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South Dakota

Brule County

Selling a Business in Brule County

Brule County has 222 employer businesses, and 95% of them have fewer than 20 employees. This page shows the local mix of industries and how a sale is handled here. The largest industries here are retail and accommodation and food service.

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LOCAL SNAPSHOT

Brule County by the numbers

222

EMPLOYER BUSINESSES

95%

SMALL EMPLOYER SHARE

497

BUSINESSES WITH NO EMPLOYEES

1,999

EMPLOYMENT

$80 million

ANNUAL PAYROLL

89

BUSINESSES WITH 5 TO 49 EMPLOYEES

U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns 2023 and Nonemployer Statistics 2024. Counts are employer establishments, meaning business locations with paid employees.

How Brule County compares

Brule County ranks 24th of 66 South Dakota counties and county equivalents for employer businesses.
The number of employer businesses fell 3.9% between 2018 and 2023.
Accommodation and food service makes up 13% of employer businesses in Brule County, compared with 9% in South Dakota.
89 employer businesses here have 5 to 49 employees.

Brule County ranks 24th of 66 South Dakota counties and county equivalents for employer businesses.
The number of employer businesses fell 3.9% between 2018 and 2023.
Accommodation and food service makes up 13% of employer businesses in Brule County, compared with 9% in South Dakota.
89 employer businesses here have 5 to 49 employees.

Industry mix

The largest industries by number of employer businesses:

Retail: 40 employer businesses
Accommodation and food service: 29 employer businesses
Repair, personal care and other services: 24 employer businesses
Construction: 24 employer businesses
Health care and social assistance: 22 employer businesses

The largest industries by number of employer businesses:

Retail: 40 employer businesses
Accommodation and food service: 29 employer businesses
Repair, personal care and other services: 24 employer businesses
Construction: 24 employer businesses
Health care and social assistance: 22 employer businesses

INDUSTRIES

What sells in Brule County

Retail, accommodation and food service, repair, personal care and other services, construction

Electronics & Repair

Retail Stores

Fashion, Apparel & Jewelry

Retail Stores

Bakeries

Restaurants & Food

Coffee Shops

Restaurants & Food

Bed & Breakfasts / Inns

Hospitality & Travel

Campgrounds & RV Parks

Hospitality & Travel

Every kind of business we sell in Brule County

These are the industries in Brule County and the number of employer businesses in each. Counts are employer businesses in the closest Census industry codes. Industries without a clean Census match are listed without a count, and a few industries share one Census category, so their counts match. A sale multiple is the price a business typically sells for as a multiple of its earnings. SDE means seller's discretionary earnings, which is the owner's pay plus the profit of the business. EBITDA means earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization.

Construction & Engineering

13 related employer businesses in Brule County.

General Contracting: 7 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.0x - 4.5x SDE.
Plumbing: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.5x - 5.0x SDE.
HVAC Services: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 4.6x - 7.0x EBITDA.
Electrical: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 4.0x - 8.0x EBITDA.

Restaurants & Food

12 related employer businesses in Brule County.

Full-Service Restaurants: 6 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 1.5x - 2.5x SDE.
Quick-Service & Fast Food: 6 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 3.5x SDE.

Financial & Professional Services

11 related employer businesses in Brule County.

Insurance Agencies: 8 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 6.0x - 8.0x EBITDA.
Accounting & Tax Practices: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.0x - 3.5x SDE.

Gas Stations & Convenience

8 related employer businesses in Brule County.

Gas Stations: 8 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.0x - 4.5x EBITDA + Real Estate.

Hospitality & Travel

8 related employer businesses in Brule County.

Hotels: 8 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.6x - 5.1x EBITDA.
Motels: 8 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 1.1x - 2.5x SDE.

Logistics & Transportation

7 related employer businesses in Brule County.

General Freight Trucking: 4 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.44x - 3.45x SDE.
Heavy Haul Transport: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.5x - 4.5x SDE.

Retail Stores

7 related employer businesses in Brule County.

Hardware, Garden & Building: 7 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 3.8x SDE + Inventory.

Entertainment & Recreation

6 related employer businesses in Brule County.

Bars & Pubs: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.0x - 4.0x SDE.
Clubs & Lounges: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.0x - 6.0x EBITDA.
Outdoor Recreation: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.0x - 4.0x SDE.

Automotive & Boat

5 related employer businesses in Brule County.

