Thursday, December 6, 2012
Holiday movie lovers who run into roadblocks at Coborn's or Redbox can take heart. A new business has taken hold here in Albertville.
No one will deny the movie rental experience has changed faster than the seasons here in Minnesota. Gone are the days of Blockbuster or Mr. Movies, with the exception of a grocery store rental spot like Coborn's. Here to stay are new ideas like Redbox, with spots at Marketplace and Walgreens. Now, a local mom has hopped into the fray, bringing a new option of movie rentals here to the St. Michael and Albertville market. Pik Ur Flik has teamed up with D's Family Pizza and fellow businesses in the Albertville strip mall off Wright County 19. "It's not something I ever really dreamed of doing," said Jennifer Sullivan Wagner, a Central Minnesota native and graduate of Minnesota State University-Moorhead, who now calls Elk River home. "But …
Thursday, June 14, 2012
Patch contributor and local business owner Melissa Harrison is taking aim at a national title.
Social Madness, a nationwide challenge that showcases the best business social media growth strategies, is on, and a locally owned Albertville company is taking part in the competition. Allée, a branding and creative marketing services company owned by Melissa Harrison of Albertville, is vying for a spot in the “small company” category against 85 other small businesses in the Twin Cities. In total, 130 Minnesota companies have signed on to this competition in small, medium and large company categories (based on number of employees). If Harrison and her team make it to the top eight, Allée will move on to a head-to-head bracket phase where local winners then advance to the national rounds. At the national level, local winners will compete …
Friday, March 2, 2012
Taylor Allen runs his own business, "DJ'ing" school dances, weddings and other events while managing the life of a high school senior.
St. Michael-Albertville High School senior Taylor Allen has always had a thing for music. “When I was in first grade I went to my first concert, REO Speedwagon,” he said. But he admits he’ll listen to anything. Taylor’s led a very musical life in his 18 years; listening to music, learning the trombone, playing the drums in jazz band and now running his own DJ business. “I started DJ’ing with a company and really enjoyed it. I decided I wanted to be on my own, so I started saving money from both the DJ gigs and my job at Marketplace to start buying the equipment,” he said. He saved the money in a completely separate, harder-to-access savings account. While most teens work and spend what they make on movies and nights out with friends, he …
Sunday, February 26, 2012
A one-minute video guide to claiming your free business listing on St. Michael Patch. Because everyone could use a bit of free advertising.
When Patch launched in St. Michael more than a year ago, a handful of contributors ventured to local businesses to collect information for our directory. The result: Patch Places. Patch Places, sometimes called the "directory," is the spot to find descriptions, hours, accepted payment methods and more for spots around town. You can even see what your neighbors think of a business before you try it or write your own review. But local businesses get extra bonuses when they claim their free listing. Owners or managers can sign in and search for their business. On every listing, underneath the photos, there is a box with the question: "Do you own or manage this location? Claim it!" Just click Claim it! and a form will pop up asking for …
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
Bob Lyons, owner of the new Albertville Energy Zone, went through two health crises before putting it all together and finding his dream.
Sometimes, to find your version of the American Dream, you have to hit rock bottom first. Perhaps no man epitomizes that better than Bob Lyons, who sunk, hit rock bottom, bounced, then hit it again, all in the last two years. Now, he's clawed his way back up–one shake at a time. Lyons was working as a traveling salesman for Industrial Technologies in St. Cloud, living in Monticello, when he was called into his manager’s office. He was being laid off. “I had a company car, a company cell phone, a company laptop and was wearing a company shirt. I got dropped off at my townhome in Monticello and had no way to call anyone to tell them what happened,” Lyons said. “But they let me keep the shirt.” Lyons took some time, found some renters and …
45.227454
-93.665503
Energy Zone
5262 Kyler Ave NE, Albertville, MN
/articles/dispatches-albertville-business-owner-finds-his-calling-through-nutrition
2050885
/locations/6430397
Friday, November 25, 2011
The second Small Business Saturday is this Saturday. Local merchants are asking residents to take one day to shop local and small.
