Block North Brew Pub (BNBP) in Aitkin expanded its operation into an adjacent building that was a former meat locker, vacant for three years and nearing tax forfeiture. BNBP converted it into Block North Locker Room, a pizzeria with recreation games and outside three-season seating. Iron Range Resources & Rehabilitation supported the project with a $19,700 Commercial Redevelopment grant to the city of Aitkin which helped pay for interior and roof demolition of the vacated building. Total project investment was $240,300.

The vacant building’s interior was in disrepair. The electricity and water were disconnected, interior ceilings and insulation had collapsed, and most interior surfaces were covered in mold caused by moisture from the shutdown of the meat freezers. In contrast, the building’s brick exterior was solid with a watertight roof.

“The adjacent structure created a unique opportunity for us to redevelop it and expand our business,” said Peter Lowe, BNBP owner. “The Block North Locker Room has attracted a different and younger clientele than the Brew Pub. The Locker Room has brick oven pizzas, salads, starters, craft beers from our pub, an Italian inspired drink menu, and it is starting to have live music.”

Lowe co-owns and operates both Block North facilities with Dake Olson and Rich Courtemanche. Lowe was raised in Aitkin and is the BNBP chef. He left the area after high school and enjoyed a successful career as a professional caterer and chef on movie sets and other locations across America and abroad. He now prepares original Block North cuisines including a variety of steaks, shrimp and grits and smoked duck. View the full Brew Pub and Locker Room menus.

Courtemache and Olson work together to develop ale originals such as For My Horses, Fog on the Bog, Lazy Boy, Gobbler Red and Screaming Goat. Courtemanche is the Brew Master. When Olson isn’t helping to make beer, he is the mayor of McGregor 

The three purchased the original 4,500-square-foot facility in 2018. It was formerly a furniture store and offered a wide-open space which was well-suited for a brew pub and restaurant. They renovated the building, opened it as Block North Brew Pub in 2019 and provided a unique family fine dining experience with fine brews. The facility increased traffic to Aitkin’s downtown area and created 45 part and full-time jobs. Adding the Locker Room increased the number of jobs to 53.

“The two Block North venues have significantly helped the revitalization of our downtown area,” said Aitkin City Clerk Jen Thompson. “The entire project dating back to 2019 has created jobs, brought two vacant buildings back into use, generated financial investment and tax revenue for Aitkin, and ultimately improved the quality of life options for families and young adults.”

Learn more about Block North Brew Pub & Locker Room.

Email Chris Ismil or call him at 218-735-3010 for more information about Commercial Redevelopment grants.

Iron Range Resources & Rehabilitation invests approximately $1 million annually into Commercial Redevelopment grants across its 13,000-square-mile service area. The grants assist with the internal and external demolition of commercial and industrial buildings and clean-up of brownfields to pave the way for new development.

“Small businesses located within our agency’s service area often work with their city to transform vacant buildings into newly renovated, usable spaces,” said Commissioner Ida Rukavina. “Our Community Development staff is available to answer questions and guide cities and businesses through potential projects. Our staff has helped many municipalities in our service area and countless businesses redevelop sites for their operations, whether it be a storefront on main street or a manufacturing business in an industrial zone.”

Small businesses seeking a site for an expansion or relocation are encouraged to talk to your municipality. Cities, townships, counties and tribal governments located with the agency’s service area are eligible to apply for Commercial Redevelopment grants.

Watch a short two-minute video about Commercial Redevelopment grants.

Email Chris Ismil or call him at 218-735-3010 for more information about Commercial Redevelopment grants.

Iron Range Resources & Rehabilitation funds grants through taxes paid by Minnesota’s mining industry.

Blue Moon Appliance & Home Center in Hibbing expanded its retail operation into a 44,000-square-foot building located along Highway 169, a space almost three times larger than the company's prior downtown building. The new location was vacant for several years and required reconstruction to accommodate the Blue Moon expansion. Iron Range Resources & Rehabilitation provided a $24,135 Commercial Redevelopment grant to the city of Hibbing to help pay for interior and exterior demolition. Total project investment was $185,000.

Blue Moon sells new furniture and appliances and is the largest scratch and dent appliance and liquidation retailer in northern Minnesota. It also has an online operation that sells new and used appliance parts. Blue Moon has two other locations in Minnesota: Grand Rapids and Thief River Falls.

Blue Moon owner Jeff Christlieb is originally from Osage and first moved to the Iron Range to attend Hibbing Community College. He became an entrepreneur, owned a construction company, held rental properties, was a home inspector, and operated a grocery store, a truck stop and a horse ranch. Christlieb eventually began buying scratch and dent appliances in bulk and reselling them, which led to his first Blue Moon storefront.

“I’ve had a longtime interest in the Iron Range, since my earlier days here as a college student,” said Christlieb. “I am very pleased for my family-owned business to continue its operation in Hibbing. In our new and larger location, we are continuing to offer the people of Hibbing and surrounding areas access to an in-person shopping experience for appliances and furniture options, both new and scratch and dent.”  

