S6:E6 - Foodies, Families and Unexpected Paths with Shawn and Aiden Ulmer

You are listening to the Growing Small Towns Show, a podcast dedicated to supporting you, the person who really cares about the future of your small town. We believe when people get better, everything gets better, and our episodes offer the ideas and actions that prioritize people and small communities. Thank you for listening. We're so glad you're here. Our guest on today's episode, uh, another twofer for you guys. Uh, today we are sitting down with Sean and Aiden Ulmer of Oaks, North Dakota, and they are a father and son duo. Um, and Sean and his family have owned a really cornerstone key anchor business in our community for multiple generations, John's the second generation. We talk a lot about how the restaurant business has been a huge part of his life, how he kind of came to love it, and now Aiden has returned, and the biggest reason, so I mean, this bar restaurant is called the Angry Beaver Lodge. It's kind of famous. It's North Dakota famous for sure. And so we wanted to talk a bit about that. I think we have, we're one of those communities, we're just really, really lucky that we have a place in town where we can get a steak. That's like a thing that people will say like, "Oh, I just wish we could get a steak." Well, we get to eat them and they're delicious. But also I felt like it would be really a fun conversation because Aiden, like a lot of young people, was just on a trajectory or had— and by the way, like this doesn't mean he's here for good. Like that's— we have to be honest about that. But he didn't ever expect to return. To Oaks. It wasn't part of his plan. It wasn't really part of his vision. And so we've talked, we talk a lot about, you know, what kind of, what either changed his mind or what was it about the opportunity that made him decide to return. And on a personal note, this family means everything to me. They're just such important people in my lives. So this was honestly just a thrill. It's always a thrill to do this show, but when I get to sit down and have these kinds of conversations and actually make my good friend Sean like on the jump, like at the jump, a little bit uncomfortable. It's like the thrill, the thrill of my life. So, uh, big booming voices, big huge personalities. Uh, please enjoy this conversation with Sean and Aidan Ulmer. Here we go. Hey guys. Hello. Welcome to the show.

Thanks for having us.

I know, look at you guys. You both are gonna have to lean a little closer to that mic. I know.

Okay, there we go.

Look it, you guys look so adorable. Okay, your my second duo in person. So thanks for bearing with the single mic situation.

All good. No problem.

You two are two of the chattiest men I actually know. And you're like, you're like, solemnness is actually delighting me to pieces right now.

My wife said when I left to come to this, she said, I said, okay, I'll see you in an hour. She goes, You, Chilli, and Bec, I'll see you in two.

She's not— well, we'll see. It depends if we get you guys warmed up here. So, okay, so maybe we're a little outside of the norm of what you typically do, um, but I shared with you guys a little bit about why I'm super excited to have you here. Because— so I think because, um, we'll start with maybe age before beauty, and we'll, we'll let Sean talk a little bit about— oh, just about like your family's legacy with food service. Um, because, okay, so, you know, I've been back for what, I think 17 years-ish or something. We invite, you know, we have friends that come and visit. We, I've sent Angry Beaver t-shirts to people because like the name's a thing, right? Um, people would kill to have your restaurant in their town, like especially those that just have nothing. Um, that made it sound like nothing, you're yours, and they'll pick yours. But I simply meant like, this is a real— this is a huge benefit, huge amenity for our town. We all know it. Um, I think sometimes our— as locals, we get a little bit, um, we forget, right? We kind of take it for granted. But you've been in food service forever, so yeah, yeah.

So tell me, yeah, I grew up in the business with my, my folks owning a restaurant in Valley City called Howard's, which ended up being City Lights, and I believe now it's a Mexican restaurant. But yeah, grew up in the business, started, um bussing tables at 11, and then graduated to dishes, and then graduated to cooking, and then graduated to serving, and kind of on and on from there. And realized— I went to college one year and realized what I wanted to do was own my own restaurant, and I wasn't going to be able to do that going to college. I need to get out in the working world. I did that and I got some more experience and kind of ended up getting an offer from my parents to, um, you know, and not many people get this. It's pretty privileged to say like, hey, you know what, would you like to buy into this? And you can just pay us back as you go. It doesn't get any better than that, right? Like, to have that helping hand where a lot of people don't get it. So I'm very grateful for that and where it has put me in the position it put me in. And not to say that, you know, all the other things they instilled in me and gave me, like, you know, a hard work ethic and, you know, things like that as well that kind of got us to where we've been and been able to be at one place for so long, which has been a blessing, right?

Why food? Like, what was it about it?

You know, you know, like, what did it—

what did it— because like, to me, dude, I'm serious, I'm like, it is the last thing I would ever want to do. Seriously. I mean, I'm not skilled to do it, but it's just like, it's so, um, people are so damn fickle. Like, I just don't—

yeah, it's funny, you know. Um, I, I— it is funny, like, when you bring it up, I haven't really thought about it before when you asked that question. This is not something I would say I ever thought about. But when I was Chili's age and a little younger, I was all about the bar. My dad was alive then. My dad was in the kitchen every day. I had no desire to be in the kitchen anymore. I liked being in the bar. I liked being around the people. And then as I aged, and I credit this hugely to Food Network. Food Network made people become foodies that would never have been foodies.

Oh, that's cool.

And I would, yes.

I didn't at all expect you to say that.

No, and I'm not saying I'm right. I'm just saying that's my opinion. I have always been a foodie. I know you can't tell by looking at me when I walk down the street, but I have always been a foodie. And then when the Food Network came out, it almost made me, or the way my brain worked, want to be better at that. And of course I got older and my kids started to get older, and you're like, I don't want to stay here till 2 o'clock in the morning anymore. So I kind of, my brain and my body graduated to the kitchen and to pour kind of more into that. Um, so I think that's where the food part of it came from, right? Um, again, always been a, always been a big deal to me.

Yeah.

Uh, cooking at home, cooking for myself, cooking for other people, cooking whatever. Um, trying new ideas, recipes, things. Um, has always been a big deal. I just, I think I graduated from inventing the drinks to inventing the food. Um, and doing that. And then with my dad dying so early, I kind of was pushed into it, you know, like I didn't really have a choice. Someone had to go into the kitchen, right? But I was definitely ready to do it and I welcomed it. And like I said, I feel like it's just a passion of mine.

So yeah, that's super interesting. I have told like friends that don't know you guys, like people from— friends of mine from out of town, I'll be like, yeah, we're going to the lake. And then I'm always like, the guy who owns the lake— I'm always like, the guy who owns the lake cabin owns the Angry Bear Lodge. They're like, what? I'm like, yeah, it is. Eating your food, um, like in a social setting is just like the coolest thing ever. So thank you.

