Entertain, History, Outdoors by | Oct 2024 Visitors gather at the Burwell House for the annual Spooktacular Who doesn’t like to get invited over to someone’s house, especially if it’s for a party? Be sure to attend this year’s Spooktacular at the Charles H. Burwell House The historical home will open its doors for the annual event from 5–7:30 p.m and attendees will be treated to a bonfire And for the curious and those interested in a bit of local history tours of the home will also be included in the festivities why not invite some creative style to the event Burwell served as the secretary and manager of the Minnetonka Mill Company one of the largest and most important of the six flouring mills that stood on Minnehaha Creek in the 1870s The Burwell House was built in 1883 along the Minnehaha Creek at Minnetonka Mills and was home to Burwell; his wife the venue was placed on the National Register of Historic Places an ice house and the Minnetonka Historical Society Museum which was Burwell’s former workshop and was the original office for the mill the City of Minnetonka has offered tours of the home during select times of the year Spooktacular is open to all ages. For additional information, call 952.939.8350, or visit minnetonkamn.gov Sign up for our newsletter and receive email updates with our top stories , , , , © Copyright 2026 Local. All Rights Reserved | Privacy Policy Read the May 2025 Lake Minnetonka Magazine Digital Edition            — Mills Church and Habitat for Humanity are pushing for more affordable housing in Minnetonka but the City Council doesn't appear to be on board The units would be built on the church's property in the Minnetonka Mills neighborhood sits on prime real estate near the intersection of Minnetonka Boulevard and Plymouth Road Officials from the church and the nonprofit were present during the Minnetonka Planning Commission's Thursday night meeting to discuss the proposed construction MORE NEWS: Hopkins parents charged after 9-year-old daughter dies of asthma attack But a city staff report already infers the City Council which has suggested keeping residential buildings in residential areas Residents opposed to the plan say they're against rezoning just in the right place," said resident Carrie Michels Chris Coleman is president and CEO of Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity "We need to be able to accelerate these processes You can't spend five years trying to build 10 units of housing," Coleman said you'll never get out of the housing crisis that we have in Minnesota." Stephen Swanson is a web producer at CBS News Minnesota Stephen was a floor director for a decade before moving to the WCCO-TV newsroom in 2011 where he focuses on general assignment reporting The Minnetonka City Council voted unanimously to move forward with Habitat for Humanity’s plan to build affordable housing in a Monday meeting The council also voted “yes” to contribute city funds to help with the project The public comment period and discussion from council members went well into the night with the council taking a vote just after 10:30 p.m The updated plan from Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity included low-density housing and a new playground common area for families in the area to enjoy An empty plot of land in the Minnetonka Mills neighborhood is where the organization hopes to see affordable housing “These are hardworking folks that are just trying to provide for their families build equity in a home that they own and pass it down to their children,” Chris Coleman The nonprofit is partnering with Mills Church to build 10 townhome units near Baker and Inverness roads The church is selling the land to Habitat for Humanity at a discounted purchase price “This is a challenge because the city of Minnetonka recognizes it needs more affordable housing in its community particularly affordable homeownership for working families,” Coleman said “Zoning ordinances sometimes make that difficult.” Habitat for Humanity proposed changing the property from low-density to medium-density City leaders denied the proposal at the time “I look forward to supporting this project to go forward I just want it to fit into the subscribed metric,” Alex Hanson vice chair of the Minnetonka Planning Commission Officials explained they want to keep the neighborhood’s low-density housing because it aligns with the neighborhood’s character blue signs scattered across neighbors’ yards are rooted in opposition “We recognize there’s a need for housing that’s affordable We are opposed to housing that this is large and doesn’t fit in the neighborhood,” Holly Bayer People who live nearby said decisions made now could affect the longevity of the neighborhood and cited issues like declining property values and increased traffic They also called the neighborhood historic and explained this affordable housing would change the area we’re going to support them and love them the way we love each other already but what is it going to look like?” Bayer said some Minnetonka residents expressed full support for the proposal Habitat for Humanity officials said the plan is to see families moved in within the next couple of years Any person with disabilities who needs help accessing the content of the FCC Public File may contact KSTP via our online form or call 651-646-5555 History by | Jun 2023 “I’d love to see the inside of that house” as you walked or driven by a home I sometimes wonder about the people who called the abode “home.” Who are they Here’s a chance to do so by getting an inside view into the life of Charles Henry Burwell and his family the City of Minnetonka has offered tours the home during select times of the year “It was one of the largest and most important of the six flouring mills that stood on Minnehaha Creek in the 1870s,” says Kathy Kline Minnetonka’s recreation administrative coordinator Many people were employed at the mill, which was near the Burwell House, built after the mill opened after the Treaty of Traverse des Sioux was signed on July 23, 1851. (The treaty was between the United States government and the Upper Dakota Sioux bands.) To learn more about the Minnetonka Mill Company, visit minnetonka-history.org/history Ellis of Minnetonka has been heading up tours for about eight years and is one of about 20 Burwell House tour guides and I’ve grown up here and saw the Burwell House a lot of times when it was a private house,” she says The retired teacher from the Osseo School District is still a student of history “I try to read everything I can about Minnetonka and put information that is exciting about history [into the tours] because I think history is so exciting,” Ellis says “I think it’s important for people to know that where they live has a history and people live on So many places lose that history if someone doesn’t write it down or keep the history.” Ellis not only shares her love of history with the touring public Ella Davidman (Wayzata High School Class of 2024) Additional information is available by calling 952.939.8350 For tour information, visit minnetonkamn.gov Burwell House was the first Minnetonka site to be placed on the National Register of Historic Places On a hill in Minnetonka overlooking a winding creek a Victorian estate hasn't changed much in more than a century — and that's the point The Charles H. Burwell House has been preserved and rehabbed to showcase its unique history and is