News in Economic Development

Small Business Saturday - November 25, 2023

Show Ramsey businesses how much you appreciate them and what they do for our community by shopping locally this holiday season and throughout the year. Mayor Kuzma has declared Saturday, November 26, 2023 "Small Business Saturday" in the City of Ramsey and urges residents to support our small businesses. Download a list of Ramsey businesses. Read the mayoral proclamation here.

Business Networking Breakfast Scheduled for February 7, 2024

Ramsey's Economic Development Authority has scheduled the annual Business Networking Breakfast for Wednesday, February 7th, 2024. Topic will be the Highway 10/Ramsey Gateway project. Ramsey businesses and community leaders are encouraged to register early for this free event that includes a hot breakfast. For more details or to register, click here.

Newly Remodeled Event Center Opens in the COR

The beautiful new LaFontaine Event Center, located at 7533 Sunwood Dr NW (formerly Fountains of Ramsey), is now open and ready to host your event! The facility is over 9,000 square feet and holds up to 450 people. Amenities include seating for 300, bridal suite, sound and lighting with projector, patio and garden with fountain, large windows and multiple digital displays. All-inclusive packages and on-site catering is available. Contact LaFontaine at 651-352-6000 or visit www.lafontainemn.com to set up a tour or make a reservation.

Minnesota Tool & Die Works: 2023 Chamber Manufacturer of the Year Award Winner

Congratulations goes out to Minnesota Tool & Die Works, Inc on their 2023 Anoka Area Chamber Manufacturing Business of the Year award! Minnesota Tool & Die Works specializes in the design and manufacture of metal stamping dies for various industrial sectors. They have been in Ramsey since 1998.

Total Country BOB-FM: 2023 Chamber Retail Business of the Year Award Winner

Congratulations to Total Country BOB-FM on receiving the 2023 Anoka Area Chamber Retail Business of the Year award! BOB-FM studios are located in Ramsey while programming can be heard on KLCI/106.1; KDDG/105.5 in Albany/St.Cloud, Minnesota; and KBGY/107.5 in Faribault, Minnesota (covering Southern Minnesota).

Inky Elf: 2023 Chamber Service Business of the Year Award

Congratulations to Inky Elf on receiving the 2023 Anoka Area Chamber Service Business of the Year award! Inky Elf provides printing, promotional and marketing services to area businesses. They have been located in Ramsey since 2004.

Ramsey Businesses Receive 2023 Minnesota's Best Awards

Congratulations to these Ramsey businesses on being named Star Tribune Readers' Choice 2023 Minnesota's Best with over one million votes cast!

Waste Disposal/Recycling: Ace Solid Waste – Silver
Garage Door Company: All Seasons Garage Door – Gold
Senior Care Services: Suite Living Senior Care - Bronze

View the full list of winners at https://www.votedminnesotasbest.com

Home2Suites by Hilton Ramsey Breaks Ground

Groundbreaking took place October 5th on the future site of the 98-unit Home2Suites by Hilton, located at 7895 Sunwood Dr NW. Construction is scheduled to begin soon with completion in 2024. City representatives and staff were in attendance. Read press release.

Ramsey Approves Purchase Agreement to Apartment Developer

The Ramsey City Council approved a purchase agreement for 4 acres of land in the Center of Ramsey on a 5-1 vote at its meeting on Aug. 22. The purchase agreement paves the way for Norhart Architecture LLC to construct a 200-unit market-rate apartment building on Parcel 46, Ramsey Economic Development Manager Sean Sullivan told the council.  Read full story...

PACT Charter Welcomes Students with New Campus

Less than a year after breaking ground, PACT Charter School opened its doors on September 11 to an entirely new student experience – a second campus separating the Elementary and Secondary students. The expansion is part of a $41 million project that built a new building and renovated the current building where PACT has housed K-12 students since moving to Ramsey in 2004.

The new Secondary Campus serves as both a middle and high school. It is located at 7729 - 161st Avenue Northwest in Ramsey, less than three miles from their Elementary Campus. The new campus boasts an auditorium, football stadium, track, media center, and industrial art classrooms. It also has a wing just for grade 6 students as a way to transition them more slowly into the middle school environment. Read full article here. 