That's nice of you to say. I think that's exaggerated by a lot. Uh, no, it is nice of you to say. I mean, I am way more failures than I have successes, and I'm way better at cooking for the masses than I am 4 or 5 people.

Well, listen, the only reason you struggle to cook for 4 or 5 people is because you treat us like we're 12 to 15 people. It's, it's not that Yeah, it's a little tiny bit for that. It's— I know, sometimes I'm like, is there more? Like, 10 times the people? Who's— who else is coming? What's going on? Yeah, it's a lot of food. But okay, I love that. And I think— I think you're right. I mean, I— again, like, is this a documented thing? We don't do stats on this show. It's all anecdotal and we go by the feels. So— but I think that's true. I think it made food more accessible in a way that, like, it piqued people's interest about it.

So I can see something like— think about cilantro. Yeah. 25, 30 years ago, nobody cilantro anything unless you were from the South or the Southwest or something, you know?

Right.

And then people started seeing Emeril Lagasse go bam with cilantro in something. I remember the first time I cooked with it. I mean, I loaded it up. I had a big mouthful of dish soap.

Does it taste like soap to you?

No. But if you put that much in there. Yeah.

Well, yeah, right.

Tell me that. But if you use it properly, the way it's supposed to be used. It shouldn't—

but still, some people shouldn't be the only thing you taste in the dish.

You live and you learn. But you look at it like, I gotta try that, you know. You do the hard swallow when you're watching TV. I gotta go make that.

I also, from my perspective, feel like it made being a foodie like the norm.

Yeah.

Whereas before, I feel like you were kind of like, you know, if you were a foodie, you had your own little groups of foodies that went around and did things together. But The Food Network blowing up like it did kind of made it almost like, oh, that's just a normal person that really enjoys food, right? Rather than, oh, they're a foodie, right? Um, yeah, I feel like kind of there, there was a stigma behind foodies that they were so particular and so they needed everything in exact way. And then when the Food Network blew up, it kind of became not so much. And I was probably on the tail end of that.

Um, you're such a baby.

Yeah, so I don't know, just from my perspective, it seemed like when I was growing up, social media had this this kind of stigma for foodies that, that really went away.

Well, it's— yeah, it's— that's, that's interesting because like I've gone out to eat with your dad too, right? Like lots of times over the years, and like he's the opposite of— you're not like picky, is not like— you, you'll— you want to try all the things. Like you're more like that on the side, you know what I'm saying? So like it's just, it's just interesting.

Yeah, he does love to create his own menu items though. Yeah, order something and be like, can you add this and this and this though?

Yeah. Oh, I'm sure, sure.

But in a good way, where it's, yeah, add more to what they're doing rather than take off.

Well, and you and your wife both are like really gracious diners. I mean, when you go places, you, you're super thoughtful of the fact that like, well, it's because you know the business, right? Sure. It would make you, it would make you an interesting character if you were also an asshole, like as you dine to other places, you know, you run a business like this and then you're hard on the people that you, you know, you choose to go to. But Okay. So I think this is actually a really good segue into, into some of Aiden and his new role in the, in the bar, because you just said when you were Chili's age, you were like, wanted to be out front, wanted to do the social thing. Right. And now, um, that's a bit of a transition that's happened here. Right. So, so maybe I think where we should start, Aiden, well, actually let's, I'm gonna still, I'm gonna stay with you on this one and just. Did you have this in mind for him?

No, I don't want to— I don't want to go on this too long, but honestly, yeah, you're good. It's something I— when, when I— when the boys were young, I was always like, it would be cool if they could like to do this and then, you know, take this over. And then as they started to get older and realize what I do and the hours that I keep, I didn't want that for any of them. I didn't want them to give up nights and weekends. I didn't want them to have a family and be away from— like I was, you know, like, just, it's just different, right? Like, you just, as you get older and they grow up and like, all of my priorities for them changed. And it's like, it's cool that he's back. And I don't mean that, that, um, oh, he's here now and this is not what I want for him. You just want what, what, you know, you want it on—

you want it on their terms instead of yours, right?

And the thing is, is watching him Um, watching him when he was working as like, he had a full-time job but did this kind of part-time, not in this capacity, but kind of, and watching and then hearing him talk about the part-time job and the more of the passion he had for it, it's like, you don't want to push him in any direction, but you just want to say like, this is what's making you happy. You don't have to do it forever.

Yeah.

You should be happy doing what you're doing as long as you can make the money that you want to make and so on and so forth. So. Long story already too long. My idea was for them is to not ever do it. Um, but again, I would— I couldn't change that about me. I couldn't start over. There's a lot of things you want to start over and say, I would do that different. I maybe would want to, but I don't think I could. It's in me. It's, it's what I do. It's what I am.

Yeah. Do you feel like that, Aiden? I'm gonna have you scoot just a little closer. There you go. Perfect. Does that feel true for you? Does it?

I mean, I don't know about like in you? Yeah, I don't think I was for sure born that way. I think it was more so growing up. I mean, I, I have lots of memories of me and my brothers running around in the lodge when you were on a Sunday, you had to come down and do something, and we just kind of bullshitted around, you know, made spitballs and had a spitball war that I'm sure him or my mom had to clean up that probably sucked. But like, I remember those distinctly, or we had chair races where where we'd sit on the rolly chairs and race. And just being around the lodge for so long, I think it kind of, you know, just became a part of me, if that makes sense. Like, I wasn't born with it, but it just kind of came on.

When you were young, did you ever resent it?

No, I don't think so.

Like, not overtly, obviously. No. Okay.

Like, I wanted to work there. Like, in high school, I asked to work there, and I started as a dishwasher. I served for most of my time in high school. I helped cook when they needed it, which wasn't my favorite. Which is kind of funny to hear from him that he felt the same way because I'm so much of a people person. Being back in the kitchen is like, well, you're missing the action. Yeah, I'm missing out on that and I'm there somehow. Like, it doesn't really make a lot of sense in my head. Um, and I enjoy food, but yeah, I think the thing for me is like, I think it just kind of came on as I was there more and more, and then the 4, 4 and a half years in high school that I worked there, it just I kind of fell in love with serving and getting that connection. Because like even outside of work, like one of my favorite things is meeting new people.

Yeah.

And kind of seeing their walk of life and how life works for them. And kind of taking parts that I like and putting that into my own life.

Right.

