Superior Happenings 2020

SUPERIOR HAPPENINGS

Food stand serves up Cuban sandwiches

By Shelley Nelson snelson@superiortelegram.com

Every year, Jake Kaufman heads to Floodwood to make and sell sandwiches during the Minnesota community’s annual Catfish Festival.

But with festivals canceled this year because of the pandemic, Kaufman had to come up with another way to share the family’s authentic Cuban sandwiches with the community

That gave rise to Superior Cubans.

Teaming up with Rich Cuisine, owner of the Wednesday Bakery, Kaufman said he and his brother decided to bring their recipe for the Cuban sandwich to the people of Superior.

“You really can’t find an authentic Cuban sandwich around here,” Kaufman said. “Everybody here is loving them so far.”

Now every Friday and Saturday night, 6 p.m. to 3 a.m., the Kaufmans are serving up the pressed sandwiches out of the Wednesday Bakery, 1202 Ogden Ave., at least throughout the summer.

OUTDOOR

ACTIVITY PICKS UP

By Maria Lockwood mlockwood@ superiortelegram.com

“We’re not too sure about the winter yet,” Kaufman said. “We might try to shoot for some in the wintertime. We’ve got a really good location here. We got the drive-thru here, the windows that slide right open. People wouldn’t even have to get out of their cars.”

Superior Cubans opened as a food stand July 3 in the space it shares with Rich Cuisine and the Wednesday Bakery.

“Business has been pretty good,” Kaufman said

Kaufman said the family started making Cuban sandwiches about 10 years ago and has worked to make improvements.

The Cuban consists of ham, roast pork and swiss cheese

“We’ve had a lot of people say the Cuban sandwiches they’ve had, people don’t press and grill them,” Kaufman said “We do That’s an essential step.”

According to What’s Cooking American, the key to a great Cuban sandwich lies in the grilling because it pushes all the juices and flavors together while creating the desired crunch.

“We also make a special mojo sauce garlic, citrus juices, spices,” Kaufman said. “Not a lot of Cuban sandwiches I’ve seen have that on there it’s a really flavorful experience.”

With the recent warm weather, the cancellation of many big events and an emphasis on staying close to home during the COVID-19 pandemic, it appears more people are turning to the outdoors for fun

“We’ve seen a pretty fast and furious June,” said Chris Terwey, general manager of Northwest Outlet in Superior.

Terwey attributed it to pent-up demand from folks who missed spring camping during the state’s Safer At Home order, adults being off work with time on their hands and kids being out of school. Northwest Outlet has seen sales increase across the board, from camping and fishing gear down to sandal sales

“Whether it be camping or hiking or picnicking, it seems to be a pretty universally safe activity,” Terwey said, and the weather has been cooperative.

Northwest Outlet typically sees a flurry of traffic from visitors in town for Grandma’s Marathon, Terwey said. Even though the race was canceled this year, sales have been good.

“It’s been a lot more local traffic than traveling traffic, I guess,” Terwey said.

Many Northwest Outlet customers have mentioned plans to spend more time out on the water or to try

their hand at tent camping since friends can’t come up to visit Business has doubled at MAC Sport & Marine in Superior this summer, according to facility manager Ron Wilde. They’re seeing a spike in business service requests and sales with everything from trailers and pontoons to ATVs.

OUTDOORS: Page C8

Grant program focuses on small businesses

By Shelley Nelson snelson@ superiortelegram.com

Superior’s small businesses are seeing improvement with the help of a new city grant program designed just for them.

Nearly a year after the Small Business Grant Program was created, the city has invested $117,265 into small business improvement projects that has netted $495,233 in total improvements for a variety of businesses across the city. Another $43,468 in total project costs is in the works for grants totaling $20,430.

Projects have included new heating and cooling systems, signs, window replacements, safety upgrades, equipment,

furnishings and renovation costs.

When Earth Rider Brewery opened almost three years ago, it was the first production brewery in Superior in 50 years following the closure of Northern Brewery in 1967. Since it started distributing its product almost three years ago, the business has grown.

