When the temps start dipping into areas where at least the windchill makes them feel subzero, the thoughts of getting out and about for many begins to freeze up as well. There is a reason that online shopping is so popular. If you can get all your wants and needs without ever having to leave the confines of your warm and toasty home, well, it certainly seems more appealing than bundling up and venturing out into the cold, heading to various stores, battling lines of other shoppers while maybe not even being able to find what you are looking for. Yes, online shopping most certainly has it perks at this time of year. So, why bother getting out and about when the digital highway provides the ability and convenience to just stay home?

A recent trip to a local furniture store provides one reason if you are looking for furniture anyhow. When you look at a recliner online, are you able to sit in it and see how it feels? Purchasing something like this online just might lead to the question, “honey, does this recliner make my butt look big?” As we all know, there is no right answer for this question. Certain purchases are best made in person, and if you are looking for furniture, you should check out Gahnz Furniture at 2129 Vermillion Street in Hastings. This family-owned and operated business has been in Hastings since 1958 and was originally located at 310 Vermillion Street. Hugo Gahnz originally moved to Hastings in the early 1950’s and was a mortician with Caturia- Gahnz Funeral home. In 1958, Hugo and son Ken opened the furniture business and then in 1964, built the current location. Ken’s daughter Cheryl took the reigns in 1995, but you will still run into Ken on occasion and be sure to settle in for a story or two, because the time is well worth it. The service is second to none, the products are high quality and if they do not have exactly what you are looking for on the floor, they will do their best to find it for you. There are no high-pressure salespeople following you around. You are greeted with a “hello” and “how can we help you today.” From kitchen table sets, loveseats, couches, recliners, and everything in between, including mattress sets, if you are looking to make some changes in your home décor, it is certainly worth the trip to Gahnz Furniture.

While you are out and about, you may as well make a few other stops, being you took the time to bundle up and leave the confines of your warm and toasty home. If you need a cheese tray for an upcoming holiday party, or just are thinking “a charcuterie board sure would be nice,” you should check out Legacy Cheese at 1355 South Frontage Road, Suite 106 in Hastings. If you ever got cheese at the Rybicki Cheese store at the Mall of America, you are already familiar with the products and services available at Legacy Cheese… Legacy Cheese is the legacy of Dick and Jan Rybicki, the founders of Rybicki Cheese. Legacy Cheese is owned and operated by their daughter Carrie and her son Bob. The entire story can be found on their website at www.legacycheese. com under the about tab. Sure, they offer online ordering of their cheeses, meats, and gift boxes but there is a huge opportunity for Vikings fans that stopping in offers. As many fans of the purple know, there has not been a lot of chances to GLOAT the past several years when it comes to the Vikings/ Packers rivalry. Rybicki, and now Legacy Cheese, to no surprise, matriculated to Minnesota from Wisconsin. This opportunity to GLOAT might not last long, as any true Vikings fan understands. Carrie, Bob, and the rest of the staff react just fine to the gentle ribbing and there is no fear that they will tamper with your products. There is added value to stopping in at Legacy Cheese.

We love checking out family owned and operated type businesses while out and about. We would love to hear from you, the reader, about businesses like this that should be checked into while we are out and about. If you know of such a place, send a message to [email protected] and sometime when we are not sitting in the confines of our warm and toasty home, will check these spots out. Now, bundle up, stay warm and Get Out and About.