A recent study by McKinsey found that the average life-span of companies listed in Standard & Poor's 500 was 61 years in 1958. Today, it is less than 18 years. Crane Steel Structures is celebrating 40 years in business. Truly a remarkable number when you think about how tough it is for a business to survive. The Brandon based company started operations in 1981 in a modest 400 square foot office and over the years have found ways to expand and also re-invent their business. With a staff of over 40, brothers PJ and Jarod Crane carry the torch from their father Paul Crane who founded the company.. BDNMB.CA was able to squeeze a few questions out of PJ Crane prior to the Tamarack golf tournament started this weekend in Clear Lake. Twenty-five years ago or so, when you were running a sporting goods store on 18th St, did you foresee yourself sitting in the position you are today working in the family business? LOL those were really, really fun years but I soon realized retail was not for me and had an idea of where I would end up and grateful it has all worked out! Apart from Covid over the past 18 months, what are some of the largest issues you and your brother have faced on a day to day basis?  Most of our issues are Labor and Material shortages. We have to make sure Government stops closing down businesses that they think are non essential. Is your Dad involved at all in day to day operations?  Ha Yes between golf and snowbirding we have Dad on a .25 retainer. He is the cheapest consultant we have and you cannot find common sense knowledge like that these days. And can we expect you and your brother to be at Food Truck Warz in September? Well we love to eat, so pretty good chance were there a couple of times !! You can check out the various impressive projects (Precision Toyota – PCU Centre in Portage and NetSet Communication) that Crane Steel have looked after from start to finish by visiting their web page here.

On August 18, 2021 local eatery Benny's Restaurant & Catering Services celebrated its fifth anniversary. The restaurant, located at 612 Rosser Ave, was previously the home to the Green Olive Restaurant, prior to Ben Hernandez taking over in 2016. Since they purchased the restaurant, and the building, they have done a lot of cosmetic changes to the interior of the restaurant and a few major mechanical improvements to make their guests and employees more comfortable when dining and a better quality of work place for the staff. "The industry is always changing as technology advances, on line ordering has become a huge change for most restaurants specially ours, covid-19 made that change even larger due to the many closures we went through" said Hernandez about the changes he has seen in the industry the past 5-years. The restaurant reviews their menu annually, making little changes to it along the way. Many of their guests identify with their favorite menu items making it hard to do wholesale changes. Along with a rib eye steak, highlights on Benny's menu includes baby back BBQ ribs, pan roasted salmon, a traditional reuben, and a clubhouse sandwich. A variety of appetizers, soups and salads round out the menu, along with a selection of daily desserts. A slow roasted prime rib of beef, served with their signature beef jus, is available on Friday & Saturday nights. According to Hernandez, the success of the restaurant can be attributed to many factors including being consistent, a high quality of product, customer service and ensuring that food freshness is their top priority. "We have been blessed by the amount of support we got from our guests not only during the pandemic but during the last 5 years, we also need to commend the staff that works here now and those who worked during all these years because they made us who we are today! BIG THANK YOU TO ALL!" added Hernandez.  

Dating myself with this line from the old TV show the Jeffersons. Well, we're moving on up to the East side To a deluxe apartment in the sky Moving on up to the East side We finally got a piece of the pie For Angie Ball this is her dream becoming a reality. Angie is the owner of Circle B Fitness which is currently based out of her garage in Kemnay. On September 6th, she will be the landlord of 345 - 10th Street and will take over the location of Outperforme Athletics. Real estate agent Scott Major stumbled on this listing and thought this is a perfect fit for Angie. "We will be open 24/7 and members of Outperforme can still use their key fobs to enter the facility" said Ball. She also wanted her current, and new clients, to know she will be offering personal one on one training. "We will want to be part of your life and help you with not only weight goals but lifestyle changes from top to bottom" added Ball. "This will not be your standard "cookie cutter" corporate gym but something more personal with further attention towards your goals". Website link. Ball is the current Director of Westman Dreams for Kids and the organization is in the process of finding a new person to take over her position.

McCain Foods will be hosting a Free Fry Day Event in Brandon to raise money for Ronald McDonald House. The drive thru event takes place on Thursday Aug 19, 2021 at the Keystone Centre parking lot. Donate to the Ronald McDonald House Charities MB to receive a free McCain Product and FREE Ketchup from Heritage Co-Op. Additional information available here. Brandon Keystone Centre #1 1175 18th St August 19, 2021   10:00 A.M. – 4:00 P.M.

Westman Communications Group (Westman) is excited to announce that their 2021 #ConnectingWestman Funding Program donated $25,605 to deserving initiatives in the communities Westman serves, including Swan River, Killarney, Gilbert Plains, Shilo, Dauphin, and Roblin. Westman's Funding Program provides financial aid and human resources needed to create sustainable communities across Manitoba. Supporting the communities that Westman serves is an essential part of who they are. "Our goal is to encourage enriching Manitoba communities. The #ConnectingWestman Funding Program allowed us to achieve just that by having a bigger local impact in the communities we serve and provide them with the support they need," said Courtney Baxter, Marketing & Community Programming Manager at Westman Communications group. "We can’t wait to see these projects come to fruition as we continue to grow alongside our neighbouring communities." The successful recipients of the 2021 #ConnectingWestman funding are the following: • Baseball Legacy Committee (Swan River) • Grandma Flo (Gilbert Plains) • Habitat for Humanity, Killarney Chapter (Killarney) • Manitoba Entrepreneurial Hubs (Dauphin) • École O'Kelly School (Shilo) • Roblin Elementary School (Roblin) • Tots of Love Early Learning Centre Inc. (Killarney) Westman looks forward to continuing to support local initiatives with next year's #ConnectingWestman Funding Program and Tour. For more information about the #ConnectingWestman Funding Program, this year’s recipients, and their projects, visit westmancom.com/funding