“We did add some tanks last year, and we realized we had room for one more tank,” said Tim Nelson, owner of Earth Rider Brewery. “We were going to sign with a wholesaler in the Minneapolis-St Paul market and it would be very beneficial to meet demand if we had that extra capacity.”

Work to install that

additional fermenting tank is currently underway as part of the second phase of expansion undertaken last year. In addition to installing the tank, the grant is helping with bar equipment for the taproom and furnishings for the beer garden.

“For this project, it was critical for us to be able to do it at all,” Nelson said “Having done business in Duluth and Superior, these kinds of programs that Superior offers are greatly helpful to the business climate and helping us be competitive.”

Nelson is the former owner of Fitger’s Brewery, the fifth craft brewery to open in Minnesota

Jake Kaufman, owner of Superior Cubans, talks to a customerthroughthepick-upwindowFriday,July17.

Jed Carlson / jcarlson@superiortelegram.com

Paddleboarders paddle around Barkers Island in Superior Monday, July 13.

Jed Carlson / jcarlson@superiortelegram.com

AtrioofkayakersworktheirwaydowntheBruleRivernearthe Winneboujou LandingThursday, July 9.

Page C2 |Friday, July24, 2020 The Superior Telegram |superiortelegram.com Superior HappeningS

File /Superior Telegram

Henry,ayearoldGermanShepard,getsbrushedbyAmyMundtatAllNaturalCanines

in Superior

OPEN DOORS IN SUPERIOR ENTREPRENEURS

The city of Superior welcomed new businesses ranging from aseamstress and auto shop to aJamaican restaurant in the last year.

Here’sa brief rundown of the new businesses in the city:

All Natural Canines

All Natural Canines cal-free pet grooming including productsc

offers chem g and supplies, reated by owner

Amy Mundt of Ashland. She grooms dogs of all sizes as well as cats and rabbits using chemical-free products both on the animals and to clean the shop and equipment.

Located at 1308 Tower Ave., All Natural Canines is open 10 a.m.to5:30p.m. Wednesday and Saturday, with grooming available by appointment Monday, Tuesday and Sunday. Visitallnaturalcanines.com for more information.

PAGE C3-C5 FOR MORE NEW BUSINESSES IN SUPERIOR

File /Superior Telegram Naim Vrangalla, left, and Fadil Fazliu pose for a photograph at Auto Centrum in Superior Monday, June 1.

The shop at 518 Banks Avenue used to be an auto body shop and was completely renovated over the last couple of years. Owners Naim Vrangalla and Fadil Fazliu specialize in working on foreign-made vehicles.

The shop is open 8a.m.to5 p.m. Monday-Friday. For more information, call 715-718-0333 or find them at www.facebook.com/autocentrumsuperiorwi to send amessage

Caregiiver

T

File /Superior Telegram

TonyO’Neil,chefandownerofJamRockCulturalRestaurant, adds his jerk sauce to lobster tails at the Superior Business CenterThursday,June 25.

JamRock Cultural Restaurant

Located inside Average Joe’s Pub, JamRock Cultural Restaurant serves Jamaican cuisine. Chef Tony O’Neil specializes in jerk chicken and seafood with sides like garlic butter rice or creamy smoked Gouda mac and cheese. He updates the restaurant’s Facebook page often with what he’s cooking, as well as days and times the restaurant is open.

Powerful Toolsfor Caregivers is a6 week workshop focused onthe wellbeing of thefamily caregiver—individuals caringfor an aging, ill, or disabledloved one. Learntools to reduce stress, guilt,anger and depression andtohelpwithtimemanagement,goal setting, problemsolving andcommunicatingindifficult situations.

Broughttoyou by:

Tuesdays,1-3pm

Sept. 22nd-Oct.27th, 2020

Register rightawaytoensure youreceive allclass materials prior to the start of theworkshop.ContactLuann at 715-394-3611 to register Participants do need access to theinternet and acomputer, smart phone or tablet with avideocamera. ParticipantsdoNOT needtobea technologywiz.Wewill help youevery step of the way!

onWednesday,Sept.18,2019onTowerAvenue

By Maria Lockwood mlockwood@superiortelegram.com

Auto Centrum

Wine Seller Winery

Wine Seller Winery, 1409 Belknap St., features bottles of homemade, small-batch wine crafted by owner Tracy Somerville.

