july2017

166 167 AMERICAN SURPLUS & MANUFACTURING / ICE CASTLE FISH HOUSES during the recent recession. “That was one of our better years, for some reason–maybe it was our price? A good-sized unit sells from $12,000 up to $40,000. I think we offer a price range that a lot of companies can’t hit.We did very well during the recession.We do a lot of business in the Elkhart Indiana region. That’s where a lot of our supplies come from.We defi- nitely saw some suppliers go through tougher times. It wasn’t pretty but we stuck in there, and we’ve been growing ever since.” Ice Castle is proud to support and partner with local businesses. Currently, they have 24 Minnesota companies supplying products that go into or on each fish house. Drexler makes particular mention of some valued long-time relationships: “Lippert Components make any- thing and everything in the camper industry, so we do a lot of business with those guys. Foremost, we get a lot of supplies from Patrick Industries … they’ve really grown in the last two years. They’ve been buying up companies left and right. AMC Aluminum is where I get all my metal. I send three trucks a week down to Indiana for supplies.” Drexler has several great ideas for growing the business, and a strong passion to see them through. “In the next few years, I would like to stretch our demo- graphic reach more into the west. More of the rugged areas like Col- orado, Utah, and I’d like to attract more of the elk hunters. And even down south, with the amount of hunting that goes down. Basical- ly, these can be mobile hunting shacks. So, I’d like to see what we can get into there.We’ve had a lot of auctioneer companies approach us to build auction toppers and off-clerking trailers, because I know there aren’t many people doing that anymore and there is a growing market. “We have a separate business, Greater Minnesota Rentals, where A good-sized unit sells from $12,000 up to $40,000. I think we offer a price range that a lot of companies can’t hit. We did very well during the re- cession. ... It wasn’t pretty but we stuck in there, and we’ve been growing ever since. BRETT DREXLER GENERAL MANAGER