Dairyland Peach Sections Business Profile 2019 | Page 26

Dairyland Peach Business Profile 2019, Page 26
Business plaza growing on south side of Osakis
Marc Moen of Alexandria Auction Service has
taken the first steps to develop a business plaza on
the south side of Osakis, on Highway 27 across from
the Osakis Creamery. After being in business since
2010, Moen bought the building and property and
moved his shop from Alexandria to Osakis in 2018.
“The city was excited just to see the grass mowed,”
Moen said. “A police officer stopped to welcome me
to town.”
The property was four acres of abandoned lum-
beryard. It is situated in a “V” between First Avenue
and Highway 27. Moen stumbled onto the foreclo-
sure, not really anticipating moving into something
so large. The entire building is 10,000 square feet.
Over the winter, he poured yards and yards of con-
crete for floors throughout. This year, he put up new
siding on the south and west sides of the building
and installed a new double-door entrance. A new
roof was added on the west side. Two handicapped-
accessible rest rooms are nearly completed.
The auction service offers the choice of live pub-
lic onsite auctions or at a facility near customers.
There are bi-monthly consignment sales at the shop,
Thursdays at 5:30 p.m. and internet online sales.
Complete set-up and professional advertising are
offered for auctions. Transportation of merchandise
is available.
The shelves are stocked and ready for more
customers at Surplus City at 815 First Ave. E. in
Osakis. It is one of a group of new businesses at
that location in a developing business plaza.
Alexandria Auction Service provides
food service concessions and clean-up
after the sale, with complete clerking
and payday service. For those items
left over, there are connections with
local non-profit organizations for tax-
deductible donations.
Along with Alexandria Auction Ser-
vice, Moen brought with him 4-Bid.
com online auction. Your local source
to buy and sell anything and every-
thing. He is also a car dealer and runs
a surplus store, Surplus City. His ex-
perience includes 30 years as a general
contractor.
Surplus City is the storefront visible Marc Moen pictured with his daughter Kaityln who works along
at the business plaza location. It fea- side her Dad to make it all happen. Moen has taken the first
tures inventory from store liquidations, steps to develop a business plaza on the south side of Osakis.
including clothing, household items, Surplus City is open with inventory from store liquidations. Alexan-
furniture, tools and more. It’s a great dria Auction Service, 4-Bid auctions and car sales are also located
place to find name-brand merchandise at 815 First Ave. E., across Highway 27 from the Creamery.
at reduced prices.
directly across the street. There are several business-
“We love what we do. Mostly we like to help oth-
es across Highway 27 in addition to the creamery.
ers find good ways to market the things they need to
“My goal is to attract small businesses – incubate
let go of. This can be done in more than one way and
small businesses in this community. We need some
we have been finding solutions like this for many
visionary people,” Moen said.
years,” Moen said.
He is wide open to anything that might happen
Moen has sold real estate, entire business invento-
with the business plaza. But his biggest dream is to
ries and estates as well as personal items such as col-
see a coffee shop opened in the building by someone
lector cars and boats, trucks and farm equipment.
creative. Plans are already drawn up for a shop that
They have also sold antiques, guns and collectible
seats 50-75 people and has a drive-up window.
coins and artwork.
There is enough acreage on the site to allow for
“There are not too many things we haven’t had
more buildings.
the opportunity to ‘help find a new home’ for,” said
“We’ve talked about adding storage units, but we
Moen.
want to fill up what we have yet,” said Moen.
Now, he is looking for tenants. The rent is low and
Moen can see the potential in the property, its lo-
comes with excellent highway frontage.
cation and in the city.
“More than 3,400 vehicles pass by here every day,”
“There’s a lot going on in Osakis – it’s fun to be
he said. “This has become a shortcut from I-94 to
part of it,” he said.
the north side of Alexandria, Carlos, Parkers Prai-
The shop location is 815 First Ave. E., Osakis. For
rie and many other small towns to the north. It’s a
more information, call or text Moen at (320) 766-
prime location.”
7218 or email [e-mail].
Lions Park and the Armed Forces Memorial are
320-766-7218
Bank Repo & Business Liquidation • Machinery & Equipment Sales
Estate & Personal Property
Surplus City in south Osakis is only one of the businesses already located at a
developing business plaza. Tenants are needed, according to owner Marc Moen.
Call [phone] for more information.
AlexAuction.Com
815 1st Ave. East • Osakis, MN
Serving
Central
MN.