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.

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.

Hands down the BEST customer service, professionalism, straight forward pricing, knowledgeable…read morestaff, clear communication, friendly, helpful and simply a pleasure to work with. These are auction industry experts who can help with your needs big or small. I researched and met with the other primary competitor in the area (I suggest you do too - while I'm sure they will get the job done the best service, knowledge, pricing and staff can all be found at 2 Rivers). My needs were fairly large - a 35acre farming estate in northern MN with a mountain of stuff in the middle of nowhere: tractors, farming equipment, tools, guns, household etc (a family member passed away). The entire auction process for this estate took almost a full month (clean, sort, lot, mechanic work on over a dozen vehicles, set up, viewing days, online auction, pick up days). The owner Bart, and his staff were nothing short of amazing. For me it was an overwhelming maze to navigate - I was emotional:) had no clue what to do, where to start, or what the financial burden would be. 2 Rivers took care of everything, had simple/clear pricing, great communication (verbal estimate range for labor/lot cost and profit were accurate), friendly and very hard working staff-ALL of them are WONDERFUL! They made this process not only manageable but fun, they were respectful of my loved one who passed and of my needs as not only a customer but as a person, they treated me like a friend. Great Company all around.

i am a constant shopper and i LOVE this shop! The atmosphere is great. Service and sales top notch!…read moreIf you haven't stopped in you don't know what you're missing!

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.

I'm in town for the week , trying to find somewhere open in this winter tundra for gifts…read more Jackpot,found this adorable shop! Mmmm the lovely smell as you walk in. Lots of Ely stuff here. Saunas are a big thing up here, they have a whole section dedicated to sauna stuff. Lots of essential oils! Jewelry,kitchen stuff,garden deco. And lots more! The girl working here was very friendly and helpful. You need to stop in here!

We found this gift shop exploring around the city of Ely. It had lots of unique items and Ely…read moregifts we could not find at any of the other Ely shops. It has a section dedicated to soaps and sauna stuff. It became our favorite gift shop in Ely.

We have been in Ben Franklin many times and have always been amazed at the items available there…read more And there is a wonderful employee named Susan who knows the merchandise and knows where everything is within the store. She is very pleasant and offers great customer service. She is a wonderful asset to the store.

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.

A quant shop with quality yarn and tools!…read more I am not a knitter or weaver but we stopped in for a look around and I wanted to be! This shop has insanely affordable classes to learn new skills and Saturdays they are host to experienced crafters. Definitly worth a stop if you're not already a local regular

Love this store. Has a nice selection of yarn and kits in stock. There is also has very good mail…read moreorder service. Check them out and help keep this small business going.

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.

For those of you that live where the weather turns frigid and frost bite is a real danger, these…read moreboots are for you! I've spent extended time outside is temperatures well below freezing and my feet stayed toasty warm in my Mukluk boots. You can order online, but it is well worth your time if you get near Minnesota to venture to the quaint northern town of Ely and get fitted for the perfect pair of boots. I spent a week chaperoning middle schoolers in -20 degree cold in northern Minnesota and my Steger Mukluks saw me through. My eyelashes were frozen, but my feet were warm and comfy in my "Arctic" Mukluk boots. You have perhaps seen "Mukluk" brands at some chain department stores and that's fine, but for true hardcore outdoor boots Steger Mukluk is the place to visit.