a link to the state's once-prominent milling industry The Italianate house was built for the manager of the Minnetonka Mills Co — the first Minnesota mill west of Minneapolis and likely the biggest employer in the Minnetonka area at the time preceding the peak of milling in Minneapolis in the early days of flour milling," says Jan Cook president of the City of Minnetonka Historical Society The mill was torn down more than a century ago but the "gothic-stick-style" house built nearby in 1883 for the Burwell family gives visitors an interactive history lesson of the Victorian era and the booming business that once thrived there "It's really quite a gem," Cook says "We don't have a lot of buildings .. It's just a reminder to people of how people lived back then." which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places draws an average of 1,500 visitors a year for the free tours and special events hosted by the city and historical society Tours will be held on Sundays this monthand during a special holiday event Dec 3 featuring Victorian Christmas decorations Crews first constructed a lumber mill next to a 12-foot waterfall on Minnehaha Creek navigable by a steamer boat to Lake Minnetonka and the surrounding land had been inhabited for thousands of years by Indigenous tribes before white settlers moved in producing 300 barrels of flour a day that was shipped to the East Coast and Europe — Minnesota's largest flour mill west of the Mississippi at its peak "It was the perfect place to harness the water power," she adds considered the father of Minneapolis' parks system and his friend Loren Fletcher owned the Minnetonka Mills Co Burwell decided to build a house nearby for his wife complete with a tall tower and ornate furnishings "If people came down the creek to do business in Minnetonka Mills they'd see this house and it was pretty impressive," Cook says The woodwork and doors are pine but painted to look like oak were reproduced to look like the original décor thanks to the preservation of Burwell's detailed house plans "Victorians are two things: cheap and they want to impress you," says volunteer tour guide Petey Ellis as she points out the slate fireplace mantel made to look like marble Over the decade she's been giving tours visitors have come from all over Minnesota and the globe While there are more impressive historic mansions in Minnesota the Burwell House is a relic of a more modest "It really portrays beautifully how people lived," Ellis says "It encompasses part of our history that could easily be lost." After the mill was torn down in 1900, Burwell became a postmaster. His family lived in the house until 1958 before selling it to another family. The city of Minnetonka bought the house in 1970 and it was added to the National Register of Historic Places The house has been restored to how it looked in 1894 when an expansive front porch second kitchen and other buildings were added It costs the city about $17,500 a year to maintain the historic house The Burwell name also carries significance in the forming of the west metro suburb Some Minnetonka residents could be living in the city of Burwell today if a 1956 name change had gone a different way residents were becoming concerned that too much of Minnetonka Some proposed two separate villages called Minnetonka and Burwell while another faction preferred just one: Minnetonka But the name lives on in the yellow house on the tree-lined hilltop taking visitors of all ages back in time to another era Tour the Charles H. Burwell HouseWhere: 13209 E. McGinty Road, MinnetonkaWhen: Free tours (no reservation needed) will be held from 1-4 p.m. Nov. 19, Nov. 26 and Dec. 3. Tours are also held on Tuesdays, Saturdays and Sundays from June to August, and Saturdays and Sundays in September. Go to minnetonkamn.gov for more details. Kelly Smith is a news editor, supervising a team of reporters covering Minnesota social services, transportation issues and higher education. She previously worked as a news reporter for 16 years. No Section Peek inside homes for sale in the Twin Cities area After falling behind 17-0 at halftime and being dominated most of the game the Bulldogs may have locked up a spot in the College Football Playoff Education, History by | Apr 2024 was donated to the Minnetonka Historical Society by Chuck Kloster in 2022 The questions can be overwhelming; the decisions can feel endless give away and do with the “leftovers” can be challenging While some items are destined to donation centers or recycling venues (maybe even the county dump) there is a category of items that have historical significance and should be saved and displayed for the public to enjoy Lisa Stevens, a board member with the Lake Minnetonka Historical Society collection manager for the City of the Minnetonka Historical Society highlight which items to offer these and other similar organizations is part of the City of Minnetonka Historical Society’s collection John’s Chapel (operated from 1858–1918) in Minnetonka Mills John’s where notable early resident Louise Burwell played on this reed organ Stevens: We accept any items that we can preserve and share with the public to tell the story of Lake Minnetonka Herrick: We accept items that help us preserve and share the history of Minnetonka Think items like a butter churn used on a Minnetonka farm in the 1880s a Christmas card sent by a Minnetonka family in the 1940s or a dress worn to a Minnetonka High School prom in the 1980s—items that help us tell the stories of Minnetonka and its residents was donated to the City of Minnetonka Historical Society by Pati Kortum in 2020 Stevens: We usually decline anything that is in extremely poor condition could pose a health hazard or endanger our collection due to mold or pest infestation The item also needs to be able to fit in one of our museums or archives We’ve had to decline a fire engine and large business sign in the past Herrick: We decline general antique items that do not have a clear connection to Minnetonka photographs in which the subjects are not identified duplicates of items already in our collection and items that are too big or otherwise difficult to store Stevens: We have a collection of yearbooks from local schools and we would love to have full sets from every part of the lake We usually do not take newspaper clippings or newspapers unless they are exceptionally old We love historic photos and postcards of the lake area … Not ready to part with a photo so we can add them to our digital collection The public can view [over] 14,000 images scanned from our collection at mncollections.org … We also accept local photo albums letters and phonebooks about the area and more Herrick: We typically do not accept yearbooks or newspaper clippings as those are readily available in other archives … and we simply do not have the space to store them we are always interested in original photos as long as the people and places pictured have been clearly identified Stevens: We collect all eras of Lake Minnetonka history history is anything that happened even five minutes ago We are as interested in preserving the recent past as we are the more distant past … That said our collection as it currently stands primarily consists of items from the 1880s to the early 1900s … as well as a large number of items from the mid-20th century Stevens: We’ve received half of a large propeller found buried in the sand of Shady Island