Bar Harbor building has new owner

John Allen, president and chief executive officer and owner of Minneapolis-based Industrial Equities, recently purchased the Bar Harbor restaurant building in Lake Shore.

Allen, who has a home on Gull Lake, said he purchased the first mortgage from Wells Fargo Bank last week. Allen said he has a lease with long-time Bar Harbor restaurant owners Steve and Deanna Anderson for a significant period of time, although he declined to confirm any numbers.

Allen's company is a privately held commercial real estate investment, development and management firm with hotel, residential, commercial and industrial projects in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, Arizona and Florida.

Allen founded his company in 1983. He has a related land development company called Windsor Development.

Allen said purchasing the mortgage was a real estate investment and provided the Andersons with an opportunity to continue a family legacy in an exceptionally difficult economic environment to operate a restaurant.

Allen said it is his firm intention to be a landlord and not an operator with the Andersons having the opportunity to provide the hospitality to the greater lakes area and continue the family tradition that has been in place for the past 75 years.

Steve Anderson's father constructed the original Bar Harbor nightspot in the late 1930s. That incarnation burned to the ground in 1968. But the new Bar Harbor, which was built next to the older version on Intrerlachen road and opened in April 2004, was modeled after the 1930s version.

Allen's biography includes 14 years with Coldwell Banker Commercial Real Estate Services. He left Coldwell Banker in 1995 as senior vice president.

Integra Telecom moved into the office complex on Golf Course Drive that formerly served as offices for Ascensus before it's move to east Brainerd.

The company is a telecommunications provider for businesses and carriers. Integra reported it has "launched an expanded range of products and services, including purchase of new equipment for enhanced high speed Internet." Those services extend to Baxter, Brainerd and Little Falls areas.

"We see tremendous growth opportunity in these communities and are pleased that this new office will allow us to better serve our customers and improve internal efficiencies," said Deb Neznik, vice president and general manager of Integra Telecom Inc.'s Baxter office, in a news release.

Integra reports the Baxter offices will house 52 employees, including customer account representatives, provisioning specialists and technicians.

The recently completed Riverside Drive project was an example of stimulus dollars at work in the community with money from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

Rachel Contracting, St. Michael, was the general contractor on the Riverside Drive project.

Matt Coz, Rachel Contracting president, said company crews performed almost 6,000 hours of work on the project during the past four months.

"Our crews performed all of the removals, earthwork, utilities, erosion control and earthen reinforced retaining wall construction on the project," Coz said, adding the hard work from his staff on the project was instrumental in its successful completion.

An on-sale/Sunday liquor license was recently approved by the Crow Wing County Board for Bobber Restaurant and Barbeque. The restaurant was formerly the Northwoods Inn.

Dam Computers & Electronics in Little Falls is now operated by Adam Fjeld. Fjeld sells and repairs computers, electronics and appliances.

The Little Falls Area Chamber of Commerce reported Fjeld came to the city in 1993 with his father, Denny, and they became owners of Denny's Floor Covering. Fjeld's wife, Kristine, is part owner of Motif Salon & Gifts.

Up North Fireplace Gallery, 14322 Dellwood Drive in Baxter, is having an open house from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday.

Pizza Ranch is continuing to look for options for a location in the lakes area but reports nothing is set in stone at this time.

A Labor Day Salute, a special section in Monday's Dispatch, gives an in-depth look at area companies and the working people who provide the backbone for the services and products.

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