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Minnesota Rusco, a Twin Cities home improvement company with a well-known television jingle and roots dating back 70 years, has abruptly closed.

The statement made no references to customers, or what would happen to any projects that hadn’t been finished. The rest of Minnesota Rusco’s website appeared to be offline, with no contact information listed.

 — had roots going back to 1955. Its ads were ubiquitous on local TV, and it was a familiar sight at the Minnesota State Fair — known for handing out back scratchers with the company’s branding.

, which also owned other home improvement and remodeling companies across the country. 

 reported that Renovo shuttered its operations on Tuesday. Websites for some of Renovo’s other companies were offline as of Thursday morning.

Jay Deems, former owner of Minnesota Rusco, told Qualified Remodeler that the sudden closure and the lack of support for employees frustrated him. He said workers were told their health insurance would be canceled within days.

Construction contractors and firms have been weighing in with support and concern on social media like LinkedIn.

“We’re saddened to hear about Minnesota Rusco & Companies abrupt closure and our thoughts are with everyone affected,” said 

 with locations in Minneapolis and Kansas City. “Situations like this have an impact that reaches across our entire industry and community.”

A spokesperson for the Minnesota attorney general said the office and its consumer protection team are aware of the closure. They recommend customers dispute charges with their credit card for services not received. 

“Consumers who have been financially harmed are encouraged to preserve any contracts, receipts, or other documents they received in their dealings with Minnesota Rusco,” the spokesperson said Thursday in a statement.

If Minnesota Rusco declares bankruptcy, the spokesperson said consumers who paid for services they did not receive will be able to file claims in bankruptcy proceedings.

The attorney general’s office said people can 

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Minnesota Rusco, a Twin Cities home improvement company with a well-known television jingle and roots dating back 70 years, has abruptly closed.


Home improvement company Minnesota Rusco shuts down after 70 years

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