Five stars isn't enough for this crew. We fish with Craig at Lake Vermilion Fishing Guides just…read moreabout every year, and our Boundary Waters trips into Basswood are the ones we talk about all winter. From the first phone call he asks the right questions about what you want out of the day, then builds the whole trip around it. Getting into the BWCA on your own takes real planning, but Craig handles all of it, and once you're out there you've got world-class fishing with almost nobody around. He reads the water, adjusts constantly, and genuinely cares that everyone on board catches fish. He handles the big fish with real care too, quick photos and healthy releases. This is what a professional guide service should be. We're already planning next year's trip.

I don't have enough great things to say about Steve and Ginny and the rest of the crew at Spirit of…read morethe Wilderness. We were out on Knife Lake on Tuesday July 14 2026 (the day of the closure and evacuation of the wilderness). I had rented a one way Spot and picked up my permit from Spirit. Unfortunately with the device we had no one could communicate with us, but the crew at Spirit was tracking us and keeping everyone back home aware of our situation. After we got back into Ely, they even offered a bunkhouse for us to stay the night before heading home.

Piragis bookstore was a great place to browse. Quiet, well lit with lots of interesting unknown and…read morealso known titles. Books seemed thoughtfully chosen; a good nature section and kids section. Will return!

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.

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.

Great little shop with fun and unique gifts. We were able to customize a sweatshirt with our tiny…read moreOne Pine Lake on it! Great customer service too!

Awesome! This place is rad and the owner is super nice. Glad this exists in Ely!read more

I'm super stoked for the kids of Ely that this place exists! Chris is such a good guy, and what…read morehe's doing by creating a skate scene and giving the people there some exposure to music and activities like skateboarding is pure magic!!!

permanently closed. sad to see its gone. Was a great little full service shop. Hopefully a new…read moreshop will open elsewhere

Awesome little shop with ski and kick sled rentals! We were visiting Ely, just for the weekend!…read moreAlvin fitted us for skis, on short notice and my husband and I enjoyed cross country skiing for the first time on the Trezona Trail! We had a blast! Appreciated the friendly, genuine and informative customer service. Happy to have found this shop and had a chance to go skiing!!!

High quality crafted boots of all sizes and styles! They will keep your feet toasty warm!…read more Susan Eastman

Beautiful showroom, attentive assistance, excellent product display, human engineered product fit,…read moreand assured product maintenance materials. Superior product design offers the utmost in comfort under the coldest temperature conditions.

I've been a WIntergreen customer for many years, and have traversed the frozen lakes of Minnesota…read moreon a dogsled tour that remains a delightful, singular highlight of my winter touring, even at temps close to 0^F. Where else can you travel in a sled pulled by dogs descended from ones that pioneered travel to the North Pole, and then come home to such a spectacular menu? Their clothing just has a charm that is so distinct from the usual mass-produced merchandise purveyed in larger commercialized businesses. I recently purchased a Wintergreen merino wool layer, and am astonished by the comfort, feel, and quality. I hope they continue to set a standard for well into the future.

A beautiful storefront with local handmade winter gear. I've seen designs like theirs before and…read morehad no idea everything was handmade and local. (Made right in Ely!) The prices match the quality and work that goes into their items. (They are dog friendly!) There is even an "outlet" sale area in the basement for imperfects and clearance. Friendly, helpful staff