Community Builders Spotlight Business – Shipwrex Grill and Bar

By Robert Kutter
Shawn Ehlert always had the goal of owning a restaurant business. He was motivated to buy the former Golden Eagle because it was the right place at the right time. Shipwrex Grill and Bar is located at 13218 County Road 103 near Mound Lake. According to Ehlert, the quiet country setting and a great staff make Shipwrex a unique business.
Shipwrex has one full-time and 12 part-time employees. Ehlert trains the cooks and his senior wait staff trains new employees. He likes everything about the business especially cooking and meeting customers.
Ehlert attended culinary school at St. Cloud Technical College in 1994, and previously worked at Ackies in Freeport from 1991 to 2001 and then worked as a DJ from 2003 to 2010. High Octane is the name of his DJ business which plays every Saturday night at Shipwrex.

“Things have been going great,” according to Ehlert, who has owned the business for 18 months, and he thanks everyone in the community and his staff for their support. He hopes to continue to serve the community for many years to come. Ehlert would like feedback from customers about what they would like to see and do at Shipwrex.
The longtime name of the landmark location was changed because it was the end of an era, and Ehlert wanted a new beginning. He hopes the good food and homey atmosphere appeal to the people of the area.
Ehlert, his wife and daughter live in Albany where his wife is a secretary and pre-school teacher at Holy Family School.
This is the third in a series of stories that feature Grey Eagle/Burtrum Area businesses. The project is sponsored by The Community Builders Organization of Grey Eagle and Burtrum.