After living in Panama for seven years, Donna and Jim Hawley found warmth in Maple Grove.  

“Panama was a total adventure – it was always Jim’s dream to live and work in the tropics,” Donna said.

The couple moved to Panama in 2004 to fulfill Jim’s dream where they own a real estate company with their son-in-law. Doing business in another county wasn’t without its challenges.

“Learning to do business within a Latin community was interesting and we learned Spanish quite quickly out of necessity,” Donna said.

However, when an opportunity knocked in Maple Grove, the couple answered,  despite the colder climate.

“We had been in the optical business before leaving Minnesota as vendors and the previous owners were friends,” Donna said. “When they approached us about buying the store [Pearle Vision], we were very interested because it has such a great reputation in the community. We missed our families and friends.”

The couple, along with their daughter and her family, decided to settle in Maple Grove and make their new home near Main Street. Donna and Jim became owners of the business in January.

“We knew the community is very vibrant and the opportunity to purchase the store located in Maple Grove excited us,” Donna said, commenting it was important to them to live and work in the community where they were business owners. “We love it – the proximity to everything in the city is amazingly convenient and we are finding our favorite spots to dine and shop,” she said.

The couple settled in the community earlier this year, still maintaining some Panama connections. As business owners in Panama, Donna often travels between Maple Grove and Panama to help run both businesses.

As for Jim, moving from his dream climate has been an easy one.

“Since I grew up here in Pine City, it has not been difficult to relocate back,” he said. “I love the seasons, one thing that I really missed in Panama.

But, they say Maple Grove is their new home.

“It has been excellent,” Donna said. “We’ve enjoyed having amenities again and the cleanliness. We also enjoy the change of the seasons.”