Great River Pet Center Now Open in Oakdale

It opened April 8 at the former Silver Lake Kennel location.

Growing up, Roxann Patzman had all sorts of pets: dogs, cats, guinea pigs... “I even had a snake at one time,” she said. Patzman is president of Great River Pet Center, which opened in Oakdale last month in the former Silver Lake Kennel location at 5713 Geneva Ave. N. Great River Pet Center offers boarding and grooming services (including spa treatments), and will soon offer daycare for dogs 15 pounds and lighter, in addition to other services. It also plans to increase the retail offerings in its lobby. Patzman has years of managerial and retail experience, and used to volunteer with exotic animals during educational programs at the Como Zoo. She also previously worked in a pet shop. “I realized, I can do this myself,” said Patzman, whose…

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Updated: Small Business Facebook Pages Oakdale Residents Should 'Like'

Check out some of the top Oakdale-centric pages available on Facebook.

The following list is in alphabetical order. Know a really great Oakdale-related Facebook page missing from the list? Tell us in the comments section and we'll update our list with your suggestions! Like Oakdale Patch on Facebook | Follow us on Twitter | Sign up for our free e-newsletter  

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Council Approves Day Care After Safety Concerns Addressed, One Member Still Opposed

The council voted 4-1 to approve the site plan for a new day care center.

It looks like a new day care is coming to Oakdale. The city council approved a site plan for Little Minds Learning Center to build a 7,700 square foot building just south of Novation Credit Union. The council met for a special council meeting Wednesday night and voted 4-1, with Councilman Stan Karwoski casting the dissenting vote. Councilman Paul Reinke was absent. The site plan first came before the council last month. The new facility would be located in close proximity to the Oak Marsh Golf Course. The council tabled the discussion due to safety concerns regarding the possibility of stray golf balls landing on the day care site and in the children's outdoor play area.  The council asked the applicant to return to present a safety plan. …

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Oakdale Business Owner Competes for National Grant to Achieve Dream

Business owner Jonathan Lockhart is hoping to receive a business grant from FedEx to help achieve his dream of creating an Urban Farm.

Jonathan Lockhart is hoping to expand his business. Lockhart, who owns Northstar Nursery, is competing in FedEx's Small Business Grant Competition for a $25,000 grand prize. FedEx will also be issuing five smaller grants of $5,000. Businesses across the country are competing for votes from customers, friends and family. FedEx will choose the grant winners from the top 100 businesses with the most votes. So far, Northstar Nursery has 132 votes. To view Northstar's voting page click here. If Lockhart wins the grant, he will use the money to acquire land for farming and purchase a cold storage unit, tools, chickens, seed, fruit trees, berry shrubs and a small tractor. Lockhart will also build a hoop-house, a washing station and a hen house, …

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Natural Wellness Spa Opens in Oakdale

Oakdale resident Tammy Fischer owns and operates the spa.

Peaceful Waters Wellness Spa opened this month at 7300 Hudson Blvd., Suite 220. Here’s a little information about the new business: What they offer: The center offers colon hydrotherapy, raindrop therapy, ion cleanse therapy and steam therapy. (Descriptions available on the spa’s website.) “All the therapies that I do are about cleansing and helping rid the body of toxins so that the body can heal itself more naturally,” said owner Tammy Fischer. Who owns it: Oakdale resident Tammy Fischer, owns and operates the business. How it got started: Fischer had been going to another business that offers the same type of services for several years, when the owner asked her if she’d like to become a therapist. “It wasn’t something I was seeking out…

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EDITOR'S NOTEBOOK

Editor’s Notebook: Hefty Permit Fee Halts Café Plans

The owner of a strip mall on Helmo Avenue decided against opening a café that would serve, coffee, breakfast foods and ice cream after learning he’d have to pay a fee of more than $20,000.