Lil' Explorers Childcare Center

Construction is nearing completion for a 16,299 SF building for Lil' Explorers Childcare in Ramsey. This project is located at the northeast corner of Bunker Lake and Ramsey Blvds. The City of Ramsey would like to thank Lil' Explorers for their investment in the community to help provide additional childcare space in the community.

PSD LLC Construction of 5th Building is Underway

PSD LLC has started site work on its fifth building in Bunker Lake Industrial Park (BLIP) on Bunker Lake Blvd west of Armstrong Blvd. Since 2018, PSD has constructed four industrial buildings exceeding 240,000 square feet. The newest building will be 84,000 square feet and should be ready for lease in 2024. Read more here.

SA Breaks Ground for 46K SF Expansion

City officials joined Soderholm & Associates (SA) and sister company, Water Control Corp (WCC), at a groundbreaking ceremony for their 46,000 square ft expansion on September 7, 2023. The new addition will triple the size of the existing facility. Completion is expected in early 2024. As a business member for 43 years, the City of Ramsey thanks SA/WCC for their long tenure and investment in Ramsey and providing quality job opportunities for residents. SA/WCC is located at 7150 143rd Avenue NW.

Blue Line Collision Builds New 12,000 SF Facility in Ramsey

Blue Line Collision, an existing Ramsey business, is constructing a new 12,320 SF building at 6710 Hwy 10 NW in Ramsey. Blue Line Collision is a business that was impacted by the Ramsey Gateway Highway 10 project. The City of Ramsey and Anoka County worked together with Blue Line to find a suitable site for a new facility that will allow them to better serve their customers. Anoka County allowed Blue Line to lease back their current property until the new building is completed later in 2023. The City of Ramsey appreciates Blue Line Collision and their investment in the City of Ramsey.

Metro Transit Increases Service on Northstar Starting October 2nd

After gathering feedback from customers, Metro Transit is happy to provide increased weekday service on Northstar beginning Monday, Oct. 2. There is no regular weekend service planned at this time. Service to Vikings home games will begin Sunday, Oct. 8, 2023. Schedules can be found online here.

Twin Cities Startup Week September 18-21, 2023

MN Department of Economic Development (DEED) invites businesses and entrepreneurs to attend the various events and seminars offered for new or potential businesses. Visit www.twincitiesstartupweek.com for more information, schedules and registration links.

EDA Business Appreciation & Golf Tournament

Congratulations to B&F Fastener Supply as they were awarded "2023 Ramsey Business of the Year".  The award was presented at the EDA's annual Business Appreciation & Golf Tournament on August 15, 2023 at The Links at Northfork.  Each year, Ramsey's Economic Development Authority selects a local business to receive this award based on their exemplary standing in various categories. More details and photos of the event can be found here.

Miss Iz Voted "2023 Reader's Choice Best Ice Cream Shop"

First year Ramsey business, Miss Iz Ice Cream & Soda Pop Shop, has been voted "2023 Reader's Choice Best Ice Cream Shop". Winners were announced in the June 28, 2023 edition of Anoka County Shopper.

Adrenaline Sports Center to Host American Cornhole League

Adrenaline Sports Center is hosting the American Cornhole League's Open, Pro Shootout and SuperHole events June 23-25, 2023. Catch the action on ESPN2 on Friday at 7:00 PM CDT. The event is open to the public. Watch the livestream or download the full broadcast schedule at www.iplaycornhole.com or www.adrenalinesc.com.

B&F Fastener Supply Acquires Northern States Supply

Ramsey-based business, B&F Fastener Supply, recently announced they have acquired respected, long-time competitor, Northern States Supply, based in Willmar, MN. The acquisition will create an expansion to 21 locations and 300 employees across the upper midwest. Read full release.

EDA Business Expo

The City of Ramsey Economic Development Authority (EDA) hosted another successful Business Expo on Saturday, April 29, 2023 with almost 60 vendor booths and around 600 guests attending. For more photos or to view a list of attending vendors, visit the Expo page at www.cityoframsey.com/372/EDA-Business-Expo. 

