Business

In the interest of having fun, keeping restaurants honest, and then eating out so we don't have to wash pots and pans, and, although I keep typing 'blob', we now have a mostly Northfield restaurant blog up at http://blog.beautywood.com/blog

We don't have comments open on it yet because we are getting a lot of ringtone offers to delete, but you can send comments by emailing me any time, day or night (doesn't mean I will reply or anything ;) ), at brightbrightlight@yahoo.com

We will be hitting the road and talking about nearby locations outside of Northfield from time to time as well.

We received this note today from Bright Spencer...

Although not about Northfield, many of us and several businesses will feel this impact either positively or not so much!

I talked to the manager of Monte's Steak House today, while trying to make a reservation. He told me that due to the soft economy they were closed and trying to re-organize something. Very vague, no target date to re-open. 

Good Luck!

QSC of Northfield doing business as ServiceMaster by Ayotte recently had two employees, Tim Naumann and Northfield native Marc Anthony pass their Fire & Smoke Restoration (SRT) and Odor Control (OCT) certification classes.

The SRT course concentrates on technical procedure for successfully completing the restoration of a fire and smoke damaged environment. Technicians learn how to combine technical procedures with practical approach methods to manage the job site and how it relates to the pricing the job.

The OCT course covered olfaction and odor, odor sources, detection process, theory of odor control, equipment, chemical options and applications. Each participant learned how to address odors caused from biological sources such as decomposition, urine contamination, and mold; combustion sources such as fire and smoke damage and chemical sources such as fuel oil spill and volatile organic chemicals.

Just Food would like to thank customers by offering a free cup of hot, organic, fair-trade coffee with any purchase this Saturday from 8 a.m.- 6 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. And we recommend pairing your coffee with a delicious cookie from Positively Third Street bakery in Duluth, on sale Saturday only for $1.50. Avoid the construction- take 6th St. west off of Division to get to Just Food at 516 Water St. S. Everyone's welcome at Just Food Co-op!

We received this note from local attorney Carl Arnold about a resource website he created to help Northfielders find information about the Collaborative Divorce process...

The website, www.NorthfieldCollaborativeDivorce.com includes profiles of all seven collaboratively trained professionals with offices in Northfield. Currently the following professionals are listed: Attorneys Carl J. Arnold, W. Bradley Frago, James J. Schlichting, Maren L. Swanson, Michelle M. Lasswell, Philip M. Zrimsek, and Psychologist Michelle M. Millenacker.

Collaborative Divorce is a no-court alternative to traditional litigated divorce.  In the Collaborative process, each spouse has a Collaboratively trained lawyer and everyone (both spouses and both lawyers) signs a written agreement not to take the case to court. 

The Creative Professionals Committee of the Northfield Area Chamber of Commerce presents The Third Annual Golf-A-Palooza, "What Happens in Northfield, Stays in Northfield" Thursday, June 26, 2008 at Willingers Golf Club. Sponsored by Community Resource Bank.

Don't miss out on the NOT-TO-BE-MISSED event of the summer. Golf-A-Palooza is open to anyone who would like to meet and mingle with business professionals from the Northfield and surrounding areas.

Following the resounding success of the “Girls Nite Out” event held May 9 in downtown Northfield, the “Girls Nite Out” organizing committee has given a portion of the event proceeds in the amount of $1,500 to the local philanthropic group WINGS (Women in Northfield Giving Support). Organizers also announced that part of the proceeds from this annual event will be given each year from now on to WINGS.

Coming to your neighborhood.... Starting June 3rd, Sweet Pea's Toys & Treats will be bringing back the Ice Cream Man, on a trike! The new green version of the ice cream man we remember from childhood will be peddling into your neighborhood with the sounds and treats we all remember.

He will be starting with six types of ice cream, including chocolate crunch bars, strawberry crunch bars, chocolate chip cookie sandwhich, Oreo cookie sandwhich and the old time favorites the Bomb Pop and Push Up.

Now your kids can have the same great memories growing up. Available for parties, events, and fundraisers stop into Sweet Pea's Loft or Toys & Treats for more information.

Have a great and safe summer!

Cocoa Bean will be holding an Hawaiian Shaved Ice fundraiser this Saturday, May 31st from 12-5 pm at their location downtown (515 Division Street South). Northfield Montessori is the benefactor of this event and will receive 50 cents from each item sold to be used to start a children's vegetable garden on their preschool playground. Come enjoy a beautiful stroll downtown with an Hawaiian Shaved Ice and give Northfield Montessori children the excitement of watching their hard work blossom.

The newly formed Northfield Karate Club is offering free classes in traditional Okinawan karate. Karate develops self-confidence, strength, stamina, and flexibility. Its emphasis is on both physical and mental conditioning with the goal of developing students to their maximum potential. Classes are open to all ages.

The Northfield Karate Club aims to bring students together in a rewarding physical activity that fosters both individual skills and community spirit. Karate is also a great family activity! The club is part of the Ueshiro Shorin-Ryu Karate USA organization, with clubs and dojos in dozens of cities in the U.S. Classes are held three times a week at the Dance Studio in Carleton's Recreation Center. Students may attend as many classes as they wish.

"I Love Downtown Northfield" buttons.  Hot off the press! Tim Sellars has these fine accoutrements at his shop. The buttons are currently available at Tiny's, Present Perfect, digs, By All Means Graphics and The Contented Cow.  And the Rare Pair!  They will also be available at the Taste of Northfield (June 19th) and other NDDC events.  The donation of $1 is a small price to pay for the hottest trend in accessory-wear.  And since you asked - I'll tell you why I love downtown Northfield.  Because all the shop owners I've met are so friendly and genuinely interested in supporting a sustainable town.  Good business for them of course, but they do go out of their way for their customers/neighbors. Case in point: the other night I went to another event at Tiny's (had a Reuben Hot Dog by the way - yum-o).  It was the Commons Cafe discussion led by the Northfield CSL.  Norm Butler and a few of his staff stopped by to say hello but got called away to take care of business.  Tim was willing to stay open a little later because our discussion went long.