Good morning, South Metro.
What’s inside:
The farms they paved over (Rimnac under Burnsville Center, Holz farm museum in Eagan, Brandtjen barn in Lakeville)
Burnsville development: Kwik Trip with car wash approved, 5 cannabis businesses in pipeline
Pump & Pantry takes over Hy-Vee Fast & Fresh in Lakeville (only MN location, rewards still work)
School Bus Road-eo Wednesday at Burnsville (watch drivers compete in precision challenges)
In 1910, Lakeville was home to a big attraction that drew crowds all the way from Minneapolis. What was it?
Viking Lakes Beer Bash is Back on August 15th
17 breweries, live bands, and food trucks on the Viking Lakes campus in Eagan — free to get in, paid to drink.
Tickets are $50 now and jump to $60 at the door. Runners can also join the Brewery Running Series for a pledge-per-mile race on closed lake trails, with proceeds going to Save the Boundary Waters. The run club with the most total miles wins $500.
Save $10 and lock in your spot early.
Want to reach 66,000+ south metro residents? Advertise with South Metro Scoop
Pump & Pantry Is Taking Over the Hy-Vee Fast & Fresh in Lakeville
The gas station at Cedar and Glacier Way is getting a new name—Lakeville is now the only Minnesota location for the Nebraska-based chain. Your Hy-Vee Fuel Saver rewards still work.
Lakeville's New Zoning Rules: More Chickens, Easier Bees, Smaller Deck Setbacks
The 2026 zoning update bumps the backyard chicken limit to 6 birds (and you can sell eggs now), cuts the beekeeping red tape, and drops deck setbacks to 10 feet for smaller lots. City Council votes August 3rd.
Burnsville Development Roundup: What's Building, Approved & Proposed
A new Kwik Trip with car wash is approved for Highway 13 and Diffley. Five cannabis businesses are moving through the city. We sorted every project on the city's development map.
THE FARMS THEY PAVED OVER
In 1971, a family named Rimnac sold 114 acres of Burnsville farmland to Sears.
Six years later, a million-square-foot mall stood on top of it.
THE SALE
The land sat at the southwest corner of Interstate 35W and County Road 42. A family named Hanson owned part of it too. Sears and Powers Department Store bought the plot together in May 1971 for the largest shopping center in the Twin Cities.
Burnsville Center opened August 3, 1977. Nobody recorded what the Rimnac family thought about it. Nobody wrote down what their farm had grown, or how long they'd worked that soil.
The mall is still there. The farm is not.
THE PATTERN
The Rimnacs weren't alone.
In Apple Valley, a family named Broback sold to developer Orrin Thompson in 1963. He platted subdivisions on both sides of County Road 42 and named it after a town in California. The township had been called Lebanon. Population 585 in 1960. Today it's 56,000.
In Lakeville, printing magnate Henry Brandtjen owned 520 acres. After he died, developers bought the land and planned 2,100 homes. The old 1920s dairy barn was repurposed as a community center. The development is called Spirit of Brandtjen Farm.
THE HOLDOUT
In Eagan, the Holz family held on longer than most.
They broke ground on their 80-acre farm in the 1870s. Watched the suburbs rise around them. Kept farming. They didn't stop until 1993.
Developers had already purchased the property when the city stepped in. In 1995, Eagan bought the land and turned it into a living farm museum. It's on the National Register of Historic Places now.
WHAT REMAINS
The Holz farm in Eagan. The Brandtjen barn in Lakeville. A few old farmhouses tucked between subdivisions.
And the names. Rimnac. Broback. Holz. Brandtjen. The families who worked this land for generations before it became parking lots and cul-de-sacs.
Nobody built statues for them. But the soil remembers.
WHERE TO SEE IT
Holz Family Farmstead — 4665 Manor Drive, Eagan. Living farm museum.
Spirit of Brandtjen Farm — The old dairy barn is now a community center.
Burnsville Center — County Road 42 and I-35W, Burnsville. The Rimnac farm is underneath it somewhere.
➡️ 4 bed, 3 bath, 0.5 acres on a privately wooded lot
➡️ In-ground heated pool with a 256" outdoor LED TV
➡️ Soaring great room with polished concrete staircase & brick gas fireplace
➡️ 6 total garage spaces including tuckunder & EV charging station
Price: $1,000,000
MLS #7108954
Something big is getting built near you. Be the first to know.