QCTV Features Ramsey Businesses

QCTV recently featured Ramsey business Anoka Ramsey Farm & Garden, Ramsey Bicycle and King Kong Hobbies in a recent Live and Local segment. Check out these and more Ramsey stories on QCTV's YouTube channel.

Highway 10 Open House

Anoka County, in partnership with MNDOT and City of Ramsey, held an open house on April 12, 2023 to review the final project design and plans for the Highway 10 improvement project. For more information or to view current updates, visit www.anokacountyramseygateway.com.  

View a simulation of the new Highway 10 through Ramsey:

Anoka Area Chamber Offer for Highway 10 Businesses

Pete Turok, President of the Anoka Area Chamber of Commerce, has announced an offer to help Ramsey businesses affected by the Highway 10 project, whether a chamber member or not. Click here for more details or visit AAC's website at www.anokaareachamber.com. 

Business Visits

Each year, Economic Development Staff and officials connect with various Ramsey businesses to see how things are going and answer any questions they might have. The visit includes a confidential business survey that allows businesses to share ideas, communicate concerns, and educate city staff about their business. The visit is conversational and usually takes 30-60 minutes. Ninety business visits have been conducted over the past three years. A summary presentation is given to the EDA each year at the January EDA meeting.

If your Ramsey business would like to schedule a visit (phone call or in-person), please contact Wendy Schlueter at 763-433-9828 or Sean Sullivan at 763-433-9868. 

O'Reilly Auto Parts Holds Ribbon Cutting

O'Reilly Auto Parts, located at 7248 Sunwood Dr NW, celebrated their grand opening in a winter storm on December 21, 2022.

Photo Credit: Pete Turok, Anoka Area Chamber of Commerce

QCTV Live & Local - Ramsey

The November 2022 edition of QCTV's Live & Local Ramsey features Ramsey's City Administrator Brian Hagen, Planning Manager Todd Larson and Economic Development Manager Sean Sullivan, along with several local Ramsey businesses. Watch and learn more about what's happening in Ramsey.

Thank You, Hoya!

The City of Ramsey would like to give a big thank you to the HOYA Vision Care staff for volunteering their time to do a community cleanup on October 21st! They helped beautify the area around Jaspar Street and 143rd Avenue, along with the walking trail around Cottonwood Park located along Sunwood Drive and Bunker Lake Boulevard. Visit our City's Adopt-A-Spot program page to learn more about it.

Free STEM Intern Resource for Employers

Your small company can build its future workforce, source great talent AND access a wage match to cover 50% of a college STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Math) intern’s wages through the SciTech Internship Program. Learn more at SciTechMN.org.

• Employers receive a wage match of 50% of the intern’s wages, worth up to $2,500.
• SciTech is free for students and small employers.
• At least 200 wage matches are available on a first-come, first-hire basis.
• Industries include tech, biotech, engineering, manufacturing, energy, aerospace, ag and more!

ACE Solid Waste Receives Chamber Retail Service Award

Ace Solid Waste received a Retail Service of the Year award at the Annual Breakfast Meeting of the Anoka Area Chamber of Commerce that took place on October 12th. The chamber is in its 70th year of operation. ACE has been a Ramsey business since 1999.

Anytime Fitness Expansion & Relocation

November 2022
Congratulations to Anytime Fitness Ramsey (Sunwood Drive) on their recent relocation and expansion to the West Armstrong Retail building at 8019 146^th Ave NW, Suite 101. The new facility offers 300+ more square feet and is located right off of Armstrong Blvd and Highway 10.

Retro Style Ice Cream Shop Opens in Ramsey

Miss Iz Ice Cream & Soda Pop Shop, located at 14050 St Francis Blvd NW (Suite B2) in Ramsey Town Square, held their Grand Opening on October 22nd followed by a ribbon cutting ceremony on October 25th. Miss Iz is a 1950’s inspired style ice cream shop named after the owners’ daughter, Isabella. They offer 12 premium hard scooped ice cream flavors, 4 Gelato options, a dozen soda pop flavors (with option to add a scoop to float it), in-house created ice cream cookie sandwiches and other yummy treats! Visit their website at https://www.missizicecream.com or find them on social media.

