While Thief River Falls new it was coming, it was still tough to see the official state notification today that Textron/Artic Cat will permanently lay off approximately 385 employees there between May 8 and May 22, 2025. The company announced last December that it would suspend indefinitely its manufacturing operations there during the first half of 2025, citing as the cause weak market demand.

This will end the history of an iconic Minnesota business. Artic Cat began in Thief River Falls in 1961, became one of the largest players in the North American snowmobiling industry and was a significant employer in northwestern Minnesota for most of the last 64 years.

Also today the state announced receipt of another federal Worker Adjustment Retraining Notification (WARN). This one revealed The Shade Store is closing and permanently laying off about 116 employees from its facilities located in Blackduck, located north of Bemedji, Minn., beginning April 30, 2025, and ending 14 days thereafter.

The Port Chester, N.Y.-based company said its reasoning was that it could not find enough skilled crafts people in that area, according to a StarTribune story. Meanwhile, it plans to expand in Florida and Virginia.

Employers looking for talent, please contact Marla Beaty at the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development.