So, you know, when you're at a bar 4 nights a week for 10 hours a day, you just see so many more of that and it just, it's super cool to see. So I just, I don't know, I think it just kind of has grown more and more as I've done it.

Right. Okay. So it's interesting because the challenging part about what you just said is that you're now doing this work in a very small town. So that like the new factor in terms of the people that you're serving, that's shifted a bit.

Yeah.

Right. I mean, doing what you're doing. So again, maybe for our audience here, what What is your official role?

I'm the, uh, front of house manager, so I manage both the dining room and the bar. Um, so basically anything that people see when they walk in, I manage. Okay, so I kind of technically have nothing to do with the kitchen. Obviously, if they ask—

yeah, the actual food, yeah, right. But the staff— but the staff—

so staffing is on me. We're kind of doing a gradual implementation, which I'm very grateful for just because I, when I came back to help, I had no intention of doing this. I actually had another job lined up and realized how much I enjoyed it. And, um, him and my mother also saw that, and so they offered me the job. So it wasn't like, you know, when I came back I had this intention of doing this. So, you know, we're gradually getting there to where I'm getting all of the responsibility and all of the, um, you know, the tasks that go along with it, um, as we go, which is really nice to kind of get into a flow and then add something else rather than all the tasks.

Yeah, it's also a new— it's a new job. I mean, right, Sean? Like, this wasn't a— this wasn't a position that a person had, that you— that you very much were just like, okay, here's the job description, Aiden, right? Um, and okay, so— and that's Okay, so a few things. I think that that's a natural transition for family in the case of your kid coming back. I think that's natural. I also know that it's really hard because it's new to both of you. You're giving, you Sean, are giving up, having to kind of give up some of the control. What has been the hardest thing about passing off? 'Cause let's just be real about it, front of house, the only thing that matters more than that is the actual food, like in terms of a person's experience in the bar or in the restaurant, right?

Like, and honestly, sometimes it can matter more because it—

yeah, it can overcome.

It can overcome a bad meal, but you have great service and everything else is great. 100% to come back a lot of times.

Totally.

Especially if people are saying that their food is good, you're knowing that you just got a bad experience probably one time.

Yeah. Or, or pick something that didn't serve your palate or whatever. Exactly right. Yeah.

So, so I kind of went through this before with Tom. He's not obviously relation of mine, but he feels, he feels like it.

There's not enough room in this podcast studio for Tom too.

We've been together a long time. I gradually let him kind of take over running the kitchen over time, kind of like what we're doing with Aiden. That was hard for me.

Yeah.

Not because of giving— the guy's very extremely talented. He can do anything in there that he wants to do, and I kind of give him full range to do it. My point is, for me, it was just like the way I do things, right? Like everyone's got their way of doing things, and that was the harder part to give up. I do remember, and I think I said this to Chilli as well, when he first started, people saying all these things about, you know, what a great job he's doing, he's better than you, you know, all these things. And I can remember thinking to myself, how my, how my dad, um, I think he felt threatened by me a little bit, um, because of my personality, right? And not like my dad didn't have a big personality as well, but because I kind of was in the bar all the time and he was in the kitchen and people were coming in to see me and say hi to me, um, and, and for me it's almost a thing of pride if they say that to me. I'm not, I'm not— I probably sounded what I said there like I'm picking on my dad. By no means am I. I think he struggled with it more because He was the guy out front, and even though he was in the kitchen, that people were like, we're here to see Dick, we're here to see him, we're here to eat his food, we're here to whatever. I come out, I got this big personality, I get these younger people because at the time I'm Chili's age and I get all these young people coming in to see me. I don't know that he felt threatened so much, but I think maybe more threatened than he felt disappointed because I think he was proud of me as well. I haven't felt that though, and I, and I was never worried about it. 'Cause I never thought about it. But then when people started saying that, I'm like, oh, you know, this could be something where I maybe should worry, you know? But I really don't 'cause I want him.

I want him to be able to have that success in that anyways. Yeah.

Well, and it is, it's super cool that you actually experience, I think it's really cool that you experienced kind of a similar transition to what Aiden is going through right now. And by the way, for our listeners, Aiden and Chili are the same person.

Colloquial.

Yeah, we go back and forth. But I, I think it— like 10 years ago, even, even just a decade ago, you were the guy they came to see, Sean. Like, so what you just described, it, it is you, it was you, and it still is for a lot of people. Oh, but that, right, that, that new kind of ushering in a new generation, a new group of people.

Um, well, yeah, because my age group, that they, you know, you start at a certain point, especially when you talk about the bar side.

Yeah.

You kind of age out of it, right?

Yep.

It is. It's, it's not something you even— it's not something you would even sit down and think about. It's just the way the world works, the way your body works, your brain works. So I'm that age, all of my customers that are aged, you just start, you just start, you know, aging out of it. So now he's bringing in, you know, his, his age group and his, his friend group, and it's awesome to see.

Yeah.

Yeah. It's, uh, it's, it's been really tough too. I mean, I, I'm not here reading a bunch of articles and stuff, but I see headlines and I, I read a little bit, and the, the new generations are going out less and drinking less.

They are drinking less. That is, that's factual.

Yes.

We're not going to quote the stat.

Exactly.

Like, look up stats on the show.

Yeah, I've seen a lot of headlines that, that kind of say that and are, are showing that trend that less and less people are drinking, and less and less people are drinking more often as well. So when they go out, they're drinking less, and they're actually going out less.

Yeah.

Um, so that's been something that I think hasn't been super affected in our small town area. But I'm wondering, you know, as I'm working, I'm really thinking about that. Like, he's told me a lot of times that he ushered in his generation into the bar, and that's kind of in the back of my head of something that I'd like to do is really get all of our you know, the people my age from our community, you know, in more, but it's been kind of tough because that's, it's becoming less of the norm to go out. Right. So.

So what do you, yeah, what, I mean, how, well, how are you thinking about that challenge? Like what are you thinking about doing? And the hardest thing is that obviously you need to sell booze. Like that's, that's what, that's what it is. But what does an alternative to that, like what, what is, what are you thinking about?

I think for us, the big thing is people really want community at least in my head, a lot of people more want community than they want to go out and have a beer. Um, and that's kind of what you're doing when you're going out and having a beer. You're not, for the most part, you're not just going out just to drink a beer. You could do that at home. What you're wanting to get is the connection, the community, the, you know, the feeling that you're not alone.

Yeah.

Um, and so for me, and, and I think kind of for us, a big thing has been trying to do more like events or more, um, Uh, how do you want to call it?

