Nov. 3, 2025

This piece is sponsored by Ernst Capital Group.

Just in time for cooler temperatures, the first golfers are teeing off inside at The Back Nine Golf, a new indoor golf simulator business in south Sioux Falls.

Local franchisee Jackson Schipper got connected with the Utah-based franchise owners about a year ago as they were scaling up the business.

“I got into golf with a sports background growing up and kind of fell in love with the game right after high school and college, and it wasn’t until a few years ago I started playing indoor golf, so I was on the lookout for something similar to this,” he said. “I got connected with these owners and realized it was a phenomenal business.”

He and his wife, Olivia, are running the franchise but don’t need employees beyond that because online booking handles the 24/7 operation.

“For both members and public tee times, you can go directly online, book your tee time, and an integrated security and door system will send you a unique link that gets you access to the door 15 minutes before and after your tee time,” he said.

The Back Nine Golf, which includes three bays and the option to add a fourth, is in a retail center on the northeast corner of 69th Street and Cliff Avenue.

“I went to Sioux Falls Christian and watched that entire area grow from the time it was a gravel road,” Schipper said. “I feel like in the last five years, it’s really taken off with strip malls and gas stations and B&G Milkyway, and I always loved that area of town and watching it grow. We were really picky about where we wanted to end up, and when that came available, we jumped on it.”

A ribbon cutting will be held at 11:30 a.m. Thursday, Nov. 6, although it’s already open to the public and for membership sales. There are 60 courses available to play on the simulators, with more added each month.

‘”We have Full Swing technology in there, and I’ve used others but think Full Swing is superior just based on how many courses you can play, the realism of it, shot tracking and metrics and analytics if you’re trying to improve your game,” Schipper said. “Plus, we’re trying to be very family-friendly as an indoor golf facility, and Full Swing offers some arcade-style games we thought would be really cool for a family to come play.”

To learn more, visit here.

Next door to The Back Nine, Kaylynn Slavik is preparing to mark her first year in business at Arcana Lash Co. and Suites.

Her business is a light-cured lash salon, specializes in lashes and brows.

“We put a big focus on ocular health, so we can help people who have had sensitivities or allergies feel comfortable with lashes,” she said. “I also do education for the brand we use, so we teach light curing with lashes, and I do business seminars.”

Her space also includes suites for a hair stylist, nail specialist and a medium.

A ribbon cutting for Arcana Lash Co. will be at 4:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 6.

“I think a big thing a lot of people forget to do is market research,” said Slavik, who earned a business degree before going to beauty school.

“I picked a location here because the edges of town are growing quickly and there wasn’t much for services on that corner. It was a lot easier to get to than my locations that were more central because traffic has gotten crazy, so even if clients drive a little longer, it’s easy to take 69th Street or Cliff Avenue, and they avoid a lot of traffic. Plus, it’s nice and clean and open, and everything is new.”

The 20-acre northeast corner of 69th and Cliff, known as Stadium Crossing, was part of Ernst Capital Group’s Signature Fund IV, which raised capital – largely from local investors – to support multiple projects for developer Clint Ackerman, owner of Signature Cos.

“It has definitely performed better than expectations,” said Chris Daugaard, a partner in Ernst Capital Group.

“With a brand-new mixed-use development, we plan to be patient, but everything came together quickly. There’s a really great diverse mix of uses, and the location at the corner of two major arterial roads just north of a connection to Veterans Parkway means the site continues to have more and more visibility as activity grows.”

The intersection’s proximity to Sioux Falls Christian School and the new Harrisburg Freshman Academy bring solid daytime demand, he added.

“And with more and more housing being built in the area, providing services to a growing neighborhood has been popular,” Daugaard said.

“We also love having our hundreds of apartment residents being able to access all of these businesses right out their front door.”

The retail centers have filled with a mix of food and beverage options such as coffee, cookies, ice cream, wings and smoothies, plus services like the lash studio, dental, nail salon, hot fitness and tanning.

“There’s even a little entertainment with gaming and the new golf simulator concept,” Daugaard said. “With the last two storefronts, I really think there are options for services, potentially a user who wants a mix of office/retail. Maybe something like insurance, dental or chiropractic would fit in well.”

The Stadium Crossing apartments are more than 95 percent leased, offering a full range of floor plans to fit any tenant’s budget. The property offers a number of two-story, loft-style units, which sets it apart in the more suburban market.

“You won’t find many loft units outside of downtown, so it provides a really fun, unique living style to the area at an attractive price point,” Daugaard said. “We also have a great amenity package on-site, with a huge fitness center, work-from-home lounge areas and a great pool and patio.”

While Stadium Crossing is almost filled up, the last commercial lot is ready to sell.

“We had to wait to market that one as that’s where we stored all the black dirt for the development,” Daugaard said. “Now that we’re done with construction everywhere else, we can move forward with that last spot. We hope there is an announcement very soon.”