Running the northern dream; Area couple ready to open MN resort this summer

Published 10:30 am Thursday, April 9, 2015

Randy and Tami Fett have purchased and will reopen Blue Moon Resort and Hotel in northern Minnesota. Photo provided

Randy and Tami Fett have purchased and will reopen Blue Moon Resort and Hotel in northern Minnesota. Photo provided

Randy and Tami Fett have different perspectives on their latest business purchase.

Tami jumped at the chance to own and operate a gorgeous lakeside resort, while Randy considers the beautiful lake property a great capital investment.

Yet both Fetts are excited to reopen Blue Moon Resort and Hotel, a gorgeous northern Minnesota resort on Hill Lake near Hill City and Grand Rapids, starting on May 1.

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“We’ve both been in the service industry before,” Tami said. “We really enjoyed it. We miss the people.”

The Fetts, of London Township, have plenty of connections to the area business scene. Randy is part of Fett Properties in Austin and they both own several coin laundries in St. Paul.

Randy and Tami Fett, of London. Trey Mewes/trey.mewes@austindailyherald.com

Randy and Tami Fett, of London. Trey Mewes/trey.mewes@austindailyherald.com

Yet the Fetts were looking for another business venture when they came upon Blue Moon Resorts.

Tami’s mother had owned a trailer park at one point, and the Fetts thought lakeside property would be a good investment. Yet they weren’t prepared for how much they would love Blue Moon, which had closed about three years ago.

“We just saw this resort and it just kind of made a place in both of our hearts and we just decided to jump in with both feet,” Tami said.

The Fetts bought the resort in October 2013 and spent all last summer renovating the property, which includes four remodeled cabins, a four-room hotel and six RV campsites. They also got rid of the restaurant and bar area within the motel to convert it to a family area, complete with a play room with games and more for children.

Though resorts aren’t as popular as they used to be — several northern Minnesota resorts have closed over the past few years — Randy and Tami were surprised at how much people missed Blue Moon.

“Talking to people around Minnesota, we’ve run into so many people that know where Blue Moon Resort is,” Randy said. “I was shocked. It was just natural then to keep it Blue Moon Resort.”

The Fetts will move to the resort this summer to run the business. Though they know demand for resorts is down, they’re just excited to interact with new neighbors.

“We wanted to meet new people,” Randy said.

The Fetts have already booked several reservations for Blue Moon Resort. Anyone interested in making reservations can find Blue Moon at bluemoonresorts.com.

“We want to create a real peaceful, family-friendly getaway,” Tami said. “We love what Minnesota has to offer and thought this was a great way to take advantage of what there is here.”