The purpose of Incredible Ely is to revitalize Ely’s downtown and support innovative growth in the Ely area by connecting businesses, people, knowledge, ideas, and resources. IE’s vision is a dynamic, innovative, and distinctive community with a diversified and seasonally-balanced economic base. Explore our projects and join our beautification efforts while supporting innovative growth. Like many rural communities, the Ely area has struggled to maintain a vibrant economy in the wake of the 2007-08 economic recession. Empty storefronts are a visible reminder of the challenges we face in attracting and retaining young people and ensuring that they have employment opportunities throughout the year – not just during the summer tourist season. Yet there are signs of an Ely renaissance — in the re-opening of Wintergreen Northern Wear, in the expansion of Steger Mukluks, with the opening of the Folk School, and especially in the property developments being undertaken by the Ely Economic Development Authority. The Ely area has no shortage of talent, and it’s many volunteer organizations are enthusiastically adding to Ely’s offerings in the arts, recreation, and tourist attractions. Incredible Ely (IE) in conjunction with the City and the Chamber of Commerce is part of the community-wide effort to make the area a great place to live, work, and raise a family.

Insula restaurant features American fare with a twist served in a cool setting with industrial accents & a sizable bar. Owned and run by Executive Chef Daniel Vollom and Sarah Wigdahl-Vollom, Insula has captured the imagination and enlivened the tastebuds of the eating scene in Ely, Minnesota.

Sundog Sport, more familiar to some as Kondos Outdoors, was born in Ely in 1980, while Dan and Vicki Kondos were active in the mushing sport and saw a need for quality, dependable mushing equipment. With a roll of fabric, some thread, and the determination to craft the best gear, Dan and Vicki Kondos started Kondos Outdoors. For 35 years, Kondos developed the gear that has been tested on the Iditarod, the Scandinavian Arctic, and races worldwide. In 2015, I took on the task of carrying that legacy forward. I grew up venturing into the Boundary Waters from age three and spent much of my formative years exploring the Ely wilderness. In 2017, I married my wife, Corissa, who had been guiding BWCA trips for seven years and has been the director of Rock Ridge Christian Camp since 2015. We enjoy being able to take our personal experiences and knowledge and incorporate that into how we design and build products for Sundog Sport. By bringing in state-of-the-art cutting and sewing equipment, implementing continuous improvement philosophies, researching the best materials, and having a 1.4 million acre test lab to vet our products, we strive to craft for you the toughest gear that will last you and the next generation a lifetime. From our families to yours, Michael and Corissa Larson Shop online for: Dog Harnesses, Dog Booties, Dog Jackets and Gear, Dog Sled Equipment, Collars and Leashes, and Joring gear!

Our story began innocently enough, out in the fields of produce that my wife and I were tending during our time as farming apprentices. We learned some great life lessons out there, stuff you can’t learn from a book. One day I said something like “wouldn’t it be funny if we made cranberry apple granola and called it Crapola?”. I say lots of things like that, but for some reason, this idea actually became a reality. The next thing I knew, a business was born. Be careful what you say in front of your wife. It could change your life forever. Since our humble beginning almost ten years ago, we have grown our product line and our distribution area. We have put the “fun” in “functional” food, and reminded scores of people about the importance of fiber in their diet, in our own signature style. We have had a lot of fun marketing our granola, but we’re serious when it comes to quality. Just like we learned in farming, it’s worth taking extra time and effort to do things the way we believe is best. Running this business has been far more work than we imagined, but we learn as we go and take pride in our accomplishments. We have grown the business, but the business has also grown us. Each day brings new opportunities and we’re excited about the future. We want to sincerely thank our “regular” customers for supporting us all these years!

Starting a business can be overwhelming to say the least. The Social Loon Co. is here to help with the little things such as social media posting and advertising. Creating meaningful ads can be very time consuming. We take over your businesses Instagram account with your input to create social media ads that represent your product and vision. Contact us, and together, we will reach your company’s goals.

Welcome to Rosies Auto Detailing! We are a full service detailing business located here in Ely, Minnesota. Owned by Rosie the Labrador and ran by her human Elyssia Montgomery. Text us today at (719) 357-2440 to book an appointment and learn more!

Kekekabic Studios has extensive experience in Art Glass Creation and Restoration. Rosemary Shepherd and John Bowe are craftspeople living and working in Ely, Minnesota. Stained glass creation, restoration, and fine woodworking have been their life’s passions. They learned their craft through traditional studio apprenticeships and hands-on training. They have done work all over the country and have been fortunate to have restored some very significant windows. Some examples that stand out are “The Gift of the Magi” by Maitland Armstrong, Faith Chapel, Jekyll Island, Georgia, and The Fox Memorial Window, by Louis C. Tiffany, Kelsey Museum, in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Kekekabic Studios is the culmination of their 30+ years in the stained glass business. Their love of the wilderness brought them from Michigan to northeastern Minnesota, where they have relocated and set up their showroom and workshop on Chapman Street in beautiful downtown Ely, Minnesota. When they aren’t busy in their workshop, you will find them exploring this extraordinary place: hiking, camping, and occasionally paddling out to their favorite, Kekekabic Lake (and the namesake of the business), in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness.

From ethnic cooking classes to basket weaving, jewelry making, furniture building, photography, fabric arts, writing, painting and other arts, stained glass making, gardening, sustainable living, herbs and health, foraging, canoeing and canoe building, dances and music, there are classes for most every interest at Ely Folk School, conveniently located at the top of the hill in downtown Ely, Minnesota.