in the 1930s, likely thrown there by the 1879 explosion of the steamer May Queen. We’ve also received various original streetcar boat parts, from cane seats to a ship’s wheel, which are now part of the restored steamboat Minnehaha was donated to the Lake Minnetonka Historical Society by Eric Sayer Peterson in 1990 in an effort to restore the Minnehaha Herrick: … a bustle dress and matching umbrella maps of early Minnetonka and a hand-painted mural Stevens: We prefer that people contact us at info@lakeminnetonkahistory.org or 952.474.2115, so we can make certain that a qualified volunteer can assist them with their donation. People can also fill out a donation form on our website at lakeminnetonkahistory.org Herrick: We ask that anyone interested in donating an item first reach out to me at stephanie.herrick@cityofminnetonkahistory.org Lake Minnetonka Historical Society Museums are located in Excelsior and a Research Archives in Wayzata houses photos Visit lakeminnetonkahistory.org for hours and locations The City of Minnetonka Historical Society: Check out the Burwell House and Museum, 13209 E. McGinty Road, in Minnetonka. Free tours are available on a limited basis. For more information, visit minnetonkamn.gov. View collections at mncollections.org it looked like the western suburb would reject 10 new houses Minnetonka went through the wringer to get a project for 10 affordable houses approved and everyone felt it by the end of a dramatic City Council meeting Monday evening The council unanimously approved a zoning change and financing for the $6.7 million project the climax of a regulatory process that began about two years ago the standing-room crowd aired out every hope and fear about the housing shortage that’s hurting the Twin Cities Neighbors expressed worries about a multi-unit development in a single-family neighborhood Leaders of a church said they wanted to do something good for people in need then had their motives questioned because the church will reap a financial gain A few activists recited suspicions of suburbs like Minnetonka that they believe haven’t done enough for poor people Soaking it all in were six council members and a second-term mayor who, along with city planners and staffers, have been blasted on social media, in news articles and on the op-ed page of the Star Tribune in recent weeks Supporters of the project wore T-shirts and stickers that said “Love Makes Room.” However it’s difficult to impose emotional change on a neighborhood and voters It’s also expensive and risky to sell houses below market value “This has been sausage-making,” Minnetonka Mayor Brad Wiersum said shortly before the vote that maybe some people would say ‘You know what I was wrong and I apologize for some of the things I said.’” told neighborhood residents that she understood they were more concerned about the density of units rather than the income levels of residents they would house “The outcome of denying density is denying affordability,” she added that’s what the city itself looked like it was doing Minnetonka’s planning commission rejected the proposal from Mills Church a Minnetonka congregation with roots stretching to the 1800s and Habitat for Humanity to build five duplexes the church would sell the land to Habitat at a discount and the homes’ pricing would be subsidized by the city and others to allow families with below-median incomes to buy them The planning panel’s decision smelled of the kind of not-in-my-backyard thinking that’s hurt the proliferation of housing all across the country and that has led to proposals in the Minnesota Legislature and elsewhere to wrest some control of housing from cities. Minnetonka staffers and planners, however, wanted to see the project happen because it fit with the city’s affordable housing goals. They disliked that it would force them to change the city’s comprehensive economic plan for fear it would set a precedent other developers might use against the city to get future commercial and residential projects approved. Specifically, the church and Habitat wanted five buildings in a space that — under the city’s comprehensive plan — was limited to four. The planners told the church and Habitat to either reduce the number of buildings or add more space to the site. The church had the perfect space that it could add to the project: its playground. The extra couple tenths of an acre on which the playground sat were just enough to push the total above the ratio the city needed to approve the project without making a precedent-setting change to its comprehensive economic plan. After the planning commission’s rejection, Habitat officials talked with church leaders about whether it could afford to let go of the playground, Chris Coleman, the former St. Paul mayor who is now CEO of Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity, told me on Tuesday. The church previously added land to the project after neighbors sought more buffer space around the duplexes. Habitat identified some potential funding to update the playground equipment and said it could still be used by the church. “It was a negotiation, and I think it underscored that people did want to get to yes,” Coleman said. “The challenge was that everybody had to give a little.” In the end, neither proponents nor opponents of the project left Monday night’s council meeting entirely happy. Scott Roeber, a resident of the neighborhood near the church, raised cost concerns about the project to the council. Afterward, he said the council reached “a very equitable decision.” “The city is reaching some of its goals. The church is doing what they want to do with the property. The homes are not massive, which the neighborhood didn’t want them to be,” Roeber said. “In some ways, nobody got what they wanted and in some ways everybody got what they wanted.” Minnesotans who don’t live in Minnetonka got a step toward more housing. There are many more to go. Evan Ramstad is a Star Tribune business columnist. Health Care The payment is part of a proposed settlement to litigation dating back more than a decade about alleged economic harms suffered by health care providers Renowned investor Warren Buffett surprised a crowd of thousands Saturday with his plans to retire at the end of the year The company is behind Twin Cities-based businesses like DQ and HomeServices of America A judge is expected to approve an arrangement for Division I colleges to give 22% of athletic department revenue to student-athletes Local Makers, Restaurants by | Apr 2021 a new face (read: rooster) strutted into the Lake Minnetonka culinary scene set up shop on Minnetonka Mills Road and began traveling around the Twin Cities bringing with it a variety of inspired chicken recipes and fiery sauces wears many career and life hats—owner of the Soulful Journey Wellness Center spiritual director and lead minister of Living Faith Spiritual Community (LFSC) host of the Get Real with Soulaire podcast Allerai works alongside a team of close friends and family members When the pandemic and subsequent initial quarantine arrived the team decided to take an opportunity to perfect recipes and relaunched the food truck a month later “The downtime kind of helped us work out our kinks,” Allerai says “Launching a business in COVID is insane.” Bad Rooster’s menu includes favored family recipes chicken sourced from humane-practice farms in Minnesota sauces crafted with local ingredients (maple