Like, like you said, probably the right word. And then also transitioning from going out and having 14 or 17 beers to, I want to go out and have Chili make me a craft cocktail and I'll have 3 of them.

Right, right.

The issue is, is now that craft cocktail, instead of being a $4 beer, might be an $8 craft cocktail, but you're only having 3 instead of 14. And, and you still get, because of what the cocktail is, you still get your 3 hours out with friends, and then maybe there's an event, like he said, that we planned, or he has planned and put together for you to be out. And again, be in the community and being out, it's just a different way to do it. So finding that transition—

have you been like, yeah, really, really building out craft cocktails?

I've been trying, um, and something that I really wanted to do is do like a drink or a few drinks of the month that you don't really see after they're done. And one thing that I've been trying to do with them is use spirits or liquors that aren't common, or that I see are common with people my age, because I think a lot of people now kind of find their groove and they stick to it, which is cool. But sometimes you love something and you never even get to try it, right? And so that's something that I've been trying to do is use either kind of different liquors or spirits or different ingredients that people might say, oh, I really enjoy that. And then that gets them to either come out more, or it might even just get them creative in their own home bar.

Yeah.

And say, man, I really like this.

You know, I love that. I love that so much because like, that's when I go out, like if I— anywhere I go actually, I almost never just get like a vodka soda, you know? You know what I mean? Like, if I— why would I go to a special neat bar or have an experience and just drink the same thing that I drink. I know, I get it, some people it's just like a creature of habit thing, that's what they do. But I think there's a, I think there's a real, uh, benefit to like exploring that. Um, yeah, because like you said too, I think it's, it's really special. Like, that's what that— and again, you've done that with your seasonal menu, you've done that with the food side of things. 100%, it makes sense that you would do that on the booze side of things. I know that there are times probably where the idea of having like even one additional drink to make that's not standard and easy makes it challenging for the staff and all the things. But I think that that's— it's a way that you're like, you're opening up people's minds to try different things. Yeah, you're doing exactly food and drink, which I think is really cool.

And, and one thing for me too is, you know, people— since I've been back, and really we had this, the special seasonal menu when I was in high school serving But I feel like I hear it more often now that I've been back that people are saying, oh, let's go up to the Beaver for this on the seasonal menu. And kind of what I'm looking for with my drinks is let's go up to have two of those rather than— because maybe they're not hungry, maybe they ate at home, which is completely fine.

Yeah.

But then, you know, if you can still get them to come out for a drink or two, even if it's just one or two, but they wouldn't have came out before, that's kind of the whole goal is generating that., you know, people coming in even when they wouldn't have before, right? Um, so, so that's kind of the hope and, and, you know, trying to do something a little different that, that people don't really see in small towns. Things like martinis, things, you know, like he said, like a craft cocktail.

That's one thing that I really embraced when I came here, and I still, I still do. Town of 1,800 people, I'm trying to offer something that you don't get, whether it be our choice of, you know, 60-some different beers we carry or because we ran bone marrow and toast points one time as a special, you know, you're not getting that in a town of this size. And it's like something to hang your hat on for us.

It's so special. The Growing Small Towns show is recorded locally at the Growing Small Towns podcast studio located in Oakes, North Dakota. It's produced by Pheasant Canteen Studio in Aberdeen, South Dakota, with marketing support from Cassidy Johnston in Canyon City, Colorado. Our intro music was created and produced exclusively for Growing Small Towns by James Bergman, singer and songwriter from Fargo, North Dakota. Local and small, it's what we support and it's who we love. Get your community a shout out on the podcast. Call 701-203-3337 and share your small town success that you just don't feel is being celebrated quite enough and let us shout you out. You can also share your biggest people challenge and we'll dedicate an episode to offering ideas to help. Hell, you can basically tell us anything and we'll do what we can to answer. Answer. We can't wait to hear from you. Well, Sean, like, seriously, both of you, it's food. Food and drink is a big deal. I mean, it just is. And like you said, it's more— it's not just about the actual food experience, although like for me it is, and the drinks too. Like, I just love them, right? I love, I love trying something that I don't normally get to have, especially if I'm going out. Like, God, if I can make it at home, why, why would I come here and order it, right? So It always blows my mind, like, people that eat really, really plain stuff when they, like, go to your restaurant. I'm like, I don't get it. I don't understand. But whatever, to each their own. But when it comes to our ability to market this community and, like, sell even visitors to, you know, to come down or whatever, your bar and restaurant have consistently been a place that people know that they love. People talk about it. Um, the name— can we talk about the name? I actually don't know why you named it this. And we've been friends for a long time now, so—

okay.

Yeah.

Oh, you never heard the story?

I have not.

Okay.

No.

Um, it's not a long story, so it's not— it won't be that tough to get through, I guess. So we owned it before, um, my wife and I with my parents. Um, it was called The Cabin. It was called The Cabin Forever. We sold it out, uh, someone else purchased it. Um, there ended up being some liens on it, so there had to be a name change. We would not have changed that name Yeah, we would have kept the cabin just because it was so— and people still— we don't take a lot of checks anymore, but we still get a check once in a while, rode out to the cabin.

You're kidding.

Still 25, 6 years later. But, um, so when, when I sold out my shares and, um, we were getting ready to move back to Florida, we had bought a bar down there. Um, the kids were watching the Angry Beaver cartoon on TV on a Saturday, and normally I would have been at work, but we had sold out our, our half of the, of the cabin. So I was there watching, I'm like, this would be a really cool name for like a bar, like a saloon or something. And we were going to name it that, the one down in Florida. And when we got down there and kind of saw the area, it wasn't really fitting. It was kind of a, uh, it wasn't— it certainly to me it goes more better here with hunting and the outdoors, whatever. And with the area we're in, it didn't work, so we named it something different. Well, we came back up, we were able to buy it back, but our lawyer said that we had to change the name. So we had two names in line because we didn't know, because it is a little risqué, the Angry Beaver Lodge.

Um, right, it can be, it can be, right?

And we didn't want to offend anybody, right? So it was going to be the Mangy Moose or the Angry Beaver Lodge. So we floated it out there and it was like— and we did— I did different age groups. It wasn't like, for me at the time, I was like 30. I wasn't like, I was just asking a bunch of 20-some and 30-some-year-olds. I asked large range and it was overwhelming. Everybody's like, no way, it's got to be the Anger Beaver Lodge. So we went both feet in. And I know we had some people didn't come in for a while because of the name. We had some people that wouldn't work for us because of the name. Are you serious? Yeah. So, you know, things like that happen. But I mean, when everyone came around, it was fun.

