Biz beat: Apple Valley accounting firm merges with Gilbertson CPA

Apple Valley Accounting & Tax has acquired Gilbertson CPA with a client base in New Prague and the Twin Cities area. The merged firm provides tax, accounting, payroll, business and consulting services to companies and individuals.

Gilbertson's metro area clients will be integrated into the Apple Valley office, and New Prague clients will be served from a new office in New Prague located at 203 County Road 37.

Thomas Mould, CEO of Apple Valley Accounting & Tax, said he expects the firm will add jobs in both Apple Valley and New Prague.

Three new businesses recently opened in Lakeville.

Poquet Auto Sales of Golden Valley has both service and vehicle sales at 21100 Gateway Drive. Poquet last summer purchased the building, a vacant auto dealership, and completely remodeled and updated the property.

Advance Auto Parts recently moved into a newly built store at Hwy. 50 and Jubilee Way. The 6,800-square-foot store is the eighth in the Twin Cities area for the Roanoke, Va.-based automotive supply retailer.

A new McDonald's recently completed construction at the southwest corner of 160th Street and Kenyon Avenue. The new restaurant is next to the Brunswick Zone bowling center.

IEM paid $3.2 million for the property, slightly above its most recent taxable value of $3.1 million, according to Dakota County property records. The building was constructed in 1970.

Eagan is closing in on a robust year of residential and commercial building activity.

The city recorded 75 single-family home permits valued at $28.9 million through the end of November, up from 48 permits valued at $18.2 million for the same period a year earlier.

There have been 14 new commercial construction permits valued at $65.6 million issued for the first 11 months of this year, up from seven permits valued at $8.8 million for the same period in 2012.