Without the Brandt family, the Fargo-Moorhead area would not be what it is today, that much is clear. But despite the family’s role in developing the place we call home into what it is today, many don’t know the family story.
The story truly began in 1960 when Larry and Karen Brandt moved from Minnesota to Hickson, ND after purchasing a 640-acre plot of farmland from Concordia College that stretched from what is now 0.5 miles south of 32nd Ave, 0.5 miles north of 32nd Ave, and from 45th St. to Veteran’s Blvd in West Fargo. In reality, things started sooner than that; however, Larry was a longtime agribusinessman. The move to North Dakota was a big one, he was the only one from his family to make the jump across state lines from Minnesota. That same year, Ace Brandt was born.
1960
Larry and Karen Brandt move to Hickson, ND.
Ace Brandt is born.
1969
Tyler Brandt is born.
1970
Larry purchased 160 acres of land which is now home to the Sanford Sports Complex.
1977
The 640 acres of “Concordia Land” is purchased by Larry.
1979
Larry Brandt passes away.
1987
Ace buys his first John Deere dealership.
1991
Tyler graduates from Concordia College.
Ace and Tyler hire a farm manager to run the family farm.
1992
Ace forms Brandt Holdings.
2000
Ace and Tyler stop farming and rent their land to their cousins.
Ace and Tyler sell a plot of land that is purchased by the ownership group for the 52nd Ave Walmart in Fargo.
Ace and Tyler partner to start NYNE, a Vermeer Equipment dealership operating in New York and seven New England states.
2008
Ace begins developing the Urban Plains area.
2012
The TMI Hospitality building is constructed.
2019
Media Shack is founded by Spencer Brandt.
2020
Ground Breaks on Suite Shots and Kingpinz.
2021
Ace Brandt passes away.
2022
Ground breaks on Sanford Sports Complex.
2024
Sanford Sports Complex opens.
And nine years later, Tyler Brandt was born. “Growing up on the farm was awesome,” said Tyler, who, like his brother Ace, graduated from Kindred High School. “We didn’t have cell phones. We would get on our motorcycles and take off in the morning. We’d be down by the river throwing rocks or making a jump somewhere for our motorcycles. Then, we would come home crying because we’d get hurt. We’d leave in the morning and try to get back before dark. There were lots of pickup football games and things like that. It was a good time.”
In between the bumps, bruises, and boyhood shenanigans, Ace and Tyler spent time working on the farm. Tyler would go on to work on the farm in the summers through his graduation from college.
Both sons had to grow up quickly after their father passed away from a battle with cancer in 1979. At the time, Ace was 18 and promptly had to take over the daily operations of the family farm.
From there, Ace began expanding his business efforts, and in 1987, Ace purchased into the Kindred John Deere dealership with RDO.
In 1991, Tyler graduated from Concordia College, and the brothers prepared to go full throttle with their business efforts. Brandt Holdings Company was founded the following year, and Ace, who who passed away in 2021, continued working to acquire John Deere dealerships, eventually amassing 38 locations throughout the Midwestern US. Ace also acquired two John Deere engine distributorships in the Midwestern US, and another five locations in Western and Central.
Canada. Meanwhile, Tyler began selling cars and heavy equipment, building experience for their next move. That move came in 2001, when Tyler partnered with Ace to start NYNE Equipment, a Vermeer Equipment dealership that did business in New York and a seven-state area in New England. Ace stayed home to manage the John Deere dealerships and Tyler moved out East for 12 years to do boots-on-the-ground sales.
“At the time, we had three children, and we picked everything up and moved to Albany, NY,” Tyler said. “We did that just before 9/11. The kids started school in August, and then 9/11 happened. That was a culture shock with that happening and us being a world away from North Dakota. Our kids were young and I was traveling across seven states. I was in my car, putting on lots of miles, and selling Vermeer Equipment. I was busy, but I always knew, no matter what happened out there, I had the land to fall back on. I used to call it my Linus blanket.”
That period of his life allowed Tyler to learn. He was exposed to different businesses in different industries and several different opportunities, and could see what works and what doesn’t.
“I was the little brother, so it was not always easy,” Tyler said. “But Ace was in Fargo, and I was in Albany, so we weren’t working in the same office every day—that helped—but he was my partner. I had to be given numbers and understand what my numbers were—I learned real quick how to read a financial statement and how to do a SWOT analysis. I was learning on the fly, but it helped to be representing good products.”
Though Tyler knew he would move back home at some point, which he eventually did in 2010, he didn’t know when that would be.
“Back when I was in New York, I knew at some point I’d always be coming back here, but I didn’t know when—the timing had to be right,” Tyler said. “My dad, before he died, thought that the ‘Concordia Land’ was going to be developed in the ’80s. It didn’t happen until 40 years later. We always thought it was going to happen quicker, but development goes slow, and then when it takes off, it usually goes quick.”
In 2008, Ace began the process of developing the “Concordia Land” with the Urban Plains Center, now named SCHEELS Arena.
Tyler started using his skills as a developer in 2012 when a building, which is now home to Wanzek Construction, was built for a since-sold business called TMI Hospitality.
“The owner of TMI Hospitality said to me, at the time, that he was going to be all alone out here. I told him, ‘It won’t take long,'” Tyler said. Since then, the “Concordia Land” has seen retail, housing, and commercial flourish. This land is now home to The Tavern Grill, Hair Success Salon, Spa & MediSpa, and the EagleRidge Plaza and so much more.
“It’s kind of interesting how development goes,” Tyler said. “It typically goes really fast. First, people started focusing on building out towards 52nd Ave, but then, all of a sudden, everything kind of came back. People seem to want to stretch the edges of town and then developers infill.”
Since then, Tyler has had his hand in shaping a large portion of South Fargo. Alongside other investors, he has helped bring Suite Shots, Kingpinz, the Sanford Sports Complex, and dozens of other projects to completion.
“When you drive around town, you see things that went well and you also see the things that didn’t go so well,” Tyler said. “It also brings you back to when you did those things. I also have found that I look at architecture in a completely different way since I’ve become a land developer. I want to be proud of what I’ve built. I want my grandkids to drive by and say, ‘Grandpa built that.’ Even though he’s not here, I want my dad to be proud of me. I’m proud of what we’ve done so far. I want to continue to bring new and different things to Fargo in order to make it a place that people want to move to and live in.”
In doing so, Tyler says he plans to continue expanding toward 100th Ave, the cutoff for The FM Area Diversion.
“We’re always looking at new entertainment-type facilities and food venues,” Tyler said. “We’re always looking for people who have a vision—the people who want to grow their business.”
In his efforts to do that, Tyler joined the Property Resources Group team in 2010, where he works as a Commercial Agent to help his clients find the best spots for their businesses.
And he isn’t the only member of the family with business savvy. His son Tanner works for Christianson Companies a sister company of Property Resources Group. His daughter Chelsea is an associate attorney at Gebhardt Emerson Moodie Bonnanno LLC, and his other son Spencer founded Media Shack in 2019, a company specializing in embroidery, screen printing, vinyl graphics, graphic design, and corporate branding.
Only time will tell what is next for the Brandt family, but we know the Fargo-Moorhead area will be there to see it.
Tyler Brandt
Office: 701-356-8888
Direct: 701-499-3905
[email protected]
