Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
LOVEBIRDS AND business owners Mark Schwanz and Lynn Niemi Thursday are shown at Chelsi's Corner. Schwanz and Niemi believe in local business and supporting the local economy and are supporting both with Chelsi's Corner.
By IAN MINIELLY
Ironwood - Like a phoenix rising from the ashes of the downtown Ironwood fire that changed lives and the cityscape of Ironwood forever, Chelsi's Corner has returned, just three doors down from its previous location on Aurora Street.
Mark Schwanz and Lynn Niemi, owners of Chelsi's Corner, lost all their stock in the fire, but have since moved in to the former Book World building.
The tragic fire took three lives.
Schwanz said he called his agent at General Insurance in Bessemer at 8 a.m. that morning and they were on location by 8:30 a.m. The insurance adjuster arrived shortly after that and Schwanz said the adjustor cut the business a check on the spot to begin recovery. "It is another advantage of doing business locally," said Schwanz.
Chelsi's has multiple local and Upper Peninsula specific product lines. The "Yooper Girl" product line is its own design, done locally. Schwanz said they receive orders from all over the country for Yooper Girl apparel because people who are traveling and wearing the shirts are noticed by other people with Yooper ties in their families and they call and place orders.
Another U.P. product made in Newberry is the Yooper Chook.
Chooks are cold weather hats with built-in face protection which Schwanz said he wears during snowblowing. Niemi said they are great for kids because, "they can't lose them like they lose their scarves," as the face protection is built directly into the hat.
Schwanz said they went to Charlotte, N.C., this winter and brought seven of the hats to wear as a family in the cool temperatures. Many people in North Carolina asked about the hats and sales started adding up. Schwanz said they sold 75 of the hats in one day when they first began offering the product line.
The new Chelsi's Corner is in the process of adding four new changing rooms. All the rooms are handicapped compliant, as is the latrine.
Schwanz said he has been looking at winter inventory for next year as he showed off storage space and the future employee lounge.
Schwanz said if they buy their inventory now for next winter, they can get the best prices, which they are then able to pass on to their customers at the register. The men's apparel is not on display yet, but is coming.
