"Ah, this would be so fun, and I know the guy selling it. Great guy." That's the email Ryan
Patenaude received from his friend and business partner, Hans Tanner, last September.
Attached was a flyer for Spirit Lake Resort and Scoopology Ice Cream, which had just been
placed on the market. Hans did not expect anything to happen because of his email, but on
December 31 st they became the new owners. And so far, it has been fun.
The previous owner sold the property so he could spend more time with his family. Ryan
and Hans bought it with hopes to spend more time with their families. Combined, they
have nine children and hope to make many memories in Menahga, working on the motel
and enjoying ice cream on the beach. They both love pickle ball as well, making the nearby
courts an exciting bonus!
Owners Ryan and Hans met while Ryan was interning at Hans' church in Fargo. Eight years
later, Hans is now going on his own internship. Ryan pastors a country church outside of
Kindred, ND, and both men are hoping that Hans gets a call to a nearby congregation when
he finishes his internship next spring.
One aspect of the deal both buyers and seller were happy about was Shannon Klein's
desire to stay on as general manager. "Kyle told us that Shannon was a rockstar and we are
excited to grow the business with her," Ryan said. She has a lot of exciting ideas and is a joy
to work with."
The new owners hope to make incremental improvements and carry on the vision that Kyle
had for the resort.
