The Chamber’s August Business Spotlight is on new member, Great River Outdoors, LLC, a vacation rental which was opened this year by Tony and Beth Mescher.

Great River Outdoors got its start with the Meschers’ passion for the outdoors and the need for accommodations for a large family vacation. Tony’s grandparents owned a cabin on Abel Island for many years, and Tony spent countless summer weekends in Guttenberg until making the move permanent in 1996. Beth was converted into a self proclaimed river rat while dating Tony in college. “We were both raised with the outdoors playing a big part in our lives. As we’ve starting raising our family, we work to carry on the tradition our families have instilled in us by enjoying the recreational opportunities that exist in the Guttenberg area,” said Beth.

In February of this year, Tony and Beth’s parents were looking for a place to stay in Guttenberg during a family vacation planned for July. When they were unable to find available lodging large enough to accommodate three generations, the couple started putting serious thought into a business venture. “Once we started doing some research, we noticed a void in the local market,” the couple said. The opportunity arose for the Meschers to purchase the house next door to theirs to start sharing the beauty of their neighborhood and community. “This past week, we hosted our family vacation. We had 14 people staying overnight, and during the day, 30 of us relaxing inside and out! This was very exciting as we were confident this property could be a great location for our guests to host family and holiday events and we’ve now proven that!” Beth explained.

Great River Outdoors is a spacious, relaxing rental home with many amenities included to make guests’ packing easier and their stays enjoyable. “We try to make the vacation experience as easy as possible. Once booked, our guests are emailed a door code of their choice for keyless entry. They arrive at the house on their schedule and make themselves comfortable. We have kids of our own and know the challenges of packing half the house for a weekend trip. We alleviate this hassle by providing everything you need for kids. We also work to include all the details, such as firewood, supplies to make s’mores over the campfire, and complimentary snacks and drinks,“ the couple explained. Great River Outdoors is available for daily, weekly, or monthly rental. Those visiting for hunting and fishing will be pleased with the property’s ample parking for trucks and trailers, along with insulated garage space. Guests will also enjoy the quiet peacefulness of the bluff.

The couple is working not only to market their vacation rental, but also the activities available in Guttenberg and the surrounding area. They love meeting their guests and sharing ideas about how they can best enjoy their stay in Guttenberg. They hope to build a recurring clientele base allowing them the opportunity to expand vacation rental properties and then services that would complement those rental properties. “We have partners exploring options for providing guided hunting/bowfishing/fishing packages, summer/winter river trips, UTV trips, historical tours, and many more things that we love to do in this area!” said Tony. This winter, the Meschers plan to add another bathroom to the rental and will continue making upgrades to keep customers coming back. Follow them on Facebook or visit their website for information on booking your next getaway!

Upcoming Events:
Aug. 11-13: Celebrate the River, includes live music, youth fishing tournament, boat tours, Crazy Day sidewalk sales, and more!

This month, the Guttenberg Chamber spotlights PromiseLand Winery, which was opened in 2013 by Pat and Cindy Wachendorf. Pat has long been in the tool and die industry and owns and operates Precision Wire & Design in Farley, while Cindy retired in 2013 to focus on the winery after working for 25 years at Rockwell Collins.

Pat and Cindy got their start in wine making by taking classes online and shadowing at other wineries. They planted their first vine in 2006 and enjoyed the vineyard experience so much that they decided to take classes during the first year of Kirkwood Community College’s Viticulture and Wine Making Program. Pat and Cindy began making wine in 2011, and currently produce ten wines with plans to come out with several more.

PromiseLand Winery features an event room, tasting room, five boutiques, a kitchen, and a courtyard, which allows the facility to host outdoor music on Sundays, painting classes, and murder mystery dinners. Customers have also enjoyed renting the event room for showers, anniversary and birthday parties, weddings, ceremonies, prom, and business meetings. In addition to their wine, PromiseLand sells pizza and snacks, and offers a unique shopping experience. The event room is made to look like an Italian street with streetlights and balconies, and boutiques each have their own storefront. The boutiques carry wine-related gifts, women’s clothing and accessories, clothing and products for babies and children, men’s items, and locally made art and crafts. “People may not realize that shopping for a new outfit, a baby gift, or a fun birthday present is just a few miles away from home,” says Cindy.

At present, the Wachendorfs are finishing a covered back courtyard that they hope to have completed by early summer. This area is larger than the front courtyard where outdoor music is currently held, and it has a permanent roof structure to shelter the area from rain and hot summer days. This covered courtyard will also expand the facility by serving as an additional seating area for functions held in the event room.

Pat and Cindy hope to expand the winery’s food options in the future and they plan to continue to grow their retail business. They currently sell wine in about 55 locations outside of the winery. “Our primary focus will always be making good wine and providing a great experience for our customers that come to the winery,” say Pat and Cindy, noting the importance of bringing new customers to the winery and continuing to provide good wine and a welcoming environment to existing customers. The Wachendorfs and the winery staff enjoy meeting their customers, who range from neighbors a mile down the road to travelers coming from states away. “It's also rewarding when you have customers that come back time and time again, bringing different friends each time to show them our place!” says Cindy, “We truly want each and every person who takes time out of their day to visit our facility and taste our wines to feel right at home and leave with a smile on their face!”

The Guttenberg Chamber of Commerce June Business Spotlight is on 10 Dam Fish!, which is owned and operated by U.S. Coast Guard licensed Captain Dennis Hartig. Hartig offers guided fishing trips and a wide variety of other river excursions on the Mississippi River out of Guttenberg.

Hartig spent many summers as a child on Abel Island enjoying fishing and the Mississippi River, which led him to make Guttenberg his primary residence in 2006 after selling his business in Florida. Seeing a need for a river excursion service in Guttenberg, Hartig started 10 Dam Fish! in 2015 to allow visitors and Guttenberg residents who don’t have a boat an opportunity to enjoy all that the river has to offer. Dennis and his wife, Susan, chose the name 10 Dam Fish! as a play on words that would reflect the nature of the service and the proximity to Lock and Dam #10.

10 Dam Fish! offers eco-wildlife tours, leisure river rides, guided fishing trips, river history tours, transportation to and from local beaches, sunset cruises, and custom trips; Hartig is willing to accommodate almost any request. Anticipating that guided fishing experiences would be the most popular of the services Hartig provides, he was surprised to find that river rides and tours make up more than half of the requests 10 Dam Fish! receives. Hartig is available for tours and trips daily from mid April until the end of the fall leaf season. Fishing trips can accommodate 1-3 people and river tours and custom adventures can accommodate 1-6 people. Visit 10 Dam Fish! on Facebook or pick up a brochure from many locations in Guttenberg, including the Welcome Center, for more information on rates.

When asked about his favorite thing about doing business in Guttenberg, Hartig answered, “Both the river and the community are great. The river is awesome and offers a plethora of recreational opportunities. The people of Guttenberg are wonderful; we have met so many great people since moving here full-time and are very fortunate to be able to call most of them friends.”

Hartig says that each trip is exciting in its own way, whether it be kids reeling in their first fish or visitors observing nesting eagles, everyone goes home with a smile and great memories of an exciting day on the Mississippi River. Hartig states that his goal with this venture is “to be able to share this wonderful environment that we live in with others.”

Upcoming Events:
July 2: Stars & Stripes Celebration & Fireworks
July 2: Clayton Ridge Interact Club 5K Walk/Run
July 23: The Guttenberg Motel Catfish Tournament