Blue Moon has 22 employees and is open Monday through Saturday. Learn more about Blue Moon Appliance & Home Center.

Email Chris Ismil or call him at 218-735-3010 for more information about Commercial Redevelopment grants.

A new 22-acre campground complex with 49 new campsites for recreational vehicles and tent campers will open in May at Birch Lake Recreation Area in Babbitt. The Recreation Area has a popular developed swimming beach, picnic area, beach house, concrete public boat landing ramp, two docks, boat cleaning area, rain garden for storm water runoff and a parking area with handicapped parking.

Iron Range Resources & Rehabilitation provided Development and Community Infrastructure grants totaling $750,000 that helped pay for design, engineering, water and sewer lines and extensions related to the campground. A portion of the grants helped offset expenses related to unforeseen geological conditions which resulted in utility rerouting. Total project investment was approximately $5.9 million.

Babbitt is a small community of 1,500 residents located at the eastern end of the Mesabi Iron Mining Range near Birch Lake which is 7,600 acres and 21 miles long with 80 miles of shoreline and several islands. Birch Lake is one of the most heavily fished lakes in northeastern Minnesota and attracts outdoor recreation tourists and anglers from Minnesota, the United States and Canada. The lake is 75% undeveloped, has 14 backcountry campsites and is located two portages away from the Boundary Water Canoe Area Wilderness.

The new campground is expected to increase tourist traffic even further because it will be connected to the new Prospector Loop ATV trail system and eventually to the paved Mesabi Bike Trail. The increase in tourism can have positive economic impacts for the community of Babbitt and its businesses.

According to Explore Minnesota, tourism generated $11.7 billion in gross sales in 2020. Upon its opening this May, Birch Lake campground will become part of Minnesota’s economic engine.

Babbitt has prepared throughout the past several years for the anticipated opening of the campground and visitor increase. Babbitt added a community entrance welcome sign, installed campground entry and way finding signage, and beautified Taconite Rock Park located in its downtown area. Iron Range Resources & Rehabilitation provided $25,472 in Culture & Tourism and Downtown Streetscapes grants to support the signage and park improvements. Total project investment was $53,625.

The city hired Dave and Carol Schinker to manage the campground. Originally from Nebraska and Iowa, the Schinkers retired in 2017, sold their house and bought an RV to travel the country. They have visited 30 states and spent summers in northern Minnesota working as camp hosts near Ely and Kabetogama.

Other campground funding partners included the city of Babbitt, State of Minnesota Capital Bonds and the Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources. Email Chris Ismil or call him at 218-735-3010 for Development Infrastructure grant information. Email Danae Beaudette or call her at 218-735-3022 for Culture & Tourism grant information.

Learn more about Babbitt Campground.

Explore Minnesota Tourism selected the Ride The Range marketing collaboration as the 2023 recipient of the ‘One Minnesota Award.’ Recognizing collaborative efforts of three or more organizations or entities, the award is presented to an outstanding tourism project, initiative or campaign which was designed to advance tourism for a community, area or business district.

Ride the Range is a campaign to promote the mountain bike trails of Giants Ridge (Biwabik), Cuyuna (Crosby), Redhead (Chisholm) and Tioga (Cohasset) and market northern Minnesota as a world-class mountain biking destination.

The campaign was led by the four trail systems, Iron Range Tourism Bureau (IRTB), Minnesota Discovery Center, Visit Grand Rapids and the cities of Chisholm and Cohasset. The trails are featured on a website, ridetherange.com, that provides trails, lodging, camping and dining information to visitors. The marketing campaign, now in its second year, has generated thousands of visits to the website and views of Ride the Range videos.

Ride the Range has received media coverage by Minnesota Trails Magazine, Star Tribune, Grand Rapids Herald Review, Mesabi Tribune, Bring Me The News, Minnesota Monthly, Skinny Ski and Aitkin Independent Age newspaper.

“There is no other place in the world like Minnesota's Iron Range. This partnership is designed to help share our story and highlight the unique riding experience created by our reclaimed mining landscapes,” said Beth Pierce, IRTB director. “Ride the Range is a successful collaboration. It's an example of how communities can work together for the economic benefits of tourism and tourism's halo effect."

Email Danae Beaudette for Culture & Tourism grant information or call her at 218-735-3022.

Pictured above at the Explore Minnesota Tourism Conference are Stephanie Skraba, city administrator, Chisholm; Bridgit Maruska, director of parks, trails and recreation, Chisholm; Ceasar Ortega, marketing coordinator, Iron Range Tourism/Discover the Range; Steve Rahkola, director of sales and marketing, Giants Ridge; Jim Makowsky, board chairperson, Iron Range Tourism Bureau; Megan Christianson, executive director, Visit Grand Rapids; Gov. Tim Walz; and Beth Pierce, executive director, Iron Range Tourism/Discover the Range. Not pictured: Max Peters, city administrator, Cohasset; Aaron Hautala, Cuyuna.com; and Jordan Mesta, Minnesota Discovery Center.