*1969- Lampert Lumber decided to close the yard in Cook and Ray Ronning purchased the yard with his son-in-law Dean Buchanan and began operating it as the Cook Building Center *1972- Dean was a silent partner until 1972 when he quit his job with the United States Forest Service to become the manager. 1982- Greg Burckhardt became the manager of the building center, he began working with Dean in 1976. By this time the focus of the products changed. They no longer were selling coal and the product mix was more for recreational homes because of the proximity to Lake Vermilion. *1991- Greg & Ellen Burckhardt purchase the building center from Dean. 2008- Cook Building Center moved into their new building of 4,608 sq ft. Business continued to grow and so did the employees up to 9 full time and 2-3 seasonal. In *2011- Eric Burckhardt, who moved to back to Cook in 2005 purchased the Cook Building Center and continues to run it to this day.
Licenses are required for all residential building contractors Minnesota who contract with a owner of "residential real estate" to construct or improve dwellings by provinding work in more than one special skill
Permits on electrical works on their own property can be requested by homeowners through the page https://ims.dli.mn.gov/ims
Contractors who have a state license don't need to obtain a local license for work that is covered under the state licensing laws.