from Sapsucker Farms in Mora) and brioche buns from Franklin Street Bakery in Minneapolis Add to it a heaping portion of cleanliness “My people that are here with us have the same values,” Allerai says In the short time that Bad Rooster has been operating it has gathered a dedicated fan base that will wait for hours in line drive from the border of Canada and even fly in from out of state to procure their favorite order a Bad Rooster regular and self-proclaimed “huge fan,” says her go-to order is the crispy Nay Nay or chicken tender basket Make sure to get the Cluck Sauce for the waffle fries.” You’re going to get what I tell you.” Though lines may be long Allerai and Bad Rooster fans know this is a testament to the quality of and hard work behind the food They might also have something to do with the 14 sauce varieties which range from “sweet” to “out of your cluckin’ mind.” Want to take some of that signature cluck sauce home with you Keep an eye out for the future Bad Rooster ventures which could include bottled sauces and even a brick-and-mortar location or visiting various locations and events around the Twin Cities Check its website’s calendar for updated scheduling Pro Tip: Use the online ordering system to skip the lines Bad Rooster is founded on Allerai’s personal mantra: “If you’re going to do it Don’t do it halfway.” This is evident through its commitment to great cooking and health standards “I love Soulaire and everyone that works with her,” says Brown as she praises the spirit of giving that follows every profit of Bad Rooster “What a big heart Soulaire has.” During the COVID-19 pandemic earnings from Bad Rooster were used to help cover the rent of the 13 businesses that also occupy the building where Allerai’s wellness center is located meaning that they could keep their doors open and continue supporting the community “After seeing business after business fail I decided that I did not want to see that happen to these people,” Allerai says “I had an ability to keep the truck going and also make the mortgage payments on the building I was very grateful that this food truck is such a success.” Bad Rooster has also become a partner to LFSC often hosting food shelf and toy drive donation efforts Bad Rooster donates funds to local food shelves and other local organizations “Bad Rooster is a small business you want to support,” Brown says we want something to do," one crafter said The shelves and tables of the Landing Shop in Minnetonka are packed with the sorts of handmade items you'd have trouble finding unless your grandparents made them. Everything in the shop is crafted by about 60 Minnetonka residents, ages 55 to 96. "This has been one of the most fulfilling things I have ever done," said Geri Broome, president of the crafters' group and the shop's display manager. The shop started in 1975 at a church in Minnetonka. Several years later, it moved to the Minnetonka Mills area. In 1995, at the request of the crafters, the Minnetonka City Council authorized the city to begin operating the store through its Senior Services department. In 2010, the shop moved to the Westridge Market, near the intersection of Interstate 394 and Hopkins Crossroad, where it's open Thursday through Saturday from noon to 5 p.m. The holidays are the store's busiest time, Broome said. This year as of mid-December, the store had taken in about $20,000. In 2019, its most recent full year open, revenues approached $40,000. (It closed during the height of the pandemic.) Crafters keep the proceeds from their sales, minus 30% that goes to the city. Those who volunteer in the store only pay 10% to the city. For some members, Broome said, it represents a significant part of their income. The group's second-oldest and longest-serving member, 94-year-old Sylvia Rick, joined in 1989. She crochets pillows, hats and toaster covers and makes a loop onto kitchen towels so they can be hung on cabinet doors. She doesn't need the money, she said, but enjoys the hobby. "As we get older, we want something to do," she said. "My mother always said it's good to be busy with your hands." Katy Read writes for the Minnesota Star Tribune's Inspired section. She previously covered Carver County and western Hennepin County as well as aging, workplace issues and other topics since she began at the paper in 2011. Some people want to come to Minnesota for a good time we’ve always had just the place for them to stay Here’s a look back at some of the most notable—and notorious—hotels in Minnesota history Images: Minnesota Historical Society (Minnetonka Mills Gleckman); Shutterstock: Bjoern Wylezich (key) Robert Mullan (Foshay); Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts (Four Seasons) Minnesota’s hotel industry begins on the shores of Lake Minnetonka James and Sarah Shaver build the first inn in Minnetonka Mills mostly catering to mill workers—less glam than the lavish James J Nicollet House opens on what is now Washington Avenue The yellow-brick Italianate-style building with its 90 rooms will go on to host three U.S It had become a summer destination for wealthy Southerners looking to escape the heat too often with their enslaved servants in tow When a railroad line is routed through neighboring Mabel It remains the longest-running hotel in Minnesota Lakota agent James McLaughlin tries to impress the great chief by putting him up at the swank Merchants Hotel racist newspaper reporters refuse to drop the whole killing-Custer thing Minneapolis gets its first grand hotel with the opening of the West Hotel Mark Twain and Winston Churchill are guests The impressive lobby boasts marble and stained glass but there are 407 guest rooms and only 140 bathrooms Madame Nellie Bly finances the construction of the Kettle Falls Hotel it remains a fully operational tourist attraction—the only hotel in Voyageurs National Park balk at the price of the city- required sprinkler system and tear it down A new Nicollet Hotel is built on the site a year later the nefarious gangster responsible for much of St Paul’s bootlegging and gambling operations sets up headquarters in a suite at the Saint Paul Hotel With the Twins and the Vikings now playing in nearby Met Stadium Bloomington’s Thunderbird Motel opens up to harness all that automobile-driven commerce on the burgeoning 494 strip (not to mention all those New York Yankees coming to town) Philip Johnson commissions Andy Warhol to decorate the Marquette Hotel in his new icy glass tower Warhol makes 632 unique screen prints of a sunset—one for each room Anti-poverty activists Up and Out of Poverty Now The city negotiates with the squatters and opens the Exodus Hotel for low-income residents a year later After hours of discussion during a secretive late-summer meeting at a large suite at the Graves 601 Hotel Senator Barack Obama finally gets the assurances he needs from Senator Joe Biden and offers him the job of vice president (should they win) Ralph Burnet and his LLC plunk down $75 million to renovate the Foshay Tower and bring Starwood’s sexy W Hotel chain to downtown just in time to host delegates for the Republican National Convention Cloud hotelier who opened the Graves 601 Hotel in Block E and founded the AmericInn chain runs against Michele Bachmann and loses by only 4,300 votes The Four Seasons Minneapolis opens on the site of the old Nicollet Hotel Steve Marsh is a senior writer at Mpls.St.Paul Magazine Key Enterprises LLC is committed