North Dakota

Letter: Shopping small this holiday season supports North Dakota’s main street businesses

Published

1 year ago

December 11, 2023

Letter: Shopping small this holiday season supports North Dakota’s main street businesses

Not so long ago, it was an annual holiday tradition to travel downtown and shop at one of the many locally owned main street businesses. Brick-and-mortar businesses would promote their best deals of the year in hopes of luring shoppers to make a purchase, or at least browse their shelves full of merchandise.

Alan Haut is director of the Small Business Administration’s district office in North Dakota.

Contributed / Small Business Administration

Today, online shopping has quickly become the preferred way Americans buy their holiday gifts. Recent estimates show that more than 80% of shoppers make regular online purchases throughout the year. Given the dramatic shifts in the retail environment over the last 20 years, those holiday scenes and traditions are in danger of passing into the realm of nostalgic folklore.

To better compete, small business owners have become very innovative in the way they sell and promote their products and services. An encouraging transformation born out of the pandemic is that many entrepreneurs pivoted operating models to include e-commerce platforms, or changed product offerings, to meet the new demands of the online consumer. Some are even bringing back the retail traditions of the past by providing personalized one-on-one assistance to customers and the selling of locally produced niche items found nowhere else in town. Cottage businesses have started in record numbers as people realized their dream of small business ownership could begin in their basement or garage. A unique program in North Dakota, called Shop North Dakota (www.shopnd.com), allows these cottage companies to sell products online without having to invest in an expensive e-commerce site. Shop North Dakota is an initiative of the ND Small Business Development Center network with the support of Pride of Dakota.

Small businesses are the backbone of our democracy and the solution to our most challenging economic problems. If you’re an entrepreneur and need advice, please consider exploring the tools and resources of the U.S. Small Business Administration and its partners including the ND Small Business Development Center network, statewide SCORE Chapters, a Procurement Technical Assistance Center, and a Women’s Business Center in Bismarck. These partners are key to helping identify strategies to become more competitive and viable in what will likely be an ever-shifting business landscape.

In addition to our formal partners, small business owners can get involved with local support organizations such as chambers of commerce, business districts, and neighborhood associations. These organizations are actively involved in coordinating events and promotions to attract foot traffic to their small business members including local bazaars and shop small/dine small/entertain small, focused festivals.

This holiday season, please join us in making at least one purchase from a locally owned small business in your city or town. These business owners are the true heroes of our communities, and they deserve our support, thanks and appreciation.

Happy holidays from all of us at the SBA!

Aikta Marcoulier is the SBA’s regional administrator and Alan Haut is the SBA’s North Dakota district director.

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North Dakota

Police ID Cass County man killed in western North Dakota motorcycle crash

Published

14 hours ago

June 4, 2025

Press Room

Police ID Cass County man killed in western North Dakota motorcycle crash

KILLDEER, N.D. — The North Dakota Highway Patrol has identified the Cass County man killed Saturday, May 31, in a motorcycle crash in western North Dakota.

According to the North Dakota Highway Patrol, Gene Schepp, 71, of Gardner, was riding a 2010 Harley-Davidson motorcycle Saturday on Highway 22 near mile marker 123, north of Killdeer. Schepp failed to negotiate a curve and overturned. He was wearing a helmet but died of his injuries.

The Highway Patrol continues to investigate the crash. The Killdeer Area Ambulance, Dunn County Sheriff’s Office and West Dunn Fire Department also responded to the crash.

Located in Dunn County, Killdeer is 35 miles north of Dickinson.

Our newsroom occasionally reports stories under a byline of “staff.” Often, the “staff” byline is used when rewriting basic news briefs that originate from official sources, such as a city press release about a road closure, and which require little or no reporting. At times, this byline is used when a news story includes numerous authors or when the story is formed by aggregating previously reported news from various sources. If outside sources are used, it is noted within the story.

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North Dakota

Kick Off to Summer Weekend Set to Bring Food, Fun, and Festivities to Watford City and Western North Dakota

Published

1 day ago

June 3, 2025

Press Room

The Rough Rider Center and Watford City Parks and Recreation are gearing up for their Kick Off to Summer Weekend, a jam-packed celebration of community, food, fun, and America’s favorite pastime. This annual tradition is set to begin on Wednesday, June 4, and run through Sunday, June 8, with activities for all ages.

EVENT HIGHLIGHTS:

Wednesday, June 4: Alumni Baseball Game

The week kicks off with a special Walleye Alumni vs. Alumni Baseball Game, celebrating the legacy and talent of past Walleye players. Join us for a night of nostalgia and community pride.

Thursday, June 5: Food Truck Rodeo Begins & Doug Johnsrud Baseball Tournament.

Get ready to eat! The Food Truck Rodeo runs from Thursday, June 5 through Saturday, June 7 Enjoy a wide variety of local and regional favorites. Admission into the Food Truck Rodeo is FREE this year. A huge thank you to Son Oil Field Services for their generous support as our Title Sponsor of the Food Truck Rodeo.

Thursday also marks the beginning of the Doug Johnsrud Memorial Baseball Tournament, showcasing teams from North Dakota, Montana and Wyoming. Baseball fans won’t want to miss this exciting four-day tournament, featuring our hometown Walleye team. Special thanks to the Johnsrud Family, American Legion, FIBT, Lund Oil, and all of our sponsors for making this tournament possible.

Friday, June 6: Touch-a-Truck

Bring the kids out for our always-popular Touch-a-Truck Event! Young ones can climb aboard and explore trucks and large vehicles from across the county—yes, they can even honk the horns! Event time runs from 1-4pm, with a special sensory inclusive time scheduled from 1-2 p.m.

Rough Rider Center 2209 Wolves Den Parkway PO Box 1739, Watford City, ND 58854701-842-3665. http://www.roughridercenter.com.

Saturday, June 7:

Live Music with Wedge

After the final baseball game of the evening, stick around as local rock band Wedge takes the stage with energetic covers from the ’90s and 2000s. Music begins after the 7 p.m. game—don’t miss it. Thursday to Sunday: Bounce House Fun Throughout the weekend, kids can enjoy the bounce house in the Fieldhouse. A great way to burn off energy while the rest of the family enjoys the festivities! This entire weekend is FREE and open to the public thanks to the incredible support from our community sponsors. Come out and enjoy great food, family-friendly activities, and top-tier baseball in an unforgettable start to summer. Let’s celebrate in the best way–TOGETHER, as a community!

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