The shop is open Wednesday and Thursday from 2-6 p.m. and Friday andSaturday from 2-8 p.m more informatio Facebook page.

m on on i

LiveLimitless

Live Limitless, asister nutrition club to Tower

Fit, opened in the former People’s Drug Store building at 1124 Belknap St. The shop offers protein shakes, meal-replacement shakes, energizing teas, protein bars and free wellness profiles to customers

Live Limitless is open 7a.m.to5:30p.m. Monday through Thursday and 7a.m.to3p.m. on Friday. Find more information on the shop’s

Face

ation shop ebook page

File /Superior Telegram

Remodel work was underway Jan. 23, 2020, at the former People’sDrug Store buildingat1124 Belknap St. Live Limitless, anutrition club offering in mealreplacementshakes, energizing teas and protein bars, opened in February in the storefront along BaxterAvenue.

CBD American Shaman

CBD American Shaman is located at 311 Ave.,Suite 1B, next to Dunkin’ Donuts. To offers avariety of CBD, or cannabidiol, produ The Superior franchise is owned by Duluth

Super SmokeShop

Seamstress

Andy Hromatka and Kevin Lindstrom, and aged by Lindstrom’s nephew, Luke Lindstro tomers must be at least 18 years old to enter ts Find more information on the store’s Facebook page.

Avenue

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10.

The Stitchery The Stitchery provides amix of rom alterations and repairs to zipper replacem bears and custom clothing. Owner Megan Ala in work on bridal gowns, but can also repair or tailor men’s or women’s clothing. The shop, located at 1830 Tower Ave.,isopen 10 a.m. to 5p.m. Monday through Friday. Find more information on the shop’s Facebook page.

wing service ments, memor anen specializes i il ’

Owned by Mike and Sam Wazwaz,Super e-cigarettes, e-liquid, chew, cigarettes, access own tobacco and flavored wraps as well as CBD products. It’s located in the former Goodwill buildingat2401 Tower Ave., Superior. Customers must be 18 or older to enter. Storehours are 9a.m.to8p.m. Monday through Saturday and 10 a.m. to 7p.m. Sunday.

moke Shop off sories, roll-your BD products

File /Superior Telegram

Tracy Somerville adds abottle of red wine to the display at Wine Seller Winery at 1409 Belknap St. in Superior on Wednesday,Aug. 28, 2019.

File /Superior Telegram

and owner of The Stitchery,MeganAlanen, poses for aportrait outside of her shop at 1830Tower

in Superior on Tuesday,March

File /Superior Telegram

Manager Luke Lindstrom stands behind the counter of the new CBDAmerican Shaman store at 3110TowerAve., Suite 1B, on July 30, 2019.

File /Superior Telegram

Super Smoke Shop onTowerAvenue in Superior

Lake Ave Nutrition

Lake Ave Nutrition is a sister store to Superior Impact Nutrition and Empower Superior Nutrition. The shop offers meal replacement shakes, teas, aloe shots and nutrition coaching.

Located in Lake Nebagamon, Lake Ave Nutrition is open from 6a.m.to2p.m. Monday through Friday. Find more information on its Facebook page.

fo tion, in

Up North Microgreens

KD’s Itasca BayFamily Restaurant

Located at 4901 E. Second St., the businessfeatures homemade breads, soups and sauces, salad bar, meat cut in-house, handmade-patty hamburgers and home-roasted turkey instead of deli cuts. The restaurant is open from 6a.m.to10p.m. Monday through Saturday and 6a.m.to2p.m. Sunday.

e They Flea for m

Misty and Jeff Radig sell their fresh microgreens at Bridge’s Bar in Lake Nebagamon. yare also selling at the Gravel Pit Outdoor aMarket. Check out their Facebook page more details.

Jeff whil

File /Superior Telegram and Misty Radig pose for aphotograph etalking about their new business, Up North Microgreens, in Poplar on Friday,May 1.

