Gardner Builders Employees Love the Company’s Culture
Founder Bob Gardner Had a New Vision for Project Supervision This summer, the Duluth hub of Gardner Builders, the company that calls itself a “”commercial builder delivering with hospitality,” celebrated its first decade in operation. Established in Minneapolis in 2010 by Bob Gardner, the company quickly expanded into Duluth and Milwaukee and today employs around […]
Goodbye, ‘Can of Worms’
Hello, Twin Ports Interchange By Tony Bennett After years of planning and more years of construction, the project to untangle Duluth’s infamous “Can of Worms” is now in the rear-view mirror. The section of roadway that interweaved I-35, I-535 and Highway 53 in the Lincoln Park area is now more pleasingly known as the Twin […]
Imagine Downtown: There’s a Five-Year Plan, But Where Is It Going?
Give any downtown area in any city enough time, and it will evolve. Whether those changes are perceived as positive or negative ones depends on who the perceiver is and what their concerns might be, but the simple fact is that nothing stays the same and change is the only real constant when it comes […]
Genereau & Co. Owners Offer a Different Approach to Jewelry
In the two years that Genereau & Co. has been operating out of their Greysolon Plaza location, the jewelry store has quickly made a name for itself as one of the Twin Ports’ most reputable businesses of its kind. The shop was started by three veterans of the industry with more than six decades of […]
We Are the Chamber: Crank and Dasher
“When I moved to the Duluth area 22 years ago, I noticed there wasn’t a local creamery making real, handcrafted ice cream,” said Annie Carmichael, who founded her response to that particular hole in the marketplace, Crank and Dasher, in 2017. “I wanted to create something that felt elevated and special.” “At Crank & Dasher,” […]
We Are the Chamber: Duluth Creative Co.
Duluth Creative Co.’s Asher Carlson describes himself as a “photographer, filmmaker, podcaster, entrepreneur and serial hobbyist. My toxic trait is that whenever I get interested in something, I have to learn everything about it and then turn it into a business, which I wish I didn’t do, but it’s just a fun and easy way […]
We Are the Chamber: Lynnette’s Portrait Design
“Everyone deserves a photograph of themselves they love,” said Lynnette Steen, the owner of Lynnette’s Portrait Design. “With arms-length selfies and a tendency to be our own worst critic, it is significant to have a photo you feel great about. I opened my studio in 2007, a time when many brick-and-mortar studios were closing with […]
We Are the Chamber: Bella Rose Bridal
“The inspiration for Bella Rose Bridal began in 2014 when I had the desire to step out on my own in business,” said Misty Matson, who opened that shop with her daughter, Emily. “My desire was to open a bridal store that provided a personal touch for each bride. At the time that I was […]
Ramping Up the Culinary Experience
UMD’s New $25 Million Main Production Kitchen Is a Game Changer When it comes to the main things about world culture that have radically changed in the last half-century or so, surely the increased sophistication of the American palate has to be in the conversation. Where once TV dinners, bland casseroles and fried everything was […]
We Are the Chamber: Sarah Herrick-Smisek, 23rd Veteran
“I’ve always been someone who enjoys bringing people together,” said Sarah Herrick-Smisek, the Communications and Synergy Manager for 23rd Veteran, the nonprofit organization that provides those who have served with mental-wellness assistance. “I grew up in Duluth, and throughout my career – whether running a small business, working alongside nonprofits or stepping into operational leadership […]