to ensuring digital accessibility for mspmag.com for people with disabilities. We are continually improving the user experience for everyone, and applying the relevant accessibility standards. They retired and sold the store in January, when both were 75. Looking back, they say they've never regretted that long-ago choice. Life didn't turn out quite the way Glenn and Rose Ann Seutter had planned. He was going to go to medical school. They were going to raise a family in Florida. Instead, they wound up running a convenience store in Minnetonka for almost half a century. They retired and sold the store in January, when both were 75. Looking back, they say they've never regretted that long-ago choice. The couple loved everything about running the store — working hard, teaching their children the value of hard work, chatting with customers, making friends in the community. Over the years, they became so popular in the area that sometimes longtime customers who had moved to, say, St. Louis Park or Wayzata, would return to the store for a newspaper and a cup of coffee. "For me, the business was never a job," Glenn Seutter said. "It was something I enjoyed going to every single day. It wasn't work, it was fun." The two Minnesota natives married in 1969. Glenn, who worked in an Army surgical hospital during the Vietnam War, planned a medical career. They moved to Florida for its warm climate, expecting that Glenn would go to medical school there. "I've always known the grocery business, so I had no problem changing direction," said Glenn, confident he could run a store of his own. Rose Ann knew how to keep the books. But first, the rundown building needed a lot of sprucing up. "It was a mess, it was a disaster," Rose Ann said. "The floors were roller coasters, sagging, dirty." But Glenn knew that Minnetonka Boulevard, which runs in front of the store, would be expanding from a two-lane road to four lanes, and the location had potential. He bought it "not for what it was, but for what I thought it could be," he said. Over the years, the Seutters bought properties on both sides of the store, including a small engine repair shop they expanded with gas pumps, and a liquor store with apartments they turned into a car wash in 1999. In the convenience store, they set up and ran a deli with a variety of fast foods and a party catering business. Later they converted the deli into a franchise sandwich shop. Carol Bentley, the Seutters' first employee, remembers watching the Seutters "build that building into something so wonderful." She was impressed by their diligence and long hours, even with (eventually) three children. "We were just constantly working," Rose Ann acknowledged. "It was four years before we got to take a vacation of some kind." But they didn't mind, not just because they were hard workers but because they so enjoyed getting to know folks in the community. "I'm a people person — I like people," Glenn said. "So that kind of business for me, it kind of suits my personality." The couple moved to Maple Grove in 1972 because they wanted to put a bit of distance between themselves and their store. But that didn't keep them from becoming pillars of the community in that part of Minnetonka, from sponsoring kids' sports teams to stocking any product a customer requested to greeting their customers by name and asking about their families. "They got involved in the community, like, right away," said Paul Giel Jr. of Greenwood, who grew up in the neighborhood, riding his bike around and tubing on the creek. "They introduced themselves, they worked that place day and night … When you went in, they knew who you were and said hi." The store displayed plaques commemorating every youth team they sponsored. Now the kids whose pictures are on those plaques bring their own kids into the store and show them off. "I knew when I went to Glenn's I wasn't getting out of there in five minutes," said Deane Wallick, a longtime customer and friend. "He'd come out from behind the counter and say, 'Hey, come here, come here, I've got to tell you this joke.' And they'd be the dumbest jokes you ever heard. You'd sit down, pull up a chair and shoot the breeze." The Seutters were also great employers, agreed Bentley and Tasha Hall, who worked at the store on and off for 15 years. "They treat their employees like their family," said Hall, who worked her way up from cashier to general manager. "They empathize with them and they take care of them. They care about your personal life and support everything that you do." The Seutters never stopped working hard, filling their shifts each week. "They worked in the store along with everyone else and wouldn't ask you to do anything they wouldn't do themselves," Hall said. That was how the Seutters wanted it. "I never liked to think of them as working for us as much as I did working with us," Glenn said. Even Glenn's parents helped out in the store. Meanwhile, the Seutters saw to it that their own three children helped out, too, developing a work ethic and learning things they wouldn't learn in school. The children grew up and were successful in their fields. Sean, 51, of San Jose, is an engineering director and inventor in the electronics industry; Ryan, 46, of Suffolk, Va., is a cardiologist; and Ashlee Hangartner, 37, is a senior manager for Target Corp. and lives in Blaine. Their kids started working there by the time they were 11 or 12 — earning minimum wage and developing what Sean Seutter calls "core values" of hard work, of course, as well as responsibility, optimism, positivity. Sean was given responsibilities like stocking shelves early on; by the time he was a teenager, he was tasked with closing the store at 11 p.m. and following a checklist: count the register and balance the till. Or he'd open the store at 5 a.m., turn on the lights, get the coffee started and flip the "open" sign. As for optimism and positivity, Sean never saw his parents complain, regardless of what challenges they might face. "I'm already getting a little older and I could never complain about working too much," having seen his parents work well into their 70s, he said. "They never complained. Hard as they worked and as frustrating as it was to them … their attitude was just so positive." The Seutters, true to character, filled their shifts behind the counter all the way through their last week with the store in January. "We went out with a bang," Glenn said. "We really enjoyed the business. We've got three of the most wonderful kids in the world. For us, it was the best life you could have." This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page a hotel will grace the shores of Lake Minnetonka Part of a redevelopment project called the Promenade of Wayzata the boutique Hotel Landing comes dressed to impress after almost two years of construction appealing to business and leisure travelers alike with 92 rooms With its ribbon-cutting ceremony just days away the hotel revives the area’s long-lost lodging legacy a great deal of hotels decorated the shores of Lake Minnetonka The wave started with a small inn built by a couple in Minnetonka Mills and the industry grew dramatically in the years following the Civil War became a popular refuge for those desiring to escape the heat of the South Hill’s Hotel Lafayette in Minnetonka Beach But people who once arrived as visitors started buying property and building their own places on the lake causing