Hall of Fame

Historical Business Hall of Fame 2011:  Cal Miller 

CAL GREW UP DURING THE GREAT DEPRESSION AND LEARNED THE VALUE OF HARD WORK, MONEY MANAGEMENT AND CUSTOMER CARE AT AN EARLY AGE THROUGH A PAPER ROUTE. FOLLOWING HIS SERVICE IN THE ARMY CORPS AS A MECHANIC DURING WORLD WAR II, CAL RETURNED TO SUPERIOR AND STARTED STANDARD OIL STATION.

HE MANAGED HIS FIRST BUSINESS FOR SEVEN YEARS BEFORE FEELING THE ENTREPRENEURIAL ITCH TO START A NEW VENTURE. SEEING AN ABUNDANCE OF USED MILITARY GEAR AVAILABLE FROM WORLD WAR 2, CAL TEAMED UP WITH GREG HANSON TO OPEN A RETAIL SURPLUS STORE IN 1954.

DEMAND FOR THEIR GOODS GREW QUICKLY. IT WASN’T LONG BEFORE NORTHWEST OUTLET FOUND ITS NICHE PROVIDING QUALITY SURPLUS ITEMS, SUCH AS WORK CLOTHING AND FOOTWEAR, SKIS, AND COMMERCIALLY MANUFACTURED ITEMS FOR HUNTERS AND ANGLERS. CAL BECAME THE SOLE OWNER OF NORTHWEST OUTLET IN 1960, AND GREW THE STORE TO NINE TIMES ITS ORIGINAL SIZE IN THE COMPANY’S FIRST 15 YEARS.

CAL HAD AN UNCANNY ABILITY TO ADAPT TO MARKET TRENDS AND RESPONDED TO THE EMERGING WATER SPORTS MARKET BY OPENING A NEW LOCATION. BRINGING HIS SON, DAVE MILLER, ON BOARD, JERRY BROADENED NORTHWEST OUTLET’S PRODUCT OFFERINGS TO INCLUDE POWER BOATS, MARINE ACCESSORIES, TRAILERS, CANOES, KAYAKS AND TRUCK TOPPERS.

CAL TOOK GREAT PRIDE IN HIS DEVOTED CUSTOMER BASE AND BECAME FRIENDS WITH MANY OF THEM OVER THE YEARS. EVEN AFTER RETIRING, CAL COULD OFTEN BE FOUND AT NORTHWEST OUTLET CHATTING WITH PATRONS.

FOR MORE THAN 55 YEARS, NORTHWEST OUTLET HAS SERVED OUTDOOR ENTHUSIASTS OF OUR COMMUNITY, DURING WHICH TIME JERRY’S PHILOSOPHY OF EXCELLENT CUSTOMER SERVICE AND QUALITY MERCHANDISE HAS SERVED AS AN INSPIRATION TO OTHER LOCAL BUSINESSES. TODAY, DAVE CARRIES ON HIS FATHER’S LEGACY AS PRESIDENT OF NORTHWEST OUTLET.

Business Hall of Fame 2011:  Jerry Jaques

JERRY JAQUES BEGAN HIS CAREER AS A LABORER IN THE TWIN PORTS IN THE MID 1950S, AFTER RETURNING FROM MILITARY SERVICE. INSPIRED BY HIS GRANDFATHER’S VOCATION OF BUILDING HOMES AND APARTMENTS, JERRY FOUNDED JAQUES BUILDERS. HIS COMPANY CONSTRUCTED MORE THAN 300 HOMES AND COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES IN THE DULUTH-SUPERIOR AREA, INCLUDING HIGHLAND VILLAGE APARTMENTS AND HIGHLAND SUPPER CLUB IN DULUTH.

AS PRESIDENT OF THE LOCAL HOME BUILDERS ASSOCIATION, JERRY ORGANIZED ANNUAL SHOWS AT DULUTH ARENA AND HAD FOND MEMORIES OF TRANSPORTING FAMOUS ENTERTAINERS, SUCH AS ROY CLARK AND LYNN ANDERSON, FROM THE DULUTH INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT TO THE NEWLY BUILT RADISSON HOTEL.

THOUGH JERRY WAS WITHOUT A DOUBT A HIGHLY SUCCESSFUL BUILDER, HIS TRUE PASSION WAS FOR THE RESTAURANT INDUSTRY. IN THE MID 1960S, HE PURCHASED THE BELKNAP BAR AND CAFÉ LOCATED IN DOWNTOWN SUPERIOR. THE BAR WAS KNOWN FOR ITS ECLECTIC GROUP OF REGULARS WHO OFTEN SHARED STORIES OF THEIR COLORFUL BACKGROUNDS. JERRY PRIDED HIMSELF ON LOYAL CUSTOMER RELATIONS AND HELD A STRICT STAFF POLICY TO NEVER REPEAT THESE TALES, NO MATTER HOW ENTERTAINING.

THOUGH HE WAS CRUSHED WHEN THE STATE RAZED THE BELKNAP BAR AND CAFÉ IN 1979, THE LOSS OF JERRY’S PRIZED ESTABLISHMENT ONLY FURTHER INSPIRED HIS ENTREPRENEURIAL SPIRIT. BUILDING OFF HIS SUCCESS WITH THE FIRST RESTAURANT, JERRY CONTINUED HIS ENTERPRISING ENDEAVORS WITH THE PURCHASE OF SEVERAL OTHER DINING OPERATIONS, INCLUDING THE SHACK, BELKNAP SOUTH, AND THE PLAZA SHOPPING CENTER, HOME OF DOMINIC’S, WHICH IS NOW KNOWN AS BELKNAP LIQUOR AND LOUNGE. JERRY WAS A LEADER IN THE AREA’S RESTAURANT COMMUNITY AND SERVED AS CHAPTER PRESIDENT OF THE WISCONSIN RESTAURANT ASSOCIATION.

JERRY PLAYED A VITAL ROLE IN THE FORMATION OF BOTH THE CONSTRUCTION AND RESTAURANT INDUSTRIES OF SUPERIOR AND DOUGLAS COUNTY, PAVING THE WAY FOR MANY OF THE BUSINESSES IN OUR COMMUNITY TODAY. THOUGH JERRY PASSED AWAY IN 2008, HIS MANAGEMENT SKILLS AND PASSION FOR FOOD AND ENTERTAINMENT HAVE LEFT A LEGACY IN OUR COMMUNITY AND ARE CARRIED ON BY HIS CHILDREN, WHO CONTINUE TO OPERATE BELKNAP LIQUOR AND LOUNGE TODAY.

Largest Business of the year 2011:  Reuben Johnson & Son, Inc. and affiliated companies

Small Business of the year 2011 (1st):  H&H Lumber
Small Business of the year 2011 (2nd):  Sauter Insurance Service

Busines Plan Competition 2011:  Northern Horizon's Children's Center