Network of entrepreneurs and creatives sustains local businesses in Grand Marais
March 13, 2024
Grand Marais is located on the north shore of Lake Superior. The lakeside town with its small harbor has long attracted artists and crafts people, including visitors drawn to taking classes at the North House Folk School and the Grand Marais Arts Colony.
Grand Marais is the gateway to the Gunflint Trail and outdoor activities ranging from canoeing in the summer to cross country skiing in the winter (except this past winter).
Like other small towns in Minnesota dependent on seasonal tourist trade, Grand Marais went through a rough patch with the pandemic. A fire also destroyed three well-known downtown businesses in 2020 and another familiar business burned down in 2023.