Jed Carlson /jcarlson@superiortelegram.com

Jake Kaufman, owner of Superior Cubans, adds baking soda as he prepares the Mojo sauce mixture Friday,July 17.

Superior Cubans

What started as aboot now alocal food stand for Cuban sandwiches.Jake Kaufman and his brother make and sell the sandwiches every Friday and Saturday night from 6 p.m. to 3a.m.out of theWednesday Bakery, 1202 Ogden Ave. Find more information on Superior Cubans’ Facebook page.

at festivals i u J

Shade Shade offers home decor and gift items as well as vintage pieces and repurposed furniture in Lake Nebagamon

The shop is open from 10 a.m. to 4p.m. Wednesday, 10 a.m. to 6p.m. Thursday and Friday, 10 a.m. to 5p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 2p.m. Sunday. More information is available on the store’sFacebookpage.

From left, Shari and Steve Bridge and Dede Herrick stand in front of their shop, Shade, in Lake NebagamonWednesday,May 13.

NAPAAuto Parts

Scott O’Brien opened an independent NAPA Auto Parts store at 11172 S. O’Brien Parkway, Solon Springs.

In addition to parts for cars, trucks, trailers,towing and small engines, the store offers hydraulic hoses and fittings, Craftsman hand tools, limited parts and accessories for snowmobiles, ATVs and lawn and garden equipment, and atire machine and spin balancer on-site.

It’s open from 8a.m.to5 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 10 a.m. to 2p.m. Sunday. Findmore information at the shop’s Facebook page.

Empower Superior Nutrition

Located at 100 Belknap St., EmpowerSuperior Nutrition is thesister shop to Superior Impact Nutrition. Owner Alexandra Schulz and herhusband, Luke, serve shakes, as well as offer wellness coaching, meal plans and products for home use.

The shop is open 8a.m.to5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Find more information on its Facebook page.

Transmotion LLC

The business offers hydraulic, pneumatic and air hoses as well as couplings, fittings, belts and gauges. It also offers vendor managed inventory for local businesses, takingcareofinventory andrestocking fordifferentparts needed by production lines.

Transmotion LLC is located in the Mariner Retail and Business Center, 69 N. 28th St. E. The store is open to walk-in and business-to-business sales and service from 9a.m.to4p.m. Monday through Friday.

Tipsy Beaver

The Tipsy Beaver opened June 1 in the former Grumpy’s Tavern, 3823 E. SecondSt. Thebar is open every dayfrom noon until bar close. More information can be found on its Facebook page. y

Hog Wild BBQ and Smokehouse

Market Beautiful

Amall in Solon Springs features several new businesses, including The Bake Shoppe, Lush Dahlia boutique, Fit53 nutrition club, Branded Salon, massage at The Elysium and Vibe and Flow Yoga. Search for each shop on Facebook for specific hours.

The newest restaurant in Solon Springs is serving up appetizers, specialty sandwiches, pulled pork, chicken and burgers. Owners Kim and Steve Kastern also plan to have brisket and ribs available when market prices level out

The restaurant is open every day from 11 a.m. to midnight. Find more info on its Facebook page.

Elite Portable Toilets LLC

South Range has anew portable toilet service. After growing up and working in the septic business, owner LaurisaRichardson recently branched off on her own. She has roughly 50 units,a truck, atrailer and acontract for the city of Superior.

The serviceareafor Elite Portable Toilets LLC extends about an hour and ahalf drive from South Range. Most jobs are weekend or monthly contracts, but Richardson said she can offer pricing options for week-long rentals if needed.Visitthe ElitePortable Toilets LLC Facebook page, call 715-398-0111 or email eliteportabletoilets@ gmail.com for more information.

NAPAAuto Parts storeTuesday,Oct. 22, 2019.

Building aSuperior foundation

Alook at two of the city’s oldest buildings

By Maria Lockwood mlockwood@ superiortelegram.com

Among the oldest buildings stillstanding in Superior are the Trade &Commerce Building and the Berger Hardware building

While they house different businessestoday than whenthey were originallybuilt,historicalrecords detail their colorful pasts.

