“That Guy” is Joel Ostrom.

The Ostrom family has deep roots in East Central Minnesota. Joel’s Great-Grandfather Oscar immigrated from Sweden to Quamba, Minnesota in 1904. In addition to farming, Oscar would spend weeks at a time painting murals on the ceilings of churches. Many of his paintings and intricate wood carvings (as seen above) survive to this day.

Oscar’s youngest child, Ragner “Elwood” Ostrom (Joel’s grandfather) had an entrepreneurial streak that eventually led to his building a thriving contracting business, “E. Ostrom Construction and Supply.” Elwood’s crews did everything from excavating, to built-in cabinets and stone masonry. They completed multiple residential and commercial projects.

As Joel’s father Alan became involved, and the focus shifted from building to supply. Shortly before Joel was born, the business morphed into “Ostrom’s Interiors;” a retail location, selling cabinets, wallpaper, floor coverings, and paint. Always experimenting, Alan and Elwood sold woodstoves, fireplaces, window treatments, and even in-ground swimming pools.

Growing up, Joel helped in the store: cutting firewood, flooring installs, snow removal, lawn mowing, and helping dad and grandpa with anything else they came up with. Alan designed kitchen layouts, his own house, and multiple other projects. He frequently enlisted his father (Elwood), and son (Joel) in building his vision – a master designer and delegator.

The Ostrom heritage is rich with craftsmanship. Oscar was a carver and painter, Elwood a builder (carving as a hobby), and Alan was a designer and salesman. Each had a bit of artistic flair about his work. That Guy, Joel Ostrom, seeks to carry this legacy on, applying the skills, integrity, and excellence learned from generations of builders.