Brooks Travel Plaza celebrates with Grand Opening

On Wednesday, August 26th, Brooks Travel Plaza celebrated by hosting a ribbon cutting and inviting the entire neighborhood to come and enjoy a pulled pork meal, and a chance for door prizes.
The day was once again a beautiful summer day, blue skies and a nice breeze. The directors and managers lined up in front of the Brooks Travel Plaza for a ribbon cutting ceremony at 10:30 a.m. and from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. over 400 people throughout the day were served a delicious meal.
Westmor Industries, LLC, who was the contractor of the new building, was also on hand taking photos and visiting with people.
A little bit of history from the building site: In 1955, Brooks became an incorporated Village and according to the state laws, a village had to be incorporated for two years before it could issue a liquor license. So in 1957 a liquor license was issued to Rolland J. Toupin of Mentor. And A.J. & Dellas Parenteau owned the land, which they sold to Toupin and by the end of 1957, Third Base was built. Third Base, a supper club, continued as a business until it was sold to the Red Lake County Cooperative in early 2014.
It was purchased for the purpose of building a new Red Lake County Cooperative building as the one they were located in just down a block or two south on Hwy. 59, was no longer able to serve the purposes of a home office and service station without major remodeling/building. The old Third Base building was burnt as a firemen’s exercise on June 11, 2014 as a joint exercise for the Oklee, Brooks & Plummer Fire Departments.
The history of the Red Lake County Cooperative begins in 1943 when a group of farmers after hearing Mr. O.H. Holtan, a fieldman from the Farmers Union Central Exchange discuss & explain the purposes and possibilities of starting a cooperative oil company in Brooks. A vote was taken and all votes were in favor. A temporary board was elected and on December 22, 1943, a special stockholders meeting was held and the Farmers Union Oil Company of Brooks created. They opened for business in 1944.
In 1951, the Farmers Union Oil was renting the old service station from the elevator and the board purchased the building in 1954. In 1960, a new modern service station was completed and in 1967 the board of directors established a Farmer’s Union Oil Company at Oklee. After purchasing the Plummer LP Gas Plant, in 1983 began the process of merging with the Farmers Union in Red Lake Falls and became officially, Red Lake County Coop, Inc. on December 1st 1984. Since then, McIntosh has joined the Red Lake County Co-op, Inc.
The Brooks Travel Plaza opened on December 1, 2014 at the junction of State Highways 59 & 92. The Brooks Travel Plaza was built where Third Base stood for many years, serving the community.
Inside, is a convenience store offering the basics of grocery items, hardware & auto items, plus a full deli serving up Coopers Chicken, Tecos Taco’s, Deli Max pizza, subs, salads, and much more.
A wall full of beverages and an area with malts & coffee. A dining area for people to enjoy a meal, enjoy a coffee or just visit for a few minutes. And the new Brooks Travel Plaza also has an off-sale.
The large parking lot gives large vehicles and semi’s ample room to enter and exit the premises and there is two fueling areas, one for large trucks & semi’s and one for the general public.