Trade &Commerce Building

The Trade &Commerce Building at 619 HammondAve.was listedon the NationalRegister of HistoricalPlaces in 1979

Thefive-story sandstone structure was built in 1890 by Henry Minot, director of theEastern RailwayCo. of Minnesota, an affiliate of the Great Northern Railway Line.The walls, according to thenomination form,are 3feet thickat the base.

It was designedby Clarence Johnston, a prominent St. Paul architect who also designed the State Historical Society Building and State Office Building.The Trade&Commerce Building was built to house officesfor the grainindustry, butnever did due to Minot’s death shortly after constructionwas complete. For thenextfew years, the buildinghousedvarious offices, the court and the public library,but was never fully occupied.

In 1904, the city of Superior bought the structure for useascity hall. The buildingcost $115,000 to construct, but the city only paid abouthalfthat, according to theNational Register of HistoricPlaces nomination form.During the yearsitserved as city hall,the building was the center of much of Superior’s community activity.

Alarge two-story wing was added to the north in 1918 to housethe police station andjail. AJune 10, 1918, Telegram picture shows the building under construction behindpolice officers preparingfor a“slacker raid”toround up men andcheckiftheywere registered forthe draft. Priortothe addition, the jail was housed in abuildingfurtherback on thelot,which can be seen in the 1914Sanborn Fire InsuranceMap of the area.

Thecity remainedin the building until 1970, whenanew county-city complex was completed Accordingtothe nomination form, thebuilding was in dangerofdemolitionin1979 unless renovationwork was begun.

The structure was revitalized into the Historic Trade &Commerce Marketplaceinthe 2000s andcurrently houses a number of businesses, including SpiritRoom

andLuke Chiropractic and Wellness.

Browse alisting of historic places through the Wisconsin Historical Societywebsite

Berger Hardware building

Knowntothe communityasthe Berger Hardware building,525 TowerAve.was originally builttohouse Lurye Furniture.

The furniture store was completedata cost of $60,000,accordingtoan articleinthe Oct. 18-19, 1919 SuperiorTelegram. The brick and concrete structure encompasses threefloors and amezzanine, atotal of 31,000 square feet.

“The contract for the building waslet on May 20 and EdwardI.Lurye, manager of the store believesthatthe quick completionhas set a record for construction in Superior,”the article read.

It remained Lurye’s until 1937, according to city directories. It was listedasvacant in 1938. By 1940, it was Berger Hardware. The building remained under the Berger name into the 2000s, when it was listed as Berger Hardware and Antiques.

Morerecently,the site at 525 Tower Ave. has been home to Mama Get’s Restaurant, Marlee’sCaribbeanRestaurant and now Level UP game store, which opened in 2016

Aman tries to enter the Trade &Commerce Building at 916 Hammond Ave. Wednesday,July 15. The building, builtin1890, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Photo courtesy of the Douglas County Historical Society An undated image from the Douglas County Historical Society shows police vehicles outside the police station at 916 Hammond Ave., the Trade & Commerce Building.The building servedascity hall from 1904 to 1970.

Map courtesy of the Douglas County Historical Society A1914 Sanborn Fire Insurance Map shows the jail beside city hall was originally distanced back from Hammond Avenue. The current two-story addition was built to house the police station and jail in 1918, according to apicture in the June 10, 1918 Telegram showing the construction taking place in the background.

Utility changes, growswith

By Maria Lockwood mlockwood@ superiortelegram.com

One of Superior’s oldest businessesremains as relevant today as it was when it was formed more than130 years ago

SuperiorWater,Light &Powerwas incorporated Sept. 28, 1889,from amergeroffour existing utilities —Superior Waterworks Company, Superior Light &Fuel Company,Superior-Duluth Electric Company and SuperiorArclight & Power, according to the Superior-DouglasCounty Chamber of Commerce andthe Douglas County HistoricalSociety.

