“After getting 2 feet of snow this year, I thought we were getting out of the gate pretty hard,” said Chrysler, referencing the post-Thanksgiving storm that brought a top-10 all-time snowfall to the city. “This is twice as busy as it was then.”
Chrysler, sales manager for the West Duluth dealer, said he probably could’ve sold 40 Sea-Doos a day in the lead-up to the Fourth of July — if only he had them in stock. He said he had a dozen en route to the store, and half of those were already claimed.
“For the past 3-4 months, it’s been crazy; it’s been fun; it’s been a challenge,” Chrysler said.
Despite soaring unemployment rates and economic uncertainty, customers don’t seem to be deterred — perhaps, in part, because the federal government issued a $1,200 check to every American and has temporarily increased unemployment benefits.
Darrin Severance a salesperson closes the door on a Polaris Ranger side-by-side ATV after loading the vehicle on a trailer Thursday for a customer at Duluth Lawn & Sport. (Clint Austin / caustin@duluthnews.com)
But many of the machines aren’t cheap. Chrysler said some side-by-side UTVs can run up to $30,000. A pair of entry-level personal watercraft and a trailer is in the neighborhood of $20,000.
“I think everybody’s kind of decided to find other things — a different lifestyle — to get through this,” Chrysler said. “Maybe that’s getting to work on the house or landscaping, or going to check things out in the woods.”
Steve Piragis, owner of Piragis Northwoods Co. of Ely, said this year is shaping up to be his best ever for sales of canoes and kayaks.
“We’re selling two to three times what we normally sell,” he said, noting that many boats arrive at his shop presold, and those that aren’t don’t tend to linger for long.
The National Marine Manufacturers Association reported an “unprecedented increase” in personal watercraft sales in May, up 75% over the same month last year.
Not only are equipment sales up, but some manufacturers have been forced to halt or slow production in recent months due to limited supplies or as a measure aimed at slowing the spread of the virus.
Duluth Lawn & Sport employee Chris Gassert of Moose Lake maneuvers a Polaris RZR Pro XP side-by-side ATV Thursday in a tight area of the showroom while preparing to deliver the vehicle to a customer in Two Harbors. (Clint Austin / caustin@duluthnews.com)
Russ Francisco, owner of Marine General in Duluth, said there have been issues related to raw materials that originate in China and Vietnam. He’s had issues obtaining rods and, more recently, marine parts.
But the demand has only increased.
“People haven’t got as much to do,” Francisco said. “They’re not eating out at restaurants as much. They don’t have graduation parties to go to. They’re not chasing kids around doing hockey and baseball. You think of all the things people aren’t doing this year and you can probably come up with a whole extra month of time.”
Francisco shared an example of some physicians from Omaha, Nebraska. Forced to cancel a trip to Europe, they decided to take a driving tour of the Midwest. En route to Duluth, the couple called to reserve a pair of kayaks.
“That might be an extreme story,” Francisco said, “but a lot of people are just looking for things to do. They have time on their hands.”
Jason MacDonald (left) and Jim DeArmond both of Duluth make sure DeArmond’s new side-by-side ATV is secured to a trailer while picking up the vehicle Thursday at Duluth Lawn & Sport. (Clint Austin / caustin@duluthnews.com)
While the pandemic forced Piragis to close in March and April, he said those are typically his slowest months, and since he reopened May 18, the shop has been slammed.
“If this had to happen, the timing couldn’t have been better,” he said.
But the traffic has presented certain challenges, too, as Piragis strives to keep staff and customers safe by limiting the number of people in the shop at one time and requiring everyone to wear a mask. When people try on an item of clothing, Piragis said staff set it aside for at least 24 hours of quarantine time before returning it to the shop floor, so as to prevent any possible virus transmission.
“This is the worst pandemic in history, and our best year ever for retail sales,” Piragis said. “It doesn’t really feel fair, because a lot of people are hurting.”
On the Iron Range, layoffs in the mining industry haven’t yet done much to deter would-be buyers of big-ticket items.