the demand for lodging to drop and making hotels unprofitable according to reporting done by Lake Minnetonka Magazine Transportation changes in the form of railways and cars inspired people to travel out west to places such as Yellowstone and California bypassing Lake Minnetonka and taking a toll on its tourism Those who continued to visit chose to stay in smaller cheaper hotels because of financial downturns in the 1890s Hotel Lafayette burned in a fire before it was set to close by Hill The remaining hotels were torn down in 1964 grand Hotel Landing meet the same fate as its hotel predecessors “The history was all about lakeside hospitality the developer of the project and president of Bohland Development and Bohland Homes and his love for Wayzata and it’s uniqueness­—the draw of the lake with the shops and new restaurants around it—inspired him to develop the hotel The hotel intends to fit the contemporary personality of Wayzata whether that means providing a Minnesota corporation with high-tech meeting spaces and pop-up microphones or hosting guests in town for a wedding at one of the surrounding country clubs “With Wayzata being so hot right now and its restaurants receiving attention it’s becoming the new place to hang out,” says Renee Brown senior account executive at Nemer Fieger advertising agency visitors who fail to call upon the street-parking angel can make use of three levels of inside parking The streets and sidewalks come heated for late-night walks on cool evenings And there’s even a pond under half of the building—though the hotel includes restaurant Nine Twenty-Five named appropriately after the address at which it resides you’ll find an urban aesthetic—something you would find on the East Coast—that accommodates several party atmospheres whether that includes music in a louder bar area on the first floor an intimate conversation with friends sitting fireside on the upper level dine out on the two-level veranda seating that looks down Lake Street Some controversy surrounds the major redevelopment project Promenade of Wayzata and retail—demolished the old Bay Center Mall according to reporting done by the Star Tribune the hotel wasn’t part of the redevelopment project but after research on what would best fit Wayzata’s personality And it seems as though the project will open as a hit Bookings for weddings have already made way and only a handful of condos are still available and a ribbon-cutting ceremony will take place June 16 with a grand opening in November the Hotel Landing offers a new taste of that old lakeside hospitality This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks. The action you just performed triggered the security solution. There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase, a SQL command or malformed data. You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked. Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page. Peek inside homes for sale in the Twin Cities area. After falling behind 17-0 at halftime and being dominated most of the game, the Bulldogs may have locked up a spot in the College Football Playoff He was widely considered one of the best captains on the lake — partly because he was good at handling a boat, and partly because he was good at handling people. For three days after Tim Jacobsen died, friends held a round-the-clock bonfire at his home in Minnetonka, inviting people to stop for support, food and drink, tears and memories. "I was going to stop by for 15 minutes and I stayed for a couple of hours," said Mark Peet, owner of Wayzata Bay Charter Cruises on Lake Minnetonka, where Jacobsen worked as a ship captain. Jacobsen, 70, who died of cancer on Sept. 25, was widely considered one of the best captains on the lake — partly because he was good at handling a boat, and partly because he was good at handling people. So the casual, friendly get-together held after his death seemed a fitting way to remember a man who was liked by pretty much everybody. "He just had this special charisma and way to make people at ease and laugh," said his sister Tjody of Minnetonka. "He brought the fun wherever he went, he brought the light, he brought the joy." Jacobsen was born in Minneapolis and grew up in Hopkins. In addition to captaining charter boats, he drove a limousine and, before that, worked as a carpenter. He loved to fish and always carried several poles in his truck. Friends said he was physically active and a bit of a daredevil. "He was a very charming person who was quick to make people around him feel comfortable," said longtime friend Al Bipes of Minneapolis, who organized the bonfire with his son. "He was a great joke teller, a great storyteller, he wanted everyone around him to have fun." And he lived in the moment, Bipes said: "For Tim, sleeping was a waste of time. There's always people to see, northern lights to be watched, campfires to be burned." "One of the things that made Tim very unique is he was always about making sure that everyone had a good time when they were with him," said Bruce Nusbaum of Orono, a fellow captain and close friend for 30 years. "He could find something to relate to with all these people. It always blew me away." Jacobsen was quick with a quip, friends said — even if it entailed a bit of fibbing. As his charter boat passed a gigantic house being built on the Lake Minnetonka shore, he kidded, "Yeah, my ex-wife lives there." Riding in a small plane, another passenger asked if he knew how to land the plane. "I could do it — once," he replied. Although Jacobsen was short — friends thought he was about 5 feet 6 — he used to introduce Bipes, who is 6 feet 3, as his "twin brother." If someone said, "I'll see you shortly," he'd snap, "Don't call me shortly." "He was a little big man," Nusbaum said. "Short in stature, but he was huge in personality." Jacobsen's popularity was based on more than jokes. "He was always willing to help. If you needed something done, if Tim could do it, he would do it for you," Nusbaum said. After Jacobsen's older brother Terry had a stroke and moved to a nursing home, he would stop to see Terry up to three times a day, Tjody said. "He got to know other [residents] there," she said, and often went back to visit them after Terry died in 2017. One day, Tjody said she went to meet Tim in front of her office building and found him in a borrowed Mustang convertible with Terry sitting beside him. He had used a special lift to carry Terry from his bed to the car. "He wanted to take Terry for a little joy ride," Tjody said. "Here are both my brothers, grinning from ear to ear." Besides Tjody, Jacobsen is survived by his wife, Stephanie. A service is scheduled for 11 a.m. Saturday at Gethsemane Lutheran Church, 715 Minnetonka Mills Road, Hopkins. Please select what you would like included for printing: Copy the text below and then paste that into your favorite email application Visitation will be at 12:00 PM Monday February 27th at the Anderson Funeral Home in Alexandria MN with funeral services to follow at 1:00 PM in Alexandria Minnesota to Ruben and Alpha (Anderson) Kluver Wayne first lived on a farm outside of Alexandria and has one brother then Shakopee Minnesota where he attended high school and met his wife Michelle (Mickey) Marks Wayne and Mickey then moved to Belle Plaine Minnesota where they lived for 38 years Wayne worked most of his life as a Carpenter Wayne lived in Killdeer ND for 9 years working