Throughout the seasons along the North Shore, the Lake Superior Trading Post hums with life.
It’s a place where visitors and residents can browse through shelves full of treasures, whether they’re grabbing gear for an outdoor adventure or searching for the perfect gift for a loved one. Walking through the door, you’re greeted by the soft creak of wooden floors, the scent of leather and pine, and the sound of conversation as people move through the cozy space.
For more than half a century, this family-owned store and gift shop in Grand Marais has stood as a landmark, offering something for everyone.
“It just has a little bit of everything,” said co-owner Stephanie Anderson.
The Lake Superior Trading Post was founded in 1971 by two brothers who wanted to offer handmade goods from northern Minnesota. Just two years later, in 1973, a small group of Grand Marais residents and business owners, including the Humphrey family, purchased the store. In the years that followed, the Humphreys bought out the other partners and have owned the Trading Post ever since.
Ownership of the business has been passed down through the generations, with Anderson, her brother Eric Humphrey, and their mother Linda Zenk being the current owners. Being able to continue the family legacy, Humphrey said, is a “great source of pride and happiness.”
Over the years, the large brown building overlooking the Grand Marais harbor has changed. In 1988, the original building was lost to a fire. The family rebuilt and, a year later, in 1989, reopened the Lake Superior Trading Post, with a slightly different layout and updated aesthetic, all while still preserving its familiar charm.
The selection of goods and products in the store has also evolved over the decades. The Lake Superior Trading Post offers camping gear, kids’ toys, clothing, greeting cards, books, maps, Lake Superior souvenirs, and a wide variety of other trinkets. Over time, the store has adapted to customer interests, adding new items while staying true to its mission. Shoppers often peruse the store, pausing to look at jam, whimsical cards, or a newly released book.
Humphrey, who grew up working in the store as a child in the family business, said he loves hearing from customers who come in asking for various items that were once staples in the 1980s and 1990s. Every so often, someone asks for the red licorice ropes that were once a hit at the store in the ‘80s.
“People still remember,” he said. “It’s fun to hear the comments of people who have been coming here for generations.”
While the three family members and owners each have their role and responsibility for operating the business, Humphrey said, “it takes a team” to run the store, and they are fortunate to have numerous full-time and part-time staff members. Many of the staff are Grand Marais residents who have worked for the Lake Superior Trading Post for years, and others are seasonal international students through the J-1 visa program.
The Lake Superior Trading Post operates year-round, seven days a week. Like many other small businesses, the store slows down in the winter months in Grand Marais and adjusts its hours. But the summers remain consistently busy, Anderson said, including this past summer.
Anderson said she enjoys watching the variety of people who visit Grand Marais and seeing the different ways they spend their time in town. Many of the visitors stop into the Lake Superior Trading Post to shop for clothing, winter apparel, hiking boots, a book written by a local author, or fun household items. The seasonal rhythm of visitors gives the store a unique atmosphere, where familiar faces mix with newcomers eager to explore the North Shore.
With the busy summer in the rearview mirror and Grand Marais beginning to slow down, Humphrey said, “Overall, it was a good year.”
The store’s role in Grand Marais extends beyond being a retail store for visitors and residents. Throughout the year, it serves as a hub for drawing people into the downtown Grand Marais area by hosting book signing events for authors and other small community gatherings.
Looking towards the future, Anderson and Humphrey said they hope to expand some of the offerings in the store to include more handmade or produced items from local or regional artists.
“More local goods would be wonderful,” Anderson said. “Quality goods that people make in town or even in Minnesota.”
Anderson said the family also hopes to expand into online sales, shipping many of the items they currently offer in the store. The expansion of the business to accommodate shipping would entail purchasing more product, finding storage space, and figuring out a packing system, among other logistics. “I think eventually we would like to get into more online shopping,” she said.
When it comes to carrying on the family legacy, Anderson and Humphrey expressed hope for passing the business to the next generation. “It would be nice to see the family legacy continue,” Anderson said.
Until then, Anderson and Humphrey will continue running the business and, in the coming years, prepare for the time when their mother steps away or retires from the business.
Running a family business carries a unique blend of challenges and rewards, where day-to-day operations intersect with personal relationships and shared history. Working alongside relatives requires balancing different perspectives while having a deep understanding of one another. For Anderson, that balance has been a meaningful part of her experience.
“It’s been a privilege to work with my mom and learn from her throughout the years,” Anderson said. “I’m grateful that I have had the opportunity to work with my family so closely.”
