Bemidji junk removal business boosts local economy and services

A Bemidji-area hauling company is filling a gap for homeowners, landlords and contractors who need bulky junk gone without arranging multiple vendors or hauling it themselves. The Bearded Hauler LLC, based in Tenstrike and tied to the Bemidji Area Chamber of Commerce, offers junk removal, light demolition, cleanouts and debris hauling across a wide stretch of Beltrami County.

The family-owned business says it serves Bemidji, Red Lake, Solway, Puposky, Nevis, Benedict, Mizpah, Leonard, Laporte and Pennington. Its service list covers household junk, yard waste, hot tubs, appliances, furniture, mattresses, house and garage cleanouts, eviction and rental cleanouts, commercial cleanouts, construction waste, office cleanup and e-waste. The company also handles debris and construction material removal, loading and hauling, home and property cleanouts and cleaning services, but does not accept hazardous materials.

Owner Jason Grauman launched the business in 2024, and the Bemidji Chamber Ambassadors congratulated The Bearded Hauler LLC on Aug. 23, 2024. That timing matters in a county seat like Bemidji, where a single local hauler can shorten turnaround times for cleanouts, reduce the need for residents to rent equipment or make repeated trips to disposal sites, and keep more service dollars circulating close to home. The business also advertises free estimates, which lowers the barrier for property owners trying to compare the cost of a cleanup before they commit.

Beltrami County’s role as a regional hub helps explain the demand. Bemidji had 14,574 residents in the 2020 census, while Beltrami County had 46,228, spread across a large rural area that includes portions of the Leech Lake and Red Lake reservations. With more than 450 active members, the Bemidji Area Chamber of Commerce says the local business community is built around education, health care, lifestyle and business growth, and a service company like The Bearded Hauler fits that mix by handling the unglamorous but necessary work that keeps properties usable.

For landlords, seniors downsizing homes, storm-damage customers and contractors cleaning up job sites, that means one local call can cover the kind of mess that would otherwise stall a project. In a county where distance matters and disposal can be time-consuming, Grauman’s business turns debris removal into a local service instead of a logistical problem.