Melrose Area Development Authority - MADA

09/01/2026

Another piece of economic development is supporting the redevelopment of properties already in our community. Magnifi has an opportunity and is ready to welcome the next owner of its admin center. MADA stands ready to hear ideas. Our doors are open to talk through “What If” or “Could We” or “How About.”

As the former Jennie-O site is redeveloped, this property has prime potential as professional office space or for a new purpose. If you have an idea about this property, call Craig Hiltner VoigtJohnson, Magnifi’s real estate agent.

A successful community is built through partnerships. Property owners, businesses, developers and local government all play an important role in helping good projects move forward. MADA understands that economic development starts with being willing to say, “What can we do to help make the next chapter possible?”

08/31/2026

We have mentioned before the importance of partnerships to our community. Economic development is also about working together. A community where businesses cooperate, cross-promote, and celebrate each other's success is more resilient than one where every business operates independently. (Fancy way of saying...Free Chocolate Milk is Awesome)

Thank you Stony Creek Dairy, Melrose Area Public Schools and Some Like It Hot for welcoming our students back to school.

Random fact: A survey found 7% of American adults think chocolate milk comes from brown cows. That's about 17.3 million people. 🐮🥛

Stony Creek Dairy is doing it again! We are proud to hand out this amazing gift of chocolate milk for kids before their first day of school this Monday 8/31 and Tuesday 9/1, while supplies last!

08/31/2026

The Melrose Area Development Authority offers Commercial Rehabilitation Deferred Loans to commercial businesses that support facade improvements, exterior site improvements, and other projects which contribute to the preservation of the tax base and improve economic viability.

S/O to Antonio @ Billionaire Beauty & Barbershop Inc. for the latest downtown project. The north side of 1st Street NE has been undergoing changes!

08/28/2026

Economic development is about more than attracting large businesses—it’s about supporting the entrepreneurs who believe in our community and are willing to invest in it. Melrose grad, now CEO of a small business. Investing in her hometown. That's what built this city. We’re excited to see her addition to Main Street next month!

Young, local entrepreneur. Investing in us. Stronger Main Street.
Butterfly Cosmetics Follow her journey.

https://www.facebook.com/Butterflycosmeticsofficial

Butterfly Cosmetics LLC🦋
Licensed Nail Tech | MN 📍
Anticipated opening late, September 2026

08/26/2026

Just off Main Street is Advantage 1 Insurance Agency, which was was founded in 1994 by J. Ted Plombon in St. Cloud. In 2015, ownership transitioned to RaeAnn Waytashek and Andy Noble, who have continued growing the agency while maintaining its commitment to personal service and strong community relationships. Over the years, Advantage 1 has expanded throughout Central Minnesota, including a Melrose office established through the acquisition of the Kraker Agency.

The Melrose office is supported by Client Service Advocate Sarai Botello. Sarai enjoys spending time with her family and friends and helps local clients navigate their insurance needs with personal attention and timely service.

Advantage 1 offers coverage for many of the things that matter most, including homes, vehicles, health, life, recreational activities, farms, and businesses. Because Advantage 1 is an independent agency, its team can request quotes from multiple trusted insurance carriers and help clients find coverage suited to their individual needs.

We appreciate you, ADVANTAGE 1 INSURANCE Agency—a local resource and part of our downtown area!

08/24/2026

Ready, set, go! The schools are coming alive for the start of classes next week. Welcome back teachers and staff. Today we highlight why the Melrose Area School District location matters for economic development in our city. A regional school is a major economic anchor. Melrose Area Public Schools is the 2nd largest employer in our city – 2nd only to Legacy Turkey.

The Melrose Area Public Schools location in Melrose serves several communities brings hundreds of students, parents, teachers, coaches, and visitors into the city. Melrose becomes a regional hub. That creates regular economic activity for restaurants, convenience stores, grocery stores, retailers, service businesses and other employers. Families also shop, eat, purchase gas, use healthcare, and conduct other business while they are here.

The location of the district attracts and retains families. A strong regional school is a significant reason families choose to live in or near the community. Housing demand is closely connected to the quality and accessibility of schools. We have seen that as we have added residential lots for building and multi-family housing in Melrose.

