Windigo Store

[Moose]

I must have smelled pretty bad!

I spent two weeks on the island a couple years ago. After doing a sort of figure 8 and getting back to Windigo I only had enough money for a sandwich and something to drink, they threw in the shower for free!

[DonNewcomb]

Do they sell food at Windigo? If so, is it worth buying at the end of a trip?

Other than sandwiches, Ritz crackers, ice cream and snack foods, you really didn't get an answer too this question. I, for one, would really like to find a stock (and price) list for what is stocked at both stores. It would help a lot with planning.

[ScoutDad]

I've not been to Windigo, but on my previous trips from Rock Harbor the store there was alot like a mini-mart with the addition of camping supplies & gifts. I recall that you could buy eggs, milk, ground beef, bacon,and If I remember correctly steak?! Pricey though; as posted before, there is a surcharge of 20% or more on items purchased on the Island. I'm not sure if Windigo is as extensive.

[sgerbs]

The Windigo store has a decent assortment of food. You can buy sandwiches (with chips) for around $6. They have drinks for $2-3 (pop, powerade, coffee, etc.). In June you could by a dozen eggs, a pack of bacon, milk. They had hot chocolate mix separate ($.75) or in packs. You could also by random items like bandaids, tylenol, tampons, etc. Hope this helps!

[DonNewcomb]

In June you could by a dozen eggs, a pack of bacon, milk. They had hot chocolate mix separate ($.75) or in packs.

Other than instant chocolate, did they have anything a backpacker would need? Basic backpacking meals (e.g. chilli mac, cheese mac)? Instant soups? Nuts, dried fruit, gorp? Powered milk? Granola? Instant oatmeal? Honey? Sugar in packages smaller than 1 lb? Etc? I know it may be expensive but even a $100 bill weighs a whole lot less than a week's worth of food.

[Keweenaw]

Hi Don,

Can't speak to the Windigo store, but as I recall Rock Harbor has pretty much all of the above including (I think) some freeze-dried meals. Give them a call at 906-337-4993 and see if they can connect you with the store (can't remember of they have a phone at the store or just radio contact with the office).

Bob

[rainelde]

since just returning, I think both stores are pretty equal in supplies. I even purchased a jacket that came in handy during the week to keep me warm at night. Very resonable priced. The sandwich was worth the $4.35, they are generous with the fillings and give you a brown bag deal, you get lettuce, tomatoe and a pickle. They throw in a bag of chips too and you add your drink. Perfect coming off the trail.

[emerysar]

Windigo Store was well-stocked as of the last week of July, 2010.

No phone services available in Windigo, except for dire emergencies only through the ranger station. Store worker/owner said that the deck outside the Windigo store was a WiFi Hot Spot though, and if I had satellite capabilities on my phone or netbook, I could get online. (I didn't bring those things to IR, I just asked to find out what was available to be able to report back to you guys on here!)

The phone number for the store that came off of my Windigo Store purchase receipt is: (906) 337-4993. It's the same area code as Houghton (and the whole U.P.) so you probably won't get to I.R. calling that #, but will probably get someone who knows what's out there.

Didn't make it up to Rock Harbor, so I can't vouch for what's up there, but the Windigo store itself was no larger than a single 20'x25' shopping area-- the kitchen extended back in behind the main counter, but for such a small space, there is a lot packed in there.

Shower and Washer tokens are the same ($6.00 for one load of wash in the washer, or a 5 minute HOT shower)
Dryers took $2.00 in quarters and ran for 40 minutes. Tide powder and Cheer Colorsafe Bleach power available in the laundry room for 0.75 each. Utility sink in the laundry room was free.
Towel rental with a mini bar of soap was less than $2.00.

Note--if showering in Windigo, use the Handicapped Shower... more room to spread out your clothes so things don't get wet, and I was told the middle shower of the three available was sometimes iffy.

Store had pretty much anything you would need as of last minute:
Dry soup mixes, at least 7-8 different varieties of Mountain House Pro Pak meals (priced comparably to the mainland, I thought--less than $6.50 for most), instant single serve pudding mixes, Easy Mac, Canned goods--soup, Spam, beans, chili, etc. Many different kinds of chips, crackers, single cereals, marshmallows, graham crackers, a large assortment of candy bars, chewing gum, etc.

There was a mini ice-cream freezer there too-- as of the last week of July it had ice cream bars (Snickers or Milky Ways?) and lots of popsicles.

