ALGOMA, Wis. — There were a lot of new faces at Yardstick Books in Algoma this summer.
That was due in large part to regular stops made by cruise ships on the Great Lakes.
“It really felt nice to have visitors from all over the country and around the world coming to our beautiful beach town, a small place,” said Yardstick owner Heidi Raak. “We really enjoyed having more visitors and having the conversations you have when that happens.”
Coming into the late spring, people and businesses in Algoma didn’t really know what to expect as the city of 3,200 became a stop for Viking Cruises and other cruise ships.
It wasn’t just passengers coming to Algoma, either.
“Also, lots of people from the region came to either see the boats or because they heard about it and wanted to explore Algoma,” Raak said. “It was a fun summer and I’m definitely looking forward to seeing the folks from the cruise ships next year.”
The last ship of the season came and went in early October.
Tina Lawrence, co-owner of The Country Cupboard, said the ships bring a noticeable buzz to the city and surrounding region.
“Having them here has brought people from all over, and it’s been awesome,” she said. “New customers, repeat customers who just had to come down and see [the ship]. While they were here, they’re coming into the store.”
Passengers on the boat are stopping into the shop too. Lawrence lists locations of some people she met this summer.
“Japan. The Netherlands. Germany. Ireland. Scotland. It was awesome,” she said.
Raak said she and others will spend the winter preparing for the upcoming season when the Viking ships are again expected to stop in Algoma.
“I think it’s great for the whole town,” she said. “It’s great for me individually, but also bringing more people in to show our beautiful city is a delight.”