A New Chapter Begins For Thielen Meats In Little Falls

LITTLE FALLS (WJON News) -- It is the end of an era and the start of a new one for a long-time Central Minnesota business. Brad and Mandi MacKissock are the new owners of Thielen Meats in Little Falls.

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The MacKissocks officially took over on May 1st. Brad MacKissock has worked at the store since he was 16 years old. MacKissock says he was hired by John Thielen to work the front counter and has held numerous positions since. He says with John's kids, Michael and Jessica, ready to retire, the timing was right for him to buy the business, and the community support has been great:

"The outreach from the community, the loyal customers, my phone has not stopped ringing since the ad went out in the paper, of Mandi and us taking over the store. I, I just am beyond astonished how much support this community has for the store."

Thielen Meats Has Been a Staple In Little Falls For Over 35 Years

MacKissock says the roots of the store aren't going to change with him and Mandi at the helm, and he learned a lot from the Thielens over the years:

"John Thielen taught me a lot of stuff of how to fix stuff, how to do this, so I would do this this way but also put your way of doing it, how it works. If the outcomes the same, he was always happy with it, and that's how I've brought my training on too."

Brad MacKissock Is Also a Lifelong Little Falls Resident

MacKissock says the biggest change is for his wife and co-owner Mandi, who left her job as a nursing supervisor at a Brainerd clinic for him to fulfill his dream, but she wanted to run the store as a family.

He says customers won't see any changes, they will keep supporting the Little Falls community as a family-owned business. He says their mission as owners is simple: to honor the legacy of Thielen Meats in Little Falls.

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