When it comes to like general appeal, I don't want to eat somewhere with the word mangy in the name, I don't think.

Yeah.

Oh yeah, sure.

I feel pretty good about your choice. I'm sure you do as well. But it is, it's interesting though, right? Like, and you did right by everybody, you tried to get input. Yeah, overwhelmingly this was what it was supposed to be. And it's been fun because you can market it.

It's been fun. We market it. We never, with the cabin, I think we sold 5 shirts and 3 hats in 5 years. We added that name.

Who made up all of the, uh, all of like the sayings on your shirts? Was that just you?

No, no, Shannon and I. And then we had, um, we've had customers that leave it on like a beverage napkin.

Oh, that's awesome! I've always wanted to ask you that too. Yeah, um, what is the one about? Like, you can— is— oh, it's about overcoming her.

Yeah, so actually, actually, yes. Oh, I remember this is when I said to somebody, and I can't remember, County Sheriff Travis Paper actually wrote that on a, uh, bev nap for me, and I ended up giving him a shirt when we put it on there. It was, um, if a If a beaver has a nice tail, you can look past the overbite.

Yeah, there you go. You can overlook the overbite.

Yeah. Yeah. So anyways, he put it on there and it was popular for a long time. We have gotten away from those t-shirts and gotten more like mainstream with them. Um, but yeah, just because I think, you know, it's a small community and you get a lot of the same hunters that go back. They wanted something different. So yeah, it was, it was fun. Those are fun to do though.

Yeah, it's, it's been, like I said, such an important business. So I would love to talk just a little bit, uh, Aiden, about So your dad said it earlier, um, well, you said it earlier, you were like, this— I didn't come— like, this isn't what I came back for. You had another job. Um, I'm gonna go ahead and throw this out here, you can refute me if I'm wrong. You were never going to move back to Oaks, North Dakota, is that—

um, it wasn't a plan. It's never been like, I will never move back there. It was just, uh, I, I never had plans to. It was never something that I really wanted or preferred to do. Yeah.

Um, is it a little bit that you just couldn't see yourself here?

Yeah, I think, um, just knowing who I am, I think I'm pretty, I'm pretty in touch with kind of who I am emotionally and, and what I enjoy doing, and that just doesn't really fit in with a small town usually. Um, I'm more so, I really like the arts, um, and there's not really anything near here for that, which makes it a little difficult to, to kind of go out and have fun as me, a person. And granted, I have all my friends here that I grew up with, which has made it a lot easier. Yeah, you know, just reconnecting with them and kind of, you know, making that friend group a thing again, which has been super cool. But yeah, I had no, no intention of coming here. Like I said, I had a job lined up and I was in Fargo. And I didn't love the, the current job that I had. Um, and he— I was telling my parents about it and he just basically said that they needed help pretty bad in the bar. Um, obviously he knew that I could do it and I also knew that I could do it. I had had multiple part-time jobs, right, doing it. So, um, I just said, yeah, why not come back home, make money, um, obviously help them out, which is super cool to do, and you know, the few weeks before I go out for this new job, just help out. And then turned out that I really enjoyed it and the people here liked it too and worked out.

So, so what were some of the things that helped? I mean, was it just really the opportunity? You mentioned a friend group, right? Were there, were there other things? Like, because it's a big deal. And also, I just want to say this because I think it's really important. I I have caught a lot of flack over the years for being kind of vocal about feeling the same way when I was your age. Um, when I was young, I didn't imagine ever coming back here, and it's not because I ever felt like I was too good for Oaks.

Yeah, no, I don't think that's how your approach is either.

It's just important for people to understand that, like, I— we all want young people to come back. Every small town that listens to the show, every small town, I mean, everybody. That's— this is what— this is ideal. This is what we want. Yeah, but we can't— like, to Sean's point, we can't force you. If it's not— if it doesn't end up feeling like truly your idea, yeah, then you're here kind of, you know, under crappy pretenses maybe at best, right?

Yeah. Yeah.

So what, what was it like? What were some of the things that kind of either fell into place or that worked out? Like, how did Oaks welcome you back? Like, what did we do right, if anything? We meaning the royal we, like the community in general.

Yeah.

Yeah. Um, I think the biggest thing was, yeah, kind of like you said, just like the friend group kind of reaching out. Obviously I stayed in touch with them. We have social media, we have, you know, phones that can do anything basically in our pockets. And so I was obviously in touch with most of them. But then coming back, you know, it was just super cool to see like, you know, people saying, oh, like, come over and do this. And it wasn't like I had to ask, like, hey, do you guys have any plans? It was kind of just like I never left. Um, which was super cool. It was basically day one coming back. Let's do this. Let's go out and do that. Let's, let's go here, you know, as a group, which was super cool, um, to basically not skip a beat even though I hadn't been in Oaks for— I don't know, what was that, 6, uh, 10 years almost, 9 and a half years, um, I hadn't lived in Oaks. Um, so yeah, it was just super cool to see kind of my friend group just welcomed me back in with no, no ifs, ands, or buts, right? Um, and yeah, it was kind of a lot of that. And then the community obviously showing up at the lodge too. I, I feel like the, the first 2 months, you know, they're already our busy season, but I still feel like people came up just to kind of say congrats and, and thank me for coming back.

Yeah, yeah, welcome home.

Yeah, very, the, the community. Yeah, very generous here. I mean, this community has been awesome. We've lived around a little bit ourselves and, and, you know, made this our home, moved away, realized we had a mistake, moved back type of deal. But the community, not only the community here, but the community that we have at the Anchor Beaver Lodge, whether it be the staff or our basic core customers, um, really, to me, really went out of their way to make him feel—

yeah, special.

And I thought that was very cool to see, like, because, you know, you root for it as a dad Um, but that would be the only— like, I mean, it's not the only reason. I almost said it'd be the only reason. Of course I root for it for my business and whatever, but as a father, you just like, man, he's, you know, it's cool that he, he fit in so well and they made him feel so welcome because— and as it's happening, you don't see it. This conversation has brought out a little bit more, but I definitely did see it. I mean, I definitely did see people going out of their way to come up and shake his hand and say, man, welcome back. This is awesome.

Yeah.

And, and I— a little bit off of the topic of that, I've seen a lot of your age, Chili, and, and even younger. Some of the people that are working for me now want to move back here when they're done with school. Um, and so many, um, other people around your age have moved back very recently.

Yeah.

