L’ANSE, Mich. (WLUC) –

Local sporting goods shops are enjoying a steady rebound in business this summer after a sluggish spring season. Tammy Engelhardt, Owner of Indian Country Sports says once her store on Front St in L’Anse opened full time after Memorial Day, business has been nearly non-stop.

“It’s been steady busy. Sometimes it’s super-busy and I have the x’s on the floor for the six feet social distancing and lot of people do abide by that,” Engelhardt exclaimed.

Like most businesses, Indian Country Sports has adopted a common sense approach to public health and safety with guidelines like one person down an isle at a time and of course masks.

“Masks are mandatory. Most people are coming in either wearing a mask or with a mask in hand. But the governor said you do. So we are trying our best,” Engelhardt declared.  

As one of the largest sportsman’s shops in the western U.P., Englehardt says her store can typically outfit you with all your outdoor gear, even the locally made stuff.

“It’s been pretty easy to get the local stuff in. Finn Tackle, Moonshine Lures, Dan’s Dominators, U.P. Lure Company, all those are local to the Upper Peninsula.  I’m doing really well on getting their products in,” Engelhardt recalled.

However, Englehardt says inventory from the big wholesale suppliers is trickling in a box at a time.

“A lot of companies are having their employees work from home so then you don’t have the people in the warehouses to package up the shipping products,” Engelhardt reasoned.

She says it’s not just the allure of fishing that calls people out.

“A lot of guns and a lot of ammo I can’t get in. Because the manufactures like Remington, Henry and Benelli are shut down and guns are 90 plus days out before I’m even able to get them in,” Engelhardt figured. Still, with a number of fishing tournaments coming up including the Republic Fishing Tournament and Finn’s Fishing Tournament both Saturday, July 18, Engelhardt says she plans to stay busy through the remainder of the summer season.

“If they’re planning a vacation up here, they’ll call and say I need a charter, where’s the best place to stay, where a good place to eat. And where are they fishing, are thy jigging are they trolling, what are they catching. We give full fishing reports,” Engelhardt stated.

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