CALUMET — New businesses continue to pop up in Calumet. Frozen Farms owners opened The Copper Scoop, East Fork Pasty Co. is keeping customers satisfied and Keweenaw National Historical Park tours are in high demand. Residents can enjoy a plethora of experiences, and tourism is helping fuel the growth.

Copper Island Clay Works opened on Fifth Street in 2021 in the old Rowe Furniture building while its permanent location was being renovated at 201 Fifth Street. It got its keys in January 2023 and held a soft opening. Owner, operator and artist William Thompson says the evidence is undeniable that tourism helps fill streets and keeps businesses operating in the village.

“My experience operating in Calumet has been great,” said Thompson. “I have formed relationships with other local businesses, as well as local art collectors and of course, had many tourists visiting and buying local art. As a Copper Country native and Calumet High School Graduate, it has been quite exciting to witness and take part in this recent rebirth of our small town.”

Thompson says he plans to hold an official grand opening by spring/summer of 2024.

“Copper Island Clay Works is my ceramic art studio and a fine art gallery featuring fine art created by local fine artists. It is operating out of one of the most historic structures in Calumet, built in 1868,” added Thompson.

In fact, Calumet was voted Michigan’s best “Main Street Shopping District” by Cheapism in 2022.

“The motto of Calumet in Michigan's Upper Peninsula is "respecting our past, building our future" — evident in the friendly Sixth Street downtown hub. In summer, Pasty Fest celebrates the Cornish food devoured by miners a century ago. In winter, Christmas in Calumet typically features caroling and horse-drawn carriage rides. No matter what time of year, there's dining and shopping in this town of about 650 people.”

Keweenaw Coffee Works Owner Valerie Baciak has held her spot on Fifth Street for 10 years. She says she thinks it’s great to see more small business owners take the leap and open their doors.

“I really think a lot of what’s happening is focusing around food and beverage,” said Baciak. “It’s really great to see people coming into the community and being creative. We’ve got Kitschy Spirit with the record store, and Copper Island Clay Works is high-end. We have the great farmer’s market that’s really exploded over the past few years.”

Baciak knows the impact of tourism on Calumet businesses. During the summer, you’ll find a steady stream of travelers in town. Calumet explodes into life during the CopperDog 150 and Pasty Fest, where you can expect to find people wandering from the Keweenaw National Historical Park Visitor Center to the Calumet community gardens. These visitors and residents can spend more time in Calumet at businesses than they could five to ten years ago.

Main Street Calumet Executive Director Leah Polzien says she’s also seen the effects of tourism fueling a charge in Calumet. Polzien works to promote, develop and preserve the village. Working with Visit Keweenaw, Main Street was able to grow Pasty Fest in 2023, tripling its historic fundraising amounts. Marketing the event heavily outside the area drew many to the Keweenaw to see Calumet during Pasty Fest.

“Our downtown district provides a range of products and services from outdoor gear to fantastic gifts to artisan meat and coffee,” said Polzien. “We have a great mix of multi-generational businesses and newcomers who make shopping in downtown Calumet a unique experience.”

Polzien says Calumet is a welcoming place for all types of businesses to establish.

“In the past eight years, we have seen over 45 properties change hands in the downtown district alone in Calumet,” said Polzien. “An estimated $9 million has been invested in the district over the same period of time. I believe the renewal of Calumet is coming from people’s affinity for historic architecture in our downtown. It feels magical coming into Calumet and seeing a town that looks much the same as it did 100 years ago… the historic architecture in Calumet is what allows us to attract visitors to our community and the need for creation of experiences for visitors and residents is what will make further stabilization, rehabilitation and redevelopment of these properties viable.”

Polzien says in a community of under 700 people, most businesses rely partially on visitor traffic to boost their sales.

“Visitors provide an excellent source of potential developers and residents for our community,” concluded Polzien. “Revitalizing residential numbers is important to the long-term health of the community, statistics which drive state revenue sharing and snow removal funding. There are definitely people who come to enjoy our community and our close access to recreation, beaches, fishing, every snow sport. It makes relocation very desirable.”

Like the tourism and business charge Polzien and Baciak reference, the Keweenaw’s last historical economic “boom” was copper mining. A desire to learn more and see that history firsthand leads many to the Keweenaw National Historical Park Headquarters in Calumet.

"Tourism has been a part of the local economy since the 1850s,” said Jo Holt, KNHP Historian. “When steamboats carried travelers on sightseeing trips across Lake Superior and to the Keweenaw, where they liked and explored the woods, and even visited copper mines. It's exciting to see that tradition continue, with more people coming and discovering a growing downtown and learning the history of places like Calumet."

In Calumet, a renaissance is underway, fueled by strong tourism and led by the entrepreneurship of new businesses. From the Copper Scoop to East Fork Pasty Co., and from the stories of the KNHP to the eclectic charm of Kitschy Spirit, a remarkable resurgence is underway. The fusion of tradition and innovation combined with tourism and local pride will continue to shine a light on the Keweenaw’s gem, Calumet.

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