with his son Shawn after he was diagnosed with ALS he spent his last months in Litchfield Minnesota at his lake cabin on Star Lake with his daughter Tanya and son Lance who cared for him Wayne spent most of his free time hunting and fishing in many different states He also had a passion for building classic cars with his son’s He enjoyed his trips to Sturgis SD riding his Harley with family and friends Wayne loved to spend time with his family and friends he was a great cook and everyone enjoyed his food grandchildren Courtney (Taylor) Grapentine Wayne is preceded in death by his Grandparents Enter your phone number above to have directions sent via text This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply Service map data © OpenStreetMap contributors Best of Lake Minnetonka by | Mar 2014 What makes this year’s Best of Lake Minnetonka readers’ choice survey the best yet is not only that we have more than 50 winners but also how many lake-area residents showed up to vote online for their faves (more than ever before!) eating and playing locally—we just never knew how much Congratulations to all of our finalists and winners Well-located and managed by savvy owners, a few powerhouse malls continue to evolve and thrive. In 1979, author Joan Didion wrote that shopping malls are "toy garden cities where no one lives but everyone consumes." That was when malls — and their role in American culture — were at their pinnacle. The 1985 blockbuster hit "Back to the Future" repurposed a shopping mall parking lot into a time-travel launch point between past and present. What could be a better symbol of American destiny in the affluent '80s? Now, decades later, hundreds of malls nationwide are closing or contracting. Now, as the shelter-in-place orders are being loosened and malls are starting to reopen, it's clear that a few powerhouse malls in the Twin Cities will continue to evolve and thrive. Well-located and managed by savvy owners, malls such as Ridgedale Center in Minnetonka and Rosedale Center in Roseville are reinventing themselves as experiential, mixed-use destinations where shopping is just one of many reasons to visit. "We are way over-retailed when it comes to built space," said Joan Suko, Ridgedale's senior general manager, adding that the United States has "more retail square footage per capita than any other country." That's why Suko sees the loss of anchor stores, such as a Sears or a Herberger's, not as harbingers of doom for brick-and-mortar retail, but as opportunities to reinvent shopping centers for the next generation as community hubs. Architect Bill Baxley, who heads the Minneapolis office of the international architecture firm Gensler, led the recent conceptual revisioning of Rosedale. Like Suko, he sees department store closings as creating new options for 24-hour activities including health clubs, shared-work spaces, theaters and restaurants. "We approach it as a planning process in reverse," Baxley said. Rather than building from the ground up, "we start with an existing property and rethink it to relate back to the community that surrounds it today." The former J.C. Penney footprint at Edina's Southdale, another mall on the remake, has become a 204,000-square-foot Life Time fitness facility, where guests can exercise, play indoor soccer and even work in the shared office environments on-site. Soon, a new Southdale Library will open, connected to the mall. By the end of this year, Ridgedale will have three major multiunit residential projects right next door. This is the kind of density and mixed uses long advocated by Julie Wischnack, Minnetonka's director of community development. The Avidor Minnetonka apartment project is a pioneering example of how Minnesota is rethinking shopping malls. Scheduled to open this fall, the 168-unit Avidor, marketed to ages 55 and over, shows how buildings can bring walkability to places long dominated by the car. Opening directly onto the new 1.8-acre Ridgedale Park and parkway boulevard, Avidor is a city-scaled building that frames the space around it rather than standing alone. The Ridgedale Library is just across the boulevard and a nearby bike trail will connect to Crane Lake Park (just to the east of Ridgedale) and all the way south to the Minnetonka Mills Park and Minnehaha Creek. New roundabouts and trees will calm traffic and introduce a green buffer on the mall's southern edge. Built in 1969 as one the original "dales" shopping centers, Rosedale Center is still thriving. It's also evolving into a walkable village center with outdoor streets, a new grocery store and perhaps even a hotel. According to plans drawn up in 2019, the center will have a new entry plaza along a curving boulevard. There also will be a pedestrian street slicing through the old Herberger's, which will essentially create a distinct stand-alone building where Kowalski's Markets is slated to open. The revamped structure will also house other retail and entertainment businesses on the street level along with apartments and, possibly, a hotel above. "We are still planning for a green space near restaurant row [the plaza near AMC] and pedestrian connections along the south side of the current mall," says Lisa Crain, Rosedale's senior general manager. The improvements are expected to be made in the next three to five years. In the post-quarantine years, such schedules may change. But a new generation of mixed-use community centers is coming — possibly even more alluring now, as we rediscover the healthfulness and value of being outside. Frank Edgerton Martin is a landscape historian who has written for Landscape Architecture magazine, Architecture Minnesota, Fabric Architecture and co-authored a book, "The Simple Home." M&A Seminar on Preparing Your Company for Sale Presented by Maslon LLP and Northborne Partners This convenience store at 3864 Hopkins Crossroad and adjacent car wash at 11208 Minnetonka Mills Road are among 13 retail locations owner Mark Ogren is selling as part of the sale of his company Just Sold: Ogren selling Croix Oil business Efforts to reform Minnesota zoning laws fail again as local opposition blocks a bill limiting parking mandates[...] will break ground this summer on The Dorian a 190-unit apartment complex in Lake Elmo after buying[...] The University of Minnesota plans to sell 60 acres at UMore Park for $8.1M to North Wind Test for a major aero[...] Performance contracting helps governments and schools cut energy costs Twin Cities housing starts were up across the board in April on the strength of another solid month for single[...] Sign up for your daily digest of Minnesota News Efforts to reform Minnesota zoning laws fail again as local opposition blocks a bill limiting parkin[...] a 190-unit apartment complex in Lake Elmo af[...] The University of Minnesota plans to sell 60 acres at UMore Park for $8.1M to North Wind Test for a [...] The Federal Reserve is expected to keep interest rates unchanged despite political pressure from Pre[...] The Trump administration is swiftly remaking housing policy as the U.S Department of Housing and Ur[...] construction job openings dropped by 38,000 in March signaling slowing labor demand amid tarif[...] Trump's trade demands stretch beyond tariffs Performance contracting helps governments and schools cut energy costs is now an official city after a local vote Milwaukee Mitchell Airport will start a $95.2M international terminal project this