PACT Charter Breaks Ground on New Secondary Campus

On Thursday, October 6, 2022, PACT Charter School broke ground on their new Secondary Campus in Ramsey, Minnesota. Hundreds gathered to celebrate the occasion in a groundbreaking ceremony that included students, parents, staff, and local and state officials. Read full article...

October is Minnesota Manufacturing Month

October 2022 
Gov. Tim Walz has declared October as Manufacturing Month in the State of Minnesota. Read proclamation here.

Ramsey Apartment Complex Fetches $28.56M

September 2022 
A five-year-old apartment building in Ramsey appears to have been a good investment for the out-of-state investor that bought the property in 2018. Curtis Capital Group of Bellevue, Washington, sold the 121-unit Park View East building at 14450 Rhinestone St NW for $28.56 million, according to a certificate of real estate value made public Tuesday. Curtis Capital paid $22 million for the building in 2018. The real estate document lists the buyer as PA Parkview SPE LLC, which shares the same address as MinnDakotaProperties. Edina-based MinnDakota Properties “acquires and self-manages rental properties across the Twin Cities,”according to its website. Read full article... 

Unique Free Business and Financial Assistance for Ramsey Businesses

September 2022
Are you interested in starting a small business in Ramsey or expanding your current business? Metropolitan Consortium of Community Developers (MCCD) is a non-profit entity that offers small business owners in Anoka County free assistance and alternative financing options through their Open to Business program. More information is available on their website or under Related Links on our Economic Development page.

2022 Ramsey Business of the Year: Plants & Things

August 2022
Congratulations to PLANTS & THINGS USA, recipients of the 2022 Ramsey Business of the Year! Plants & Things, located at the corner of Highway 10 & Sunfish Lake Blvd (13745 Sunfish Lake Blvd NW), started their business as a fruit & vegetable stand in 1979. They offer the largest selection of maintenance-free recycled materials, ship their products globally and now employ 69 people companywide. They are active in the community by donating to local schools, churches, festivals and other charities. The City of Ramsey is proud to have Plants & Things in our business community.

Each year, Ramsey's Economic Development Authority selects a local business to receive this award based on their exemplary standing in various categories. The Business of the Year award is presented at the Business Appreciation Event in August.

Oppidan Breaks Ground on $40M Project

June 2022
Oppidan, Inc. held a groundbreaking ceremony on June 16, 2022 in Ramsey's 140 acre Bunker Lake Industrial Park (BLIP) for their latest project. The $40M investment will bring three new industrial buildings (over 400,000 SF total) and business growth to Ramsey. An anticipated 300 new jobs will be created as a result. To date, there has been over 470,000 SF of new building space created in BLIP.

Power Lodge Acquires Miller Marine of St. Cloud

May 2022
Power Lodge, with four dealership locations in Minnesota and Florida (including Ramsey), has acquired Miller Marine of St. Cloud (and its earworm of a radio jingle!). Read more at Powersports Business...

Dedicated Networks Recognized as Outstanding Business

May 2022
Dedicated Networks was recognized at the May 10, 2022 City Council meeting as Outstanding Business for their contributions to the City of Ramsey. Over the years they have participated in a myriad of programs that benefit Ramsey residents. In addition to being a Happy Days sponsor, Dedicated Networks sponsored an Earth Day event in April to remove significant amounts of litter and debris along streets and stormwater ponds within the business park near Unity Street. Volunteers planted 7 boulevard trees in the business park, including a $600 large Oak tree donated by Dedicated Networks. Dedicated Networks Inc has been a prominent family business headquartered in Ramsey since 2012, and employs more than 140 area residents. Dedicated Networks is also one of the 2022 Business of the Year nominees. Thank you to Dedicated Networks and their employees!

