MANKATO — A new office building for lawyers is planned, a new credit union is beginning to rise and the site of a failed steakhouse and burned-down sushi buffet is preparing for a new non-restaurant life.
In addition, a surgical facility for independent docs has opened on Adams Street, and a longtime St. Peter printing business is rebranding.
Steaks to sushis to Sante Fes
The property at 1010 Raintree Road seemed like a prime spot for a restaurant, located just west of River Hills Mall along Highway 14 — the busiest roadway in south central Minnesota.
But after doomed attempts at a steakhouse and an Asian buffet, the parcel — which has sat vacant for a decade — might be redeveloped as a Hyundai auto detailing facility.
The property was developed by Timberlodge Steakhouse Inc. at the beginning of the century. But the restaurant lasted less than five years, closing and being sold to a California man for about $2.8 million in 2005.
The Asiana Buffet and Grill followed and had a strong fan base among area sushi fans before being badly damaged in a March 2015 fire, which forced the evacuation of lunch-hour patrons as it spread from a wok to the ceiling and beyond.
The restaurant’s roadside message sign promised “We are coming back soon,” but after seven months it was demolished instead.
Now, city officials have been presented with plans for a 5,400-square-foot building on the site to be used for automotive detailing. The large parking lot left behind by the restaurants is also part of the intended reuse. The plans are titled “Proposed Facility for Hyundai of Mankato” and show multiple bays for doing work on vehicles such as cleaning and applying undercoating.
The Hyundai of Mankato dealership is located across Raintree Road and just 900 feet to the west of the planned detailing shop.
Another Blaze
Mankato City Council approval was provided in February for a new Blaze Credit Union near Fleet Farm, and construction is now underway on the 6,800-square-foot facility that hopes to open before the end of the year.
Located at 1831 Premier Drive, just south of Popeyes Louisiana Restaurant, the facility will be the 30th for the Minnesota-based chain. Blaze’s only southern Minnesota branches are in Waseca and, as of earlier this year, in Rochester.
“Blaze’s brand momentum accelerated considerably in 2025 with Blaze emerging as one of Minnesota’s most recognized financial institutions,” according to its 2025 annual report. “Among other efforts, our expanded partnership with the Minnesota Wild helped Blaze rank among the top four financial institutions statewide for brand awareness and number one among credit unions.”
The member-owned nonprofit has 255,000 members, and its origins date to 1934 when a small group of state highway department workers created Hiway Credit Union. It merged with SPIRE Credit Union two years ago to create the newly branded Blaze Credit Union. With more than $4.6 billion in assets, it ranks as either the state’s third or fourth largest credit union, according to various sources.
The annual report claims just under $2 million in charitable donations in 2025 with grants to 429 Minnesota non-profit organizations.
It will also be bringing new jobs to Mankato, according to documents compiled by city staff as part of the permitting process: “Although the final employment count is not yet determined, the branch is expected to create 10 to 30 jobs, including both part-time and full-time positions.”
Law office
Kohlmeyer Hagen Law, which also has an office in Rochester, is constructing a new home for its Mankato attorneys at 184 St. Andrews Drive. The firm, currently housed in downtown’s Graif Building, is moving to a currently vacant parcel along North Victory Drive between CCF Bank and the Knutson + Casey Law Firm. Other legal and financial services businesses have also clustered in the area in recent years.
The project, totaling more than 8,000 square feet, was slated to receive a design permit from the Mankato City Council at Monday night’s meeting. Floor plans show 11 offices along the exterior of the building, presumably for attorneys, and seven offices in the interior of the building with most listed as being for paralegal staff.
Roughly a quarter of the building is set aside for leasing to a future tenant.
Surgical suites
MED Surgical Suites has opened, holding an official ribbon-cutting ceremony last week.
The center at 1511 Adams Street is the result of years of planning by Dr. Emily Birkholz and Dr. Nathan Carpenter — the partners behind Mankato Eye Doctors. It was designed to support specialized eye surgeries as well as provide a place for independent physicians to perform surgical procedures in a modern state-of-the-art setting.
Insty-Prints
Nelson Printing, a staple in St. Peter for nearly 50 years, has completed its transformation into an Insty-Prints outlet.
Acquired by Ben Findley this spring, the store at 838 N. Minnesota Ave. will become his second Insty-Prints Center. Findley has owned the chain’s Mankato franchise at 1402 N. Riverfront Drive since 2015.
As part of the transition, Findley intends to introduce new technologies and expanded marketing and visual communications services, according to an announcement of the change. Located at 838 N. Minnesota Ave., the business will continue to sell the office supplies and related products that Nelson has traditionally offered to local businesses and residents.
“Longtime employee Ryan Belau will also remain with the company, helping ensure continuity for customers and a seamless transition during the rebrand,” the announcement stated.