Steve Minarick, Frank Vollmer and Ted Minarick stand by their dredge and the pile of sand produced from the lake on ground south of the Platte River. Vollmer is the new owner of the long-time Morse Bluff business.
Bluff Gravel has new owner after 40 years
by Mary Le Arneal
Published 8/16/23
“We’ve been blessed.”
That was how Ted Minarick summarized 40 years in business with his brother Steve at Bluff Gravel Company.
In 1983 Jim Coen was looking to sell a business owned by his in-laws, Jim and Clara Drevo. Coen approached Ted Minarick to see if he was interested in buying Drevo Sand and Gravel. Minarick and his brothers Jim and Steve bought the business Aug 10, 1983.
They started in what is now Whitetail Cove northeast of Morse Bluff. The operation then moved to Bud and Carole Musiel’s land east of Morse Bluff in 1999. They pumped there until 2003 when they moved to Larry and Cheryl Feala’s ground, just south and east of the Platte River Bridge.
“This is our fourth lake now,” Steve said.
The three brothers started the operation by trial and error. Wolf Sand and Gravel operator George Muff was their advisor.
Things were pretty basic initially. They just had to make the pump run so it sucks the gravel out of the ground and pushes it up the pipe to the screening plant.
“What we started with was pretty different from what we have today,” Ted said.
The first inspector from Mine Safety and Health (like OSHA) was very helpful.
“The first inspector visited with lots of suggestions,” Steve said. “He knew we were stupid and new. He was the best thing that ever happened to us.”
The inspectors continue to come once or twice a year. Training is held with the other local gravel businesses, Dolezal and Lux.
“We are proud to be able to say we’ve had no accidents in 40 years,” Steve said.
Ted, 70, and Steve, 67, are ready to retire now.
They sold the business to Frank Vollmer. They like to say it was meant to be as Frank was born Aug. 10, 1983, the day the Minarick brothers bought the business.
Frank started as a helper with Jim’s well business. When Steve became ill, eventually having a heart transplant, Ted was shorthanded and asked Frank if he could help him.
“My helping out turned out to be more and more every year,” Vollmer said. “I can’t believe it’s been 17 years.”
Vollmer says the gravel business is not for everyone.
Ted agreed, saying Vollmer has a mechanical aptitude and can make or fix most anything. Steve is the one with the patience of a saint, Ted said, so he and Vollmer will make a good combo. Steve plans to continue to work part time.
“When we started equipment was average,” Ted said.
“Below average,” Steve corrected his brother.
They set about improving the situation with a little creativity and ingenuity.
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