It brings us together! Schools are more than classrooms. Athletic events, concerts, plays, graduations, community education, meetings and other activities bring residents from multiple communities together.

Welcome back everyone – we hope it is a great year.

08/20/2026

High-quality trade jobs can be one of the most valuable economic-development opportunities a city can provide for its high school graduates, particularly here in Melrose.

That is an extremely powerful economic-development cycle for us. We want our graduates to know "You don't have to leave town to build a successful career."

🚫 🚫 High school → leave town → college → find job elsewhere → never return 🚫🚫

👍👍High school → local apprenticeship → local job → 💲good income → 🏠 buy a home → ❤️family → community involvement 👍👍

A successful community needs both college graduates and highly skilled tradespeople. One isn't more valuable than the other. Engineers design the building, architects design it, accountants finance it, managers run the company—and skilled tradespeople actually build it.

Thank you Midwest Automatic Products Inc. for providing these opportunities!

We’re hiring at Midwest Automatic Products!
We have immediate openings for motivated people who want to build a career in precision manufacturing:
• SWISS / Live Tool Lathe Machinist — Experience setting up and operating Swiss-style and live-tool turning equipment preferred.
• Saw Operator – Production Sawing — Operate production sawing equipment to accurately cut and prepare raw material for our machining operations.
• Entry-Level Machinist – CNC & Screw Machining — No machining experience required. This is a great opportunity for someone who wants to learn a skilled trade and build a long-term career in manufacturing.
We offer:
· Competitive hourly pay based on experience, with opportunities for overtime.
· Comprehensive benefits package (health, retirement, paid time off).
· Stable, locally owned company with 50+ years in business and long-tenured customer relationships.
· A culture that values precision, craftsmanship, and continuous improvement.
If you’re dependable, detail-oriented, willing to learn, and take pride in producing quality work, we’d like to talk with you.
Contact us for more information or to submit a resume:
· Visit www.midwestautomaticproducts.com/careers/
· Or, stop at our office in Melrose, MN
· Or, call our office, at (320) 256-4203

08/18/2026

CURA is an economic anchor. It is a major employer, and generates business activity, supports families' ability to work, contributes to the community's tax base.

Beyond that, it is also space for caring, understanding, and support. A place for our community to remain intergenerational. It allows current residents of our Melrose community (and new ones!) to remain connected to neighborhoods, friends, churches, and services. There are opportunities for different levels of independent living and puts residents closer to healthcare, pharmacies, grocery stores, our park, our library, and with transit opportunities, including a facility bus and the Tri-Cap bus.

This Saturday they are hosting a Community Open House and Family Day. Information and tours are available upon request.
Thank you for being part of our community Cura of Melrose and Cura of Melrose Park View Place

08/18/2026

Changing of seasons means some businesses gear up. That includes Melrose Bowl.

Instead of residents leaving the city for entertainment, a bowling alley gives them a reason to spend money locally. Leagues, birthday parties, class reunions, food & drinks, and open bowling!
Melrose Bowl is a regional market, attracting people outside Melrose. Economic development isn't just about attracting businesses. Cities also compete for people. Kids, adults, families, visitors. Family-friendly fun.

And Melrose Bowl supports community development. In partnership with local schools, it always provides opportunities for students. It hosts the local Special Olympics group Sunday nights, providing an inclusive space for competition, fun and laughter.

In economic development terms, Melrose Bowl, is an amenity + destination, as well as a local employer and part of our tax base. It serves as a multi-generational social hub that builds local community identity. Welcome to fall (almost) and watch with us as Melrose Bowl gears up. Welcome to your 52nd year in our community, and thank you.

08/07/2026

Growth! Both in terms of size of a business and size of products.
Melrose Implement used to be on Main Street. Where would all those tractors and equipment go now? Their location on County Road 13 south of the city accommodates their wide-range of products and services!

Having spaces for growing businesses allows agricultural communities like Melrose retain large-scale manufacturers, such as tractor and equipment dealers. We have local demand for parts and service providers for our local farmers. And large equipment requires large service bays and wide driveways. Thank you for being an important contributor to economic development in the agriculture community of Melrose.