From its humble beginnings in 1978 to today, James Brothers Construction has always been a business where everyone is treated like family, whether they share the James name or not.
The business was started shortly after Wayne and Teri James were married, with Wayne renting a backhoe and diving head-first into the construction business. Around some time in the 1980s, the state of Minnesota started licensing septic contractors, and James Bros. Construction was among the first in the state to be certified. “We were the 73rd contractor licensed to install,” Teri said.
It didn’t take long for James Brothers to make a name for itself. When Lake Francis flooded many of the homes near the Roots Beach neighborhood of rural Elysian in the ‘80s, the company hauled in the sand and helped raise many of the cabins in the affected area.
After working out of the house for a few years, James Brothers bought their current Elysian location in the 1980s—the office space used to be a cabin from one of their job sites.
Teri and Wayne’s children – Jacob, Justin, Shannon (Kuball), and Lisa (Cage) – grew up around the job site and now work within the company. Jacob meets with customers (to estimate and design) potential projects and manages ongoing project coordination, Justin our expert septic installer and is out in the field every day working on the project, Shannon does the behind-the-scenes work such as (coordinating subcontractors and reviewing job specifications on larger projects, tracking) sales at the Waseca location, and running the company’s social media pages, and Teri is usually doing dispatch work for the trucking while sending out invoices for the business.
“When all of us kids were growing up, the company was part of our lives,” Shannon explained. “There was never a time when the company wasn’t part of our family. For me, it’s in me. I told my husband the other night that it’s part of who I am.”
James Brothers has served clients from all over southern Minnesota for many years, from projects as far southeast as Austin to a current site project for Crystal Valley in Madelia. “Anything with dirt” was the phrase Jacob used to describe what projects they take on. More specifically, they do everything from the site preparations for residential and commercial to the landscaping (mainly “hardscaping”). They also provide complete septic system installation and service, basement digging and sewer and water work.
“At our retail location in Waseca, we have all the landscaping supplies you could think of,” Shannon said. “We’ve got rock, mulch, edging, pavers, and retaining wall block.”
Teri added that they also take on emergency work. “We take on work such as jetting and septic maintenance. We could plan a day out, but if a customer has a sewer backup, that’s a big deal. So, we shift gears, send someone out in the jetter truck, and work on emergency sewer repairs. You need sewer and water. So, a ‘typical’ day can turn interesting.”
When asked what their favorite parts about working at James Brothers, the family had plenty of answers. “My favorite part is helping customers troubleshoot through an issue,” Teri said. “It’s satisfying that I can help them walk through something.
“I’ve been in the office for over 40 years,” she continued. “Wayne taught me well. I went on-site with him on many jobs to understand things better and develop systems within the company. I know the whole gamut now. Men would call to get a load of something, and Wayne taught me how to work it out with them. It reached the point where Wayne told them they had to talk to me.”
Shannon had a few things to share as well. “For me, part of what I like doing here is truly being there for the customers and community and doing what we do with excellence whatever we’re doing because our name is on it. Everything that James Brothers has done since ’78 has been done with excellence for the communities we serve. I love that we get to continue doing the work well.
“I also like working with my family,” she continued. “We do well together. We also have a fantastic team. I like watching the team work together. Everyone’s willing to jump in and help each other. No one here thinks a job is beneath them. They care about the projects as if they’re the owners of the company.”
Jacob likes everything about his job, from carrying on the legacy and working toward the company’s future to helping clients work through problems and their projects. “I enjoy talking to people and figuring out their problems,” he said.
Justin echoed everyone’s sentiments. “I love helping customers and being around the family and helping them out,” he said. “Seeing customers happy makes it all worth it.”
Teri added that Jacob has Wayne’s vision of envisioning exactly how a basement project would look and putting it together. Justin has that same vision with septic systems.
Everyone also agreed that they were willing to try new things. The team took a chance opening a new location for landscape supplies in Waseca on May 11 of this year. Shannon is also excited to try their hand at selling fresh Christmas trees and greens out of the Waseca location, a project she’ll be leading.
Although a business’s typical challenges include smooth day-to-day operations, one recent personal challenge has tested the family and the company. On June 3, 2023, Wayne James, who was 65, died at the Fairview University of Minnesota Medical Center in Minneapolis. Although it was a trying time for the family, the local community—especially Elysian—showed its support.
“I’m blessed because my kids and team members helped me endure a tough time,” Teri said.
Although James Brothers has always supported the local community, Wayne’s passing reminded them of its importance. “Community outreach has been important to us, especially after losing dad,” Shannon explained. “We recognize how valuable it is to have community support. We want that legacy to continue for our dad and for the communities we work in. Strong communities are important; we want to help make that happen here.”
Wayne was part of the inspiration behind James Brothers starting its new landscape supply store in Waseca. Jacob wanted to do it the right way, the way his father would have wanted it done. “The community has made us feel we made the right move,” Teri added.
Regarding advice, James Brothers recommends checking your septic systems and maintaining your tanks, mainly for this time of year. “It’s almost like changing the oil in your car,” Teri explains. “Many don’t think about pumping it. But if you want the system to last, think about pumping every three years so you don’t have emergencies in the winter.”
She also recommends avoiding using laundry and dish pods, as that may shorten the life span of a septic system. “We try to educate our customers with every system we put in by sending out a brochure,” she said. “We want to help you maintain a system so it goes for 30 years.”
Many homeowners may also not know that it’s recommended not to run water softeners into the septic systems. The state recommends having the softener discharge onto the ground surface, meaning homeowners should also ensure their property is properly tiled.
Getting the permitting process for any project started sooner rather than later is also recommended. “You need permits for everything now,” Teri said. “Everything takes time. We can help customers find the right person so their project is done as soon as possible and they’re not left waiting. That’s the type of stuff I love to help customers through.”
Jacob also recommends checking with the local government regarding their permitting process. “Make sure everything for the project is included in the bid,” he adds. “I try to make sure there aren’t any surprises for customers at the end of a project.”
Shannon also recommends to ask any questions you have regarding a project. “This stuff is what we do every day, not necessarily what you do every day. There are no dumb questions. We are happy to help. That’s what we’re here to do.”
Everyone at James Brothers Construction thoroughly enjoys what they do. When they first enter the office, they gather for breakfast and coffee together before heading to work. When they say they are a family company, they genuinely mean it.
“I enjoy coming to work with the employees,” Jacob said. “No one’s arguing or fighting. Everyone just wants to do a good job. I enjoy the atmosphere.”
“I’m glad to be around still and that we had a great guy to teach us the ropes around the business part of it,” Justin added.
“As much as we are a company, we are a company that’s here for the community,” Shannon said. “We’re here to help our communities be better and serve the people within them. I’m grateful I’ve been able to come back full-time and continue something that the generation before us started. There’s something valuable about taking what they started and making it even better for the next generation.”
“We are very blessed to be in this community,” Teri concluded. “We have a great team here, and I’m blessed to have my kids working with me every day.”
