Three Brands. One Purpose.
A Keweenaw Life, Built on Gut Instinct and Good People.
Up here, where Lake Superior hugs the shore and the Keweenaw juts out like a defiant little peninsula with a big personality, three brands took shape—not from spreadsheets, but from sweat.
Fresh Coast Cabins, Small Craft, and Takka Saunas weren’t built to chase trends. They weren’t part of a five-year plan. They were born from a deep love of this place and the simple belief that good things happen when you create space for people to slow down, connect, and feel something real.
Each one has its own vibe. Its own purpose. But together, they hum along in the same rhythm—rest, warmth, laughter, cold plunges, conversations that matter, and a strong cup of coffee or something a little stiffer.
This is the Keweenaw life. Built slow. Built with heart. And built to last.
One Region, Three Expressions of Keweenaw Living
Though each brand delivers a distinct experience, they’re part of the same mission: to build intentional spaces rooted in place, people, and presence.
In Hancock, right on the Portage Canal, Small Craft recently opened its doors (March 2025) and offers a casual, no-frills space to slow down, share a drink, and connect. Think open-air seating, good conversation, and a come-as-you-are atmosphere. Just steps away, Takka Portage (October 2024) brings sauna into the flow of everyday life—an easy place to reset after work, after a ride, or when you just need to breathe.
Head north to Eagle Harbor and you’ll feel it — the shift from hustle to hush. Fresh Coast Cabins, a once-forgotten, 100-year-old resort, has been lovingly restored over the past five years into a gathering place where history meets modern hospitality. Tucked along the rugged shoreline of Lake Superior, where forest meets freshwater, it offers a quiet return to what matters. Just steps away, Takka Superior draws you further in — into the rhythm of fire, cold water, and stillness. It's a ritual, a reset, and a reminder that wellness can be as simple as heat, breath, and presence.
These aren’t random locations. They’re aligned by design. Together, they form a loop through the Keweenaw that connects rest, ritual, and real community. Wherever you land, you’re never far from what matters.
Fresh Coast Cabins: A Roadside Resort Reimagined
Jason and Lynn Makela didn’t come from hospitality. They didn’t have a business plan (at first). What they did have was a deep love for the Keweenaw Peninsula and a habit of saying yes to big, scary ideas.
They went to school at Michigan Tech, met over beers at Keweenaw Brewing Company, and got married just down the road at McLain State Park. Years later, after settling in Hancock, the pull of the lake—and the lifestyle that comes with it—never really let go.
In 2018, they bought a small, rough-around-the-edges lakeside cabin. Later they coined it their gateway cabin, True North. Nothing fancy. No turnkey anything. Just potential. They got to work—DIY-style—renovating the place, sharing their journey online, and unintentionally building a community around the idea of slowing down and reconnecting with nature.
Then, in 2020 - right before the world shut down - they stumbled across a second property: the former Eagle Lodge and Lakeside Cabins. Nine cabins. Twenty-seven acres. Right on the rugged shore of Lake Superior. Minutes from Copper Harbor. The place was beat up but had good bones—and something you can’t fake: soul.
With zero background in hospitality, they went all in!
Now, Fresh Coast Cabins is a reimagined roadside destination for people who crave simplicity, space to think, and a break from the endless scroll. No TVs. Barely any Wifi. No fluff. Just quiet mornings, big mugs of coffee, mist rolling off the lake, and maybe a night or two watching the aurora put on a show.
It’s not about luxury. It’s the kind of place where you sit still, breathe in the lake air, maybe take a nap if the mood strikes and realize you can slow down.
Fresh Coast Cabins | Eagle Harbor, Michigan
Takka Saunas: Finnish Tradition, Reclaimed
For Jason, sauna isn’t a business—it’s a family ritual. Growing up, he spent weekends in the heat, then snow, then heat again. That rhythm—sweat, rinse, repeat—shaped his understanding of wellness. And eventually, the goal of having a sauna on Lake Superior.
The name Takka comes from the Finnish word for “fireplace”—a nod not only to the warmth and ritual of sauna, but also to Jason Makela’s Finnish roots. It’s more than a name; it’s a symbol of gathering, of tradition, and of returning to what grounds us.
This spirit came alive every Friday at Fresh Coast Cabins, where the Makelas hosted Superior Fridays—a casual ritual of wood-fired pizza, drink swaps, and bonfire conversations. What started as a simple way to end the week became something more: a circle of stories, laughter, and shared presence by the fire. It’s in that same spirit that Takka Saunas was born.
First launched in 2023 in Eagle Harbor at Fresh Coast Cabins, and then expanded to the Portage Canal in Hancock in 2024, Takka draws from a deeply personal connection to sauna. It's a practice rooted in family, fire, and the powerful pause that comes when we let go of the noise.
Takka is more than heat and steam. It’s an invitation to reconnect—with your body, your breath, and your sense of self.
