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| "Ok, the banner's up - good luck, honey, I'm going hunting." |
What a first week! We took possession of Emmaville last Thursday and immediately had customers - deer hunters who have been coming to stay in the motel and campground for years. Melinda scrambled to make sure they had the basics: linens, toilet paper and working lights. Although the store, cafe and bar are not open, Melinda had coffee and baked goodies ready for mornings. (Mike left for the annual family deer hunt - how convenient!)
Our hunting guests left earlier in the week, so it's been relatively quiet. We caught our breath and had a chance to look around....we have some work to do. Ok, we have
alot of work to do. Emmaville has fallen on hard times over the past several years.
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| Our store on day 1. |
We've spent the last several days just cleaning, sorting and fixing the immediate problems (e.g., new septic tank, fixing gas pumps, replacing windows). Going through the accumulations of the past 20 years has been interesting - we've found a few old photos and other mementos from years past (more later on these). Two trips to the landfill so far, and the garage sale pile is still growing.
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| Anybody know how this thing works?? |
We've decided the store and gas pumps are the first priority. We expect snowmobilers to be coming through starting in mid-December, looking for gas and hot coffee or cocoa. Hopefully, we can offer that, and maybe a beer too. Stay tuned....
So--you BOUGHT a store? Is it in the same town you've been living in? Have you moved? How ignorant am I?!
ReplyDeleteGood luck, we are really looking forward to going to Emmaville to get the paper every day.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations! Emmaville is a wonderful place.
ReplyDeleteI am glad to have a place to stop when I come up to camp. I will make sure to get gas and other items every time I come up. Please make sure that you keep up the fish and deer pictures from the local area. I just love to stop in and see who has caught what.
Best of luck, Scouter Brian
Best of luck to you. Our 3 families will be there next July for a week at Birch Harbor so we will see you then !
ReplyDeleteKevin
I AM A SUMMER RESIDENT IN PARK RAPIDS. I OFTEN HAVE RIDDEN BY ON MY HARLEY WISHING THAT THE STORE WAS STILL IN BUSINESS. GOOD LUCK TO YOU,I WILL BE STOPPING IN OFTEN NEXT SUMMER!!!!! PS. I GREW UP NEAR CALLAWAY,HOW ARE YOU RELATED TO LEONARD(BUD) SPRY??
ReplyDeleteCongratulations and thank you so much! I'm a summer resident of Big Mantrap Lake and Emmaville has long been a favorite for gas, food and other necessities. This is terrific news for everyone in the area. We will definitely revert to buying our fishing licenses and gas at your store. All the best to you, and we look forward to meeting you next May.
ReplyDeleteMy name is Beth Jensen Iverson, my dad was Cal Jensen. We owned the store from 1970 until just after my dad died in 1999. My family is so excited to see the enthusiasm and dedication you have for my childhood home. It is a good place, frequented by the best people in the world. I wish you all the best and if we're in MN this summer, we will certainly stop by! God Bless- Beth Iverson, TX
ReplyDeleteMike and Melinda, like my sister, Beth, said we couldn’t be more excited to see Emmaville back up and running. It was really heart breaking to see it close. My dad always told us kids that Emmaville had two things to offer “Cleanlyness and Convenience”. Everything else was simply stuff that folks could get anywhere else. But, they won’t if you keep these two things front and center. I hope my dad’s advice does you well and I’m looking forward to stopping by soon. Please say Hi to Clayton for me. Later, shane (Bemidji)
ReplyDeleteBeth and Shane:
ReplyDeleteSo great to hear from you, and hear you are excited by our adventure! We are working hard to bring the spirit of Emmaville back - it's your Dad's legacy.
We heard that Beth painted the watercolors of the store and the school - we plan to have them on display.
Looking forward to meeting you both.
Thanks for your kind words! I must go on record as saying I don't think I painted the watercolors... I did some pencil drawings of Emmaville, but I have those. If I can find out the artist, I'll be sure to let you know!
ReplyDeleteHappy Thanksgiving...