No Box TVs, an outlet store whose goal is selling televisions for less than big-box merchants, recently moved from St. Paul to Lakeville. Jeff Brett, who founded the business in 2010, said the desire to find an area with a stronger consumer economy prompted the relocation.

The store previously was in Sibley Plaza in St. Paul's West 7th Street area, while the new 1,721-square-foot store is at Lakeville Crossing. Both malls are owned and managed by St. Paul-based Paster Enterprises.

Brett said he gets his merchandise from businesses that deal surplus goods and products whose boxes were damaged during shipping. He said some of the surplus products he gets are "Super Bowl-returned TVs" -- televisions that people bought from big-box merchants only to watch the big game and then return them.

Brett said televisions at his store are priced from 10 percent to 40 percent lower than elsewhere. All come with a one-year warranty.

Housing grants for Eagan, Inver Grove Heights

The Metropolitan Council last week approved $1.5 million in affordable-housing grants in six communities, including two in Dakota County.

The funds will go toward building 256 new rental housing units, rehabilitating 125 units of rental housing, and rehabilitating and improving nine existing owner-occupied affordable homes. The $1.5 million invested in the initiatives is expected to leverage nearly $43 million in private investment and more than $45 million in other public investment.

Dakota County, on behalf of Inver Grove Heights and Eagan, will receive $300,000 for Inver Hills and Riverview Ridge, two new townhouse developments on a split site in the two cities. The project includes 24 units in Inver Grove Heights near the Inver Hills Community College campus and 27 units in Eagan.

Other communities receiving grants include Maplewood, St. Paul and Minneapolis.

New medical spa in Apple Valley

Joules Medspa & Laser Center recently opened at 14840 Granada Av. in Apple Valley. Owner Kara Michaels said she and her business partner, Grace Miller, have more than 20 years of experience in skin care services. They decided on Apple Valley because they believed it was an underserved market.

"The south-metro market is exactly where we wanted to be," said Michaels, who grew up in Apple Valley.

Services include microdermabrasion, laser hair removal, chemical peels and skin tightening. Dr. Christopher Balgobin, a family practice physician at Fairview Health Services, also is on the staff, doing procedures involving injectibles such as Botox and Juvaderm. In addition to individual appointments, Michaels said, the facility can be booked by groups for parties.

Please send your Dakota County business news to susan.feyder@startribune.com. Susan Feyder • 952-746-3282