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The WoodWorks
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Don Martinson of Bayfield constructs oak collector's chests out of locally harvested, sustainably managed forests.2 of 16
Bare Organics
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Bare Organics of Thunder Bay sells an Organic Sauna Kit containing products perfect for the sauna lover on your list.3 of 16
Stormy Kromer Mercantile
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This Thinsulate-lined Stormy Kromer rancher cap is manufactured in Ironwood and sells for $39.95.4 of 16
Loll Designs
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Duluth-made Loll Planters are made from 100% recycled plastic.5 of 16
Thirsty Pagan Brewing
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Thirsty Pagan Brewing of Superior offers growlers of local beer for $11 or $16.6 of 16
University of Wisconsin-Superior
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These Yellowjackets scuff slippers are available at the University of Wisconsin-Superior Bookstore.7 of 16
Ahnisnabae Art Gallery
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The 2010 Time & Life Calendar features paintings by the late Roy Thomas.8 of 16
Epicurean
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Epicurean cutting boards are made of 100% recycled cardboard and are lightweight and dishwasher safe.9 of 16
Bare Organics
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Bare Organics of Thunder Bay offers an Organic Sauna Kit containing cleanser, body oil, loofah and washcloth tucked in an organic bag or wicker basket for $30.10 of 16
The WoodWorks
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Don Martinson of The WoodWorks in Bayfield creates these oak collector's chests with locally harvested wood from sustainably managed forests.11 of 16
Bike Furniture Design
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Bike Furniture Design of Marquette makes their Modulus Loveseat from bent and welded steel bicycle rims.12 of 16
Granite Gear
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Granite Gear of Two Harbors offers this Pulk Sled with a 15,000 cubic inch carrying capacity.13 of 16
Stormy Kromer Mercantile
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Classic Stormy Kromer rancher caps are manufactured in Ironwood and retail for $39.95.14 of 16
Spirit of the North Gift Shop
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Artist Kim Torkko paints each acorn ornament by hand. They're available at the Spirit of the North Gift Shop in the Northern Great Lakes Visitor Center near Ashland.15 of 16
GSH Music Management
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Buy the latest album by Duluth band Trampled by Turtles.16 of 16
Northern Waters Smokehaus
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The small gift box from Northern Waters Smokehaus in Duluth offers smoked salmon, salmon pate, gouda cheese and crackers for $45.Of every $100 spent at locally owned stores, $68 stays as salaries, taxes and other expenditures, says a buy-local movement called the 3/50 Project. The same $100 spent at a chain store keeps only $43 here; buying online at a non-local outlet nets zero. In the magazine’s 30th year of celebrating our Lake Superior neighborhood, we’re giving you 30+ ideas categories to buy local gifts plus some specific samplers.
1. Food
- Smoked lake trout from Russ Kendall’s Smoke House, Knife River, Minnesota (North Shore Scenic Drive), $8.40 per pound. 218-834-5995.
- Mini (3 ounce) traditional pasties with meat fillings, $8.50 per dozen. The Pasty Oven in Quinnesec, Michigan. 800-753-5257, www.pastys.com.
2. Beverages
- A growler of local beer, light to dark ales, $11 or $16. Thirsty Pagan Brewing, Superior, 715-394-2500, www.thirstypaganbrewing.com.
- Growlers, from blonde beers to dark stouts, up to 120 different brews during a year, $15.46 first time; $12.15 refills. Fitger’s Brewhouse. 218-726-1392, www.brewhouse.net/2005.
3. Home Products
- Loll Planters made in Duluth from 100 percent recycled plastic to work in any climate, $62-$250. Loll Designs. 877-740-3387, www.lolldesigns.com.
4. Toys
- Handmade wooden children’s toboggan by Courtney Smith of Saginaw, Minnesota, $189.99. Explorations. 218-722-1651, www.explorationsduluth.com.
5. Event Tickets
- Four regular-priced admission 2010 summer shows at Big Top Chautauqua, $40 (a $20 savings). Big Top Chautauqua, Washburn, Wisconsin. 888-244-8368, www.bigtop.org.
- Season tickets (generally four shows) for Lake Superior Theatre, Marquette. $50 adult. 906-228-0472, www.lakesuperiortheatre.com.
- Magnus Theatre Season Flex-Pass. 6 adult tickets to be used all for one show or in any combination of shows. $148.50-$166.50. 807-345-5552, www.magnus.on.ca.
6. Boat Tours & Train Rides
- Eight-day cruise on Clelia II; $5,695-$12,995 per person/double occupancy for voyage, meals, beverages, lectures, etc. Toronto-Duluth. Great Lakes Cruising Company. 888-891-0203, www.greatlakescruising.com.
- Ferry Bayfield to Madeline Island, $11.50 adult round-trip. Madeline Island Ferry Line, Wisconsin. 715-747-2051, madferry.com.
