Ben and Linda Lind started selling Norwegian "sparks", or kicksleds, in 1985. Early on, the kicksleds, which are ridden with the same kicking and gliding motion as skiing, were just an off-season sideline of their other business, Alpine Nursery in Houston, Minn. But with loving care from a couple of green thumbs, it's not surprising that the Linds' kicksled business grew large enough to branch off as a separate company, Scandia Kicksled (www.scandiakicksled.com or www.kicksled.com).  "It was just kind of a natural progression," says Linda. "It was getting busy enough that we really needed to have some definition there".

    Understanding the value of a slow and natural progression is part of the savvy the Linds say they've picked up through their business experience. "You don't go overboard to begin with," says Linda. "You...let the business grow as it wants to grow naturally."

    In fact, to appreciate just how slowly this business idea came to fruition, consider that it has its roots in Ben's days as a student in Norway in 1966. "I spent a year at the University in Oslo and I got to use every form of getting around and one of them was kicksleds."He never forgot the fun he had. Buying the nursery from his parents in 1985 and acquiring storage facilities, familiarity with trucking companies, and other resources, finally presented the Linds with an opportunity to sell imported kicksleds.

    At that time, few people knew what kicksleds were. When the Winter Olympics were held in Norway, kicksleds were featured on video feeds, and it created an interest in this country. We now ship hundreds of kicksleds throughout the U.S. and Canada. 

    We have enjoyed demonstrating our kicksled and scooters at Hostfest in Minot, ND for the past 5 years. We encourage you to visit this exciting Scandinavian festival.

Ben and Linda Lind with Ben's 99 year old mother, Judith Lind, at Hostfest.

Aside from the profits, what makes it worthwhile? Ben and Linda say it's gratifying helping customers connect with Norway. "We've had so many people contact us and say that they want to buy one for a child or a grandchild because it's a piece of their heritage," Linda says. That connection is a very big part of our business."