A husband and wife team, Patrick and Paula Burns, co-founders of NORTH 61, are opening for business in Schroeder.
Founded in 2017, NORTH 61 offers American-made clothing, hand-made leather bags, vintage and upcycled apparel, and other high-quality branded adventure goods. On June 27, 2019, they opened their first retail store in Schroeder, along Minnesota State Highway 61.
Paula and Patrick have three children, Fiona, Finn, and Liam, who will help in the business in one form or fashion. The family loves everything about the North Shore and the BWCA and has been coming to their cabin up the Caribou Trail since 1995, winter and summer.
NORTH 61 is a woman-owned and veteran-owned small business. Besides NORTH 61, products that can be found on their website, the NORTH 61 store in Schroeder will offer Hawaiian-style shave ice (Arlo’s North Shore Shave Ice) and products from a unique variety of local and national makers—with the goal to provide a singular shopping experience and mandatory stop on the North Shore. “A rest stop with fun on the Cross River.”
When asked who came up with the concept of NORTH 61, Patrick replied, “Our family did after doing the circle tour in 2016 and while sitting in Grand Marais on a perfect summer day passing the time. There seemed to be a need for a hyper-local brand for this great part of the world. Like, exists for many other great places.”
Originally from Sioux Falls, South Dakota, the past 16 years the family has lived in Minneapolis where the kids attend school.
Both have interesting backgrounds.
“My wife is a former wine buyer turned mom and is in grad school for her master of social work degree. We both worked in the restaurant industry for years (and I worked at two ski resorts) before we were married. We honeymooned in the BWCA at Rockwood Lodge in 1995. As a kid, I came up with my family to see the tall ships in Duluth in the ’80s,” said Patrick.
The store in Schroeder will also be a location for information about the Superior Hiking Trail and Save The Boundary Waters nonprofit organization.
Products and makers offered at NORTH 61’s Flagship Store include: NORTH 61, Arlo’s North Shore Shave Ice, Duluth Pack, Gitch Gear, Shore Boards, Jeff Troldahl Art, Mark Rivard Art, and Skateboards, The Leather Loft, Ivy Skateboards & Longboards, Plumb Woodworking, Good & Well Supply Company, Loyal Stricklin Leather Bags, Donkey Label, Hand Mod Wood Art, and Save The Boundary Waters.
Other Minnesota locations that offer NORTH 61 branded products are Sawtooth Outfitters, Tofte; Great Gifts, Lutsen; Fly Box & Company, Grand Marais; and the One On One Bike Shop in Minneapolis.
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