- Winter train ride Sault Ste. Marie to Agawa Canyon. $73 (Can.) adult round-trip. Agawa Canyon Tour Train, Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario. 800-242-9287, www.agawacanyontourtrain.com.
- Birthday Caboose 90-minute train ride. $200 for 8 children, 2 adults with cake, museum admission, gift for birthday child. North Shore Scenic Railroad, Duluth. 800-423-1273, www.northshorescenicrailroad.org.
7. Team Gear
- Northern Michigan University “WildCats” dangle charm bracelet. $12.99. NMU Bookstore, Marquette. 888-458-8668, www.nmubookstore.com.
- “Yellowjackets” Scuff Slippers (one size) $14.95. University of Wisconsin-Superior Bookstore. 715-394-8278, www.uwsuper.edu/bookstore.
8. Crafts
- Handmade porcupine quill boxes (varying sizes), $350-$1,800 (Can.). Agawa Indian Crafts & The Canadian Carver, Pancake Bay, Ontario. 800-656-9676, www.pancakebay.com.
- Pottery bowls and plates by Dennis Sotala, Calumet, Michigan. $32-$48. 906-337-6879, www.traprockpottery.com.
9. Fine Arts
- Most photographers published in this magazine sell prints online from about $7 to $450 depending on sizes. Search their names on the web.
- Original Karlyn Holman paintings, unmounted, $75 & up, no-interest payments possible. Karlyn’s Gallery, Washburn, Wisconsin.715-373-2922, www.karlynholman.com.
10. Books
- The Cork O’Connor mystery series based in Minnesota and in Ontario by William Kent Krueger. Nine books, the latest is Heaven’s Keep (Atria Books), $25 (ISBN: 978-1416556763) at any independent bookseller.
11. Jewelry
- Lake Superior stone & gold (24 karat & 14 karat) brooch by Jude Ortiz, Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario. $1,100 (Can.) 705-942-8283.
- Sterling silver necklace by local artist Carmen Olejniczak of Neva Design, $298. (Matching earrings $98, small; $149, medium; $169, large). The Art Dock, DeWitt-Seitz Marketplace, Duluth. 218-722-1451.
12. Pet Stuff
- Wuff da! dog and Lutefisk cat bowls hand decorated by Bergquist Imports of Cloquet, Minnesota. $18-$20. 800-328-085, www.bergquistimports.com.
13. Yard & Garden
- Woodwalks Threshold Mat of 100% reclaimed redwood from pickle brining tanks for indoors or outdoors, $52. Made at I’m in the Garden in Duluth. 218-349-9121, www.iminthegarden.com.
14. Calendars
- 2010 calendar of Royal Canadian Mounted Police illustrations, $18. Tweed Museum of Art store, University of Minnesota Duluth. 218-726-6139. www.d.umn.edu/tma/store.
- 2010 Time & Life Calendar with beautiful, spiritual paintings of the late Roy Thomas. Ahnisnabae Art Gallery, Thunder Bay. 807-577-2656, www.ahnisnabae-art.com.
15. Workshop & Classes
- Sailing Charter Certification Course. $895 (dates vary). Sailboats Inc. in Superior. 800-826-7010, www.sailboats-inc.com.
- Gift certificates to North House Folk School, Grand Marais, Minnesota. $50-$200. Classes or store items. 888-387-9762, www.northhouse.org.
- Copper bowl making with Ed Gray, $65 (includes materials). Check times. Porcupine Mountains Folk School, Ontonagon, Michigan. 906-884-4188. www.porkies.org.
16. Kitchen Items
- Epicurean line of kitchen cutting boards of 100% recycled cardboard, lightweight, stain and heat resistant, dishwasher safe and made in Duluth. $11.99-$34.99. 866-678-3500, www.epicureancs.com.
17. Boats & Gear
- Two-person “Mitey-Toon” electric pontoon boat, deck 8 feet long by 6 feet wide, about $3,395 (includes solar charger) at Lakeside Dock and Lift in Minocqua, Wisconsin. Made by Northern Exposure Manufacturing in Duluth. 218-729-6566, www.miteytoon.com, sold at ports stores in northern Minnesota and Wisconsin.
18. Lake "Gems" & Minerals
- Genuine copper nuggets available either polished or “raw.” $3.50-$5.95. Da Yoopers Tourist Trap and Museum, Ishpeming, Michigan. 800-628-9978, www.dayoopers.com.
19. Memberships
- Individual membership to Great Lakes Aquarium in Duluth, $35, or individual plus one (one free guest per visit) $50. Members park free, receive 10% off in the gift shop, get quarterly Currents e-newsletter, invites to members-only viewings. 218-740-3474, www.glaquarium.org.
- Basic annual membership to Freshwater Fishing Museum, Hayward, Wisconsin: $25 includes online edition of quarterly Splash and annual Record Book, an annual family pass, a patch, name on Wall of Fame, a calendar. 715-634-4440, www.freshwater-fishing.org.
