Keep your eyes Peeled

Lee Johnson is the Heritage Program Manager for the Superior National Forest.  He's also a friend of ours who at one time worked with us here at Piragis.  He recently gave a talk here in town at the Grand Ely Lodge during one of our Tuesday Group meetings.

These meetings take place every Tuesday over the lunch hour and everyone who's interested are welcome to come. We have guest speakers and the subjects vary from who's newly moved to town and their personal introductions, to antique history and appraisals, to natural history and preservation to Ely area current events, to politics, to... well you name it.  It is great way to have lunch with others and connect and to learn about many things in person, that you probably have some connection with, but don't know too much about.

Lee was working on a project in the forest that is about to have the results published.  Travelers and members of the Forest Service have begin to discover what Native American canoe builders knew already existed.  Bark-Peeled Pine that dot the Border Lakes Region of Minnesota and Ontario.  What made these marks and why?  That was the topic of the study and the talk.

These are not the triangular fire scars that are widest at ground level, these are usually head or chest high and terminate at waist or knee level.  They profile deep tree wounds with large "healing lobes" and are most often present on Red Pines, though also on Jack Pines and occasional White Pines.  The theory presented by Lee was very interesting and rather easy to subscribe to based on the discovery and historical documentation that he provided. Native Americans most likely made these marks to collect Pitch for Gum that was used to build and repair birchbark canoes.  This pitch and gum was an integral part of the fur trade era.  Indeed, without it, your canoe would begin to fall apart and sink.

These Bark Peeled Pines are clues to the glue that held the culture of the fur-trade together and date back to the mid-18th century.  Each year we lose some of these ancient trees to age and storms, so preservation of these uncovered stories may depend on written record alone as time goes on.  It was a fascinating presentation and I've duplicated the brochure here for you:

If Birchbark Canoes interest you, you will enjoy Bark Canoes and Skin Boats of North America by Edwin Tappan Adney and Howard Chapelle with a forward by John McPhee.  Lee referenced it several times during his presentation and it has been a perennial best seller for us since we began incorporating great books into our retail store in 1979.  An interesting read and a fantastic resource.

Introducing The Boundary Waters Belt Knife

We are always searching for the next piece of great gear.  Late this Autumn, I met a fellow canoeing and outdoor enthusiast whose full time job now consists of making knives.  Karl is from Minnesota and man oh man, does he have skills!  Right away, we hit it off and after looking at his work in person, I knew that we had to collaborate on a new knife that would stand up to anything the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness could dish out.

The result is a workhorse.  THE BOUNDARY WATERS BELT KNIFE.  It is a piece of art.  It is a (very) sharp blade -- tough enough to conquer all your cutting needs.  It can slice and dice a tomato and carve up your first nights steak even after making firewood kindling, whittling up a few tent stakes and setting up camp for you all on its own :)

It is hand forged from simple carbon steel and designed with a full tang. The craftsmanship that goes into it is top notch.  On the forge, the steel has been formed to shape a natural finger guard below the blade.  This is a knife that just feels right in your hand and fits on your belt like no other.  In addition, each leather sheath is crafted by hand to fit your knife and only your knife.

I convinced Karl to take time out of his busy schedule and make us four.  That's right, we've only got four of these beauties.  Two with brown curly maple handles and two with black curly maple handles.  We are offering them to you here first.  First come first serve.  I'm not sure if we'll be able to get anymore before Christmas, I suspect not.  He's making knives daily and if he gets time off, he makes something else, like the canoe below.

You can get more information on the pages of our online catalog.

Watch our blog for more great gift ideas from gear, to books and jewelry.  We're putting new items online daily.  Just because you've seen our paper catalog, doesn't mean you've got your finger on the pulse of everything new at Piragis Northwoods Company.

We promise to keep you updated on the latest and greatest, right here.

Take care, Tim Stouffer, Catalog Director

Our roots of Tradition.

There are two pictures that hang in the store at Piragis Northwoods Company. Century old pictures. They are shots taken in 1905 of what was then the Bloomenson Store.

The first is an exterior shot that shows vintage awnings and the purveyor outdoors in front of the building with guess what? hanging outside. Coats. Not our staple of windblocker fleece, but two staples of the time, wool and beaver. Nature's answer to synthetic technology. The sidewalk in front of the store isn't a sidewalk, it is a boardwalk. The other falsefront buildings across the street can be seen reflected in the window.

Original Ely. With a look of determination on its face. Promise of a bright future. Open for business and proud to stock what is needed and wanted by the people.

The second picture is an interior shot complete with gas lights and the original tin ceilings and walls. There are wool pants stacked high on sturdy oak tables. Suspenders hanging from circular displays from the ceilings. The stovepipe rises to the decorative tin covered chimney from the essential woodstove in the back. The long glass displays showcase quality men's shirts while the shelves behind are complete with rows and rows of hat boxes stacked up to the tall ceilings. Men's wool driving caps stretch out in a long row across the hat boxes, displayed just at arms reach. There are cases that hold ties, gloves and shoes.

Pride and promise are evident. You can find them both in our store today. Residual benefits of a long history of service commitment to customers. The tin walls are still in place today. The looks on the three clerks faces are recognizable too. You can see the same looks of determination and commitment on the faces of our staff today.

Piragis Northwoods Company still believes that the advantages of high quality goods and services far outweigh the short term value of "a great deal." You can tell the old Ely store owners felt the same way. They are sharply dressed and waiting to help you.

At Piragis Northwoods Company we want you to be at home, to feel comfortable and at ease while you shop. We trust that you can find most things you need here, and hope that you know that you can ask us any question you like about our canoes, kayaks, camping gear, accessories, men's and women's clothing, books and gifts. No question will be considered too small, too odd or too silly. Our staff is on hand to serve your needs, to help you in any way possible.

Our merchandise speaks for itself, our reputation stands on our ability to serve the customer above and beyond the norm. We stay open to serve the local population year round with clothing, equipment and a full service bookstore that rivals any other in Minnesota. In the summer our doors open at 6 a.m and don't close until 10 p.m. Giving you time and opportunity to shop on your schedule. We go the extra mile because many people travel far and wide to reach Ely and all of you deserve our best. Each and every one who comes through our door deserves old fashioned, honest to goodness service with a smile. If you have a destination in Ely besides the Boundary Waters we hope that it is Piragis Northwoods Company, Your Friends in the Great Northwoods.

We know that many of you will never get the opportunity to visit us here in Ely, and that is one of the reasons that we uphold the same commitment to customer service and great items in our online catalog. Please call us with questions or customer service concerns at 1-800-223-6565.

Thanks for helping us forge new memories in Ely!

Tim Stouffer

Sunrise in Ely

What follows is a pictorial essay of a very beautiful morning.  The light was fantastic -- capturing the first colors of the day as dawn crept out of darkness.  A rainbow graced the sky with the promise of a new day with new challenges and new adventures.  A glorious golden hue descended on Tuesday.  At 5:22 a.m. Steve Piragis began taking these shots.  The only thing more spectacular would be viewing this light from the shore of a favorite campsite just as your slip bobber went under...

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