First there was Black Friday, then Cyber Monday. Now, there's the 2nd annual Small Business Saturday, the day people support small businesses. Small businesses ask residents to "Pledge to Shop Small on November 26." If millions of Americans shop small, it will be huge, says the Shop Small facebook page initiated by American Express. The movement is expected to be even larger this year, with small businesses catering towards those shopping on Saturday. Some will take the day one step farther by spending their small business dollars locally as well. Here’s some local St. Michael- Albertville small businesses that would appreciate your business for Small Business Saturday: “We’d like to remind everyone that small business is the heart…
45.238094
-93.663596
DJ's Companies
6060 Labeaux Ave NE, Albertville, MN
/articles/small-business-saturday-st-michael-albertville
1852278
/locations/5868975
Monday, November 14, 2011
The company, which has called St. Michael home for decades, is spreading its proverbial wings. Now, it's giving back through a regional contest.
Years ago, when J&B Meats was just starting up and the Reagan Administration was being ushered in, the "No Name" brand was just a myth. Legend has it that people would ask the name of the steaks sold at local meat shops, and the butchers would say, "They don't have a name. They're just good." And No Name was born. Now, No Name, a division of J&B Group, has put St. Michael on the map in many ways. Devout, carnivorous customers can trace the prime cuts of steak, fresh fish, chicken breasts and even burgers with the "No Name" brand back to the business "dressed" in all white off Highway 241. "Over the years, we've invested about $400 million into St. Michael. And we'd like to add on here, again," said Chuck Weum, president of J&B group, …
45.21412
-93.62079
J & B Group
13200 43rd St NE, Saint Michael, MN
/articles/j-b-meats-makes-a-name-for-itself-in-st-michael
973173
/locations/5810832
Friday, November 4, 2011
St. Michael mom, Jan Parkin, started making Halle Bands to help her daughter. Now, she's turned that venture into a successful online business.
St. Michael mom Jan Parkin, didn't intend on going into business when she started sewing headbands for her daughter, Halle. She saw a way to make something better, and took matters into her own hands. Now, however, Jan's handy bands are in high demand. "Halle had a hard time with different headbands, she'd really want to wear them but would come home from school with headaches," Parkin said. "I started playing around with fabric and made these wide band headbands." Some of Parkin's neighbors liked her handiwork, and were soon buying them from her. They also encouraged her to go into business. "I did a couple shows and started getting some requests," she said. Now Parkin orders special fabrics from New York, sews about 200 headbands a week …
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
Sisters and speech therapists Shanda Gaunt and Manda Riebel are twins, speech therapists and both former speech therapy patients. They're passing that expertise on to the community through their work.
Manda Riebel and Shanda Gaunt are usually working with patients when someone enters the Sister Kenny Sports and Pyiscal Therapy Center in Albertville, so it takes awhile for most to put two-and-two together. "We get a lot of second looks," Manda said. The two are twin sisters, and are pretty much identical. They've traveled some different paths, with the two not even in the same state for a while, but now they're here to assist speech therapy patients from around the St. Michael area. The sisters are therapists at the Sister Kenny center, which is connected to the Albertville-St. Michael Clinic at the intersection of 50th Street Northeast and County 19. "[People] aren't aware the center offers three different therapies, with speech …
45.224615
-93.664653
Sister Kenny Sports and Physical Therapy Center
11091 Jason Ave NE, Albertville, MN
/articles/twins-prove-albertville-s-sister-kenny-so-much-more-than-sports-therapy
1815535
/locations/5715231
Sunday, October 16, 2011
Albertville resident, Jan Capps, is a pro when it comes to apparel in St. Michael/Albertville.
"I'm pretty sure we're only tapping about 25 percent of the St. Michael-Albertville population," The Logo Stop owner Jan Capps said. "It's amazing how many people come in and say, I didn't even know you were in here with inventory." The Logo Stop store front is on 61st Street in Albertville located in the strip mall between Space Aliens and DJ's. Capps is not an newcomer to the apparel and spirit wear business. She's been at it since 1993 when she originally started working for Specialty Fashions, formerly in Colonial Mall. She started her own business, Northern Exposure Apparel and Design, in 1996 and has been doing it since, with little breaks in between. Inspired to run a small business because of her grandparents and her father's …
45.23857
-93.661526
The Logo Stop
11106 61st St NE, Albertville, MN
/articles/albertville-store-front-keeps-st-michael-albertville-clothed-in-school-spirit-apparel
1815547
/locations/5742605
Lisa
4:15 pm on Sunday, November 27, 2011
A BIG THANKS FOR ALL THE SHOPPERS ON SATURDAY AS WELL AS BLACK FRIDAY AT SASSY SECONDS AND ALL THE LOCAL BUSINESSES! WE APPRECIATE ALL OF YOUR SUPPORT AND LOVE TO BE A PART OF THIS COMMUNITY! more ›