20. Charter Flights & Fishing
- Charters to Stannard Rock Lighthouse (44 miles north of Marquette). Fishing Fever Charters, a 10-hour trip for $650 for one to three people (add $150 for a fourth person). 906-359-4020, www.fishingfevercharters.com.
- Half-day fishing charters out of Tofte, Minnesota, $350 1 to 4; sightseeing trips $80 an hour for 1 to 4. Tofte Charters. 866-663-9932, www.toftecharters.com.
21. Bath & Body Products
- Organic Sauna Kit with organic products made by Bare Organics near Thunder Bay. Kit contains Organic All-in-One Cleanser, Organic Body Oil, Loofah, Washcloth in an organic bag or wicker basket, $30. Bare Organics, 877-683-6129 or 807-683-6129, www.bareorganics.ca.
22. Furniture
- The Modulus Loveseat of bent and welded steel bicycle rims, available with inner-tube upholstery or custom-made cushions, from $1,000. Bike Furniture Design in Marquette. 906-361-2483, www.bikefurniture.com.
- David Martinson’s Oak Collector’s Chest made with locally harvested lumber from sustainably managed forests, $825. The WoodWorks in Bayfield, Wisconsin, 715-779-5055, www.bayfieldwoodworks.com.
23. Outdoor Gear
- Granite Gear’s Pulk Sled with full-body harness to pull gear with a 15,000 cubic inch carrying capacity. $600 for complete setup. Granite Gear in Two Harbors, Minnesota. www.granitegear.com and some regional outfitters.
- Soft-sided tackle box, 18-ounce canvas construction; zippered box holds five inner tackle compartments. $135. Duluth Pack, 800-777-4439, www.duluthpack.com.
24. Candy & Chocolate
- Hand-dipped truffles, $19-$23 a pound. Lynne Marie’s Candies in Hayward, Wisconsin. 715-634-3552.
- Handmade sweet cream caramels, bag of 10 for $5.50 (also in ginger, licorice, maple and walnut flavors) at Great! Lakes Candy Kitchen, Knife River, Minnesota. 218-834-2121, www.greatlakescandy.com.
25. Museums & Attractions
- Upper Peninsula Children’s Museum in Marquette, family entry $25; individuals $5. Marquette. 906-226-3911, www.upcmkids.org.
- Adult entry to the Lake Superior Zoo in Duluth, $9. Open all winter. 218-730-4900, www.lszoo.org.
26. Clothing
- Women’s Expedition Fleece Anorak (colors vary), $215, by Wintergreen Northern Wear. 800-584-9425 (Ely, Minnesota) or 218-722-4984 (Duluth), www.wintergreennorthernwear.com.
- Rancher caps, 80% wool-20% nylon outer, Thinsulate crown lining, poly fleece earflap lining, $39.95. Stormy Kromer, Ironwood, Michigan. 888-455-2253, www.stormykromer.com.
27. Knick-Knacks
- Acorn ornaments painted by artist Kim Torkko with bears, birds, eagles. $3.95. Spirit of the North Gift Shop, Ashland, Wisconsin. 715-685-2659. www.northerngreatlakescenter.org.
- Cedar birds carved by a local artist (chickadees, creepers, finches, hummingbirds, robins, plovers, woodpeckers), $49-$59. Michigan Fair, Marquette. 906-226-3894, www.michiganfair.com.
28. Music
- “Duluth” CD by local group Trampled by Turtles (new-grass, alt-grass, non-traditional string, indie-folk music and pictured on this page). $12.99. trampledbyturtles.com or regional music stores like The Electric Fetus (www.electricfetus.com).
- “Old, New, Borrowed & Blues” CD by Thunder Bay musician Tracy K (high-energy blues, roots-rock vocals and harmonica). $20 (Can.) www.tracyk.ca or regional music stores.
29. Special Evening Out
- Red Wine Weekends in January and February at Rittenhouse Inn in Bayfield, Wisconsin, starting at $580 per couple, with two-night lodging, Friday evening wine tasting, Saturday afternoon tasting and seminar and Saturday evening six-course dinner. 715-779-5111, www.rittenhouseinn.com.
30. Gift Baskets
- Northern Waters Smokehaus small gift box with 1 pound smoked salmon, 1 tub smoked salmon paté, 1/2 pound Green Pastures Minnesota gouda, 1 box premium crackers, $45. Smokehaus is in DeWitt-Seitz Marketplace, Duluth. 888-663-7800, www.northernwatersmokehaus.com.
31. Bonus Ideas
Help us to build a bigger, better list of more locally made gifts. We will add them to our website and may use some items in future Superior Catches.
Send your ideas to us at P.O. Box 16417, Duluth, MN 55816-0417 or e-mail to edit@lakesuperior.com.
