Maple River Winery in Casselton is up for sale

Maple River Winery, which made a name for themselves by making popular wines from local fruit, is now up for sale. CASSELTON (N.D.) - Maple River Winery is for sale. Greg Kempel, along with his wife Susan, announced the sale Monday through Facebook messages. Kempel and his wife also own Fargo's Minn Dak Market, which they will continue to operate. After 21 years in the wine-making industry, Kempel stated that it was time for him to leave. The couple no longer have the energy or time to manage both the businesses. Minn Dak Market can consume 60 hours per week during busy Christmas season. The growing market does not require them to do shoveling walks or other tasks that are part of the day-to-day operation at the winery. "We have struggled with this. "It was a fantastic weekend at the store. Online orders were a big hit. Kempel stated that the walk-in traffic has increased significantly and that online orders have also increased. "We have owned the winery for 21 year. It's almost as if we were twenty years younger. Kempel stated that the boutique winery located at 628 Front St., Casselton has received attention from celebrities and wine enthusiasts around the globe. It sells well online as well as at Happy Harry's Bottle Shops located in Fargo, Grand Forks. It's not a 9-5 job. You need passion. It's like being a chef in a good restaurant. Kempel stated that if you want to succeed as a chef, you will not work regular hours. We believe there will be a young entrepreneur who is ready to rock and roll. Kempel stated that it was a regional icon. It's almost like your child turns 21. It's time for them to go. Kempel stated that the winery can be left in its current location or that the equipment could be moved to another area. The winery does not have a vineyard and instead depends on local producers for fruit. The Kempels have seen more than 100 fruit-bearing people over the years. These suppliers also became advocates for the winery.Kempel stated that he and his wife decided to sell the winery Dec. 18th. When asked Tuesday, he didn't reveal his asking price. Kempel stated, "Too many irons in a fire and we aren't young anymore," Kempel stated that he is considering expanding Minn Dak Market's footprint. Minn Dak Market began as a pop up shop in 2017. It then became a 1,800 square-foot full-time mall in May 2019. Kempel stated that the market has been expanded to more than 4,000 square feet since May 2019. He said that there might be more franchising opportunities. Minn Dak Market is a favorite stop at Fargo’s West Acres Mall. This file photo was taken shortly after the store's expansion, which more than doubled its area. "The potential of our Minn Dak Market's Minn Dak Market is incredible. The potential for our winery's success is also unreal. It won't do justice for either company if it doesn't concentrate our efforts on one,' Kempel stated. We'll be there to help anyone who takes over the winery. Kempel said that anyone interested in purchasing the winery can contact him via Facebook through the Maple River Winery and Minn Dak Market pages. "The entrepreneurial spirit can always flourish around here. Kempel stated that this is America's core value, opportunity. Helmut Schmidt is a journalist for The Forum of FargoMoorhead's business team. You can reach him via email at EMAIL or by calling (701) 241-5583.