In theyears since, it’s kept itsmomentumby changing with the times and making strong connections,saidRob Sandstrom, the utility’s president. Theorganization is focused on safety, integrity, environmental stewardship, community engagement, employee growth andcustomer excellence

“A lotofwhatyou’ve seenusdointhe last five years at Superior Water Light &Power hasbeen justthat,listening to the voice of our customer and taking advantageof technology,” he said Water

Theutilitycompany built itsoriginalwater treatment plant in 1897, Sandstromsaid, pulling in Lake Superior water from Minnesota Point through aflexible pipe that was installed in 1893.

“We startedreconstructing and builtour new water plant in 1986,” Sandstromsaid, and it was commissioned bythe time thecompany celebrated its 100-year anniversary in 1989.

Updates havecontinued over the years.

Thewater lineunder the bay and horizontalinfrastructurewas upgraded in the2000s.A

1.5 million gallonwater tower was constructed in Superior’s South End neighborhood in 2008, and a1.5 million gallon reservoir wasbuilt on the city’s eastside two yearslater to replace underground facilities thatdated back to 1889 and1912.

Updatingold pipesand valveshas beenanongoing task.

“Wehavesome water

valves that dateback to the1890sthatare still in service,” Sandstrom said.“It’s amazing how long some of thattechnologylasts.”

The company is replacing them with polyethylenepipes, which have an estimated 300-yearlifespan and willhelp curb water loss.It’s hard to pinpointthe areas with the oldest pipes, Sandstrom said,asthey’respread throughout the city. The companyhas a30-year waterplantoaddress aging infrastructure Power

The utility generated its own power fornearly 100 years.

“Westopped generating at theWinslow Station around 1981,” Sandstromsaid.

Since then, the business hasbeenawholesale power customer of Minnesota Power.

That could change soon, Sandstrom said. The companyhas proposed to build a470 kilowatt hour solar energy array on a2.5 acre parcel at 2828 Hammond Ave. near Heritage Park It is currently undergoing regulatory review by the Public Service CommissionofWisconsin.

“That would be the first generation we’ve had back within our Superior Water,Light &Power fleet since Winslowclosedin1981,” Sandstromsaid.

If approved, the solar garden could be built in about ayear. Construction would start once enough customers have subscribedtothe solar energy project.

“A lotofthis is just respondingtowhatcustomers are asking for,” Sandstromsaid.

Reliable power is a company focus,aswell.

In addition to adding and improving electric substations, Superior Water, Light &Power has installedahandful of resettablefuses at areas thattendtoexperience more temporaryoutages.The technology resets the fuse on its own, Sandstromsaid, getting customers back in service sooner.

Service was expanded in 1993tothe Brule, Poplar, Lake Nebagamon and LakeMinnesuingareas of Douglas County.Parklandand Solon Springs were added in 1994.

Althoughthe natural gasinfrastructure is much newerthanthe water system, those pipes are also being upgraded to polyethylene, Sandstromsaid.

Today

The Superiorbusiness hasbeen awholly-ownedsubsidiary of ALLETE-Minnesota Power since 1943, amove that allowed Superior Water, Light & Power to utilizeMinnesota Power’sIT, systems operations and human resourcesdepartments. The utility employs about 80 people and serves roughly 15,000 electric customers, 12,500 naturalgas customers and 10,000water customers.

Oneofthe utility’s newest technological upgrades, advanced meters, touchesall of them.The project started in 2016 and was expected to finish at theend of 2020, Sandstromsaid.

But the COVID-19 pandemic hasslowed the project. Installation of new water meters, in particular, have been held up becausethose are inside homes, Sandstromsaid.

The metersoffermore accurate readings,twoway communication to allowfor remotereadings and detailed data customers can use to trackdaily water and power usage. Alarms can evenbeset on the electric side andpairedwith the outage system

“Weget anotification right away when one of those meters goes outof power,” Sandstrom said.

Afew times, he said, aline workerhas been out restoring power toa customer before they’ve gotten upand realized thepower wasout

“That’s thereal value ofthe technology thatwe have there,” Sandstrom said.

