Kerkhoven welcomes a NEW General Store

Kerkhoven, Minnesota welcomed a new General Store this summer! Owners Scott and Teresa Lamecker opened Lamecker’s General Store doors on June 26^th, 2014 with the help and support from family, friends, and the community. The community was 110% behind the Lamecker’s since the town has been without a hardware store since April of 2013, after the Schutt family had closed its doors. To add to the loss Dave’s Family Foods closed its doors last fall, and that’s when Scott realized bringing back a general store is just what their community needed.
A lot of planning and work was done prior to the opening day. Scott coordinated efforts with United Hardware (supplier) to determine inventory variety and amounts. The entire layout of the building was completely reconfigured, along with adding new flooring, lighting, shelving, and freshly painted walls.
Scott and Teresa are also working on building connections with area farmers. They aim to offer the farmers the ability to order some of the general supplies they need for their farm operation through the store’s supplier. Scott and Teresa pride themselves in being able to fill a need in their community and to offer it with small-town quality service.
The store offers a variety of products, some which are the following: hardware, general cleaning supplies, household items, select grocery items, and much more. The grocery line that has been incorporated into the store offers the community the ability to buy the more “essential” or “staple” foods. This service will be greatly appreciated when the blizzard-like conditions occur each year. The milk, meats, fruits, and vegetables that are sold in the store actually come from local producers.

The financing of this project included owner equity, community group investment, Kerkhoven’s Financial Security Bank, Southwest Initiative Foundation, Swift County RDA, and the Upper Minnesota Valley Regional Development Commission’s Revolving Loan Fund.
Lamecker General Store was one of the three loans that were closed this fiscal year for new and expanding businesses in the region by the Upper Minnesota Regional Development Commission’s (UMVRDC) Revolving Loan Fund (RLF). The amount loaned out this fiscal year totaled $186,000.  A combination of 22 jobs were created or retained as a result of these business start-up and retention projects. A total of $1,438,000 was leveraged in public and private funds.
If you’d like to learn more about the RLF and its ability to aid in making business start-ups and expansions a reality, contact the UMVRDC today! Call Randy Larson at 320-289-1981 ext. 102 or e-mail randy.larson@umvrdc.org or check out the RLF page on the UMVRDC website. 
 
Be sure to swing on into the Lamecker General Store next time you’re in the area and check out their newly remodeled store, along with their great line of services!
Hours: 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday – Friday, and 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday.
Address: PO Box 166-907 Atlantic Ave Kerkhoven, Minnesota
Phone: 320.264.3711
Facebook: Lamecker’s General Store