Brandau Plumbing & Heating is a family owned and operated business established in 1989. The owner, Mike Brandau, has a Master Plumber’s license and is a certified Uponor Wirsbo installer. He oversees all the plumbing and heating operations. Jeremiah Brandau holds a Master Plumber’s license as well and handles bidding for various projects. Jeremiah is also a Certified Wirsbo Installer. Richard Moravitz is our third master plumber. Brandau Plumbing and Heating has been in business for over 28 years.

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.

With access to 4 lakes, this laid-back, year-round resort in the Superior National Forest was built in 1919, and is 4 miles from the International Wolf Center. Simple 2- to 8-bedroom cabins have mini-fridges, microwaves and coffeemakers, plus lake views, fire pits and decks. Suites feature 1 or 2 bedrooms, and add full kitchens and/or covered decks. Our rustic bar serves up a great Bloody Mary and homemade pizzas. Other amenities include a 40-person sauna, a swimming beach, fishing docks, and a marina with boat rentals. There’s also a fish-cleaning house, a game room and a playground.

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.