And it's awesome.

It's incredible.

Like, you don't— you're not seeing that. And go, go 60 miles around us.

Totally.

Stay out of the bigger communities. Yeah. And you're not seeing anybody have that but us. It just gave me goosebumps. I know.

It's a very cool community. Like both of you, from both of your perspectives, what do you think is in the water? Because like the biggest thing about that is that everybody wants to know why, right? Like what is it? Sure. What are we doing? Like, so seriously, what do you think are some of the things that contribute to that?

You know, it's hard to say why.

What do you think it is? I mean, any ideas, like even any thoughts about it?

Our community itself is probably the biggest reason, right? I mean, the fact that people take such pride Look, just look down our Main Street.

Isn't it something?

And what the people think about their own stores, their own things they've got going on, how they take care of them, how they are thankful for the business they have, how they put money back into the community. We're just talking about the business owners there, and they are a big part of it, sure. But the community itself, staying local for those businesses, staying local for their own community. Um, uh, our, I, our kids are out of school, right? So I don't go to a lot of games anymore, mostly because I work nights. Otherwise I probably would. So I go by what my peop— my customers are telling me. The boys are pretty good this year in basketball. The girls maybe not so much, but there's just as many parents and families and friends and community members go to the girls' games as the boys' games. And you know, you get in some of these smaller communities like ours and maybe they don't have that following like that. We just have that community feel. There's not, there's not a better word for it than that word exactly. We are a great community and we really are supportive on every level. Sure, do we argue about whether we needed a pool or we're going to help this business do this or whatever those things are? We do, because again, we care. Yeah, you know, our community cares and we're stepping in to say, hey, we don't want hard feelings. Sometimes there is. Yeah, but at the end of it, we kind of get what we need. And we're progressive enough to keep these people in, 'cause we have a pool and a movie theater and a golf course and a bowling alley.

Yeah.

And these things are all crucial. Yeah. To small town living.

Yeah.

You may think, oh, we've only got 60 bowlers anymore and they only have 4 lanes open. You want that bowling alley to stay here.

Yeah. Because, right.

It's a little bit of culture in our community.

Exactly.

You know what I mean? I mean, it's not the culture that the Chili's looking for.

Yeah.

But it's something for them to have.

Well, right. But that's just it. It's here. And if those doors close, getting them to reopen will be hard, right? Like, we talked about the— you talked about the theater really quickly. I hope to have those guys on the show too, just because again, like, what a huge deal to have an active theater with an active group of people running it, right? That are like showing up on social media and doing all the things. So, okay. So that's— Like that experience, Sean, like you have decades of experience operating a business in this community, growing, you know, raising your kids here and all of that. Now Aiden, how would you answer that same question? Because you're what, are you 25?

25, yeah, I turned 26 this year. Um, but yeah, I think for me, yeah, I, I obviously grew up here, so I have kind of a pre-existing, but most of— I mean, I was young, I didn't really think about things like this. So most of my, most of my thoughts on this are of the last 6, 7 months of coming back. And I think the biggest thing for me is I haven't really seen people move back here or, or anything like that. But to me, the community, even though, like I said before, I'm very much like an arts person and, uh, like kind of that style of, of culture, and we don't have that here, I was still accepted back here immediately, you know. Like, I think the community is just so accepting of people. It doesn't matter where you're from, what you look like, what you do for work.

The peop—

the community are— is just so accepting of people, which I feel like in a lot of small communities you don't get that often, where no matter where you come from or what you do, you're a part of our community now. And, and that's awesome. It's kind of what the, the feel that I get from people is just that it's cool, you're in our community, that's, that's cool. It's kind of the love.

I love that you feel that. I love that you see that because I think that might be not everybody's perspective. I don't know. And I, I wonder too if you don't see— if it doesn't— I've always wondered if it's like the Anger Beaver Lodge creates its own culture.

Yeah, I'm sure it does, you know what I mean? Yeah, I don't know. I would, I would say yes. I think, you know, I'm not getting probably the full perspective because on a Saturday night I'm there rather than at a different place where people gather, right? So You know, I can't say for certain that what I'm seeing is going on in the whole community. But, you know, when I go to Sweets and Stories for a coffee in the afternoon and somebody that I've never even seen in my life is striking up conversation with the barista and they're having a good one. Yeah, you have to think that then if that also happens at the lodge and that happens here and there, it's kind of happening everywhere.

I hope so. I mean, that's what I— that's what we're going to need, right?

Yes.

Instead of only relying on the children we made. To come back here, we are probably gonna need to open our arms to some other people. Okay, so what, if anything, uh, could Oaks have done better? What could we do better? Like, let's talk about art and culture. Like, what's missing? Is it performing arts? What is it?

I think for me, yeah, it's performing arts, but I think that's just tough in a, in a town that's so far away. Yeah, from any large town or city, basically. It's really hard because you know, the, the pay that, you know, someone who's good at what they do demands compared to, you know, what the demand for seeing them is. You know, I can't imagine a lot of people here would go to see, you know, the arts, as kind of we've been calling it. I would, but I wouldn't want to spend $1,000 for a ticket, you know, because there's only 3 people that go, right? So I kind of understand that there's, you know, there's a give and take of that. But I don't know that there was, you know, there's much more that we can have here, really. I mean, honestly, it's, it seems like for, for a small town of our size and where we're located, we have almost every amenity we could ask for, really.

I 100% agree. And I feel like I've been kind of stomping my foot or saying this for, for like a long time. Like, I feel like our community— my wife and I made the same choice you made, right? We moved to a small community. We were living in a big community. Community. And we like those things as well. We like being able to have some culture and some things to go see. Um, and, and we made the, the sacrifice to come here because raising your family here is bar none way better than anywhere else we lived, right? So we made that sacrifice. And you call it a sacrifice— is it really? I mean, it's pretty spoiled to even say it's sacrifice. Yeah, but you— we come here and then you just say, I'm going to take time like you're doing now. I'm going to take the time. I'm going to go get my culture. I'm going to have a job like I would anywhere else. I may have to drive to Fargo to get some little bit of culture. I may have to fly to Spain to get some lots and lots of culture. Makes sense. But I think the point that I'm trying to make is our community, small in size, has what it needs to make everybody like, you know, to be a great community. You don't need to have a McDonald's and a this and that or whatever it may be. When you have these things that the big cities have, then, then you're just like, then you're just like that. Yeah, and that maybe it's not as good to raise a family, or maybe this and that. I'm not saying that bigger cities are not good to raise families. I'm not saying that. I'm just saying that our community is awesome and we have a lot of things that other small communities don't. And that's kind of more of what I'm kind of resting on there.

