Driving two-lane Highway 14 over slippery Sleepy Eye snow, across gravelly prairie hinterlands, and just a frozen spit or two north of eye-blink Cobden (pop. 36)—to the edges of the Earth—the wayward traveler spies an army of 6,000 evergreens surrounding the North Pole at the corner of Christmas Tree Lane and Evergreen Boulevard.
As 2012 was ending, many southern Minnesotans were reminded from media reports of the Dakota hangings of 150 years ago in downtown Mankato. This wasn’t southern Minnesota’s greatest day ever—it was one of our worst. In part, the Dakota weren’t given legal counsel or translators.
Mankatoan Mike Donohoe has found his anam cara in the writings of the late Irish priest John O’Donohue, author of the popular book Anam Cara: Spiritual Wisdom from the Celtic World.
Anam cara is Gaelic for “soul friend.” Author O’Donohue believed people become soul friends when their souls are knitted together in a trusting, mutually appreciative, and transparent environment. You can reveal anything to an anam cara and he or she will always accept you for you.
As you step through Schmidt’s Meat Market’s doorway under the “Willkommen” sign, the old-time smokehouse aroma quickens your taste buds. You walk past a wall displaying numerous awards, and your eyes feast upon the beef jerky, specialty sausages, fresh meat cuts, and other mouth-watering morsels.
The Branch owner Bernie Ingersoll and Dandelion Rose owner Mary Sasse joined forces last May and now share the same building at 207 South Main.
Brian Fowler is a storyteller—and not only with a camera. He shuts off his cell phone, which has a ring tone of James Brown’s line “I feel good,” and begins to answer a question about where he grew up with a description of his great-great-grandfather’s 1868 homestead claim. During the interview, he throws out a jaw-dropping line about getting a call from the White House to shoot photos of then-President George W. Bush. Fowler veers right past that explanation to talk about employees, friends—such as Free Press photographer John Cross—and wife Karen and three daughters, who work with him.
Within the last year, Julie Larson began Inspire Bridal Boutique at 204 South Minnesota after finding the perfect building on high-traffic US 169, falling in love with St. Peter’s artsy atmosphere, and getting help from Russ Wille of the local EDA, she said. In addition, St. Peter needed a bridal shop and Larson could get her sewing needs done across the street at newly opened Sew Boutique.
John Elbert’s grandparents owned an eye clinic, his father a transmission business, his uncle a law practice, and now Elbert (right, in photo) has started Precision Carpet & Upholstery at 310 North State. His family hails from Dunnell, which is about as far west as anyone can go in Martin County without being in Jackson County.
The drawn out moniker of “Connect Business Magazine/KEYC-TV Business Person of the Year” won’t fit on the back of your bowling shirt, but does quite nicely framed and hanging in the company foyer for clients and potential employees to oo and ah.
