Hi All,
How are you? Did you make it to Excelsior (or out on Lake Minnetonka) for the Klondike Dog Derby? If you did, you know what an amazing weekend of sled dog racing it was! I’ve heard there were up to 28K folks that experienced the Klondike two weekends ago. We had 22 teams participate from as far away as Northwest Territories in Canada, as well as Alaska. My favorite was Elena Freking. At 11 years old, this was Elena's first 8-dog class race. She did amazing! (It’s really no surprise as her dad and mom, Blake and Jennifer Freking, are icons in the sled dog racing world.) The whole event was spectacular! Those words echoed from the spectators, the mushers, and the Lake Minnetonka community. We feel very grateful for all of the support put forth from the volunteers, our sponsors, the City of Excelsior, and the incredible Board of Directors. In March, I'll be stepping into the role of President of the Klondike Board, and I am looking forward to continuing to make this a wonderful tradition for our community.
I also want to thank all of you that came in to Brightwater to thaw out and shop on race weekend. Brightwater had a steady flow of traffic and terrific sales. It was so fun to see so many of you warming up, perusing and purchasing! Thank you.
From the Klondike on February 4th and 5th, we flew out to the Chicago Collective on February 6th. I feel it’s one of the best men’s markets for fall '22. It was three days of hourly appointments selecting next fall and winter products. Although nonstop, it was fun to connect again with so many wonderful people representing amazing lines. We saw some favorites, and met new folks with lines that I’ll pull into the Brightwater mix for next fall.
Besides the hard work, we did find a few great meals in the Windy City! Le Colonial, an iconic Vietnamese-French restaurant, is a favorite up on Oak Street. It is old school and delicious! We also checked out a new suggestion: The Publican, on Fulton St. Beer, pork, and oysters are their claim to fame. We loved all of that! Next time you get to Chicago, you owe it to yourself to check out these restaurants. I believe they won’t disappoint!
Last Saturday, my sis Kate, flew in from London for a quick week. Her main reason was to watch her daughter swim in the MIAC state swim competition for Carleton College. We did also sneak up north for a few days. The cottage was so much fun! It was brisk (Sunday morning the thermometer said -35F) but we enjoyed bright sunshine, great snowshoeing, wonderful fires, and amazing food and wine.
Getting back to Brightwater. Starting tomorrow, Saturday 19th, I’ll be making my final winter markdowns, with much of the store 50% off or more. (A side note, we still have a few Parajumpers parkas with fur ruffs. Parajumpers will not be doing fur going forward, so if you like the comfort and look of a fur ruff, come on in to scoop one up!) While it's still freezing cold outside, spring IS on the horizon, so we are welcoming it with new arrivals for the season. Have you noticed how warm the sun feels? It’s coming folks… I’m getting ready for that warmth, bit by bit.
I look forward to seeing you in Brightwater soon. If you’re out and about this weekend, please swing by and say, “Hi,” take a look about at the final markdowns of winter 2022, and start to think about what you want to wear in the warmth that’s eventually going to get here!
As always, take care, be kind, and share a little love. I’m grateful for all of you!
Lots of love,
- Bill
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