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Successful First Year for Family-Operated Clover Valley Electric

Clover Valley Electric is a unique family-owned and operated electrical contrac­tor that began serving the North Shore area in June of 2024. Clover Valley is lo­cated between Duluth and Two Harbors. Master Elec­trician John Christensen brings more than a decade of experience in the elec­trical field, residential and commercial. The business is licensed, bonded, and in­sured in Minnesota.

John and Shannon Chris­tensen are a happily married couple in their mid-thirties, and seem delighted with the success of Clover Valley. Since they started the busi­ness with their son Emmet, 18, an apprentice electri­cian, their staff, not all of whom are full-time, has in­creased to seven.

John grew up in the Princ­eton/Elk River area. After high school, he moved to Duluth, where he graduated from UMD with a degree in electrical engineering. He loved the area and stayed. Degree in hand, he went to work for Minnesota Power and eventually did engi­neering consulting.

Asked about his decision to become a master electri­cian, he said he was looking to do something different. He always wanted a fami­ly business, and the cubicle life was growing tiresome. Using his training and ex­perience, and having a fam­ily business today, seems to energize him.

“Two recent projects, which we are proud of, demonstrate our family’s commitment to serving the North Shore area from Du­luth to Grand Marais. We are dedicated to providing reliable and efficient elec­trical services to our local community.”

Golden Ea­gle Lodge, lo­cated halfway up the Gunflint Trail from Grand Marais, was add­ing a propane fu­eling station, a much-needed ad­dition to the Trail. The gas company had installed the tanks and pumps, but the Lodge was waiting several months for the electrical hook­up. On July 11, the Lodge post­ed a picture of their tanks with the message, “We are so grateful to John, Shanon, and Crew with Clover Valley Electric for getting our pro­pane fill station up and running!”

Earlier this year, John and his crew engineered and completed a project for a coop group of ten cabins on the lake shore in Lut­sen. For years, the cabins regularly lost power as the Superior storms knocked trees onto the lines. John designed a system to bury power and fiber optic lines, making them forever safe from fallen trees. A video of the project is featured on the CloverValleyElectric Face­book page.

“With my technical expe­rience in engineering, I can help our customers plan for right now and the future,” John said. The entire Chris­tensen family, deeply root­ed in the value of long-term relationships, believes in providing reliable and con­sistent service. In addition to the electric business, they operate Seek Adventure Farms, a “pick your own” strawberry farm in Duluth Township.

Shannon grew up in Rush City and is the first person you’ll likely speak to when you call Clover Valley. If by rare chance she can’t answer your call, she re­sponds surprisingly quickly to voicemails. Shannon is also a registered nurse who works at Essentia Health- St. Mary’s Medical Center in Duluth.

In addition to Emmet, the Christensens are Mom and Dad to five younger kids.

John’s vision of a fami­ly-owned business is now a reality. Clover Valley is a full-service contractor for residential and commercial electrical services, includ­ing major and minor proj­ects, with prompt response, 24/7, for urgent electrical issues like electrical fire re­pairs, loss of power or heat­ing, and storm response.

For any electric needs, you can reach Clover Valley at (218) 606-8595 or from their website, clovervalleyelectric.com.

Steve Fernlund
Steve Fernlund
Columnist Steve Fernlund is a retired business owner living in Duluth. He published the Cook County News Herald in Grand Marais at the end of the last century. You may email comments or North Shore news story ideas to him at steve.fernlund@gmail.com. And see more at www.stevefernlund.com.
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