Biz buzz

A longtime Brainerd business has new plans.

Lou's Dairy Way, on South Sixth Street, has been part of the city's dining scene for decades. Now with new owners, sisters Missy Nash and Kathy Barnhardt, there are new hours and an altered menu.

The restaurant will open at 5:30 a.m. to offer breakfast with specialty omelets. Homemade pies and cinnamon rolls will be offered.

For the usual suspects for the lunch crowd, orders will still be taken at the counter. For breakfast and dinner, customers can expect to be waited on at their tables.

Taking shape in Brainerd, Walgreens is expected to open May 1.

And just down the road apiece, the Brainerd/Baxter Home Depot's staff is working on the final touches before opening the doors for business at 6 a.m. Thursday.

Store Manager Tim Osborne said the last merchandise is arriving and staff are preparing for the opening day. Grand opening festivities are planned. Once the store is up and running, the hours will be 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday.

Vendor representatives will be on hand to provide help for specific projects people may be working on. The store employs about 200 workers.

The Northland Arboretum is seeing help in locating beautiful gardens in the lakes area for inclusion in a public garden tour in July. Nominations are requested and may be called in to the arboretum at 829-8770.

A new guide to starting a business in Minnesota is available free of charge from the Minnesota Small Business Assistance Office at the Minnesota Department of Trade and Economic Development in St. Paul.

The new guide contains three major sections, a narrative text, a resource directory -- with addresses and telephone numbers of organizations -- directory of licenses and permits and phone numbers for obtaining more information from the state agency that issues or administers the permit.

Free copies may be obtained by calling the Small Business Assistance Office at 800-657-3858. The publication can also be ordered on the Web at www.dted.state.mn.us.

Barnabas Health Care Services, 1302 Oak Street in Brainerd, relocated to 223 Washington Street.

Formerly located across the street from Lakes Printing, the offices in brick building vacated by Barnabas has a long business history in southeast Brainerd. It once housed a meat market and grocery store and martial arts studio.