Gizmo Creations moving from Merrifield to Nisswa

Gizmo Creations, a company offering landscape and Web site design, opened in Merrifield this spring by owners Bill Henry and Donna Evans.

Now the business is close to moving into new offices when the Sculpture Garden opens along Highway 371 in Nisswa. The company provides landscape design with a Minnesota-licensed landscape architect with more than 20 years experience in residential and commercial landscape design. The Web site design services come from a designer with more than five years of experience, the company reported.

Evans said Gizmo Creations has software that can plug in a photo of a homeowners' home and yard and provide landscape design so customers can see how new plants or color would look before a physical change is made. The company also looks at using native plants, like witch hazel, to add color and make attractive landscaping. The Web site offers sample plans and photos. And the business will consult with homeowners or businesses on such complications as drainage or erosion problems, as well as the "fun stuff" of landscaping, Evans said.

Evans said they hope the design and consulting work will appeal to homeowners who want to do projects themselves but want help organizing it all.

"We are hopefully going to fill a niche there," Evans said. "We are just trying to give people an option."

Green Mill signed a lease for space in the North Pointe Centre in Baxter, which Godfather's Pizza formerly occupied.

The restaurant will be next to Baja Sol Mexican restaurant. Remodeling is expected in the former Godfather's before Green Mill moves in.

Adirondack Coffee Specialties, Baxter, announced it has new owners and a construction permit taken out as part of the business park near Reed's Sporting Goods store for a second location. Adirondack is staying in its current spot on Edgewood Drive next to Quizno's restaurant in the office complex in front of The Light Depot.

Adirondack president and owner Betsy Hollister sold the business, which has specialty and signature coffee, fine teas and pastries and dessert items, to Todd and Carol Krautkremer.

The second coffee bar location on Highway 371 is expected to open in early July.

Hollister said the business has experienced strong growth and the new owners share her vision for the company and future growth. Hollister will stay connected with the company, providing marketing, business development and operations management services.

Kohl's is looking more complete every day, at least on the outside. However, company representatives said they are not able to provide specific information about an opening or how many employees the store will hire until a formal announcement is made from Kohl's.

Efforts continue on landscaping and the parking lot. A "now hiring" sign is up in the parking area.

HealthFirst Chiropractic of Brainerd opened a clinic in northeast Brainerd next to Caribou Coffee in the East Brainerd Mall and celebrated a grand opening earlier this month. Owner Ronald Prouty said the chiropractic clinic joins its other Minnesota and South Dakota clinics along with those in Pine River and Baxter.

Ryan Hokanson, who had a practice on Washington Street called Hokanson Chiropractic and Injury Center near Cakes by Design in Brainerd, joined HealthFirst's clinic. Hokanson closed his Washington Street office, which had been open about two years.

Prairie Bay is featured in the June issue of Minnesota Monthly Magazine as one of five restaurants "worth the drive." The restaurant offers such dining as wood oven pizzas, herb seared salmon fillet, grilled New York strip, herb roasted half chicken, salads, shrimp, turkey chowder, a deep dish sun dried tomato tart, a half-pound hamburger, angel hair pasta, an extensive wine list and desserts such as raspberry creme brulee. Prices range from $5 to $15 for lunch items and $5 to $26 for dinner. Desserts are in the $5 and $6 range.

The restaurant also was featured in the May issue of Prairie Business Magazine in a story that discussed trends of leaving the city for a more rural setting. July 3, the Market at Prairie Bay, a farmer's and artist's market, is set to open from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturdays.

Northland Monument Co. and Granite Designs has a new location on Dellwood in Baxter next to Tires Plus and the Floor to Ceiling Store. The business works with monuments and has added two departments with granite designs (such as countertops) and landscaping. The move includes an expanded showroom.

Great River Door Co., Brainerd, is a new area business designed to market and sell sandcarved doors. The concept began about 10 years ago when Kampmann Sash & Door and SignCrafters combined their abilities and created the decorative door.

Mark Erickson, Kampmann's owner, and Brent Manley, SignCrafters owner, created the Great River Door Co. to exclusively sell both standard and custom designed doors. Manley and Erickson reported the majority of the company's door manufacturing will be at Kampmann's facilities off Oak Street.

The Dairy Sweet, on South Sixth Street in Brainerd, is under new management and has a sign up saying it will open soon.

Reed's Sporting Goods opened Friday along Highway 371 north of Brainerd.

The much anticipated store is an anchor in Cragun's Properties Nature Learning Trail Business Park. The store includes the Minnesota Fishing Hall of Fame.

The nonprofit Hall of Fame is an interactive museum dedicated to the history of freshwater sport fishing in Minnesota through a collection of stories, pictures, artifacts and memorabilia from anglers who've contributed to the sport.

An eight-acre pond nearby, complete with beaver lodge, will be more accessible with a dock provided to link the Hall of Fame to the water.

RENEE RICHARDSON, senior reporter, can be reached at renee.richardson@brainerddispatch.com or 855-5852.