She had postcards, Nalgene bottles, T-Shirts, sweatshirts, jewelry, home decoratives such as birchbark canoes, framed picture hangings, knickknacks, tote bags, umbrellas, coffee mugs, decorative soaps, keychains, magnets, etc.

Lots of Coghlan's "small necessities" from can openers to mirrors, campsuds, DEET bug spray, non-DEET bug dope, to sleeping bag liners, one foam mat, hiking books, to fuel (HUGE twist-on Primus cans for MSR Pocket Rocket stoves were only $7.00, white gas, cans of Coleman fuel, fuel bottles, some other iso-butane type fuels, etc.), and tackle--lures, hooks, line, etc.--didn't see any packable rods there for sale, though. I did not see any LARGE camp necessities such as tents, tarps, packs, sleeping bags, etc. there, so I would NOT outfit a trip out of the Windigo store, but there were a lot of other smaller luxuries and affordances available, at VERY COMPARABLE prices to the mainland-- I found that most things were only a percent or two higher overall than where I would find things "back home", if marked up that much at all.

Film, cigarettes, cigars, lighters, Zippo fluid, playing cards, etc.

In the small cold fridge "grocery case", she had a good variety of things there-- cold cans of pop, cold bottles of juice/V8, tomatoes, oranges, hard boiled eggs, slices of APPLE PIE, some boxes of pre-cooked bacon strips, string cheese, bags of mini pepperoni, and some half gallon (or slightly smaller) containers of white milk. It was a small case for all this stuff--only a little bigger than a home refrigerator.

Health/Beauty area: indiv. shampoos, toothbrushes, toothpaste, razors, deodorant, baby powder, tweezers, clippers, hemorroid cream, tampons/pads, baby oil, lotion, flip flops!, soaps, combs, lip balm, sunblock, afterbite, floss, moleskin, bandaids, individual OTC pills in single packs like: Tylenol, Dramamine, Benadryl, and I think something for Cough/Cold, kleenex, cough drops, etc.

You could buy stamps and mail postcards there too--was told that mail pickup is every other day, and when I got home, my postcard was marked from Grand Portage, MN, so it goes through there instead of through Houghton.

Bags could be left for $3.18 per day. The sign said no food and no fuel, but I had three small bags of GORP and Mtn. House wrapped inside a clean change of clothes inside a bag that tied shut, and no one asked what was in the bag. I knotted it myself, and stapled my ID slip over the knot, and when I retrieved it, it didn't look as if it had been tampered with. I'm assuming the no food rule is due to critters, and the no fuel rule is due to combustion, but I don't know. I wouldn't have left fuel anyway.

Fresh sandwiches are made there too-- Regular white or wheat bread--no sub buns, with choice of ham, turkey, bologna, salami, or PB& J. Adding cheese was a little extra, I think. Sandwich could come with lettuce and tomato too, and they throw a mayo and mustard packet in the bag along with a bag of potato chips and some pickle chips in a sandwich baggie. Not bad for about $5.50 after tax.

She also was making pizza there too-- I think it was around $8.00 per pie, and she had cheese, pepperoni, and I think one other kind available. The night we were around, she said she only had cheese left, so we had that. Good thin-type crust with sauce and cheese, and ooey-gooey good! She even brought it out to the table on the deck, and we ate overlooking Washington Harbor.

[jerry]

They make the best sandwiches on the island.

[Pioneer Spirit]

So you can walk the length of the island, resupply at the store and hike back another route?

[Keweenaw]

So long as you are not overly concerned about price and selection, yes. These stores are quite small.

Bob

[Tom]

It should also probably be noted that the prices listed and displayed on items don't include the Island surcharge, which I think is around 20%. So, technically, there is a price premium on supplies purchased on the isle, but certainly it's hand to have.
...And darn, those sandwiches taste good...

[Ingo]

emerysar, that's a great report of what they have! Should answer a lot of folks' questions.
However, I can't help but wondering why you weren't out enjoying the island instead of taking inventory . Just kidding--It is great info to have.

[emerysar]

Ingo-

We landed via seaplane in Windigo on our most recent trip out. One member of our hiking party has SEVERE motion sickness, so we stayed in Windigo on night #1 so she could sober up from her Dramamine-induced stupor... thus explaining the Windigo store inventory.

I had roughly 24 hours to bum around Windigo!

[Ingo]

I worked a summer in the Rock Harbor store, umm, 30+ yrs ago. At the time I could tell you every item in the store, but it's changed a bit since then.