2022 EDA Business Expo a Success!

April 2022
The rain couldn't keep away the crowd. The 2022 Ramsey EDA Business Expo saw potentially the largestattendance ever. An estimated 650-750 attended the event on Saturday, April 30th to learn more about Ramsey and surrounding businesses. Additional photos and a list of particpating vendors can be found on the Business Expo page. Thank you to all who attended!

Welcome New EDA Members

April 2022
Scott Wiyninger and Shanna Stewart were recently sworn in as the newest members of Ramsey's Economic Development Authority. Scott will hold a 6 year term and Shanna's is a 4 year term. Scott moved to Ramsey in 2021 and is married with four children. Shanna has lived in Ramsey for awhile and is married with two children. Both are looking forward to being part of the EDA.

Gigi's Salon & Spa Opens at New Location

March 2022
Gigi's Salon and Spa has officially relocated to their new 9700 sq ft building at 7850 Sunwood Dr NW, across from Coborn's gas station. Gigi's new location will include expanded services. You can view their QCTV segment describing the new location here or take a look inside. Congratulations, Gigi's!

Scott Cords Day - February 10, 2022

The City of Ramsey announced at the February 8th City Council meeting that February 10th, 2022 would be proclaimed Scott Cords Day. Scott Cords passed away on January 27th unexpectedly. He was a Ramsey resident, very active in his community and most recently was the Chairman of Ramsey's Economic Development Authority. He volunteered for TLC Toys and was part of a featured WCCO News segment in December, found here. Watch the February 8, 2022 City Council meeting reading of the proclamation here.

Sammy Perrella's Pizza Coming to Ramsey

January 2022
Sammy's Pizza is now open at 13939 St Francis Blvd NW Ste 100 in Ramsey as a take-out pizza and sandwich shop. Read full article in ABC Newspapers. Watch their Facebook page for store opening details.

Northern Starz Center for the Performing Arts Celebrates 10 Years

January 2022
Northern Stars Center for the Performing Arts, located at 5300 Alpine Dr NW, Ste 200 in Ramsey, is celebrating 10 years! Read full article...

Riversbend Bar & Grill Expansion

November 2021
Congratulations to Riversbend Bar & Grill, located at 14077 St Francis Blvd NW, on their recent dining room expansion to accommodate a large group dining area and golf simulator. Book online at www.golfriversbend.com. 

Ribbon Cuttings Held for New Ramsey Businesses

November 2021
Anoka Area Chamber held ribbon cutting ceremonies for Big Adventures Academy, a child care facility that recently opened in West Armstrong retail center and Jernell Realty, a realtor in the Rum River retail center. Congratulations!

Delta ModTech - Twin Cities Business Magazine's "2021 Family Business of the Year"

October 2021 
Delta ModTech, who relocated to Ramsey in 2020, is one of five Minnesota companies selected as "2021 Family Business of the Year" by Twin Cities Business Magazine. Read full article in the October issue of Twin Cities Business Magazine here. Their story starts on page 48. Congratulations Delta ModTech!

Ramsey Industrial Development Site Sells for $4 million

September 21, 2021
Ramsey Industrial Owner LLC, an entity related to the Rockpoint Group real estate firm in Dallas, has paid $4 million for the site of a future $42.7 million industrial development in Ramsey. Rockpoint is working with Excelsior-based Oppidan, which plans to develop three speculative industrial buildings at the site. The buildings will offer more than 405,000 square feet of manufacturing and warehouse space, according to city documents. Read full article.

Delta ModTech Breaks Ground in Ramsey

October 20, 2019
A well-anticipated manufacturer is adding jobs and helping grow the city of Ramsey. Delta ModTech broke ground Oct. 8 as the first business to move into Ramsey's Bunker Lake Business Park. Read more at hometownsource.com.

Delta ModTech to Break Ground on $16M Facility

September 24, 2019
Web product converter Delta ModTech will break ground Oct. 8 on a 210,000-square-foot production and engineering building on a portion of 43 acres of industrial land. The company paid $3.51 million for the property inside the 125-acre Bunker Lake Industrial Park, according to a certificate of real estate value made public late last week. Read full article.