I did think of something though, um, probably more housing. I think it'd be something just— I feel like What do you think being here as a 25-year-old? I truly think housing is the biggest thing. And part of that is definitely stemming from that Applied Digital.

Absolutely.

Having so many employees needing housing in that area. I'm sure that has been a part of it. And I've kind of seen that as well with people coming here saying, well, we can't find anywhere to live, but we work in Allendale. And where do I go? And so I just, I got really lucky. You know, finding an apartment. But I genuinely, I don't know, if that apartment wasn't open, there is almost nothing for a long while. I mean, exactly. And, and which is fine, and they were gracious enough to let me do that. But yeah, I mean, nobody wants to live in their parents' basement, and everyone wants to have their own freedom. Oh, for sure, it would have changed my experience.

So curfew at our house when you got to be home. Yeah.

So, did he ever? No, no, no, no. Um, but yeah, I think that to me is something that stands out, is, you know, I'm not saying we need a 10-story apartment building, but, you know, something more that, that would allow people to live here. I mean, because we've all discussed that it's awesome to see people come back, but if people came back right now, where would they live? There's no homes for sale. There's no challenge. There's no apartments, there's no nothing. So then you're, you're wanting people to come back, but you have no infrastructure to house those people, right? Well, then you have no way for people to come back, right?

So, and because of that situation, the shortage, then everything's high. Yeah, then you're coming back and you're like, oh, I'm paying big city prices. Yeah, for small town living and, you know, the numbers don't add up. So yeah, it's an issue for sure. I agree.

Yeah, it is. I think it's a challenge everywhere.

Yes, housing everywhere right now is It's just tough.

It's just tough. Well, and again, like putting up brand new— like, I think our newest apartment building buildings are the ones on the west side of town.

Yes.

And they were built in like 1995.

Yeah, I was gonna say 30 years ago.

Yeah, yeah.

And we still call them the new apartments.

I know, I know.

You know, you know where the new apartments are?

Yeah, the new apartments. And you're like, yeah, some kids were not even born, like the ones in the room.

Yeah.

Were not even born. So yeah, it's a—

it's—

and that's tough. But I think, um, it also though, I just do want to speak to the fact that your apartment— this is something that I think, you know, more and more communities need to at least be looking at— is that unused potential residential living space above Main Street.

Yes.

And I can say this, it's been incredible living there. I love—

so beautiful.

You have the prettiest apartment.

I'll say this.

I mean, I come— I mean, I lived in Fargo for a year and a half, but before that I lived in New York City and everywhere was walking and I loved it. And I think more people would love that aspect of New York City than they would think. You know, you, you think of like, oh man, I have to walk 10 minutes to go to the grocery store, but it just— it's something that you don't—

our bodies were built to walk.

Exactly.

And it's just unfortunate because we need cars where we live because obviously our town is so isolated. But that's a major goal of mine that I don't talk about a lot. But like, if I could find a way to just really encourage walkability—

yes.

And Main Street, like, our little Main Street's really got a lot of opportunity. But these apartments that have been renovated above Main Street really give you that lifestyle. Yes. And like, I've used my car above the theater when our, when our family was displaced for 4 months, and I loved— I said, I'm like, like, this is— this is— I am meant to live this way, you know, to walk to the grocery store. And then you go more times, but like, it's the complete opposite of like a Costco run, you know what I mean? Where you're like loading the back of your car down with stuff to last you for 2 months or whatever, right? Yeah, it's really interesting.

Yes. And I— granted, I'm a little different because I'm a single dude who also works nights and weekends, so a lot of times I'm eating while I'm there. Yeah, but like grocery runs, I just run and, you know, my bags for just me is not gonna fill a car, so I just walk there, right? You know, there's— I've used my car like maybe 20 times since moving back and it's been 7 months. It's like crazy to say that, but I think that's really cool. It's super nice. Yeah, like it's been awesome. I'm spending way less on gas, I'm getting exercise, which is obviously good. I don't know, it just— there's something about it that very much I enjoy, and I think a lot of people would enjoy, but they've never had the chance or the opportunity, right, to even do. So, yep.

So yeah, we all just need to keep looking at that space above our storefront. Yeah, figure it out, right? Because we still have some that could happen in Oaks. I mean, definitely it'd be cool, be good. Okay, well, so, um, I appreciate you guys coming in. Is there any other things you want to share about this journey. So this represents what? You represent third generation? Was your dad's dad— like, he started?

Yeah, yeah.

I was wondering how many generations this was.

Yeah, this— he's third generation, right?

Okay. I'm the middle child, right?

Yeah, yeah.

It's— this is a— this doesn't always get to happen, that, uh, you know, like, I think about the businesses like that my husband and I've run, you know, Jeremiah Farms, like we do the same where you look at your kids and you're like, are they like, who knows if they're gonna want to. But I totally agree with you, Sean, that I want it to be because they really want it. Yeah, not just because, not just because it was handed to them, for one, because that's right, like that's doesn't, that doesn't create the resilience in them that is gonna, that it's gonna take. Correct, to keep going. But ultimately it's because you want them to love it. Like, yeah, you, you loved it so much that you just decided you're into college and you were like, I don't— yeah, this is just what I'm going to do. And by the way, and this doesn't mean that like this, this conversation in no way is like, okay, well, you went on a podcast with me once and so you can't leave. Yeah, we don't know. We don't know what's going to come next, right?

Yeah. And I've definitely been very vocal about that too. Like, I, you know, a lot of people kind of joke around with like, oh, so now you're here, here to stay. And I always, I, my response is almost always, I don't know that yet.

Yeah.

And I, and I'm not scared of that. I'm not scared of saying I don't know.

I'm terrified.

Yeah.

I don't know in 5 years if, if this is still gonna be right for me.

And well, a lot can change.

I know. Exactly. So yeah, I've kind of just kept it open. Right now with me. I enjoy exactly what I'm doing right now, and that's completely fine with me to not have this 5 or 10 year plan. I think so many people my age get very stuck in that I need to know what I'm going to be doing in 5 years and 10 years, right? And you just don't. You need to know what you're doing today and maybe tomorrow and maybe this week.

Yep.

And just have that plan and have, have fun with it and live in the moment and, and learn.