  Oakdale waffle-lovers won’t have another place to indulge after all, at least not in the strip mall on Helmo Avenue just south of 15th Street. Building owner Doug Coombs is putting the brakes on a plan open a café at 1417 Helmo Ave. serving coffee, waffles, other breakfast foods and ice cream due to the high cost of getting the necessary permits to establish a restaurant in space that previously housed just a coffee shop. “I wanted to make the business better, my mistake, and it’s costing me,” he said. He had wanted to get the business started, and then sell it to another operator. The high price tag comes primarily from fees charged by the Metropolitan Council for the increased sewer demand created by a restaurant. It’s a one-time fee, …

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Patty Busse

11:08 am on Monday, April 16, 2012

Here's a link to a brochure that Tim O'Donnell sent me before that answers the question somewhat: http://www.metrocouncil.org/environment/ESReports/SAC_Outreach_BrochureFINAL.pdf. A quote from the brochure: "When residents and business owners pay SAC to local governments, they are paying for their portion of this capacity. It's a cost of service for standing ready to receive wastewater."   more ›

Visions for Vacancies: What Would You Like to See Fill the Former Curves Space near 10th Street and Geneva Avenue?

Tell us what you'd like to see move into this vacant space.

A nice spot at the end of the strip just northeast of 10th Street and Geneva Avenue sits empty. What would you like to see fill the space? Neighbors to the space are Twin Cities Pawn and PT’s Pastrami and More. Leasing agent Jodi Walfoort of Suntide Commercial Realty said the space formerly housed a Curves gym for women, and is set up well for another fitness-oriented business to move in. There's parking on two sides of the building, with enough capacity for a business that offers classes, she said, such as a yoga or Pilates studio.  

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Lawrence Gordon

8:19 am on Friday, April 13, 2012

I would caution you not to get your hopes up for any type of establishment that people in Oakdale would actually enjoy patronizing, because the Met council will determine that its impact will require tens of thousands of dollars in approval fees.   more ›

Next Generation Taking Over at Oakdale Collision Center

The mild winter allowed Michelle and Don Juen Jr. to ease into ownership of the auto body shop, after taking over in October.

Don Juen Jr. and Michelle Juen took ownership of Oakdale Collision Center in October from Don’s parents, who established the auto body shop about 12 years ago in the former emissions testing building. Now, Don runs the shop and Michelle runs the office. Both are Tartan High School graduates who grew up in Oakdale. We asked them about the business, and what kinds of changes they’re making as new owners. Oakdale Patch: Before your parents opened the shop 12 years ago, had they been in this kind of a business? Don Juen Jr.: Yeah, my dad did about 10 years prior. He owned a couple body shops with a partner. He worked at a dealership prior to that. He’s been in the body business for almost his whole life Oakdale Patch: So did you grow up around…

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Oakdale Liquor Store Owner Predicted His Future Business in High School

Gator’s Liquor owner Jon Mast predicted in high school that he'd be the owner of a liquor store someday.

On Jon Mast’s last day of high school at Hill-Murray, he remembers filling out a questionnaire that asked where he’d be in 10 years—what his profession would be, whom he’d be married to and how many kids he’d have. His predictions were right on all counts, down to his kids’ genders—one boy and one girl. In 2007, at age 25, Mast made his plan to become a liquor store owner reality when he opened Gator’s Liquor in a space at 1409 Helmo Ave. that had been vacated by another liquor store. We talked with Mast about his work, and why he was drawn to the business. Oakdale Patch: How did you get into the liquor business? Mast: In college I had a job at a liquor store and I worked part time there. It became full time and I kind of learned the ropes…

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VIDEO: Five Steps to Claiming Your Business Listing on Oakdale Patch

A one-minute video guide to claiming your free business listing on Oakdale Patch.

When Patch launched in Oakdale just over a year ago, a slew of contributors ventured to local businesses to collect information for our directory. The result: Patch Places. Patch Places is the spot to find descriptions, hours, accepted payment methods and more for spots around town. You can even see what your neighbors think of a business before you try it or write your own review. But local businesses get extra bonuses when they claim their free listing. Owners or managers can sign in and search for their business. Underneath the photos, there is a box with the question: Do you own or manage this location? Claim it! Just click Claim it! and a form will pop up asking for contact information and authorization to claim it. Within a few days…

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