Auto Repair: 5 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 3.2x SDE.

Education & Childcare

4 related employer businesses in Brule County.

Daycare Centers: 4 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.39x - 3.35x SDE.

Medical Practices

4 related employer businesses in Brule County.

Veterinary Medicine: 4 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 6.0x - 9.0x EBITDA.

Construction & Engineering

13 related employer businesses in Brule County.

General Contracting: 7 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.0x - 4.5x SDE.
Plumbing: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.5x - 5.0x SDE.
HVAC Services: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 4.6x - 7.0x EBITDA.
Electrical: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 4.0x - 8.0x EBITDA.

Restaurants & Food

12 related employer businesses in Brule County.

Full-Service Restaurants: 6 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 1.5x - 2.5x SDE.
Quick-Service & Fast Food: 6 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 3.5x SDE.

Financial & Professional Services

11 related employer businesses in Brule County.

Insurance Agencies: 8 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 6.0x - 8.0x EBITDA.
Accounting & Tax Practices: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.0x - 3.5x SDE.

Gas Stations & Convenience

8 related employer businesses in Brule County.

Gas Stations: 8 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.0x - 4.5x EBITDA + Real Estate.

Hospitality & Travel

8 related employer businesses in Brule County.

Hotels: 8 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.6x - 5.1x EBITDA.
Motels: 8 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 1.1x - 2.5x SDE.

Logistics & Transportation

7 related employer businesses in Brule County.

General Freight Trucking: 4 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.44x - 3.45x SDE.
Heavy Haul Transport: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.5x - 4.5x SDE.

Retail Stores

7 related employer businesses in Brule County.

Hardware, Garden & Building: 7 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 3.8x SDE + Inventory.

Entertainment & Recreation

6 related employer businesses in Brule County.

Bars & Pubs: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.0x - 4.0x SDE.
Clubs & Lounges: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.0x - 6.0x EBITDA.
Outdoor Recreation: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.0x - 4.0x SDE.

Automotive & Boat

5 related employer businesses in Brule County.

Auto Repair: 5 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 3.2x SDE.

Education & Childcare

4 related employer businesses in Brule County.

Daycare Centers: 4 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.39x - 3.35x SDE.

Medical Practices

4 related employer businesses in Brule County.

Veterinary Medicine: 4 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 6.0x - 9.0x EBITDA.

Working with owners in Brule County

Business Advisors of America works with owners who are selling a business in Brule County. Contact us to talk about a sale.

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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Questions owners in Brule County ask

How long does it take to sell a business in Brule County?

The time depends on the price, the quality of the records and the number of qualified buyers.

How is a business valued in Brule County?

Valuation starts with the earnings the business produces for an owner, then adjusts for assets, size, industry and the terms a buyer is likely to accept. The result is a range, and the asking price is set inside it.

Is the sale confidential?

Buyers are asked to sign a non-disclosure agreement before they see the name of the business or its financial statements.

FROM OUR BLOG

Guides for owners in Brule County

October 3, 2025

Business Owners

Add-Backs: What Counts, What Does Not, and What Buyers Push Back On

Every add-back you can prove raises your sale price by two to three times its amount. Every add-back you cannot prove costs you credibility on all the others.

Read article

October 3, 2025

Business Owners

Add-Backs: What Counts, What Does Not, and What Buyers Push Back On

Every add-back you can prove raises your sale price by two to three times its amount. Every add-back you cannot prove costs you credibility on all the others.

Read article

March 5, 2026

Business Owners

Buyer Qualification: How We Screen Out the Buyers Who Cannot Close

Most inquiries on a business listing come from people who cannot close. Here is how they get screened out before they see your name or your financials.

Read article

March 5, 2026

Business Owners

Buyer Qualification: How We Screen Out the Buyers Who Cannot Close

Most inquiries on a business listing come from people who cannot close. Here is how they get screened out before they see your name or your financials.

Read article

February 9, 2026

Business Owners

The Confidential Information Memorandum: What Goes In It and Why

The CIM is the document a buyer reads before they decide to spend time on your business. Here is what it has to contain and the mistakes that cost sellers offers.

Read article

February 9, 2026

Business Owners

The Confidential Information Memorandum: What Goes In It and Why

The CIM is the document a buyer reads before they decide to spend time on your business. Here is what it has to contain and the mistakes that cost sellers offers.

Read article