That's exactly why we're building the South Metro Development Report — a once-a-month email keeping tabs on every sizable project moving through all 10 of our cities. New apartments, retail, industrial, you name it: what's proposed, what got approved, what's breaking ground, and what it actually means for your neighborhood. We read the agendas and sit through the council meetings so you don't have to.
Build or sell around here? It's your edge. Investing? It's your early read on where things are headed. Just live here and like being in the know? Same.
It launches August 1. Hop on the waitlist (free, no strings) and you'll be first in line.
Join The Development Waitlist
Monday, July 27th
Wes Walz MN Wild Hockey School, Eagan 1 (Eagan)
Young hockey players get pro coaching, power skating, goalie training, a Cascade Bay field trip, and exclusive gear during this action-packed camp. Hit the ice.
Buck Hill Golf Tournament (Farmington)
Grab your golf buddies for a day of drinks, prizes, camaraderie, and charitable giving at Southern Hills Golf Course, $120. Tee up for good.
ArtSmarts at Caponi Art Park (Eagan)
Students entering grades 4 through 9 can explore a 60-acre sculpture park while creating land art, botanical drawings, and nature-inspired installations, $300. Make something wild.
Epic Summer (Eagan)
Kids can enjoy free high-energy games, challenges, inspiring messages, and messy summer fun from 6 to 8 p.m., with registration required. Sign the kids up.
Live Jazz at Brianno’s Chart House with Courtney Burton and Friends (Lakeville)
Settle in for classic American Songbook favorites with a little blues and soul during this live jazz night at 6:30 p.m. Hear the jazz.
Toast, The Best of Bread (Burnsville)
Toast brings the music of Bread to the stage at 7 p.m., perfect for a mellow night out with classic songs and familiar harmonies. Hear the classics.
Tuesday, July 28th
Tigers in the Wild, Water Wonders (Farmington)
Kids can splash through water tables, chalk paint, bubbles, giveaways, and a snack cart at this free morning of summer fun. Make a splash.
Lakeville Citywide Blood Drive (Lakeville)
Give back at McGuire Middle School from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., with the blood drive running July 28 and 29. Give blood.
191 Community Pantry Fresh Produce (Burnsville)
Pick up free fresh produce at this drive-through distribution starting at 2 p.m., while supplies last. Stock up free.
4-Inch Mini Bookshelf Workshop (Lakeville)
Paint, assemble, and take home your own mini bookshelf at this creative 6 p.m. workshop, $35, recommended for ages 10 and up. Build something cute.
Wild Workouts, Pilates (Apple Valley)
Stretch, strengthen, and work on your core during this free all-levels Pilates class at 6:30 p.m., just bring a mat. Find your flow.
Wednesday, July 29th
Minnesota School Bus Road-eo (Burnsville)
Watch school bus drivers compete in precision, safety, and skill challenges during this unique celebration of the people who get students safely to school. See the skills.
All Saints Garage Sale (Lakeville)
Shop more than 35,000 square feet of antiques, clothing, toys, furniture, electronics, books, and plenty more from noon to 8 p.m., $5 admission. Go treasure hunting.
Loops and Lavender (Farmington)
Bring your yarn project and a lawn chair for a cozy 4 to 7 p.m. evening of stitching, lavender, snacks, and good company, $5. Craft in the fields.
Picnics in the Park, Innisfree Park (Rosemount)
Pack dinner, invite your friends, and enjoy a relaxed community picnic at 5:30 p.m. in one of Rosemount’s beautiful local parks. Pack a picnic.
Restful Yoga at The Lavender Barnyard (Farmington)
Ease into gentle Yin Yoga and a Tibetan singing bowl sound bath from 6 to 7 p.m. among the lavender fields, $15. Find your calm.
Book Signing with Molly Blaeser (Lakeville)
Stop by B-52 Burgers and Brews from 6 to 9 p.m. to meet Molly Blaeser and get a copy of Origins signed. Meet the author.
The Dolly Show (Burnsville)
The Dolly Show takes over Burnsville at 8 p.m., with tickets available now for a midweek night out. Get tickets.
How did you like this week's edition of the South Metro Scoop?
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— Brady Greenbush
Publisher & Editor