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Date: Item No.
Spotlight on Business
HOBO Incorporated
Overview
The Spotlight on Business program is designed to recognize new and existing commercial and
industrial businesses in the Lakeville community. The program was created to inform the community
about Lakeville’s thriving business climate and emphasize the important tax and employment benefits
that business and industry provide to the City.
HOBO Incorporated was started in 1993 by Howie Breeggemann (HO) and Bobby Wigglesworth (BO),
and Ken and Karen Wentworth joined the business in 1994. HOBO moved to a 15,000-square-foot
building in Lakeville’s industrial park in February 2000 because it was ideally situated near I-35. Soon
after, the company quickly saw the need to add 15,000 additional square feet and did so in June 2002.
The company’s growth has continued as the owners work to increase HOBO’s product line and
customer base. Another 23,000 square feet of space was added to the Lakeville facility in 2018, bringing
HOBO’s total footprint in the City to 53,000 square feet. The company also owns a 23,000-square-foot
facility in Farmington, MN.
HOBO grew its portfolio in 2006 with the purchase of Chemquest, Inc., a marketer of carwash
chemicals best known for its liquid bulk delivery program in Minnesota and Wisconsin. HOBO is also
home to Triton Chemical, a brewery cleaning division that has worked with local craft brewers to meet
their cleaning needs since 2011. HOBO has between 600-700 different product formulas and sells
cleaning solutions as well as carwash fragrance concentrates. Over the past 25 years, HOBO has added
many new staff members and currently employs 38 people. Most of those employees are located in
Minnesota, but a handful are employed in Alabama, Ohio, Tennessee and Utah.
Ken Wentworth, President/Owner and Karen Wentworth, Controller and Director of Human
Resources will be present to share additional information with the City Council.
Financial Impact: $ Budgeted: Y☐ N☐ Source:
Related Documents: (CIP, ERP, etc.):
Envision Lakeville Community Values: Diversified Economic Development
Report Completed by: Kati Bachmayer, Economic Development Specialist
December 17, 2018
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