BEMIDJI 鈥� The historic Elks Lodge building in downtown Bemidji is getting a bold new look.
Work began last week on a major remodeling project that will turn the 107-year-old structure into spaces for restaurants, hotel rooms, and an indoor market and event venue in addition to the current street-level retail storefronts.
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The building was purchased in late 2022 by Mitch Rautio, Thamrong 鈥淜eng鈥� Dechawuth and a silent partner. After recently securing the necessary permits, demolition got underway last week. The remodeling project, which will include the installation of an elevator and sprinkler system, is expected to be completed by late summer. Rautio鈥檚 Back Country Construction and Development will do the work.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a big project,鈥� Rautio said. 鈥淔inancially it鈥檚 a big project, so it all has to work out. The nice part about the downtown is that every meeting I go to, every time I hear a presentation of Bemidji, I still see that a vibrant downtown is one of the goals. So I think it will work out.鈥�
Bemidji Mayor Jorge Prince sees the project as a welcome addition to the city.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a very unique space that he鈥檚 proposing,鈥� Prince said. 鈥淭o take something historic like the Elks building that鈥檚 been there for such a long time and turn it into something unique is definitely going to give a new flavor and some additional character to downtown.鈥�
Dechawuth, who owns Tara Thai restaurant and the Puposky Pearl mushroom farm, plans to open a bar and restaurant called the Blue Oyster on the second floor of the Elks building. He also opened a
Four boutique hotel rooms will be constructed on the second floor as well in the space where the Elks Club鈥檚 dining room was located. Reservations for rooms will be made exclusively online. Rautio said the hotel will likely be called The Lodge Downtown.
He is excited about the prospects for use of the building鈥檚 third floor. It covers the east half of the structure, which was built in 1916.
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He plans to install glass garage-style doors facing Lake Bemidji, which can be opened during pleasant weather to create a rooftop feel. The space, tentatively named the Elevated Market, will be available for events such as weddings, dances and meetings. He also hopes to use the space for an indoor market, with vendor booths separated by pipe and drape.
鈥淚t will be a multi-use space,鈥� Rautio said. 鈥淥ur initial plan was the elevated market or an indoor vendor market. It might start out only once a week or once a month. We鈥檒l see how that evolves depending on the vendors. During the wintertime, it will be incredible to come inside in the warmth and have that.鈥�
He said there has been interest from potential vendors, but he is waiting for the project to near completion before showing it with views of the lake.
鈥淚 can鈥檛 wait to cut those openings to see the lake,鈥� he said. 鈥淲hen those large windows with glass garage doors are open, you will feel the wind in your face, and feel like you鈥檙e sitting on a rooftop downtown.鈥�
Three of the five storefronts on the street level are currently occupied. On the Beltrami Avenue side are Ritter Lane Soap Co. and Wick N Scents, and on the Fourth Street side is the Happy 420 Merch Headshop.
The other two spaces have recently been vacated by Your Mom鈥檚 Tattoo Atelier and De La Hunt Media鈥檚 Coyote Radio offices. Your Mom鈥檚 Tattoo has moved into the former Bar 209 space at 209 Minnesota Ave. NW. Coyote has moved its studio and sales office to the second floor of 405 Beltrami Ave. NW.
Dechawuth said he plans to open a second restaurant in the Elks building in the former Your Mom鈥檚 Tattoo space. He said he has lined up partners from out of state to open a fast-casual eatery featuring chicken and rice dishes.
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Plans have not been finalized for the former Coyote space, which years ago was the Burger House restaurant. Rautio said there is interest in the space from a group that would open 鈥渁 quaint, unique food business.鈥�
After seeing old photographs of the Elks building, Rautio said he plans to reopen windows that have been boarded up on the second floor and to recreate the original design of the windows, which were about 12 feet wide and 8 feet high.
鈥淥n the Beltrami side there are three windows that will be opened back up,鈥� he said. 鈥淭hey were enclosed, I鈥檓 assuming for efficiency.鈥�
Windows on the Fourth Street side also will be reopened.
鈥淚t鈥檚 great to see investment in our downtown buildings,鈥� Prince said, 鈥渂ecause many of them require upgrades, especially when it comes to sprinkler systems. So to see Mitch making an investment downtown and bringing all of those things up to the newest code while bringing new things to Bemidji, that鈥檚 great.鈥�
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