When the Keebles opened their Hungry Hippie Hostel last year, they hoped for some business. It turned out far better than they dreamed and they are ramping up for another exciting year. Here Jeremy and Kate (with Mavis, age 2 on her shoulders) and Addie, age 9, smile for a picture.
When Kate and Jeremy Keeble opened the Hungry Hippie Hostel one year ago, they hoped people would find their way to the hostel’s doors, and boy did they.
“Our first year has been a success, with over 2,000 guests staying with us! Our guests are some of the most adventurous people from around the world,” said Kate.
Nestled in the hillside on 10 acres overlooking Lake Superior, situated a quarter mile from the Superior Hiking Trail, and eight miles from the town of Grand Marais, the Hungry Hippie Hostel isn’t too remote, but far enough away to have a country feel to it.
And it’s not only the only hostel in Cook County, but on the entire North Shore.
Other than the polar regions of the world, people have come from most countries and continents, which surprised the Keebles.
“People have come from China, Africa, Saigon, France, from all over the planet. We were shocked,” Kate said. “They found us on an international website, www.airbnb.com.”
Located near the Superior Hiking Trail and 8 miles out of Grand Marais, the Happy Hippie Hostel isn’t quite in the middle of nowhere, but it’s far enough away from the hubbub of traffic and crowds to offer a tranquil place to spend time as one journeys about Cook County.
When the Keebles formed their business plan, they figured most of their guests would be between the ages of 20-30. “That’s not been the case at all. We have families that stay here with their pets. Older couples that come for birding. One person rented the hostel for his friends for the Lutsen 99er. Another group came this winter to train for the Birkebeiner, which was canceled due to a lack of snow. We are constantly surprised at the reasons people come here, but very happy to have their business. When we opened, we were nervous about how things would go, but we have been very well received.”
While the summers were sure to be busy, this winter was a surprise because most weekends the hostel was full, said Kate.
“North House Folk School has also been a great contributor for winter business for the hostel, with guests staying with us as they take classes at North House” added Kate.
If the Keebles have one regret, it’s that they didn’t build their hostel bigger. “We just created a group room that sleeps four,” said Kate. “We didn’t anticipate groups wanting to stay here. The hostel sleeps 20, and Kate said with reservations coming in, much of the coming summer has been reserved. “If we would have known it would be this popular we would have built bigger,” she added.
What the Keebles do have to offer is attractive, with a homey feel to it.
“Our hostel is a beautiful barn which has been renovated to provide a clean, cozy, comfortable, and affordable space—it provides the perfect base camp for your northern Minnesota explorations,” said Kate. “The lower level has five private rooms each furnished with a queen sized bed and large windows exposing the beautiful views of Lake Superior and our homestead. There are two shared bathrooms—one is handicap accessible and features a large walk-in shower. A shared lounge area rests in the middle of the hostel, complete with a fridge, sink, hotplate, microwave, table, and chairs. And of course—free locally roasted Fika coffee on hand at all times! What was once the hayloft upstairs has been transformed into the bunkhouse loft, featuring bunk beds and a half bath. We also installed in-floor heat to keep guests toasty warm all year round.”
The couple took extra time and effort to use as many recycled materials as possible, from reclaimed barn wood to original, locally milled log planks, and water saving fixtures. They built their hostel with eco-friendly practices in mind. “We use green cleaning products in our hostel, and are always pursuing new ideas to help reduce our carbon footprint by reducing, reusing, and recycling,” Kate said.
There is a large deck outside of the hostel, with chairs to lounge in, a grill to leisurely cook a meal on, and a fire ring.
“Last summer our 9-year-old daughter, Addie, taught a couple from Paris how to make S’mores. How cool is that? When I asked them what attracted them to the north shore of Lake Superior, they said the Boundary Waters Canoe Area (BWCA) was getting to be very popular in Europe,” said Kate. “Who would have known that?”
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