Excellent staff service in preparing me for a truly enjoyable excursion in the great xx skiing…read morewonderland of Grand Marais, Lutsen, Pincushion, George Washington Ski area & Sugarbush. They have the skis, boots, wax, poles and all the equipment you need and instructional courses and tours available. You need something? Come here! You'll be glad you did.

This store is tucked away from the main street, but within easy walking distance of East Bay Suites…read more(where we were staying). Despite the apparent size from the building exterior, they offer a myriad of options and everything you might want for an expedition into the wilderness... though not as many options as a larger store probably. Also a couple of nice gift options for those left at home. Staff were very helpful, and I wouldn't hesitate to come here again to stock up on last-minute supplies or to browse for that item I didn't know I needed. Prices were a big higher than you'd find online or in a mega-store, but nobody should be surprised or outraged by that, considering where you are.

If you are going up the Gunflint Trail, this is a "must stop". Scott the owner is friendly and very…read morehelpful. The shop is more the old fashioned type, where service with a smile welcomes you. There is plenty on the walls to catch your eye, and fishing bait and Lures that show the care this place takes pride in....simple old style service for a boat if you`d like, and Scott will even trailer it to the lake if you want him to. Just up the road is Trail Center, and it`s a great stop for food and drinks. So make this place an area to be sure and visit!

Rustic bait shop, everything you need for a fishing trip plus some. Very knowledgeable staff, we…read morefound everything we needed for our fishing trip. Will definitely stop in on our next trip up the Gunflint trail.

First of all, there's very little "Surplus" here, as during my recent visit, the merchandise looked…read moreall well stocked and new. The person at the counter subsequently informed me that the current owner kept the name when it was purchased from the previous occupant. Nonetheless, I found what I needed quickly, thought the price was reasonable, and was pleased both as I left, and subsequently when I put them to use. What did I buy? Knee high rubber boots. Our Moose Track Adventures canoe trip guide had a pair on that I admired, and since I needed a pair for an upcoming trip to the Peruvian Amazon, that was good enough for me. At the end of the Amazon trip, we were asked whether we wished to donate the boots. I liked the fit, comfort, and versatility of my LaCrosse boots so much that I declined in favor of my next Earthwatch adventure.

An excellent place to go for the basics when you're up north. Every time I'm in Ely, I swing by…read more Prices are generally better than your typical REI, etc. Not exactly what I would call "surplus" since most of the items seem to be new. The space is also pretty small, so it can seem cramped with other people in the store.

Doesn't get any better then, local and family owned…read more My cousin from Ely had previously bought a outfit for her grand baby and realized it was too small. We went in to exchange it and they could have not been more accommodating. She did not have the receipt and had removed the tags. They knew it was their product and were happy to make the swap for a larger size. As she made the swap, I browsed through the store with my other cousin. Oh my, the variety of merchandise was mind blowing. They had everything you'd need for a camping trip. They even sell camping packages for the boundary waters and when you check-in on Yelp they offer a 15% off coupon. If you're a fisher, they also offer live bait to help you catch that big fish. That way your "big fish" story will be truth instead of a made up one. My other cousin who was traveling with us, caught so much fish during our trip, that when we left Ely, we had to stop at Spirit to buy dry ice. When in Ely, I highly recommend that you shop, Spirit.

Best outfitter in Ely. Knowledgeable friendly staff. Would recommend them especially for people…read morenew to the BWCA.

I received outstanding support from SpokeNGear after my online purchase. I Highly Recommend them!read more

Top notch independent bike shop. Great service, excellent staff people. Awesome selection of…read morebikes and accessories. This is THE place to gy o north of Duluth

Was in town, shopping for souvenirs. I probably should have purchased the hot sauce they were…read moreselling, but at $6 a bottle, I thought it was overpriced. I would have been thrilled if you could get all 3 bottles for a discount, but that wasn't happening. They have a ton of t shirts for sale here. We picked up one for Ely, MN for about $25. They have a men's side and a women's side. The women's side had a ton of apparel. I found a cute shirt and shorts on sale. The fitting room is right there by the stairwell. I love a good sale. These times were not for Ely, they were just hiking/camping brands of clothing, but that's ok. A lot of the women's stuff was fairly plain. The back of the store has restrooms, art, and camping/fishing supplies. The front of the store has weapons and shoes. In fact, the gal who makes the moccasins was right there in the store, putting them together in real time! It was so cool to see how she was manipulating the leather. We did not take the stairs up to the second level; it appeared to be more of a bookstore up there. Parking is on the street.

A have to stop at shop while in Ely, wonderful quality items, candles, clothing, gifts, outdoor…read moregear, books and SO much more! Today I bought a new life jacket, very nicely made , happy with my purchase!