Researching the introduction of The Roundup has been a story in itself. Luckily, back in 2017 we received an email from Carol (Duncanson) Jolin telling us that she and her husband, Dean, started a shopper called “Sunbeam” in the 1960s in Mott, ND.
“It was very successful so when we sold my father’s night club business, we thought it’d be great to duplicate the “Sunbeam” type shopper in Watford City in 1974. We had a typewriter, a Compugraphic and office supplies and had everything in the basement of our home, thus the birth of “The Roundup”.
Gary and Barbara Tvinnereim purchased the free circulation paper in 1977 and operated the business in their home outside Watford City. The Roundup was being printed at Bowman, ND, at the time. Kathy Berzel, rural Sidney, was The Roundup’s advertising representative.
The Tvinnereims sold the 8,700-distribution shopper to BHG, Garrison, ND, in 1989.
Ray Morgan was The Roundup’s general manager in 1989. The shopper’s office was located in the Professional Building along Hwy. 85 in the southwest quadrant of the city. Linda Steinbeisser, Sidney, became the paper’s advertising representative in the Sidney area.
The Roundup was printed at the BHG central plant in Garrison.
Neil Nelson managed The Roundup for three years, from 1990-1992. The Roundup averaged 28-32 pages every week and featured a front-page story on individuals and businesses in Watford City, Sidney and all along the Montana-North Dakota border. Nelson moved The Roundup’s office to downtown Watford City and opened an office in Sidney as well. Five paper routes were established in Sidney.
After renting the business from BHG for a year, The Roundup was purchased from BHG by Russ Wells, Sidney, in 1992 and continued the circulation to all of Richland County in Montana and all of McKenzie County in North Dakota by free distribution mail and employed carriers in Watford City and Sidney. The Roundup joined the Montana Newspaper Association and changed from a shopper to a newspaper.
The Roundup was family-oriented which included Wells’ wife, Linda; his son, Jody; his daughter, Kristi and her six children as carriers.
In 2008, the Wells retired and sold The Roundup to their son, Jody, who is the current owner.
The Roundup has expanded with a yearly “Vacation Guide” with a printing of 4000, which is hand-delivered by the employees and a monthly “Ag Roundup” which focuses on local agriculture.
The newspaper had many homes in Sidney but is currently located at 111 W. Main St. (in the rear of Yellowstone Mercantile building).
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