September 2014

Blaine, Minnesota is a very popular area found to the north of the Minneapolis-St. Paul area. This community is home to about 50,000 residents and was once a part of the city of Anoka.

However, in 1877, the city of Blaine was formed and Phillip Laddy was known as the first settler in the area. Laddy was a native of Ireland and settled near the lake, which is now named after him (Laddie Lake). Laddy passed not long after arriving to the area and many of his survivors moved to Minneapolis.

George Townsend, an Englishman, was another early settler of Blaine, MN. He lived in the area where 103rd Avenue and Lever Street would be found today.

In 1865, Green Chambers settled in Blaine as the first permanent resident. He lived in the old Townsend claim

Finding a home just a short drive from the Twin Cities isn't hard. There are plenty of choices and Blaine, MN is one of those choices. This is an ideal real estate market for those looking to live near the Twin Cities.

Blaine is found off Interstate 35W, which makes it an ideal community for commuters. The community is home to about 50,000 residents and provides plenty of fun throughout.

What will you Find in Blaine?

Blaine, MN is home to the National Sports Center, which is one of the largest sports complexes in the country. This complex has a golf course, Olympic sized-rinks, a massive soccer facility and more. Many residents find plenty of recreation and events to enjoy at the facility.

Along with the National Sports Center, Blaine is home

The Moms Club of Blaine provides a place for moms to enjoy fun together. It's the perfect solution for full-time and part-time stay at home moms. Whether you just need a group of friends because you're new to the area or you'd like to get to know some other moms, the Moms Club of Blaine is a great choice.

Not Just for the Moms

The Moms Club of Blaine isn't just for moms. This is also an organization perfect for the kids. Since moms can enjoy events and play dates specific for both mom and the kids, this is a great way to build social skills. Kids can enjoy plenty of fun and so can moms.

Activities

The Moms Club of Blaine provides all types of activities including:

• Play Dates
• Field Trips
• Mom's Night Out
• Cooking Clubs
• Monthly

So, it wasn’t enough for the city to lose Rainbow Foods, now we learn that Blaine is losing its Kmart Store by the end of the year.

Kmart’s parent company, Sears Holding Company, has been struggling to turn the company around for years and started closing stores to cut costs. In fact, they’ve shuttered at least seven Minnesota Kmarts in the past five years. The most recent to close was in Oakdale.

Next on the chopping block, aside from the Blaine store, are stores in Anoka, Waite Park and Burnsville. More than 200 employees will be out of jobs – 60 of the employees are from the Blaine store.

The good news for the bargain hunter is that the liquidation sale – the ultimate “Blue Light Special” -- begins Sunday, the 28th.

The store is located at

Anoka County is home to many events throughout the year. Whether it's a show or a festival, there's always something going on. Here are some of the best upcoming events in the Anoka County area.

Music in Motion Field Show - October 4th

This event will provide plenty of fun for those in Anoka County. Marching bands from all over the state will compete on Goodrich field starting at 12pm. The cost is $7 for adults and $5 for seniors and students.

Bones & Brew Rib Contest and Beer Tasting - October 11th

This event will be held at the Anoka County Fairground from 3pm to 6pm on October 11th. It's the first year for this event and it will provide plenty of fun. Only 100 people will get in and tickets are $20 in advance or $25 at the door.

The 3rd

Get out your calendar right now and put a big circle around the date Saturday, October 11. That’s the day you can pick up your free pumpkin at Blaine’s Lakeside Commons Park. We hope to see you and your family out there for all the fun.

We’re pretty excited about this event. Not only are we one of the sponsors, but for each pumpkin that’s given away that day, the Lindahl Team will donate $1 to Stepping Stone Emergency Housing. We recently sponsored their first golf tournament, held at Blaine’s TPC, so to have another opportunity to offer support is awesome.

From the response we’re getting on Facebook,  people are pretty excited. It helps that we’ll also have food there and that you can listen to live music from Tim Mahoney while you pumpkin-browse.

The Northtown Mall offers premier shopping for Blaine, Minnesota residents. This mall also offers dining and entertainment. It’s located only 20 minutes away from downtown Minneapolis at the intersection of University Avenue and County Road 10. Here’s what you will find when you check out the Northtown Mall.

Shopping

What type of shopping does Northtown Mall offer? Just a little bit of everything is here.

The mall offers shopping for:

• Men and women’s apparel & shoes
• Healthy and Beauty Stores
• Eyewear
• Gifts & Books
• Home Goods
• Toys
• Sporting Equipment
• Luggage
• Jewelry
• Electronics
• And More!

Some of the stores found here include:

• Hot Topic
• Express
• Bath & Body Works
• Champs Sports
• Spencer Gifts

August housing market statistics are in and we’re seeing more changes in the Blaine real estate market.

Good News for Blaine Home Sellers

Real estate market news just keeps getting better and better for Blaine homeowners that are thinking of selling their homes. Since August of last year, the median sales price of a Blaine home has increased more than 18 percent and now stands at $232,500.

A note of caution, however: the percent of the original list price that sellers are receiving has decreased a bit, to 97.6 percent. This may be an indication that home prices are about to soften but it’s more likely evidence that homeowners are overpricing their homes.

Price the home appropriately out of the gate to avoid having it languish on the

The Schwan Super Rink is located in Blaine, MN and is actually the largest ice arena of this style in the world. The ice arena is unique because it’s 300,000 square feet in size, includes 32 huge locker rooms, has a café and includes a pro shop. Here are the features of Schwan Super Rink and everything you need to know about this facility.

About Schwan Super Rink

The ice arena has spent over $21 million to it a great place for spending time. They have a state-of-the-art facility and a full eight sections of ice. This is all due to an expansion back in 2006.

Amenities

While at Schwan Super Rink, you can enjoy their excellent amenities including:

• Oversized locker rooms totaling 32 cozy quarters
• The Hat Trick Café overlooks four of the

Blaine, Minnesota is home to the beautiful Lakeside Commons Park and Beach. Located at 3020 Lake Parkway in Blaine, it’s only about a mile off of Radisson Road. The park offers canoe and kayak rentals, a boathouse, a splash pad and of course, the beach.

The park has only been around for three years and stays busy. Here is a guide to what you’ll find while visiting Lakeside Commons Park and Beach.

Amenities

People love the sandy beach at Lakeside. They also enjoy taking the little ones to the splash pad and playgrounds. Rent a kayak, canoe, or paddle boat for the day, if you want to be in the water. You can also bring the family out for a picnic at the picnic pavilion. The boathouse offers concessions, too.

Finally, you can enjoy the volleyball