Takka Superior (Eagle Harbor):
At Takka Superior in Eagle Harbor, the rhythm of sauna unfolds as it was meant to—surrounded by cedar trees, crashing waves, and the chill of Lake Superior just steps from the door.
This space was created to share the joy of the practice, to welcome others into the ritual of moving between fire and water, heat and cold. Here, you step from the deep warmth of the wood-fired sauna straight into the lake—yes, even in winter. And when you do, something shifts. It’s not just a plunge; it’s a moment of exhilaration, of aliveness.
The moment a cold plunge happens - it's unmistakeable -- the shoreline echoes with laughter, surprised shouts, and the sound of someone feeling fully awake for the first time in a while. Lake Superior has that kind of power.
Takka Superior invites you into that rhythm: warm up, cool down, breathe deep, gather by the fire. It’s a practice that clears the mind, softens the body, and connects you to something bigger—both within and all around.
View of Lake Superior from the Takka Superior wood-fired sauna near Copper Harbor, MI.
Takka Portage (Hancock):
Located in the heart of downtown Hancock, Takka Portage offers a sauna experience that flows with the rhythm of everyday life. Easily accessible for both locals and travelers, it’s a space made to welcome you in—whether for a quick reset or a deep, intentional pause.
Designed for flexibility, Takka Portage offers private sessions for both quiet reflection and group bookings for shared moments. However you arrive, you’re met with the same warmth and sense of belonging.
This is a sauna experience crafted for real life’s cadence. It’s not about getting away—it’s about returning. Again and again. A ritual that’s both intentional and repeatable, creating space to reconnect with yourself, your community, and the moment you’re in.
Two of the saunas at the Takka Portage location along the Hancock waterfront.
Small Craft: Where Good Drinks and Great Views Meet
In March 2025, just next door to Takka Portage in Hancock, the Makelas opened Small Craft —a taproom right on the Portage Canal. It’s the kind of spot you don’t need a reason to visit. It’s just easy to be there.
The space feels relaxed, communal, and completely unpolished—in the best way. You can bring your own food, meet a friend for a drink, sit outside by the water, or come in solo and strike up a conversation with a stranger. It’s a place built for people.
On tap, there’s a rotating selection of craft beer, cider, wine, seltzer, and kombucha, along with seasonal cocktails and thoughtful zero-proof options. Their bring-your-own-food policy supports local restaurants, inviting guests to enjoy a wide range of flavors from nearby spots. Out back, a laid-back patio opens right onto the water—an easy place to pause and take in the view. And just on the horizon: The Buoyard Beer Garden, coming soon!
Small Craft is for winding down after a ride. For celebrating something small. For being part of something casual and real. It's not flashy—and that’s the whole point.
Small Craft taproom in Hancock, MI.
A Shared Foundation: Why These Three?
We didn’t set out to build a brand family. We just kept building the kind of places we needed—quiet cabins, a cold beer on the lawn, a hot sauna in winter—and it turned out, a lot of other people needed them too.
Fresh Coast, Small Craft, and Takka aren’t connected by some fancy marketing strategy. They’re connected by intention.
All three were created to help people feel more like themselves. To remember what matters. Whether it’s firelight, cold plunge shrieks, trail dust, or deep belly laughs with friends—these are spaces for real, human moments.
What we share:
Design that feels good, not showy
A pace that lets you exhale
Honest connection—to nature, each other, and yourself
Deep roots in the Keweenaw
Wellness that’s more about joy than perfection
This isn’t a grand vision with color-coded org charts. It’s just what happens when you keep showing up, stay curious, and follow what feels right.
Three spaces. One shared heartbeat. And a whole lot of lake energy behind it.
Plan the Loop: One Weekend, Three Stops
If you’re heading to the Keweenaw, you don’t have to pick just one. Each space flows into the next.
Day 1: Eagle Harbor
Check in at Fresh Coast Cabins. Let the drive settle. Walk the beach. Light a fire. Watch the sky shift over the lake.
Day 2: Heat + Cold + Reset
Spend the morning in the woods. Then head next door to Takka Superior for a full hot-cold cycle. Breathe deep, rinse off, and settle back in by the fire.
Day 3: Hancock
Take the scenic drive south to Hancock. Grab lunch from a local spot and head to Small Craft for a drink on the patio. If the moment calls for it, end your day at Takka Portage—one more round of heat, cold, and rest before you return to the rest of your life.
Bundle the Experience and Save!
Guests of Fresh Coast Cabins are invited to flow freely between spaces—just like the land, lake, and light do up here. As part of your stay, enjoy 10% off Takka Superior and 50% off Takka Portage. Whether it’s your first round of heat and cold or your last moment of stillness before heading home, there’s a place for you by the fire.
Build Your Keweenaw Experience
These brands aren’t just about business. They’re about choosing a different way of living—and creating the kind of spaces that help others do the same.
We hope to see you soon!
Explore each brand:
