick through waste to remove any materials that can be recycled or should not be burned.

A Steve’s Sanitation truck pulls into the Perham Resource Recovery Facility to dump a load of solid waste. The facility takes in waste from Otter Tail and four other nearby counties.

Progress 2015: Perham businesses, behind-the-scenes

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39

BIG PLAYERS

This trommel’s large knives are used to slice open garbage bags as it spins. VCR tapes and diapers are the worst culprits for tangling inside this piece of machinery.

Serving You for 65 years!

allows more recyclables and non-combustibles to be sorted from the garbage before what’s left heads to the incinerator. And, thanks to other improvements, the garbage that does go on to be burned now burns cleaner than ever before.

“It’s garbage in and recyclables and burnables out,” said Manager Brian Schmidt. “Our expansion includes a facility to remove undesirable waste from the waste stream.”

The main purpose of the expansion was to remove any items that negatively affect air emissions at the facility, and to ensure that the energy being produced is high-quality.

The facility currently operates two Municipal Waste Combustor units (a north unit and a south unit), which each have a maximum capacity of 100 tons of waste per day. Hot flue gas from the combustion units flows through a single heat recovery boiler to generate steam, then continues through air pollution control equipment.

To meet the industrial demand for steam, Prairie Lakes Municipal Solid Waste Authority also has a natural gas-fired auxiliary boiler.

A steam turbine generator is on site to produce electricity, but it is not currently operating, since all the steam produced at the facility is sold to local industries.

Otter Tail County Commissioners agreed to sell $19.3 million in waste disposal revenue bonds to finance the improvements at the facility. The state of Minnesota is a co-signer on these bonds. Repayment will come from revenues generated by the waste disposal system. ■

CHILDREN’S CORNER LEARNING CENTER Now Accepting Applications!

Since 1971 Children’s Corner Learning Center has been providing quality childcare in Otter Tail County.

Children’s Corner offers full day childcare for infants 6 weeks to kindergarten.

We offer formal learning activities as well as a full preschool and pre-kindergarten program. Activities are designed to promote emotional, intellectual, social, and physical growth.

Hemmelgarn Builders Inc. Lic. #BC003628

hbi@arvig.net Jim Hemmelgarn Cell: 218.371.1228

Your Hometown Builder 346.2377

Troy Hemmelgarn Cell: 218.371.6272

40 » Progress 2015: Perham businesses, behind-the-scenes

As a non-profit we’re able to focus and provide a happy, safe and loving environment for your children.

Reasonably priced – our staff is highly qualified and caring and we’re conveniently located.

Hours: Monday-Friday 6:30 am – 5:45 pm www.childrenscornerlc.com

22

23

Years of Service

Years of Service

23

Years of Service

24

Years of Service

GUARDIAN CROP INSURANCE

MRS. B’S

CULTURAL CENTER IN NEW YORK MILLS

109 Coney Street West Perham

43869 425th Street Perham

24 North Main Avenue New York Mills

SMITH FAMILY DENTISTRY For a Lifetime of Healthy Smiles 135 Third Street NE Perham

218-385-3339 www.kulcher.org

218-346-7290 1-800-582-7290

218-346-7700 • fax 218-346-5230 dentalps@arvig.net

218-346-6772

Otter Tail County

Perham Resource Recovery Facility

Recycling Canisters Paperboard now accepted with newsprint!

Paperboard can be placed in the newsprint area of the recycling canisters. Aluminum & tin cans, glass, plastic bottles (#1 & #2 only), newsprint, office paper, magazines, and corrugated cardboard still accepted.

Please break down your boxes!

Perham – Next to the Food Shelf

Richville – Post Office

New York Mills – City Utility Building on County Road 84 next to Lund Boats

Dent – Sacred Heart Church on Highway 108

Bluffton – Tom’s Body Shop on Highway 10

Ottertail – Carr’s Lake County Supermarket on Highway 78

Rush Lake – Rush Lake Loop, off of Highway 78 south of Mid-Central Ice

Vergas – Behind Goodman’s Supermarket

Energy recovery is much more than just burning garbage! We recently completed our expansion and renovation project and we want you show off the new facility. Tours are available for both small and large groups – give us a call or stop by to set up a tour.

218-346-4404 201 6th Ave. NE Perham, MN

218-998-4898 www.co.ottertail.mn.us/solidwaste

24

Years of Service

www.co.ottertail.mn.us/prairielakes

25

Years of Service

OK TIRE STORE

BREITENFELDT GROUP HEALTH INSURANCE BROKERAGE

Hwy. 10 & 78 Next to Perham Oasis Perham

949 Market Street Perham

218-346-7100

346-2290 mnmedicareplans.com

25

Years of Service

NEW HORIZONS REALTY OF PERHAM, INC. Building a Name You Can Trust!

Chad Anderson, Broker/Owner 423 W. Main Street Perham 218-346-7767 www.perhamrealestate.ocm Email: horizons@eot.com

25

Years of Service

SUPER 8 MOTEL & RV CAMPGROUND 106 Jake Street SE Perham

218-346-7888

Progress 2015: Perham businesses, behind-the-scenes

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41

BIG PLAYERS

Left: Becky Engler sorts through garbage to remove recyclable cardboards. Right: Kurt Lehmann sorts aluminum at the facility during a mid-December workday.

Always At Your Service Jodie Trites

Joleen Miller

Ben Geyer

Kayla Schroeer

Jenna Anderson

Lois Moe

Amy Cory

Mitch Krog

Jay Olson

Nate Seip

Trent Anderson

Your Hometown Drugstore Perham • 346-3360 Ottertail • 367-2196 Park Rapids • 237-5848

42 » Progress 2015: Perham businesses, behind-the-scenes

Menahga • 564-4655 New York Mills • 385-3360 Henning • 583-2773

Battle Lake • 864-5261 Frazee • 334-3070 Bertha • 924-2124

26

Years of Service

26

Years of Service

27

Years of Service

BEN HOLZER UNLIMITED

PACC

SEIP DRUG

Independent Water Systems Water Treatment Systems, Reverse Osmosis, Bottled Water, Softener Salt

620 3rd Avenue SE Perham

Nathan Seip

Perham 218-346-6445 www.BenHolzerUnlimited.com

Years of Service

OTTER TAIL COUNTY RECYCLING Solid Waste: (218) 998-4898

New York Mills - 385-3360

218-346-7222 www.346pacc.com

28

Perham - 346-3380 Ottertail - 367-2196

Recycling Center: (218) 736-4400 Household Hazardous Waste Facility: (218) 736-2161

Community meal every Wednesday from 5:00-6:30 pm Everyone is Welcome

Sunday Schedule at NCLC Children’s Church During Worship Sunday School Ages 4-Grade 5 9:15am First Word (Adult Bible Study) 9:30am Worship 10:00am Sunday worship services are on at 5:00 pm on channel 14

28

Years of Service

28

Years of Service

Pastor Randy Freund 295 Coney St. West Perham, MN 56573 218-346-7203 garden@newcreationperham.org www.newcreationperham.org

28

Years of Service

29

Years of Service

STEVE’S SANITATION, INC.

THRIVENT FINANCIAL

WEST CENTRAL INITIATIVE

GIBB’S #10 SALES INC

Commercial & Residential Garbage & Roll-Off Service

Dale R. Wanderi CLTC, LUTCF, FIC

“Quality Cars & Trucks”

140 6th Avenue NE Perham

155 7th Ave. SW Perham

Your regional community foundation serving West Central Minnesota.

P.O. Box 318 Fergus Falls Toll Free: 1-800-735-2239 www.wcif.org Facebook: westcentralinitiative

218-385-3010 www.gibbsauto.com

218-346-4834

218-346-5090

Hwy 10 East New York Mills

Progress 2015: Perham businesses, behind-the-scenes

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43

BIG PLAYERS

FACTS ABOUT THE PERHAM RESOURCE RECOVERY FACILITY -Ash from the burners is the only thing from the facility that ends up in a landfill. Ash output has decreased by almost 50 percent since the expansion was completed.

-The expansion increased annual processing from 35,000 tons of waste to more than 50,000 tons.

-Each bale of recyclable cardboard weighs 1,500 pounds. Each bale of aluminum cans weighs 1,200 pounds, and iron/steel bales weigh 1,800 pounds.

-On average, the temperature of the facility’s burners is between 1,850 and 1,900 degrees Fahrenheit.

-The facility employs 33 people.

-The facility has its own Solid Waste Ordinance.

Goals of the ordinance include preserving and protecting the environment and supporting the use and reuse of materials, thus reducing the total amount of solid waste that must be disposed.

Est. 1883 - Celebrating Over 130 Years Leading supplier of lumber and building materials to contractors in the Dakotas, Minnesota, and surrounding areas

620 East Main, Perham 218-346-5555 www.cranejohnson.com

1017190

44 » Progress 2015: Perham businesses, behind-the-scenes

Dean Wenisch oversees the Control Room at the facility. From there, he’s able to watch over all the vital operations areas within the building. A remote crane operator in the control room supplies the burn pits with fuel as needed. Other employees in the control center monitor the temperature, pressure and emission statistics of the plant’s burner and boiler units.

29

Years of Service

30

Years of Service

31

31

Years of Service

Years of Service

PERHAM RESOURCE RECOVER FACILITY

TRUAX AUTO SALES

AREA TRAVEL

WASCHE’S MACHINE SHOP, INC.

Prairie Lakes Municipal Waste Authority

Buy a Quality Vehicle From Someone You Can Trust.

650 Third Ave. SE, Perham, MN

710 Pinewood Lane, PO Box 128 Perham

Toll Free: 1-800-626-3801 Phone: 218-346-3933 areatravel@msn.com

800-346-7211 218-346-3118

201 6th Ave. NE Perham, MN

213 State Highway 29 South Deer Creek 218-462-2765

218-346-4404

THE FRESHEST

Meat • Bakery • Produce • Variety Homemade smoked and potato sausage, brats, beef sticks, bulk pork sausage

www.waschemachineshop.biz

www.truaxautosales.com

Plus a full line of groceries, frozen foods, dairy, and beverages.

The best in the area!

GOODMAN’S SUPER MARKET

Schoeneberger Funeral Home

Serving the Perham community since 1881.

254 3rd Ave. SW, Perham, MN

(218) 346-5175 Read Obituaries and post personal tributes on www.SchoenebergerFuneralHome.com • Local Monument Sales • Pre-Need Funeral Plans Available

GROCERY STORE · DELI · BAKERY 105 E Main St • Vergas, Minnesota

(218) 342-2401

Serving the Community for 40 Years

32

Years of Service

BLUFFTON OIL COMPANY Serving the community over 75 years. Bulk fuel, Shell motor oil and tires.

32

Years of Service

FRAZEE ELECTRIC, INC.

901 Red Willow Drive Frazee

101 Prospect St. Bluffton 218-385-2595

218-334-2382 www.frazeeelectric.com

Steve Sheets

Funeral Director & Local Owner

32

Years of Service

PERHAM OFFICE SUPPLY COPY CENTER & GIFT SHOP 223 West Main Perham

218.346-6370 PerhamOfficeSupplyandGifts@arvig.net www.PerhamOfficeSupplyandGifts.com

Hans Larson Funeral Director

33

Years of Service

THRIFTY WHITE PHARMACY & GIFTS 125 1st Ave So Perham 218-346-4840

Progress 2015: Perham businesses, behind-the-scenes

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45

SMALL BUSINESSES

BEHIND-THE-SCENES OF

SMALL BUSINESSES A look into what it takes to make a small business a success

T

BY ELIZABETH HUWE, JASON GROTH AND MARIE JOHNSON

here are no small people behind small businesses.

It takes an enormous amount of effort, brain power and muscle to start a small business and make it a success.

Unlike larger businesses, which have more employees who specialize in different areas, small businesses rely on a smaller pool of workers who must perform a broader scope of services. One employee can easily be a customer service representative, cleaning person, delivery driver, snow shoveler, cook and manager – all in one day – at a small business.

It’s exactly that variety that many people who own and work at small businesses love.

It keeps things interesting and fresh, anything but mundane.

Another common love among small business owners? The close connections they

have with their customers. Many small-town retailers, restaurateurs and service providers get to know their customers as well as their own families, learning about their likes and dislikes, their kids’ names, where they work and their favorite lunch spots.

The rewards of small business ownership can be great. However, so can be the challenges. For example, how does a small retailer know what will sell that season? How do they keep their shelves stocked, and keep things moving off of those shelves? What do they do to create a niche for themselves, to stand out and stay profitable in the face of competition from big box stores and online retailers? What keeps them going, even when the going gets tough? And what keeps them grounded when the going is good?

To find out how a few of Perham’s small businesses do it, read on.

46 » Progress 2015: Perham businesses, behind-the-scenes

SMALL BUSINESS

Top Left: All the varieties of popcorn at Goose Gang are made in-house, with flavors ranging from traditional caramel to adventuresome pizza, honey mustard and “kickin’ cayenne.” Top Right: Goose Gang’s rock candy, lollisticks, jelly beans, jawbreakers, chocolates and more make for a colorful spectacle sure to delight anyone with a sweet-tooth. Middle Left: In addition to all of their toys and snacks, Goose Gang also carries a host of art books and supplies, puzzles and board games. Bottom Left: Playmobil toys are one of the brands that have stood up to Goose Gang’s strict product standards.

GOOSE GANG Goose Gang, a candy and toy store that opened in Perham in 2013, markets itself as having “three levels of awesome,” as a place where even the adults are allowed to “have fun like a kid.”

“We have three seasons, I feel,” said Laura Bjerke, Goose Gang’s director of sales and marketing. “Our summer season, which starts probably in April and goes through September; Christmas season starts mid-October and goes through the end of the year…”

“And then there’s the rest,” added merchandising manager Ali Petru of the winter months between the holiday season and April.

“We use this season just to kind of plan for our next year,” Bjerke explained. “This is our time to plan, figure stuff out, order stuff and restock.”

“This is really the behind-the-scenes time,” Petru said. “Every other time of year, you’re doing what you do – selling and maintaining.”

A big part of their preparations for the next year come in February, when Bjerke and Petru go to Toy Fair in New York City.

“It’s like, seven football fields of toys,” Petru explained. “It’s the real deal.” There are more than 4,000 vendors at the fair, with around 30,000 buyers representing everyone from smaller shops, such as Goose Gang, to giant corporations like Wal-Mart.

Do they get to test out the toys at Toy Fair?

Both nodded, with big grins.

But Toy Fair is not all fun and games.

Since the event is only four days long, Bjerke and Petru spend a month (or more) doing their homework ahead of time to make sure they see as much as they possibly can and make the most out of their time while they’re there.

Part of that research, Peteru said, is trying to find the holes in their current inventory – what they could do better or would like to tap into.

The toughest ages to shop for are the tweens to young adults, Bjerke and Petru said.

They also have set high standards for the quality of toys and other items that are in the shop’s inventory.

“We do spend a lot of time researching everything that we carry,” Bjerke said. “If we don’t think it meets our expectations, we will not carry it anymore.”

“We put a lot – a lot – of time into each and every single item in the store, just because we do not want someone to not be satisfied,” said Petru.

Bjerke said her favorites are the games, since she has fond memories of playing a lot of games with her family when growing up.

“The art section’s my favorite,” said Petru. “But, there’s so many… Sophie the Giraffe, Kinetic Sand, Magna-Tiles…

Playmobil of any sort... Okay, the list is probably, like, 20 things, so I should stop.”

Both agreed that they also had to get used to thinking beyond their own ideas of what would be fun or enjoyable, since everyone has their own tastes.

One general rule Bjerke and Petru said they try to follow is avoiding electronicsbased items.

“What we try to focus on are other ways to exercise your brains,” Bjerke said.

“We feel really strongly that kids need to

Progress 2015: Perham businesses, behind-the-scenes

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47

SMALL BUSINESSES unplug and do other brain activities.”

In other words, they want to encourage kids and families to sit down and play a game, like Scrabble, instead of challenging each other to online rounds of Words with Friends.

With their popcorn and frozen yogurt, a lot of testing and experimentation is involved.

“We haven’t really found one that’s not good,” Bjerke said of their experimental popcorn flavors. Her favorite variety so far has been loaded baked potato: sour cream and chive, bacon and cheddar.

People may be surprised to learn that all the shop’s popcorn is popped and mixed in-house. Bjerke recalled a time when a customer came in and placed an order for an especially large Years batch of mixed popcorn. of Service “He came back, and we were still making it,” Bjerke said. “He stood there and PERHAM PRINTING watched us for, like, half an hour, then said, ‘Wow, I 235 W Main Street thought you just dumped stuff Perham out of a bucket.’”

“It’s very labor-intensive,” Bjerke said. “It’s not ready218-346-2870 made stuff. We are making www.perhamprinting.com stuff, and it takes time. That

sometimes surprises people.”

For the store’s frozen yogurt bar, part of the staff’s work has been improving on what is already a good thing.

“We had a good product,” Bjerke said of their yogurt. “We were happy with it… but we felt like we could do better.”

After more research and taste-testing, Bjerke said, they have found a new product that they think will taste better. They plan to introduce it this spring. It will be fresher, more versatile and result in less waste when it’s time to clean up the machines, she added.

“We’ll basically be able to do whatever flavor we want,” Bjerke said.

They also plan to expand on topping options.

34

Proudly

Representing You. Contact me with your legislative issues.

BILL INGEBRIGTSEN MN STATE SENATOR

Paid for by Ingebrigtsen for Senate.

P.O. Box 1325, Alexandria, MN 56308

Wasche’s Machine Shop, Inc.

Serving selected local industries since 1984.

New and Rebuilt Wear Parts for: Vegetable Oil • Rendering

31 YEARS

710 Pinewood Lane, Perham Toll Free 1-800-346-7211 218-346-3118 email: wms_inc@hotmail.com 48 » Progress 2015: Perham businesses, behind-the-scenes

35

Years of Service

DEAN’S APPLIANCE AND REFRIGERATION SERVICE Residential Repair Over 30 Years Experience

35

Years of Service

DENT LIONS

Dent

35

Years of Service

GALAXY RESORT Winter hours thru mid April: Fri., Sat. 5:00-9:00 Sun. 11:00-2:00 Buffet

Perham

on Star Lake Highway 108, Dent 218-758-2841

218-346-6200

7 miles West of Dent on Hwy 108, 1/2 mile South on County Hwy 41

36

Years of Service

NADINE’S LADIES FASHIONS 145 West Main Perham

36

Years of Service

PERHAM STEEL & WELDING 644 West Main Perham

36

Years of Service

WALT SEIFERT CONSTRUCTION Residential & Commercial (General Contracting Work New & Remodeling Construction) 43932 Mosquito Heights Road Perham

218-346-2615

218-346-2030

218-346-7062

35

Years of Service

NORTHERN IRRIGATION CONTRACTORS INC. 45214 County Road 80 E Perham 218-346-7246 Lindsay Zimmatic • John Deere Stihl • Jonsered

37

Years of Service

GARY HONER SAW & TOOL Small Engine Repair TROY-BILT DEALER

34684 State Hwy 108 Dent 218-758-2182

Progress 2015: Perham businesses, behind-the-scenes

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49

SMALL BUSINESSES

MURDOCK’S ACE HARDWARE Nick and Katie Murdock, owners of Murdock’s Ace Hardware, say they are just two of the many pieces that go into the day-to-day operations of their downtown Perham store.

“We usually have 10 people on staff, including Nick and I,” Katie Murdock said. “It stays pretty consistent year-round.

Multiple people that have worked here have been here for a long time. That’s super helpful because they may know more than I do; they have been here so long and they know more customers. Each person has their own little niche for what they might be really knowledgeable at. Chances are, when you shop here, one of our employees can at least guide you in the right direction.”

In a small town, keeping the right items on the shelf can play a major role in a business’s success. Murdock said a lot of input comes from the community.

“It’s pretty much based off of the customer’s wants and needs,” she said. “We get a good feel for it, especially with Nick being here for so many years. Also, our employees give us ideas from what they have heard from customers. We try to stick with what is happening across the nation, and locally what people are in need of.”

Murdock’s Ace Hardware has adapted to the times, with inventory tracked by a computer. Murdock said the Ace Corporation does a good job of keeping them up-to-date on the

Nick and Katie Murdock say the expertise of their staff, as well as support from the Ace Corporation, helps ensure the success of their business, Murdock’s Ace Hardware.

current trends. She added that it’s nice to have that back up.

“We have a computer system that is very helpful. For the most part, it keeps track of everything we have. It makes it a little easier,” she said. “All Aces are known for being smaller than big box stores. The Ace Corporation is really good at keeping us posted on what is coming up, what’s trendy and

NEW HORIZONS REALTY OF PERHAM INC.

CHAD ANDERSON

Over 98 years of experience serving Perham

VAUN ROY BRUHN Assoc. Broker 218-371-7213

TERRY MARTHALER

(218)

Sales Associate 218-234-1361

Broker 218-640-0068

DAVE WENZEL

Sales Associate 218-234-9612

346-7767

432 West Main, Perham www.

PerhamRealEstate.com

50 » Progress 2015: Perham businesses, behind-the-scenes

100 Judd Street • Perham

38

Years of Service

BHH PARTNERS PLANNERS/ARCHITECTS Anthony J. Stoll, AIA, Principal Architect Minnesota 218-346-4505 Colorado 970-453-6880 or 970-513-1000 www.bhhpartners.com

39

Years of Service

39

GARY WAGENMAN CONSTRUCTION

CRANE JOHNSON LUMBER CO. 620 East Main Perham 218-346-5555 www.cranejohnson.com

Years of Service

39

Years of Service

JC ELECTRIC

Residential - Commercial Concrete - Poured Walls All Types of Construction 40416 Cty Hwy 34 Perham

“Call us for your electrical needs.”

615 Pinewood Lane Perham 218-346-5560

218-758-2757 or 218-346-6756

Celebrating 40 Years in Perham We are proud to be a part of this great community.

• Auto Tune-Ups & Batteries • Tires & Tire Rotation • Oil Changes • Exceptional Customer Service • Auto Parts & Accessories

If you are looking for a part for your car, truck or trailer, stop in at NAPA Auto Parts!

Stop in or call today to make an appointment

218.346.7557 • Toll Free: 877.346.7557 105 Jake Street SE, Perham, MN 56573

& SERVICE CENTER

Get The Good Stuff & The Good Service.

39

Years of Service

LAKELAND VETERINARY CLINIC Wellness & Medical Center W.M. Rose, DVM 44344 County Hwy 8 Perham 218-346-6550

40

Years of Service

BOLL REALTY

www.napaofperham.com or connect with Facebook or email napaofperham@arvig.net

40

Years of Service

FINN CREEK MUSEUM

Kathy Mueller, Broker

40

Years of Service

GOODMAN’S SUPER MARKET Grocery Store • Deli • Bakery

217 Hwy 78 N Ottertail

New York Mills

105 E Main St Vergas

218-367-2716

218-385-2233 www.finncreek.com

218-342-2401

Progress 2015: Perham businesses, behind-the-scenes

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51

SMALL BUSINESSES what’s not doing well. We are a small business, but we do have that benefit of having our back-up with Ace Corporation.”

Murdock enjoys the many different aspects of her roles as part owner of the store and full-time parent.

“My favorite part is having the flexibility to set my own schedule. We have three little kids, so it’s nice to work and stay at home with them and have that flexibility,” Murdock said. “At the store, it’s getting to know people in town and

seeing them out in the community.”

One of the benefits of being a small town business owner, she said, is the ability to connect with customers, inside and outside of the store.

“I think it’s beneficial because they know your family. So, if they are going to support the local community, it’s going to benefit someone that they know,” Murdock said. “It’s not going to some random business. Nick and I try to stay involved with the community.

It’s nice to see them out and about and

We’re M ore

THAN JUST AN OFFICE SUPPLY STORE Cardmaking Papers & Envelopes Complete Line of Office Supplies Lamination • Quick Copy Center Full Color Copies • Computer Supplies Fax & Mailing Service • Art Supplies All Occasion Printable Papers

Photo & Label Papers for both Laser & Ink Jet Printers Bookmarkers • Bibles • Inspirational Cards & Gifts Walk Up Copy • Fax • Scan • E-Mail Full Service & Self Service Copy Center Imprinted Promotional & Business Products Toner Recharging Service

PERHAM O S

223 West Main • Perham, MN 56573

&

FFICE UPP PPLY COPY CENTER GIFT SHOP OP

218.346.6370

Fax Service: 218-346-9399 Email: PerhamOfficeSupplyandGifts@arvig.net www.PerhamOfficeSupplyandGifts.com CopyCenter6370@arvig.net

LOCALLY OWNED SINCE 1982

COPY • FAX • SCAN • EMAIL

get to know our customers personally and help them when they come into the shop.”

Murdock said they enjoy being located on Main Street, as the nearby businesses attract a lot of tourism to Perham.

“We love the area and the community. Main Street business is such an important part of the community, because that’s what draws our tourism and keeps the community going,” Murdock said. “It’s a fun environment.”

Our Advocate at the State Capital since 1996.

District 8A State Representative

BUD NORNES

e-mail: rep.bud.nornes@house.mn www.house.leg.state.mn.us

www.biggestbook.com

23rd Annual

Great American Think-Off

Building Your Dreams Your Way

Does technology free us or trap us?

23rd Annual Debate •

CALL OR STOP IN -

Check out your options on homes and financing

Email essay submissions to: info@kulcher.org Online at www.thinkoff.org or by mail to: Cultural Center, Think-Off, P.O. Box 246, New York Mills, MN 56567.

Deadline for essay submissions – April 1. Finalists will be notified May 1.

Four finalists will receive $500 award each.

Hwy. 10 West 120 527th Ave. New York Mills, MN 56567

WWW.KULCHER.ORG or 218-385-3339 for information about concerts and other arts events.

CULTURAL CENTER i n N e w Yo r k M i l l s

24 North Main Avenue • New York Mills, MN 56567

52 » Progress 2015: Perham businesses, behind-the-scenes

218-385-2330

YOUR MINNESOTA MODULAR HOME BUILDER

TOLL FREE: 1-888-676-1555

www.homarkhomesnymills.com jason@homark.com

40

40

Years of Service

KING KOIN LAUNDRY

41

Years of Service

NAPA AUTO PARTS & SERVICE CENTER

HAMANN FAMILY DENTISTRY

Get the Good Stuff & the Good Service!

Conveniently located downtown

105 Jake Street SE Perham

200 1st Ave. South Perham

121 East Main Perham

218-346-7557

Dll Yoouur gout

Has A

Bases Covered Time! for a Good

Years of Service

HUBER ELECTRIC 43922 Mosquito Heights Road Perham

218-346-4775

TOLL FREE: 877-346-7557 napaofperham@arvig.net

The

41

Years of Service

218-346-3916

www.hamannfamilydentistry.com

Daily Happy Hour Specials On/Off Sale

Saturday Prime Rib

Weekly Specials!

Friday & Ribs Chicken

and Pool, Darts !

Much More

104 N 1st Ave. DeNt, MN 56528 • 218-758-8000

41

Years of Service

KEN TERVOLA CONSTRUCTION Building Your Dreams #BC005441 New York Mills

218-385-2862

41

Years of Service

NORTHWOODS ELECTRICAL & CONTROL SYSTEMS

42

Years of Service

MARCO, INC.

42

Years of Service

STAEBLER FINANCIAL GROUP “Looking Ahead”

616 Pinewood Lane Perham

218-346-7763

610 3rd Avenue S.E. Perham

800-892-8548 www.marconet.com

218-346-2211

Progress 2015: Perham businesses, behind-the-scenes

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53

SMALL BUSINESSES

Left: Dean’s Country Market in Perham has been a staple in the community for years. Right: Staff members at Dean’s help customers with their deli purchases. Having specialty departments, such as the deli, inside the grocery store brings more challenges for employees, but offers more services to customers.

DEAN’S COUNTRY MARKET Dean’s Country Market, with two locations in Perham and New York Mills, has been a staple in the communities for years – and the business has been a staple in the Simpson family, as well.

Co-owner Dean Simpson has been in the grocery business since he was a teenager, when he started working at a grocery store in Wadena, Minn.

“I started in the grocery business when I was 16 years old,” Simpson said. “I got my taste for being around the public and working with groceries, and that’s kind of how it started.”

Today, decades later, Simpson is still in the business, and working with the public is still one of his favorite things about it.

“I think the thing I enjoy the most is that we know a large amount of our customer base,” Simpson said. “We know the people that we live with in the community. We grew our family in the area.”

But not everything about being a grocery store owner in a small community is easy.

“I think one of the challenges is to be competitive in the marketplace with the introduction of box stores in the neighboring communities,” Simpson said.

The ever-changing job scene can also make it hard to fill openings.

“As we have seen in our area, hiring staff is more of a challenge because of the amount of job opportunities,” Simpson said. “That’s one of the things that have changed. There are a lot of job opportunities, and that can be a little bit difficult.”

Another challenge is meeting customer demand in the ever-changing world.

“We go a lot by customer need and customer demand, which is constantly changing,” Simpson said. “For example, we are finding people are into gluten-free products, and we

54 » Progress 2015: Perham businesses, behind-the-scenes

are trying to expand into areas like that. Things that make life easier for people are the trends that we try to follow.”

Offering a variety of different services, such as a deli department, also adds to the daily list of things-to-do.

“I think the more things that you have to offer, the more challenges you have to keep them going, to keep them

642 3rd Ave. SE • Perham, MN • 346-6886 M-Sat 6am-close • Sun 7am-close

43

43

Years of Service

Years of Service

DEAN’S COUNTRY MARKET

JIM KYTTA CONSTRUCTION

New York Mills: Monday-Friday 8 a.m.-8 p.m.; Saturday 8 am.-6pm; Sunday 9 a.m.-6 p.m.

Phone 218-385-2765 Perham: Monday-Sunday 7 a.m.-11 p.m.

Phone 218-346-6750

Jim Kytta Lic. #BC001138 59209 County Hwy 56 New York Mills 218-385-3296

TENDER HEARTS

Providing Quality Care for 11 Years

HOME CARE

Kerrie Steinbach, Owner 407 Carlund Parkway New York Mills, MN 56567

• PCA Home Care • Respite • Homemaking • Companion • Chore •U Care •Medica •SCHA, Long Term Care Insurance •Blue Cross/Blue Plus •Private Pay •Medical Assistance Phone:

218.385.3466

46

Years of Service

RICHTER’S MENS WEAR Big & Tall Tuxedo Rental 137 W. Main Perham

49

Years of Service

FRAZEE CARE CENTER COMPLEX

Years of Service

DAN’S SHOE & CANVAS REPAIR 512 East Main Perham

44

Years of Service

PROFESSIONAL AGRONOMY SERVICES 725 East Main Street Perham 218-346-2355

311 W. Maple Frazee 218-334-4501

220 Bottemiller Drive Wadena 218-631-7261

Many things have things change, changed since some things Farmers & stay the Farmers & Merchants Merchants same: The State Bank first started friendly faces New York Mills serving the who are here Since 1916 financial needs of to help answer our community in your questions; The 1916. And although dedication to support our local farmers, businesses st Li o and consumers; And our D o T 2015 ey in IR Agreat rate s. desire to see NYM and the - Put Minon sit & po de .

No m an king nvenie nt Bnking, surrounding area grow - EnjoyileCo In te rnet ba or nings.

M ob & en ts, op en Sat. m and thrive! e-st at em .

N ew F&M in 2015 met hing in g to - Tr y So posit com M ob ile de e H ome MFHA fix-up el emod th s, /R ld ui B uc tion loan rate constr

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ays ge t r the H olaidH oliday Account, - Save afolit tle with be r.

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WE’RE THERE WITH YOU. . .EVERY STEP OF THE WAY! ADDRESS: 11 NORTH WALKER P O BOX 278 NEW YORK MILLS, MN 56567 BUSINESS HOURS LOBBY: 8:30am - 4:30pm M-F

218-346-2609 218-346-5575

44

50

PHONE NUMBERS: 218-385-2300 TELEPHONE 218-385-9303 FAX WALKUP & DRIVEUP: 8am - 5pm M-F 8:30 - 11:30 am SAT

Years of Service

51

Years of Service

ZITZOW ELECTRIC

KLN FAMILY BRANDS

All your electrical needs 24 hours a day

Tuffy’s • Barrel O’ Fun Kenny’s • NutHeads

Vergas

Perham

218-342-2871

www.klnfamilybrands.com

Progress 2015: Perham businesses, behind-the-scenes

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55

SMALL BUSINESSES fresh, keep the perishables fresh and to keep them moving,” Simpson said. “Also, you have to have the personnel to run each of those departments.”

Simpson said looking back at history and trends can dictate how a grocery store determines its weekly sales.

“We try to be seasonal; we try to react to what the market is and the time of the year. If it’s grilling season, we try to promote our steaks, burgers and things that go on the grills,” he said. “During the holidays you have your turkey and your ham season. History kind of dictates a lot of these items.”

Simpson has seen many different changes in the grocery business. One of the biggest impacts has been the modernization of how inventory is ordered for the stores.

“Modernization and technology has changed tremendously. When we first started doing this, we would have salesman come around and sell one-on-one items,” he said. “Now, everything is done with the internet or over the phone. We don’t have that interaction with the sales people that we did 20-25 years ago.”

Fortunately for Simpson, Dean’s Country Market has been able to avoid the turnover that can sometimes affect small businesses.

“We are very fortunate that we have had many people work for us for 25-35 years. We know our staff, their families, their kids and their grandkids,” Simpson said. “We are very fortunate to have had that ability to do that.”

A trusted name for over 95 years...

Drive by our new sign to see today’s car deals and local sports scores!

900 W. Main • Perham, MN SEE OUR TOTAL INVENTORY AT

www.schmitzmotor.com

218-346-3900 • 866-964-3906

Gary Honer Saw and Tool SMALL ENGINE ENGINE REPAIR

34684 State Hwy 108 • Dent, Mn 56528

218-758-2182

Do you need a part or warranty work for a machine or engine?

WEE CARRY RR PA P RT R S FO FOR::

Briggs-Stratton Kohler Honda LCT Engines MTD Troy-Bilt Poulan Honeywell Murray

Tanaka Dolmar McCulloch Pow-R-Kraft Worx Champion Campbell-Husfeld Brute Oregon

56 » Progress 2015: Perham businesses, behind-the-scenes

Mo-Jack Walbro Zama NGK Opti Power-Pro Atlas Glove Kershaw Core Power

Small Engine Repair Complete Sharpening Service We Work on All Models A Complete Line of Belts Mower Blades Chain Saw Chain Air Filters F Spark Plugs Carburtor Repair Kits Starters

51

Years of Service

MARLO MOTORS Marlo & Paul Sonnenberg 1/4 mile south of Hwy 10 on Hwy 78 Perham

53

Years of Service

54

Years of Service

LYNN THOMPSON INSURANCE

BRETZ HARDWARE CO.

Life, Health, Group, Medicare, Long Term Care, Disability

Perham’s oldest complete hardware

32025 Finch Circle Dent

218-346-5888 visit us @ www.marlomotors.com

Perham 218-346-4760

218-758-3333

57

Years of Service

EAST OTTER TAIL SOIL & WATER CONSERVATION DISTRICT 801 Jenny Avenue, Suite 2 Perham 218-346-2050 www.eotswcd.org

Fitness Classes Youth & After School Activities Community & Meeting Rooms Personal Training Swimming & Water Slides Free Weights

IMPROVE YOUR LIFE your attitude your outlook your self-esteem

your appearance your health your performance

Community Events Cardio Equipment Walking/Running Track

Coming soon to the PACC OPEN 24/7 and Free Fitness classes

(watch for details)

Perham Area Community Center • 620 Third Ave SE Perham, MN 56573 218-346-PACC (7222)

Visit us on the web at

60

Years of Service

63

Years of Service

ESSER PLUMBING AND HEATING

GORDY’S GREENHOUSE

542 West Main Street Perham

46608 575th Avenue New York Mills

www.346pacc.com

63

Years of Service

PINE SHELTER VETERINARY HOSPITAL

65

Years of Service

ARVIG

Kelvin Rudolph, D.V.M.

877-882-4822 www.perhamplumbing.com

670 3rd Avenue S.E. Perham

Phone, Television, Internet, Security, Computer Repair 888-992-7844 arvig.com

218-837-5396 218-346-2120

Progress 2015: Perham businesses, behind-the-scenes

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57

SMALL BUSINESSES

PERHAM OFFICE SUPPLY When Doug and Sue Eckes started Perham Office Supply in 1982, Sue said their biggest surprise was, “the multitude of vendors that we had to use just to be able to find stuff everybody needed. You had to do a lot of research and development.”

“We try to carry what the ordinary office person would need to run their office,” she said of the store’s usual inventory. “Pens and pencils, legal pads… those things just never go out of style.”

Now, Eckes said, that search phase has gotten easier thanks to the internet. Still, their business depends on getting a certain amount of feedback to ensure they have the right items on hand.

Upon opening, the store had one of the first copy machines for public use in town.

“It cranked out copies at a whopping 20 copies per minute, on a good day,” Eckes said.

Computerization has had a major impact on Perham Office Supply’s business.

For example, the creation of color copiers meant they no longer had to do process color all the time, where layers of ink colors were overlapped.

“To be able to do short-run color certainly streamlined the whole industry, and our copy services area,” Eckes said.

First thing in the morning, the couple goes around to turn on all of the computers, copiers and printers in the office, install any updates on the machines and answer emails and phone messages that came in overnight. From that point, the day’s tempo is generally set by how many customers come in and what they are looking for in the office, art, or gift sections in the shop.

“It really just depends on who walks in the door and what

they need,” said Eckes.

She said her favorite part of the business is offering that customer service aspect: “I like it when people come in and need me.”

At Perham Office Supply, customers can also custom-order other less common, or personalized, items such as engraved nameplates, ink stamps, reusable grocery bags, boxes and pens.

“Whatever people usually need to run their business, they come to our business to get,” Eckes explained. “No day is ever the same… it always depends on the needs of the customers.”

Every once in a while, she said, there will be a novelty item that becomes a big, surprise hit.

“Stiletto tape dispensers flew out of the store,” she said.

“Who would think that?! When the girls ordered those in, I thought ‘Oh geeze, really? Are we going to be able to sell these?’ But we ordered them, and ordered them, and ordered them… it was amazing.”

Sue said she and Doug are not computer experts, “but you learn on the fly, really.” One of those lessons they’ve learned is to recognize when to throw in the towel and call the copier repair person.

“There are some that jam way up underneath, and the only thing you can do – so you don’t break the machine – is call service,” she said. “But we have several (copiers) to go from, so we’re rarely down.”

Thrift Store Hours: Mon-Fri 10:00 - 5:30 Sat 9:00 - 1:00 Great Shopping Affordable Prices Clothing Household Home Decor Donations Wanted We Recycle Perham Office Supply’s goal is to carry all of the supplies needed for an average office to function – everything from pens and paperclips to stacking baskets and printers.