Through the customer portaland app, people can dialinand check their owndata.Sandstromsaidsomecustomers havediscovered toilet leaks throughthe program;others have set up alarms on vacation to ensure their house is

With birthday parties being a big part of the business at the World of Wheels Skate Center, owner Steve Grapentin executed a plan to expand the roller rink to accommodate partygoers last year. While he was too far along in the planning last August when the program was created to be eligible for a grant for construction of birthday rooms, grant funding was approved to help finish and furnish the new rooms.

“It helped me out,” Grapentin said “I did a lot of little projects afterwards. I bought 12 new tables for the birthday rooms.”

He said the program paid 50% of the cost for some of those smaller projects like rubber flooring for the bathrooms, and carpet and carpet-laying for the birthday rooms.

“It’s a nice program,” Grapentin said

The program has been sufficiently popular that only about $16,494 remains of the more than $200,000 grant program for 2020 if the City Council approves grant applications put forward by the Plan Commission, according to Jason Serck, Superior’s economic development, port and planning director. About $80,000 was carved out to provide to small businesses impacted by a loss of

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From Page C1

“We’re swamped,” Wilde said.

He said they’ve seen an increase in the number of out-of-town customers coming to their cabins for the summer, as well.

“We’ve heard that many, many times,” Terwey said.

North Shore SUP, which opened on Barkers Island in 2012, has seen business increase every year. Co-owner Heather Holmes said even in the midst of the pandemic, they’ve seen growth. The business offers stand up

revenue as a result of safer-athome orders in response to the pandemic

The Small Business Economic Relief allocation provided businesses with grants up to $1,500, giving assistance to more than 80 businesses and allowing seven bars and restaurants to have liquor license fees waived.

“There are a lot of folks who have taken advantage of this program during the pandemic, which is great,” Serck said. “I think running through this money this quickly is a good thing. I think it’s

paddleboard rentals, classes, guided trips, yoga and children’s programming

“Our kid programming is probably what grows and changes the most each year,” Holmes said. “It is a priority of ours to get local kids out and connected to their waterways in addition to teaching them basic open water safety and paddling skills.”

Local businesses are making changes to keep things safe during the pandemic, based on recommended health practices At Brule River Canoe Rental, that means additional shuttle trips to keep paddlers socially distant during drives to and from

something, hopefully, we’ll continue to do.”

Serck said he is going to seek a new allocation for the program in 2021.

“I think it’s really, really popular and it’s had some good effects,” Serck said.

“The city has been excellent, since our inception, to work with,” Nelson said. “They’ve been very helpful with information sharing and steering us in the right direction for licensing and grant programs such as this. We’re just really happy to be in Superior, brewing for this community.”

the Brule River According to employee Gabby Risley, the most popular trips have been Stone’s Bridge to Winneboujou Landing, a path that cuts past Cedar Island, Calvin Coolidge’s summer White House; and from Winneboujou to the town of Brule, a trip that involves five different rapids.

ATVs hit the road

ATV traffic is also on the rise in Douglas County.

“It seems that with the combo of people coming off lockdown and an early/ warm summer, the trails and roads have been the busiest we’ve seen,” said Sgt. Jake Engelman, recreation officer

with the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office

That spike in activity has been directly reflected in the increased number of crashes and safety violations being reported, he said.

Most crashes have involved inexperienced operators, careless operation, alcohol or a combination of the three.

A Douglas County ordinance allowing ATVs and UTVs on county highways went into effect May 22. There has been no spike in incidents on county highways, Engelman said, despite the number of ATVs and UTVs traveling them Speed, however, has been an issue The ordinance restricts ATV and UTV speeds

to 25 MPH on the highway.

“The trail associations and county departments — sheriff’s office, forestry, highway — have been trying to get the word out, but excessive speed has been the number one violation by far,” Engelman said. “That’s also the most common public complaint we get and it’s a common denominator for crashes.”

Another issue that’s come up is an increase in illegal ATV and UTV operation on state and federal highways The ordinance only allows operation on lettered county highways. ATV and UTV operation is not authorized on numbered highways

File / News Tribune

The former Soo Line Depot in Superior is home to Thirsty Pagan Brewery ThebreweryreceivedagrantfromthecityofSuperiortohelp with