Duluth Pack
Duluth, Minnesota
Since 1882
Over 135 years ago, Camille Poirier patented the Original Duluth Pack.
He knew he made a rugged pack perfect for canoe travel. He didn’t know he made history.
Poirier handed down a legacy with his handcrafted canvas and leather portage packs, a legacy that is still being crafted on Superior Street along with hundreds of other canvas and leather creations.
The People
Every great company has one thing in common – great people. We had the privilege of spending some time with the great people of Duluth Pack.
Company President, Tom Sega, dropped everything to spend the afternoon with us. He led us on a tour of the factory and newly renovated retail store, entertaining and enlightening us along the way.
Don’t let Tom’s business-look – khaki pants and tucked-in button-down shirt – fool you. He’s an accomplished hunter and fisherman who lives his brand.
All the leather and canvas cutters, sewers, and riveters were extremely kind to a couple guys following them around with a camera. We especially had a good time with Tracie (or should I say Tracie had a good time with us), an expert sewer who showed off her skills by stitching our names in cursive on a canvas scrap before saying, “now, it’s your turn.”
She challenged us to sew Duluth Pack’s signature circular leather patch to the scrap. She gave us a quick lesson on the sewing machine and threw us to the wolves.
It wasn’t pretty, but the patches are still attached. So we’re calling that a win.
I’m glad we could give Tracie a good laugh. What an awesome lady.
So Much Depends Upon a Shelf
So much history sits on the shelf in the basement.
Leather and canvas patterns cut and rolled and ready. These timeless materials fill the factory with their pleasant scents.
You’ll find the humble beginnings of almost everything Duluth Pack makes on the old shelf, which is the connection point for the precision cutters and meticulous sewers.
It’s a piece of a simple, significant process. It safekeeps the materials until they’re ready to become packs that carry things in need of safekeeping.
The Store
The Duluth Pack store in Canal Park is worth a stop every time you’re in town. It recently underwent an impressive renovation, which brought the outdoors inside.
Our favorite feature is the trees that stretch from floor to ceiling. As someone who gets teary-eyed when dragging the Christmas tree to the curb, I can really appreciate a good indoor tree.
In addition to Duluth Pack’s extensive line of packs and other handmade goods, the store sells a variety of gear from the outdoor industry’s best brands.
The Wedding Pack
The City of Duluth
A bird’s-eye view from Enger Park revealed a picturesque mix of history and modernity – with Canal Park’s Aerial Lift Bridge and breakwater lighthouses as signatures – and the breathtaking, mighty lake that goes to the horizon.
The city is so much more than its stunning landscapes. It has a cool vibe and a culture that revolves around outdoor recreation (and craft beer). I call it the Santa Cruz of the Midwest.
ABOUT PORTAGES
Canoe There’s Dave and Ryan went on tour, not as a band but as storytellers who love the great outdoors. They portaged, if you will, for seven days through Wisconsin and Minnesota and spent time with awesome people. They camped every night, smelled bad, had fun. They returned with a mountain of footage and teamed up with Logan (sound/video editor) to tell these amazing stories.