After long wait, winter businesses are up and running
MINNEAPOLIS — What a difference a month can make.
On Dec. 17, WCCO talked with the owner of a backyard rink company who explained the struggle of warm temperatures. A few weeks later, the deep freeze is allowing some business owners a deep sigh of relief.
These are the nights the Hayden family of Medina has been dreaming of: they have lights up, music playing and two of the three kids are cruising on the outdoor rink.
"They were antsy for a while, kept asking when it was gonna go, played soccer on the boards for a while, now they are skating," said John Hayden.
It was all thanks to T-Rex rinks, who was finally able to fill up their rink and all the others.
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"Now families are very happy, I am happy, they're happy. I think everybody is gonna forget about the slow start that we had," said Nola Rinta, who helped found the company.
It's a season that winter business owners may want to forget. Up at Vados Bait Shop in Spring Lake Park, the season's being described as, "crazy."
Greg Fisher — whose name explains his passion — was expecting a healthy crop of live bait for the season.
"And then winter didn't come – so that's been – I've, I've never experienced anything like it," he said.
Customers are disoriented too.
"I have been going North to Grand Rapids so far cause it really hasn't happened down here," said ice fisher Ken Stidfole.
But alas, the ice is forming.
"You never get December back or even the first half of January but it should get going and I think there should be a breath of life back to the people in the related industry," said Fisher.