Yeah, you learn by doing. I say that all the time as kind of a, I'm like not a full sandwich between you guys, but I'm a little younger than your dad and obviously old enough to be your mom, whatever, it's fine. I'm always like, I'm old enough to be your mother. Bailey, who works with me, I say it, I'm just like, oh God, it hurts. But the truth is, like you, you're, as long as you're committed to learning something, growing in every position that you're in, all of that, that's all living is. And every single time you do some of it, right, you figure out a little bit more about yourself. You figure out what you like, what you don't like. Um, all I can say is, as like I said, um, a friend to your mom and dad for, for a good number of years now that we've been back in Oaks, um, you, you were meant for the kind of work you're doing. I'm not saying you have to stay. I'm not saying any of those things, Aiden, but there— and there is something really powerful about what it feels like to come into a bar that's being managed or run by somebody that's freaking happy to be there. Oh yeah, I just— and again, this isn't— this isn't a comparison to any other business here or anywhere else. It's just as a user or as a customer, I appreciate your enthusiasm, your joy for what you're doing, your social, like You're gregarious. You're all these things that just make it really a delight to come into the— to the Beaver. And, you know, that's how we always felt with your dad. It's exactly who you are. Um, and we're so lucky. We're lucky you came back. And, and I think it's really cool because I like to talk to people like you that said— and again, you maybe weren't like, I'm never coming back to Oaks. Like, I get you didn't necessarily—

I mean, I'm sure I said that a few times but yeah, I mean, not nothing where I was like, I hate Oaks, North Dakota. That was never the thing. It was more so just I don't see myself here because of what I like to do in my free time and my— maybe not even hobbies, but like my interests, right? A lot of those don't happen or go on even close to around here. So then it just made it tough to say like, I want to go back to Oaks.

Yep.

Um, but being here, uh, like he said, like I, I'm— I have the opportunity to go places then to get that. Um, so that's just, you know, it's kind of maybe the best of both worlds, I guess, right?

Well, I think you, Sean, you use the word sacrifice earlier, and I think what it really maybe is is a compromise. Yeah, right, because you're— you recognize that you're giving up maybe immediate access to some things, and so then you have to like craft a way to get those things in your life. Yep. But that's easier in my mind anyway if the job like where you're spending so much of your time. And if you love that, you can figure some of the other things out. Absolutely. To a degree. Um, really thankful to both of you. Sean, your business, again, it's, it's something that's been an anchor of this community for years and years and years. And a hard business. It's got to be hard.

Oh, I, I, I mean, to me, when you enjoy what you do, and I, and I still do, and I always have It is getting harder now just because I'm older. Like, some of the, you know, sometimes when you have late nights or you've got, you know, long days and on my feet or whatever, just because I'm getting older and I'm way too overweight to be on my, on the concrete that long. I mean, so that makes it harder. But still, I, I like what I do. And like I said, the community has been great to us. And it's not, it's not all, it's not all Sean and Shanna Ulmer. I mean, the community has been very supportive. Through good and bad and all that.

And just, I'd also say this staff has been incredible too.

I mean, I haven't seen it the whole time, but I mean, growing up, yeah, our staff, our staff that has full-time jobs that help us out when they can, they're awesome. The, the young kids that have come through here, uh, start as maybe freshmen or sophomores and then work till they graduate and then take that job on to, you know, to work, have a job at college. Those kids have all been great. Our full-time staff, it used to be, you know, and I've told this story a lot, but the first 10, 12 years we were in business, we had over 1,500 employees that signed W-2s or W-4s, pardon me. That's a lot for a town of 1,800 people. That's what we went through.

That's a churn.

Yeah, and that's a big turnover. And you just get people, some of them, you know, you don't remember their names at the end of the year because they only work 2 nights or, 2 weeks. And now, I mean, we— I don't think we've employed 100 different people in 5 years. Um, so, you know, you get that turnover rate to go away and you get the same people there. And, and, you know, it's just—

well, and that's, that's interesting, right? I think some of that is you guys, you get better too, right? Not to say that you were leaveable however many years ago, but you maybe get better at seeing cues, you know, like kind of picking up on—

yeah, yeah.

Yeah.

I mean, there's, yeah, you still, if someone applies, you still almost always give them a chance. So there's no, there's no cue there you're going to pick up on in a small community. Help is hard to find. You're going to give somebody a chance and whether they work out or not.

Yeah.

But it's just the idea that the way we say it, where you learn, you learn like, okay, you know, this person here needs a little bit more help to get to where they need to be. And this person here also doesn't want it or need it. Leave them alone and let them do their own thing and don't micromanage them. So, you know, you pick up those cues, you get along. But that for sure has made it easier for me where, like I said, it got harder. But that's one part of my job that definitely got easier because we're going through less, less, less, less turnover.

Right. The other thing, though, to just remind everybody that listens to this, the biggest thing that you guys do, it's not just that you provide a good, you know, dining experience or bar experience, it's that you create community. That overcoming of social isolation is such a big deal. Like, I'm just gonna use this, actually, this is an actual statistic. So the Attorney General talks about social isolation being as dangerous as smoking, I think it's 7 cigarettes in a day. Like daily smoking has the same impact on your long-term effects of your health. And we fall victim to that here in the Midwest, especially in a small town where you're a little more isolated. It gets dark and cold in the winter, people stay in. And so I just want to encourage you, especially, and not to ever lose sight of the fact that that's where your brain's at as far as what your job is, you know, because it's going to become more and more important. And you've already done some really cool things, uh, that I've seen. Again, like, I haven't gone to all of them because I'm just like, yeah, yeah, you know, you got a life too. Obviously there's stuff going on, it's happening in a gym somewhere for us right now, but it's, it's just really important And you understand that. And I think that's going to make you— that's going to continue to make you successful, whether you stay with us here in Elk River or you don't.

Yeah.

But we're really— we are really happy to have you back. And thanks for sharing kind of the whole story of the Anchor Beaver Lodge with us, guys.

Thank you for having us.

You're— you're again, you're one of those gems that people always say, God, we wish we could get a steak. And I'm like, you have to just drive over here, enjoy ours.

Come on in.

Yeah, anytime. Right. Thanks for coming, guys.

Yeah.

Thank you for having us.

We hope you loved this episode of the Growing Small Towns show. We encourage you to leave us messages at 701-203-3337. And be sure to subscribe to our newsletter at growingsmalltowns.org. In the meantime, keep doing what you can with what you have right where you are. Your community needs you.

Because we are growing small towns. We are growing small towns. We're right here living our best lives. Best lives, as crazy as it sounds. But we are growing small towns, growing small towns. We are growing small towns. We are growing small towns.