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Remember When May 5, 2021

10 years ago (2011)
•Area health enthusiasts are paying attention to the latest business news on Luverne’s Main Street.
A 24-hour fitness center is opening in the former Final Touch building, and it promises top-of-the-line equipment and programs.
Branagen Powers, rural Luverne, and Brian Beuning, Luverne, signed papers this week to purchase the 5,000-square-foot building from Mike and Lori Ketterling.
Construction will start next week to convert the space to a full-service, 24-7 fitness center known as Power Fitness.
Structural changes to the main floor will include adding and removing walls, primarily for two handicap-accessible bathrooms with showers.
Also, there will be two tanning rooms with 32-lamp beds that produce deeper tans in fewer minutes than the standard 24-hour beds more commonly used in the area.
 
25 years ago (1996)
•“A successful manager must exhibit a profound and abiding faith, trust and respect in and for the working men and women.”
This was Don Rust’s motto for the 39 successful years he spent with General Motors. He recently retired from the company after 20 years as manager of the Tonawanda engine plant in western New York.
Rust, Orchard Park, N.Y., (a suburb of Buffalo) grew up near Adrian and is a 1950 graduate of Magnolia High School. He recently returned to Rock County for a visit after his retirement banquet, staying with his brother, Bud, near Kenneth.
 While here, Rust shared with the Star Herald the highlights of his career. He shared several newspaper clippings from the Buffalo, N.Y., area in which his industry peers credit him with bringing about a “revolution” in quality, morale and teamwork in floundering Tonawanda engine plant.
 
50 years ago (1971)
•A downtown beautification project has been launched here as a joint project of the City of Luverne, the Chamber of Commerce, the County Extension Service and various other community groups.
Large flower pots were being unloaded Wednesday in the downtown district. Sixteen in all will be located on strategic points on Main street, and will be planted with low growing trees and other plantings. Plantings for each pot will cost about $15 or $20, it was announced. Money for the plantings has been furnished by various clubs and groups. The city itself purchased the concrete pots or containers, which are 3x4 feet in size, and are finished with an aggregate finish.
 
75 years ago (1946)
•Two Main Street business properties, and several residence properties changed hands this week, as the local real estate market hit a faster pace.
Largest single transaction of the week was the sale of the three-story brick structure which houses the Luverne liquor store, Cooney Cleaners and three apartments, by Percy Eberlein to B. E. Leas, Mr. Eberlein had owned the building for the past nine years.
Another transaction involving a business location was the sale by Carl Knutson of his building to Russell Tower. This structure, located on the north side of Main Street, is now occupied by Mr. Tower’s Skelgas store, and the Coffee Shop.
 
100 years ago (1921)
•A change in the ownership and management of the Legion café took place the first of the week, when W. D. Harding, who opened the restaurant about a year ago and had since conducted it, disposed of the business to Gilbert Johnson.
Mr. Johnson has been connected with the café for a number of months and is familiar with the requirements of the trade. He has had several years’ experience in the restaurant business and it is his intention to give his personal attention to the business.

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