Newspaper group to move to Apple Valley
The Shops on Galaxie will be the new home of Thisweek Newspapers, the Dakota County Tribune and ECM Specialty Pubications after the first of the year. File photo
Thisweek Newspapers, the Dakota County Tribune and ECM Specialty Publications, the largest news organization in Dakota County, will move its operation from Burnsville to Apple Valley next year after construction of its new, second-floor space at the Shops on Galaxie is complete.
Thisweek Newspapers, the Dakota County Tribune and ECM Specialty Publications will move its operations to a new office on the second floor above Mainstream Boutique at the Shops on Galaxie next year. File photo
After months of consideration and review of several potential locations throughout Dakota County, the Apple Valley space emerged because of its central location in the county, access to support services and the chance to design the space to the operation’s needs.
“Our employees like the idea of working in an area that is surrounded by restaurants, shopping, and much more,” Larry Werner, Thisweek and the Tribune’s general manager, said. “We did not take lightly our decision to move from Burnsville, which has been a very supportive community through the years.”
The business has been at its location at 12190 County Road 11 since 2002. Prior to that, the newspaper operation was at 1525 E. Highway 13 since 1982.
Thisweek Newspapers was founded in 1979 as a free distribution alternative to the paid-subscription Tribune, which was based in downtown Farmington. The Tribune has been in continuous operation since 1884.
The newspapers have a combined circulation of about 60,000, offering coverage in the cities of Apple Valley, Burnsville, Eagan, Farmington, Lakeville and Rosemount.
ECM Specialty Publications develops custom products with an emphasis on tourism and travel, economic growth, and new resident information along with the south-of-the-river lifestyle journal Focus Magazine.
The Tribune, Thisweek and the Lakeville Life & Times merged in 1999 when ECM Publishers purchased the newspapers. At the time, the business included locations in Lakeville and Burnsville.
ECM Publishers was founded in 1976 by former Minnesota Gov. Elmer L. Andersen and is based in Coon Rapids.
Congratulations, Thisweek! What a nice location.