summer after dela[...] Listen here analysis and commentary on Minnesota business We are the only independent daily newspaper dedicated to business reporting Get our free e-alerts & breaking news notifications Subscribe for access to the latest digital and special editions 2012 at 2:04 pm CT.css-79elbk{position:relative;}Editor's note: This week we feature candidates running for the Minnetonka City Council in the  Four days this week we will feature two of the eight candidates according to alphabetical order of their last names The election will fill the vacant City Council Member left vacant when former Council Member Amber Greves resigned the position in December Minnetonka Patch: What qualifications do you have that will make you an effective Minnetonka City Council member Patty Acomb: I am a 35 year resident of Minnetonka giving me a strong sense of the history of the city and perspective on the changing needs of our community These years of service to our city have given me strong knowledge and experience in Minnetonka municipal government and earned me the proud endorsement of the city’s current mayor Terry Schneider and past three mayors Jan Callison In addition, I have been an active community volunteer serving on other locally important civic efforts, including the Minnehaha Creek Watershed District Citizens Advisory Committee and the Hopkins School District Strategic Planning Committee proven commitment to being an involved citizen and experience working on behalf of all of our city’s residents would make me an effective at-large Minnetonka City Council member Patch: What is the biggest issue for the city of Minnetonka Acomb: One of the issues that I believe is important is balancing community development needs with maintaining our city’s natural environment. In the annual Minnetonka community survey one of the areas of highest value to residents is always the city’s natural features As we address the ongoing redevelopment needs identified in the city’s 2030 Comprehensive Guide Plan it will be important to balance Minnetonka’s efforts to continue growing and staying a vibrant with ensuring that we do not lose the natural charm and character that makes our city unique Patch: What is current Minnetonka leadership doing well Acomb: The city is highly regarded as well run having taken a long-term view in its planning and maintaining strong fiscal responsibility This approach has minimized any negative impact to services in Minnetonka that many other cities have faced during these challenging economic times As a concerned resident who has been personally involved in providing input to city issues I appreciate the importance of good communication and citizen engagement I would work hard to make sure that Minnetonka residents were aware of issues facing our city and were given the opportunity for their opinions to be heard on issues that were important to them Patch: How will you get input from your constituents Acomb: This upcoming City Council election is for an at-large seat representing the entire city In my current citywide role on the Minnetonka Park Board I know that successful decision-making relies on well-informed citizens to bring forward ideas and concerns I believe it is important to effectively communicate to residents what the city is doing both overall and how it may affect our local neighborhoods. I would continue to emphasize multiple mediums for providing timely and quality information, including the city’s award-winning website, the Minnetonka Memo I also believe that the city has a responsibility to invite public feedback and citizen involvement in the governance process I would continue to communicate and solicit input from city residents directly and invite residents into the planning and recommendation process I will ensure that all residents are able to have a place to bring their ideas and concerns where they will be heard Patch: Give us a brief background of yourself Acomb: I was born and raised in Minnetonka and have been a resident of the city for most of my life I am a former graduate of Hopkins High School and went on to earn a B.S degree in Natural Resource Management from the University of Minnesota I worked for the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources in northwestern Minnesota in a variety of capacities and currently work as a Hopkins School naturalist and a Hennepin County wetland evaluator and I have two school-aged boys and actively support opportunities for children in our community also lives with our family and has given me a deep understanding of the issues facing our senior community and the important services our city offers to them I am an active community supporter in Minnetonka involved in many local efforts including: • Minnetonka Mills Corridor Development Initiative Committee • Minnetonka Wetland Health Evaluation Team Leader • Minnehaha Creek Watershed District Citizens Advisory Committee               • Hopkins School District Strategic Planning Committee • Hopkins Superintendent-Parent Learning Academy charter member • Minnetonka Mills Giblet Jog 5K organizer and sponsor I appreciate all of the support I have received and hope that residents will contact me directly or visit my website at www.pattyacomb.com to learn more about my campaign Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts. More restaurant action from a very busy guy Station Pizzeria will open in an old gas station (the former Bennis Feed & Fuel lastly Tonka Pets) in the historic Minnetonka Mills area and the Minnehaha Creek rolling by on its way from Gray’s Bay to the falls “We took out the gas tanks and are keeping the original 1939 structure of the station and I knew I wanted to do something out west I used to play baseball about a ½ mile from here.” The full service joint will have 71 seats on the inside Burnet has brought in David Ellis to be the chef Ellis has a kitchen history that includes time at Eleven Madison Park in NYC and locally at 112 Eatery and Bar La Grassa with Isaac Becker before becoming chef de cuisine at Piccolo under Doug Flicker but don't expect this to be precious and fancy the plan is for this to be a New York style pizzeria with some additional creative offerings along with beer and wine: not trendy wood-fired Punch-like "We can't really commit to what's on the menu right now but want to be serious about ingredients and really spend some time thinking about what comes out of the kitchen mostly we want it to be a great fit for the neighborhood We hope to sponsor softball teams and be the place to hang out The Big Willow fields (where someone plays her co-rec summer soccer league ahem) is right down the road and just teeming with kids and adults looking for a little post game 'za and a beer The work on the space should begin in October with a hopeful opening this year Editor at Large Stephanie March contributes to Mpls.St.Paul Magazine’s food and dining coverage She can also be heard Saturdays on her myTalk107.1 radio show where she talks about the Twin Cities food scene Key Enterprises LLC is committed to ensuring digital accessibility for mspmag.com for people with disabilities. We are continually improving the user experience for everyone, and applying the relevant accessibility standards Parents can even enjoy some quiet time in the relaxation room at Alice Smith Elementary School (801 Minnetonka Mills Road) Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.