BRG's Beginning

Berntsen Realty Group was born when Michael S. Berntsen, a Provo business man, purchased Stone Drug in January of 1979, a pharmacy he'd worked at for nearly ten years. Mike renamed it Provo Pharmacy, located on the corner of 100 West and Center Street in Provo in the historic R. Spencer Hines building. He also purchased the building itself, the first of the BRG portfolio, and his self-proclaimed 'crown jewel.'

He loved this building. He became enveloped in both its beautiful historic past, and its future.

Adjacent property acquisitions continued over the next several years, with the purchase of Ole' Joe's Cafe (formerly Spic & Span) and Southworth Hall. Recognizing these historic buildings needed a face lift, Mike and his Berntsen crew set about restoring the R. Spencer Hines building first, then Southworth Hall. The renovations included a complete facade makeover, where the entire building was re-bricked to reflect its historical beginnings, to the tune of nearly $1 million dollars. It was a family project that rooted the Berntsen name in Provo for years to come.

BRG's Future

Flash forward to the present day, and BRG is exploring ways to further develop our small portfolio of family owned properties, while staying true to our founder's vision: Mike always believed in Downtown Provo, and the possibility and need for joining business, history, heritage and family to make a difference, however big or small.

We look forward to carrying this vision forward for generations to come as our portfolio strives to serve the ever changing landscape of the Downtown Provo business community.