Jul. 19—BEMIDI — The Occupational Development Center’s mission is to serve people, and now the nonprofit organization is serving ice cream.
The ODC has purchased
Big River Scoop
, a popular downtown Bemidji shop from Tom and Nancy Schwartz, who opened it in 2014 at 219 Bemidji Ave. N.
ODC Chief Financial Officer Brad Fitzgerald said the shop will continue to serve products from Chocolate Shoppe Ice Cream Company in Madison, Wis., and retain the current staff while advertising for a new manager. The ODC’s administrative team will oversee operations.
“We were lucky with Big River Scoop being a well-run organization with tremendous staff,” Fitzgerald said, “so we’re really happy to bring those staff members on board with us to help support the mission and take it to the next level.”
He said it is not unusual for the ODC to own a retail operation.
“ODC a diverse organization,” Fitzgerald said. “We have multiple business lines. We actually run a few DMVs over on the Iron Range. We’ve historically run a few retail environments. There were a few legacy ice cream shops actually at some of our various locations across Minnesota as well in our past.”
The Occupational Development Center has nine Minnesota locations: Bemidji, Buhl, Crookston, Grand Rapids, International Falls, Baudette, Roseau, Thief River Falls, and Warren. It specializes in providing employment opportunities to individuals with disabilities. Since its establishment in 1971, the ODC has grown to serve 800 individuals each year.
The ODC works with businesses to provide individuals with opportunities to work in a highly integrated setting. It also produces a variety of products and subcontracted services such as packaging, assembly, sewing, welding, wood processing and powder coating.
The ODC recently opened a day support services program to help build independent living and working skills in a more in-house environment.
Fitzgerald said he hopes to integrate people served by ODC into the workforce at Big River Scoop.
“As we understand the business a little bit more there will be persons served who will be working there,” he said. “It’s prevocational type work, but it’s not the main driving purpose. Ultimately it’s a customer-facing business, something that helps ODC be a little more visible in the community. So we can help grow and support the community while supporting the persons served.
“We believe pretty strongly that Big River Scoop will partner well with our mission from an opportunity standpoint,” he added, “to get people in the door who have an interest in the culinary field, plus have a little fun while it’s happening.”
Big River Scoop is open from noon to 9 p.m. seven days a week.