Photo by Charlie M. Hartman One of Char Reinhart-Kalk’s passions is listening to audio murder mystery books, but she’s also killing it around town as owner of Holiday House LLC, vice-chair for the EDA, president of the CVB, and a volunteer for Rathskeller at Turner Hall.

NEW ULM – Char Reinhart-Kalk’s has a very full life, from making time for friends and family to having hobbies like watching romantic comedies, decorating, traveling, to listening to audio murder mystery books–she’s also active around town as owner of Holiday Haus LLC, vice-chair for the EDA, president of the CVB, and a member of the Rathskeller Board at Turner Hall.

“My priorities are my friends and family. We do game nights and have dinner as often as we can, but I do love my rom coms and murder mysteries. We have a group of friends that we try to solve murders with. The game is called Hunt a Killer, but we play other board games a lot, too. I read, but I do audiobooks; William Kent Kruger is my passion right now. I love the Cork O’Connor series. I’m really into a good unsolved mystery,” said Reinhart-Kalk.

She is absolutely killing it as the owner of two successful rental properties in central New Ulm which are called Holiday Haus, LLC.

“The main reason mine are doing well is because of the location and the homes are big enough to split it with another family. One house is right across the street from the State Street Theater, so people can just walk across the street and see a show. I have a lot of repeat guests,” said Reinhart-Kalk.

She also does interior design and decorating for all of the holidays in the rentals. Now, they are decked out for Valentine’s Day, but if lodgers came during Christmastime there would be lights, and garland, and Christmas trees up.

“Redecorating is also a hobby of mine. I redid my countertops and marbleized them at home. It was my first project,” said Reinhart-Kalk.

While Holiday Haus, LLC is Char Reinhart-Kalk’s biggest accomplishment career wise to date, friends and family are also very important. As a mother of three, she blended her family with Dan Kalk in 2017. Her children, now grown adults ages 24, 22, and 20, and are seventh generation decedents of New Ulm.

Reinhart-Kalk was born and raised in New Ulm. She graduated from Cathedral, and her first year of college was at Willmar Community College, and then South Central Technical College where she became a certified license dental assistant, which was her career for 26 years.

“It was something I cared about. My goal was to take care of myself and my future family and to be there for them,” said Reinhart-Kalk.

Reinhart-Kalk owned rental properties since she was 22 years old, but since homes were always her passion, she considered a career change.

“I bought the first house, in Holiday Haus, LLC to have a coffee shop. I put it on the market as a rental while I figured out the red tape for the coffee business. It was so successful that I pivoted. A year later, the other house came on the market, and it was a very affordable property,” said Reinhart-Kalk.

“I’m blessed to have had a wonderful career in dentistry. It afforded me to be involved in my kids’ lives. It’s just a different path. As my kids got older, I needed more to do. That’s how I got more involved with the community,” said Reinhart-Kalk.

More to do besides raising three children, having a new marriage, and running a successful business? Yes. Char Reinhart-Kalk also became the vice-chair for the Economic Development Board (EDA) and president of the Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB).

The mayor contacted her for a position on the EDA because of Reinhart-Kalk’s knowledge of rental properties. This is her second year as vice chair.

“We’ve been able to do a lot; it’s wonderful on the EDA. We help provide people with loans and grants and rehab loans and identify with city needs,” said Reinhart-Kalk.

“We need to keep our young people here–we have so much to offer. I am so passionate about this community. I love when people come back, like Dan, who moved away and came back. I don’t want New Ulm to be a steppingstone for people I want this to be where they settle,” said Reinhart-Kalk.

As the president of Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB) she works towards getting people into New Ulm with the goal of having them stay overnight, in a hotel, motel, bed and breakfast, or short term rental. Since the CVB is funded with the lodging taxes, Reinhart-Kalk feels it is nice to have a say how the funds get spent.

“Our chamber does a fantastic job getting New Ulm out there,” said Reinhart-Kalk.

Char Reinhart-Kalk is also a member of the Rathskeller Board at Turner Hall.

“I support as many things as I can. We’re members of the Grand. That’s where Dan and I met, so it’s a very special place to us. We need to have culture in our community. I’m also going to work at Lykke Books in the coffee shop,” said Reinhart-Kalk.

Char Reinhart-Kalk has a very, very full life indeed. Despite wanting to work for Lykke Book’s coffee shop, she still doesn’t have any plans to open a coffee shop of her own. As for changes Reinhart-Kalk hopes to see in New Ulm in the future, she has to think a moment.

“More affordable housing and affordable daycare. We have a really great school system; I want to see that we keep funding the schools with tax dollars. Those are the biggest things,” said Reinhart-Kalk.

Over everything, her hobbies, her community involvement, her multiple career paths, she is certain on this: being most grateful for her family and friends.

“My priority in life was to be a good mom. I wanted to be home on nights and weekends and be there for my kids. My biggest accomplishment is definitely the family,” said Reinhart-Kalk.