Home + Design

The Heart Behind the Home

Turning your vision into a space you’ll love with HLI Home Renovators Article by Emily McKeever What attributes do you look for in a trusted friend? Honesty? Loyalty? Integrity? When it comes to choosing someone to care for your home, you’d likely look for those same qualities in the person you choose to work with. HLI Home Renovators, a local home remodeling company, brings those values to every project. Working with them is like having coffee with an old friend. They listen, and they want...

Life + Culture

Hometown Hero

Waconia local Joe Konietzko brings home the gold Article by Lutie Ronglien When Joe Konietzko stepped onto the lanes at the Special Olympics USA Games, he carried years of practice, determination, and support from his Waconia community. By the end of the competition, Joe had earned a gold medal in singles bowling and a silver medal in team bowling, creating memories that he and his family will cherish for years to come. For Joe’s parents, Char and Mike Konietzko, watching their son succeed...

Life + Culture

Growing With Their Clients

Martin Cole’s approach to financial planning has always started with relationships. Now, his growing team is helping carry that approach forward. Article by Amanda Wagner | Photography by Maria Claire Media After 27 years with Thrivent, Martin Cole has learned that financial planning is rarely just about the numbers. People want knowledge and experience, of course. But they also want someone they can call. Someone who knows their family, understands what they’re working toward, and will still...

Finance + Legal Services

A Holiday Glow-Up

Awaken Aesthetics & Wellness shares ways to recharge, refresh your look, and head into the new year feeling your best Article by Emily McKeever ‘Tis the season for family gatherings and holiday celebrations, of fresh starts, and bringing a new sense of purpose into the new year. If we’re honest with ourselves, a little recharge and self-care is on all of our holiday wish lists this year. And who better to help than Quincee MacGibbon, owner of Awaken Aesthetics and Wellness and a Certified...

Food + Beverage

A Place to Belong

How the Waconia Breakfast Club is bringing students and the community together, one Friday morning at a time Article by Amanda Wagner | Photography by Alyssa Theisen On Friday mornings, before the first bell rings at Waconia High School, dozens of students are already gathering across the street at Koch Bus Service. The doors open at 7:20 am, and breakfast is served. Students fill their plates with a generous breakfast and connect with classmates and friends while an icebreaker warms the...

Food + Beverage

The People Behind the Plate

Meet the restaurateurs behind Bode Gray’s, Iron Tap, Green Fox Grille, and Bakery Off Main who are creating places where the community comes together. Article by Lauren Beaubaire A great restaurant is never just about what's on the plate. It's about the people who take the risk to open the doors, the teams who turn an idea into a dining experience, and the community that keeps coming back. In Waconia, we’re incredibly lucky to have a thriving restaurant community, thanks in large part to...

Food + Beverage

Raise a Glass to Whiskey

At Winchester & Rye, a family history and a passion for purposeful pairings come together Article by Emily McKeever When it comes to providing a tasteful experience tailored to whiskey lovers — and those who don’t know they’re whiskey lovers yet — the owners of Winchester & Rye in Victoria have their pairings down to a science.  The story of Winchester & Rye began with whiskey. And a family history steeped in it. “My great-grandparents made rye-and-corn whiskey during Prohibition, so when we...

Fitness

A Sweet Way to Connect

The Donuts in Victoria Chat Series brews up coffee, conversation, and community connections Article by Emily McKeever Connection, fun, and coffee and donuts? Where do we sign up? Paige Whalen, Communications Specialist for the City of Victoria, says what began as a simple monthly chat has become a vital way for the City and the community to build relationships and strengthen connections. Mirrored after programs like Donuts with Deputies, the Donuts in Victoria Chat Series offers residents...

Food + Beverage

Your Local Restaurant Roundup

From wood-fired pizza and BBQ to tacos, seafood, burgers, and more, discover some of our favorite local spots to pull up a chair Article and Photography by Waconia and the Victoria area know how to bring people to the table. Whether you’re craving a wood-fired pizza, a juicy burger, spicy tacos, sushi, or a leisurely dinner with friends, there’s no shortage of delicious options close to home. Here are some local favorites! Winchester & Rye Best known for its wood-fired pizzas and whiskey...

Home Services

More Than Heating & Cooling

How Waconia Comfort is helping students discover the skilled trades Article by Amanda Wagner Ask a room full of high school students what they plan to do after graduation, and many will answer with a college major or university name. But across Carver County, local businesses and educators are working together to remind students that there isn’t just one path to a successful career. Waconia Comfort is one of the local businesses helping open those doors. Through career fairs, classroom...