After silence . . . the twang is back at KIMM.
The longtime Rapid City radio station returned to the airwaves at 1150-AM Saturday morning.
With its Classic Country format and AM sound, KIMM is kind of a throwback to old-time radio. You'll hear Conway Twitty and George Jones, not Carrie Underwood. And Paul Harvey, not Rush Limbaugh.
I talked the other day with Duane Butt of Pierre. He owns the KIMM radio license. He said he has leased it to Carson Aasen, owner of the Quik Quarter shopper in Rapid City.
KIMM had fallen silent recently. The former operator of the station, Badlands Broadcasting in Rapid City, wasn't saying why. Butt declined to comment on Badlands, only to say that he and Badlands had parted company.
Aasen, as it turns out, is a veteran broadcaster who worked in radio and TV before getting into the shopper business.
"I think it will be a nice marriage for the Quik Quarter," he said.
For now, the automated radio equipment is still located at Badlands, but Aasen is setting up a studio, satellite dish and other equipment at the Quik Quarter on Main Street.
In time, he hopes to add local announcements and news to KIMM. For now, he has other things on his mind. In addition to the new studio, he's been shopping for a place to move the transmitter and towers.
The existing transmitter site is off Elk Vale Road near the Big Sky subdivision. I understand that Big Sky developer Doyle Estes and his partner have an option to buy that land next year.
I'm not sure what they have in mind for it, but I know Homestead Street, one of the main roads into the subdivision, takes kind of a strange jog around the towers. I hope to have more on that later.
New owner at the Breakfast Nook
The Breakfast Nook at 720 N. La Crosse St. has a new owner. Cabot Irvine bought the business from Dee Anderson.
In his first month behind the counter, Irvine said things are going well. "We're doing better than I kind of expected; we have good help," he said. And the Breakfast Nook has a pretty loyal following.
Hours right now are 5:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sunday. Irvine is thinking of adding evening hours later, but even then the Breakfast Nook name will stay.
"Breakfast is always going to be our core. . . . We have some cooks in the back of the house that are putting some interesting stuff together that's just awesome," he said. And they have reintroduced waffles to the menu.
In addition, the restaurant has added a WiFi hotspot for laptop Internet access.
Irvine has been involved in the restaurant business off and on for years. He also managed a motel, worked for PrairieWave Communications and did a stint in radio.
For more information call 399-3975.
Massage therapist moves
Veteran massage therapist Mark Thalacker has moved his business, Relaxation Station, to the Somerset Court building at Derby Lane and Minnesota Avenue.
Although Somerset Court is a senior housing complex, Relaxation Station is open to the public.
Thalacker has been a massage therapist for 20 years. He has a degree in wellness management from Black Hills State University. He's been a member of the American Massage Therapy Association for 20 years.
He also has training in neuromuscular massage therapy from Paul St. John, and he's learned myofascial release techniques from Michael Shea, a Rolfer and teacher of the methods of Ida Rolf.
For the past 13 years, he's been located in the Black Hills Chiropractic building across from the Rapid City Post Office.
For more information, call 484-3427.
Two Wheeler Dealer expands
The Two Wheeler Dealer cycle and fitness retailer is now officially a chain.
Rich Harr, one of the new owners of the Two Wheeler Dealer, announced that the first new store outside the Black Hills opened Sept. 1 in Sioux Falls.
The new store, Two Wheeler Dealer of Sioux Falls, is located near 41st and Minnesota streets. It sells full lines of mountain bikes, road bikes and accessories, as well as home and commercial fitness equipment.
The owners have been working on plans to expand the Two Wheeler Dealer cycle and fitness concept in other South Dakota communities and nearby states. The concept has been a success at the company's existing stores in Rapid and Spearfish, Harr said.
The other owners are Angela Moyer and Mike Adams, who also manage the Rapid City and Spearfish stores; Dana Genereux who will be the managing partner in the new Sioux Falls store; and Todd Young and Craig Kirsch, who along with Harr work on the future expansion of the business.
Talking Business appears Thursdays in the Journal. Contact Dan Daly by telephone at 394-8421, by fax at 394-8463 or by e-mail: dan.daly@rapidcityjournal.com