58 » Progress 2015: Perham businesses, behind-the-scenes

Donation Hours: Mon-Fri 9:30 - 2:00 or call for appointment 802 enn a e • perham • 346-2131 • 346-3616

65

Years of Service

HEMMELGARN BUILDERS INC. License #BC003628 202 Fox Run Perham 218-346-2377

70

Years of Service

BREMER 801 Market St. Perham 218-346-1300 24-Hour Banking 1-800-908-BANK bremer.com

Serving the Community

74

Years of Service

76

Years of Service

WINKEL’S CARPET CENTER

CENTRAL MINNESOTA CREDIT UNION

Richard Winkels, Owner

Main Avenue North New York Mills

145 2nd Avenue S.E. Perham

108 Judd Street Perham

218-346-2924

888-330-8482 myCMCU.org • facebook.com/myCMCU

for 140 years

The Roman Catholic Church of Saint Henry 234 2nd Ave SW, Perham, MN 56573 218-346-4240 ❖ www.parishfaith.com

310 Main Street Bluffton, MN 218-385-2608 Fr. Aaron Kuhn Mass times: Sunday: 10:30 am Wednesday: 8:00 am Office hours: Monday, Wednesday, Friday 9:00 am - 3:30 pm email: sjc428@arvig.net

76

Years of Service

MAIN STREET EXPRESS Hours: 6:30 a.m. - 10:00 p.m.

7 Days A Week 205 East Main Perham

82

Years of Service

92

Years of Service

HANSON’S PLUMBING & HEATING, INC.

VAUGHN’S AUTO AND MARINE CO.

PERHAM AREA PUBLIC LIBRARY

Perham 218-346-2422

Used Cars & Trucks Lund Boats Mercury Motors

Librarian: Susan Heusser-Ladwig

Vergas 218-342-2422

New York Mills

www.hansonplumbing.com 218-346-2210

93

Years of Service

225 2nd Avenue NE Perham 218-346-4892

218-385-2855 Progress 2015: Perham businesses, behind-the-scenes

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59

SMALL BUSINESSES

HAMANN FAMILY DENTISTRY The old saying goes that, “the more things change, the more they stay the same.” That could be said of Hamann Family Dentistry of Perham.

The practice has been a staple in town for the past 40 years and, despite many changes in technology in that time, basic patient care has stayed the same.

The business got its start after Mike and his wife, Tricia, traveled through the Lakes Area and decided to settle in Perham. They loved the community, but Mike had his work cut out for him. He was a young dentist in a small town that already had two dentists, and he didn’t have much to his name.

“When I started practice, I had one x-ray machine in one room and a dental chair in another room, because I couldn’t afford anything else,” Hamann said.

He said the situation was daunting at first. He was fresh out of the military, in debt for his new dentistry practice, and new in the community, with no patients.

“It was scary. We spent many a night not sleeping, wondering how we were going to make ends meet,” he said. “The other dentists in town were very encouraging. They would send over their overflow.”

It was slow going at the beginning, but as Hamann built a rapport with the community, things started to pick up. In time, the practice became an integral part of Perham, serving the dental needs of many of its residents. Today, Mike, now 68, co-owns the practice with his daughter, Brooke. They are both involved with the Minnesota Dental Association, and are delegates for the West Central district.

“My patients ask me when I’m going to retire and I say, ‘When I die, but I don’t want to die on top of you as I work on you,’” Hamann said. “I love to do what I do. I have this philosophy that I’d rather have a bad day at the office than a good day at a golf course.”

“I like the intricacy of doing dental work. I like seeing a job completed,” he added. “I like restoring teeth and love getting people out of a toothache. It’s been a perfect fit for me. A lot of my friends are retired. Right now, I’m shooting for 70, and after I hit 70, I’ll shoot for 72 or 73. After I hit that, I’ll shoot for 75.”

Brooke is likely to follow in her father’s footsteps that way.

Dentistry has been in her blood since she was born. As a kid, she would spend time helping her dad at the office.

“Later on, in middle school and early in high school, I would help develop x-rays and pull charts and get a feel for how dentistry works,” she said. “I would come back in the summer and work when I was at college. I graduated from dental school in 2010 and started practicing at the end of June of 2010.”

At first, Brooke was leery about coming back to work with her father, but now she says the experience “has been awesome.”

“Not everyone can say they can work with a parent,” she said. “It flows really nicely. He brings 42.5 years of dental

60 » Progress 2015: Perham businesses, behind-the-scenes

Drs. Mike and Brooke Hamann, of Hamann’s Family Dentistry in Perham, are a father-daughter team of dentists who say they enjoy practicing in a small town. Their office, started by Mike, has been open for more than 40 years.

experience and I bring to the table the new technology, the advancements and the new look of dentistry. Dentistry still has its core values, but things have changed over time. I find that we mix the old with the new.”

Brooke has been teaching her father some different techniques that she learned in school, which brings more options

Give us a call to discuss your needs for the upcoming season. We offer great prices and great service for all your corn and soybean seed needs.

Jerry Morberg/Sales 218-298-1635 Email: jerry@perhamseed.com Your Local Peterson Farms Seed Dealer

94

Years of Service

SACRED HEART CHURCH

36963 State Highway 108 Dent 218-758-2700 • 218-758-3861 Fax sacredheart@arvig.net

95

Years of Service

SCHMITZ MOTORS 900 West Main Street Perham 218-346-3900 Serving the area since 1920

99

Years of Service

FARMERS & MERCHANTS STATE BANK AND INSURANCE AGENCY 11 North Walker New York Mills 218-385-2300 www.FMBankNYM.com

103

Years of Service

UNITED COMMUNITY BANK COMMUNITY MINDED JUST LIKE YOU 218-346-5700 www.ucbankmn.com

r i a p e R

• Auto • Light Truck • Diesel All Makes and Models Rated #1 Repair Shop in the Perham Area!

218-346-3346

105

Years of Service

HOLY CROSS CHURCH

425 E Main, Perham • hometownrepair@hotmail.com

105

Years of Service

105

Years of Service

ST. PAUL’S LUTHERAN SCHOOL

VERGAS STATE BANK

– Since 1910 –

Founded in 1910

Vergas Insurance Agency

Butler

Turning today’s learners into tomorrow’s leaders.

218-385-2201

500 6th Avenue SW Perham 218-346-2300

Community Banking…

Proven Success for over 100 years Phone: 218-342-2481 Fax: 218-342-2510 www.vergasstatebank.com

107

Years of Service

BONGARDS’ CREAMERIES 110 3rd Avenue NE Perham

218-346-4680

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SMALL BUSINESSES to the Hamann Family Dentistry office. Root canals, for example, “can be done two different ways with two different file systems,” according to Brooke. “I have been implementing that new system and new technology with him.”

He’s also been having success with a rotary-endo, which Brooke said has been fun to see. Although the two went to school 35 years apart, and many things have changed, Mike isn’t afraid to try new techniques.

New technologies, however, can be a challenge. The use of computers is something that Mike said he’s had to adjust to.

“In every profession you have to constantly upgrade computers,” he said. “In the old days, you didn’t have that expense...

We were one of the first dental offices in this area to be computerized for the front office, and that was in 1981 or ‘82.”

“I’m not real good with computers, but it’s kind of fun,” he added. “Cleaning and filling hasn’t changed much. Pulling a tooth hasn’t changed much. It’s the technology that compliments that stuff.”

