LCM Concrete closes after 37 years
Bruce LaMere started LaMere Concrete in 1978, working out of his garage with a pickup truck, a wheelbarrow and some hand tools. In the interim, the company has poured miles and miles of sidewalks, stair steps, driveways and ramps.
After 37 years, he’s sold his screeds and forms and moved on to retirement. Five years ago, he changed the company name from LaMere Concrete to LCM Concrete to make it more attractive to a would-be buyer. “I would have liked to have sold the business,” LaMere said, “but not many people want to work with concrete.” He decided to “hang on” until his business partner retired this year. A liquidation sale of tools and equipment was held in late March.
LaMere and his employees have been active volunteers in the Northeast Lions Club, Habitat for Humanity and at East Side Neighborhood Services, where they provided job skills training. LaMere was involved with the design and construction of the Guardian statue in front of the 2nd Precinct police station on 19th and Central. “That was a fun project,” he said. “We raised funds and provided the cement base.”
Asked what he’ll do now, LaMere said, “I have 10 grandchildren and a place in Cocoa Beach, Fla.”
Curiouser Foods is St. Anthony “Business of the Year”
The Saint Anthony Area Chamber of Commerce has named Curiouser Foods, 2900 Pentagon Drive, as the 2024 Outstanding Business of the Year.” “Under Trista Soave’s leadership, the store has evolved into a community, supporting local businesses and fostering connections,” the Chamber said in a press release. “Trista transformed the former Annona Gourmet into a go-to destination for gourmet sandwiches, soups and coffee, while revitalizing the shopping center and enhancing community events like VillageFest. Known for her generosity and support of fellow businesses, Trista exemplifies outstanding leadership in her commitment to the community.”
Whaddup Dough to open soon
Whaddup Dough, a purveyor of ice cream-stuffed donuts is set to open this month in St. Anthony. (Cynthia Sowden)
The brown paper will soon come down from the windows at Whaddup Dough, 2700 39th Ave. NE. If donuts topped with Lucky Charms cereal or stuffed with various flavors of ice cream are your thing, look for an opening about mid-month. Keep up with them at whaddupdough.com.
Buttered Tin sells into Whole Foods
Buttered Tin, which has a bakery/restaurant in the Gateway building on Lowry and Marshall, announced it is selling frozen cinnamon rolls through Whole Foods. The Buttered Tin’s Freshly Frozen brand is also distributed to Lunds & Byerlys, Kowalski’s Markets, Cub Foods, Hy-Vee and Coborn’s. The brand includes French apple pie, blueberry crumble pie and dinner rolls as well as cinnamon rolls.
Sonder Shaker goes Italian
Sonder Shaker, 130 E. Hennepin Ave., will close April 19 and reopen May 1 as an Italian restaurant. Owner Erik Stadstad told the Business Journal that the restaurant’s “elevated” food and cocktail concept has run its course. A menu and a new name are in development.
Spark-Y names two to board of directors
Kristine Martin
Pamela Meade
Spark-Y: Youth Action Labs has named Pamela Meade and Kristine Martin to its board of directors.
Meade currently holds the position of treasurer at Pagosa Peak Open School in Pagosa Springs, Colo., and has worked with charter schools for nearly 25 years. Martin formerly served as president of East Side Neighborhood Services.
Meade’s “longtime experience working with charter schools will help those schools understand how they can benefit from utilizing Spark-Y’s resources in developing new leaders through education, job training and leadership development,” said Spark-Y’s CEO Zachary Robinson in a press release.
“Kristine Martin will likewise help me, and our entire team, reach more individual donors to help them understand how our organization can better serve these schools through our teaching and learning approaches to meet their needs with a Spark-Y charter school partnership.”
Moua is Beard finalist again
Chef Diane Moua, owner of Diane’s Place, 117 14th Ave. NE, has once again been named a finalist for the James Beard Best Chef Midwest award. It’s one of the most prestigious awards recognizing excellence in American chefs, restaurants, food media and culinary professionals. The announcement was made Wednesday, April 2.
The awards program was established in 1990 by the James Beard Foundation, a New York-based culinary arts nonprofit named for food writer and cookbook author James Beard.
Award winners will be announced at a ceremony on June 16, at the Lyric Opera of Chicago.