Keweenaw County businesses on the mend after letdown winter, disaster loan ineligibility

KEWEENAW COUNTY, Mich. (WLUC) – Keweenaw County businesses are working to pick themselves up this summer after a mild winter.

County businesses couldn’t apply for emergency Small Business Association disaster loans. One resident said this is due to the county’s drought season ending before winter started, but this has not been confirmed.

The Mariner North in Copper Harbor is among the affected businesses.

“It was two levels of frustration for us,” The Mariner North Co-Owner Peg Kauppi said. “Number one, what do you do when your business can’t be a business? But then, number two, all of our employees, or the big majority of them, live right here in Copper Harbor, and they too were struggling.”

Kauppi said July and August are the main months of summer business for the area. She explained July has been good, but it isn’t the same as in the past.

“We expect we would have all of the motel rooms filled every night in July, and that’s not exactly been the case,” Kauppi continued. “But there have certainly been a lot of people. I know there has been more campsites than ever before.”

Kauppi said concerts, a car show and weddings have increased the number of visitors this year.

Other areas in Keweenaw County were just as affected, including Eagle Harbor. One business, the Eagle Harbor Inn, came under new ownership in October.

“We had to go down to weekends only,” Eagle Harbor Inn Co-Owner Marjie Marshall said. “We just did not have business to support full-time recreational business at the restaurant, and it really hurt, especially as a brand-new business owner.”

Marshall thanked residents for their support throughout the winter. She said this summer put the business back on track.

“Like they say, you have to make hay while the sun shines, and it’s been shining all summer,” Marshall added. “We’ve been super busy, and really appreciative of everybody.”

However, if this winter is similar to last, Marshall said it would be ‘a hope and a prayer’ that the business would survive.

Copyright 2024 WLUC. All rights reserved.