For both Brooke and Mike, one of the best aspects of practicing dentistry in a small town is getting to know the patients, both in and outside of the office.

“I think the neatest thing is they know everything about you, and you know everything about them,” Mike said.

“Everybody knows everybody... Small towns give you the opportunity to do a lot of things. Perham has been a fantastic community.”

The day-to-day life of dentistry is another thing the

We Service All Brands 218-367-3300 24/7 Emergency Service

All Seasons Heating and Air Conditioning has solutions and experience to tackle just about any cooling or heating project.

We specializes in: New Construction, Remodeling, Residential and Commercial.

Hamanns love.

“I get to work with 1-year olds and I have a patient that is 98 – I love that diversity in age,” Brooke said. “I love the diversity of the type of things we get to do. We aren’t specialists, so we don’t do just one thing. Our day consists of anything from doing a surgical extraction, to a root canal, to a crown and bridge, to a filling and working on baby teeth. The day is so diverse that you are constantly changing. Nothing is mundane in dentistry. It’s challenging. No two patients are the same and no two teeth are the same.”

Dr. Brooke Hamann discusses product options with a patient.

Developing close relationships with patients is one of Hamann’s favorite things about her work.

We’re proud proud to to We’re We’re proud to call this this home call home call this home

Personal Banking • Small Business Banking Commercial Banking • Agricultural Lending Investments • Insurance

www.allseasonsottertail.com

Perham • 346-1300 Perham • 346-1300 1-800-908-BANK (2265) 1-800-908-BANK (2265) Bremer.com Bremer.com Perham • 346-1300 Member FDIC Member FDIC 1-800-908-BANK (2265) Bremer.com Member FDIC

All Seasons Heating and Air Conditioning LLC 216 West Main Street | Ottertail, MN 56571 218-367-3300

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111

Years of Service

1ST NATIONAL BANK OF HENNING OTTERTAIL BATTLE LAKE

113

Years of Service

PERHAM HEALTH

Henning – 218-583-2933 Ottertail – 218-367-2735 Battle Lake – 218-864-5275

1000 Coney Street W Perham

113

Years of Service

124

Years of Service

ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST CHURCH

ST. JOHN’S LUTHERAN CHURCH

Fr. Aaron Kuhn Mass: Sunday 10:30 am Wednesday 8:00 am

Rev. Phil Booe Worship: 10 a.m.

Sunday School: 9 a.m.

49658 County Highway 53, Perham Mn 56573 346-4302 www.stjohnsperham.org

310 Main Street • Bluffton, MN

www.FNBHenning.com www.FNBOttertail.com www.FNBBattleLake.com

218-347-4500 www.perhamhealth.org

218-385-2608 sjc428@arvig.net

Be Stylish. Be Daring.

Be Jeweled.

We specialize in a wide variety of Certified Diamond BRIDAL & ENGAGEMENT RINGS. Birthstone & Gemstones, Mother’s Rings, Necklaces and Earrings.

135 East Main Perham, MN 56573

218-346-4663

www.RealEstateResultsMN.com

A Trusted Name in Real Estate “We’re All About Results”

Fine Jewelry and Citizen Watches.

We Buy Old Gold & Silver Jewelry and Gold Chains.

Your Full Service Jeweler

Hours: Tues.-Fri. 9:30-5; Sat. 9:30-2 125 West Main Street, Perham Tom & Kathy Gould • 218-346-7550 Our 8th year in Perham, formerly of Moorhead

130

Years of Service

PERHAM-DENT SCHOOLS progressive curriculum + proven results = student success Perham 218-346-4501 www.perham.k12.mn.us

Cal Dockter, Broker 218-298-2388

Robin Ecker, Agent 218-639-1419

Nick Dockter, Agent 218-298-1066

Travis Hemmelgarn, Agent 612-695-4756

Jill Shipman, Agent 218-371-5909

Thinking of SELLING YOUR HOME? Receive a FREE market analysis from one of our experienced realtors.

132

Years of Service

ST. HENRY’S AREA SCHOOL 253 2nd St. S.W. Perham

134

Years of Service

CITY OF PERHAM

PERHAM FOCUS

City Offices: 125 2nd Ave N.E. Perham

(Formerly Perham Enterprise Bulletin and New York Mills Herald)

218-346-4455 www.cityofperham.com 218-346-6190

134

Years of Service

222 Second Avenue Southeast Perham 218-346-5900 www.perhamfocus.com

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134

138

Years of Service

140

Years of Service

Years of Service

SCHOENEBERGER FUNERAL HOME

APOSTOLIC LUTHERAN CHURCH

ST. HENRY’S CATHOLIC CHURCH

Steve Sheets, Local Owner and Director Hans Larson, Funeral Director

Since 1877 Don Salo, Pastor

254 3rd Ave. S.W. Perham

New York Mills

234 2nd Ave. SW Perham

218-385-2166

218-346-4240

140

Years of Service

ST. PAUL’S LUTHERAN CHURCH The church has served the area since 1875.

500 6th Avenue SW Perham

218-346-5175 218-346-2300

Rachel Staebler Lustila Doug Wartner Amelia Holmer Specializing in: 



EMPLOYEE BENEFITS  Small Groups  Large Groups HEALTH INSURANCE 

Medicare



MNSure



Individual & Family Plans

Serving individual, family and group plans with multiple companies for health, dental, life, disability and Medicare plans.

Phone 218-346-7642 Toll Free 866-346-7642 Peham@midwesthealthbenefits.com www.MidwestHealthBenefits.com

Visit us for all your home improvement projects • • • •

Plumbing Electrical Paint & Supplies Lighting

• • • •

Lawn & Garden • Animal Health Tools • Pet Supplies Rental Department • And Many Other Farm Supplies Homeowner Projects

945 Market Street • Perham 218-346-6275

610 Third Ave SE | Perham, MN 56573 519 Atlantic Ave | PO Box 596 | Morris, MN 56267

www.truevalue.com/marksfleetsupply

100 SE 1st St | PO Box 254 | Glenwood, MN 56334

O P E N S E V E N D AY S A W E E K

141

Years of Service

149

Years of Service

NEW YORK MILLS PUBLIC SCHOOLS

ST. LAWRENCE CATHOLIC CHURCH

School first opened in 1874.

“Come learn with us”

RUSH LAKE

New York Mills 218-385-2553 www.NYMills.k12.mn.us

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150

+ Years of Service

BNSF RAILWAY

2.5 miles on Hwy 14, East of Hwy. 78 218-346-7729 The Oldest Catholic Church in Ottertail County.

800-795-2673 www.bnsf.com

TURNING YOUR DREAMS INTO A REALITY CAN BE THAT EASY. At First National Bank you can count on a local process for the quick answers you deserve. Stop in our apply online anytime at fnbhenning.com.