Harney Heeralall was accompanied by his daughters, Lauren and Maya, as they worked together on the first day of ownership of the former Maple Lake VFW facility on Highway 55. Heeralall, formerly of the Maple Lake Cafe and Dehmer’s Meats, purchased the facility in June of 2012.

The following business update is a compilition of business articles written and updated by: Theresa Andrus, Katie Friedman and

Gabe Licht.

Several Maple Lake businesses saw changes in the past 12 months, while others have closed their doors. The most visible addition is the expansion of Maple Lake icon, H&H Sport Shop.

Prominent on Highway 55 near the eastern edge of Maple Lake and adjacent to the new Irish Diamonds ballfields, H&H Sport shop has seen many changes in the months since the city council approved the expansion plans of owners Jim and Jody Churchill, including construction, deconstruction and the addition of four or five jobs.

First, a large addition was added behind the original building.

“Most of the building is a warehouse for product, an office and a shipping and receiving area,” owner Jim Churchill said. “We’ll have more room in the building and gain some openness in here.”

The former liquor store has been demolished and, this spring, a road will be added and connected to the school parking lot to access their ballfields.

In the future, he is planning to develop the western portion of his property, likely as a restaurant, though there are not specific plans yet.

“That will be at least a year away,” Churchill said.

Less conspicuous, but no less important in the area business landscape, were the several changes that took place within local businesses.

In June of 2012 it was announced that the VFW facility on Highway 55 in Maple Lake had been sold.

Harnanan Heeralall, owner of HH Meats Deli and Catering, Inc., closed the sale of the building on June 12 after months of work that allowed him to purchase the facility from the Maple Lake VFW organization. In addition, Chris Nelson of Madigan’s Pub & Grill purchased the land adjacent to his facility between Highway 55 and Star Street.

Heeralall had owned the Maple Lake Cafe from 1998 to 2003. He was then associated with Dehmer’s Meats, first operating a Dehmer’s Meat Market before losing the lease on the building and then working for Dehmer’s in St. Michael. Throughout that

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