“We’re in awe up here,” said Ejay Dawson, owner of Five Seasons Sports in Eveleth. “I can’t believe what’s going on.”
Dawson said sales have been “over the top” on everything from ATVs to motorcycles to riding lawn mowers.
Duluth Lawn & Sport employee Chris Gassert of Moose Lake ties down a Polaris RZR Pro XP side-by-side ATV Thursday on a trailer before to delivering the vehicle to a customer in Two Harbors. (Clint Austin / caustin@duluthnews.com)
“The manufacturers can’t supply,” he said. “We normally try to keep our showroom full, but it’s bare right now. We do have some product, but it’s very limited. We’re just starting to catch up.”
Ski Hut also has struggled to keep pace with demand, said Brent Stoen, manager of the business’ West Duluth shop, which has been temporarily closed because of tight product inventories. Nevertheless, he said sales of kayaks, canoes and bikes at Ski Hut’s East Hillside store are at an all-time high.
“Our supply lines have almost dried up. The demand is a lot higher than what we see coming in,” said Stoen, noting the typical wait time for a new bicycle is “well over a month-plus”
In addition to selling new equipment, Ski Hut has seen a lot of older bikes returning to use, leading to plenty of demand for service. Stoen said Ski Hut’s bicycle technicians are booked out solid for about the next three to four weeks.
“It has been really exciting for us, because we’re getting so many people who have never really biked. And people that haven’t biked for years are getting into the sport. So, we’re creating a lot of new demand,” Stoen said.
Despite the economic uncertainties that have accompanied the pandemic, Stoen said many people have been eager to open their wallets for outdoor gear.
“It’s good for the body and the mind to get out and get some exercise. With a lot of gyms being closed and other things, people are turning more and more to outdoor activities like kayaking, biking, canoeing and camping.
A few of the side-by-side ATVs for sale at Duluth Lawn & Sport seen Thursday afternoon. (Clint Austin / caustin@duluthnews.com)
People’s interest in getting outdoors has led to a strong return for Duluth Pack, after a 10-week shutdown, said marketing manager Andrea Johnson.
“Especially with the pandemic and social distancing, it just really seems like there is an uptick in interest in being in the outdoors,” she said.
Trailfitters, a Duluth shop catering to outdoor enthusiasts, also reports strong demand for gear
“We definitely have seen an increase in sales,” said Kyra Vandel, a buyer and assistant manager for Trailfitters. “People seem to have a lot more interest in getting outdoors.”
While Duluth Pack’s sales were sidelined by the temporary closure of its retail store, the company was able to shift gears and begin producing badly needed personal protective equipment within two weeks. That part of the business enabled Duluth Pack to recall all its employees and then some.
“We’re actually growing. So, I believe we have hired 20 new people since the pandemic hit,” Johnson said.
Joe Bullyan Jr. of Bullyan RV in Duluth, said his business started picking up in May and has been quite busy ever since.
“People are definitely gravitating toward campers and RVs to get out and enjoy some time with the family in lieu of airline travel or hotels it seems like,” he said, noting that it has been a challenge to get enough product on his lot to meet demand.
“There’s kind of a nationwide shortage right now,” Bullyan said.
But he said: “We’ve got stuff coming in daily, and we should be able to keep up and maintain throughout the rest of the year.”
RJ Sport & Cycle in Hermantown has been fielding about 200-300 calls per day since reopening after a brief closure to implement safety measures, said salesman Steve Rodberg.
With kids out of school and away from many normal activities, he said the business initially saw a surge in interest around products like dirt bikes.
“Everything is so uncertain right now,” Rodberg said. “Nobody really knows what’s going to happen or who to believe, and people are buying because of that uncertainty. They’re thinking, ‘What if schools aren’t open again this fall?’”
But even baby boomers are now making big investments on products such as pontoons, Rodberg said.
“Many of them came from nothing, had a paper route when they were 10,” he said. “Money means something different to them. But it seems like they’re getting off their wallets a bit and buying some stuff. If you’re quarantined in your house and can’t get toilet paper, what good is a million bucks?”