MINNEAPOLIS-The company now has 68 restaurants in 21 states and DC area. Long-term, it hopes to have 450 Buca di Beppo restaurants domestically despite third-quarter earnings that came in about half expectations.

ST. PAUL, MN-Five parties bid on the four-acre property with two buildings and a storage yard, which is sold by Ramsey County for $900,000. The money will go to the Housing Endowment Fund to help finance affordable housing projects.

APPLETON, WI-Fox Valley Paper's parent company, Mead Corp., will take a pretax charge of $24 million in the deal. It will shut down Gilbert Paper Co.'s paper mill in nearby Menasha by the end of the year.

DODGE CITY, KS-Franchisee John Hawkins sees other opportunities for A&W's drive-in concept here, where the chain used to be have a strong presence during its days as a drive-in pioneer in the 1950s and '60s.

DULUTH, MN-Allete Inc.'s real estate unit owns four companies in Florida: Lehigh Corp., Cape Coral Holdings, Palm Coast Holdings and Sugarmill Woods. Laura Holquist most recently led Cape Coral Holdings and Lehigh Corp.

MINNEAPOLIS-One office broker sees vacancy rates climbing to 13.2% -- up from 10.5% -- with new construction coming in line while another expert is slightly more optimistic about the sector, foreseeing 12.4%.

ST. PAUL, MN-Guy LaBarre of Minnesota Street Associates is the organizations new chairman. George Fremder of Minnesota Life is vice chairman. Gary Lindstrom of Frauenshuh Cos. is secretary/treasurer.

APPLE VALLEY, MN-The La Crosse, WS-based convenience store chain has more than 300 units in Minnesota, Iowa and Wisconsin. It chose this fast growing suburb for a 3,900-sf service station and convenience store.