Art, Bikes and Business Coalesce to Bring Outdoor Recreation Downtown

A new step toward the beautification of downtown Eagle River was taken last week with the addition of a stunning new mural on the northern wall of Hawk's Nest Outfitters' new downtown location.

The mural emphasizes silent sports throughout the Northwoods' four seasons while bringing a playful and jubilant air to the building. The artistic endeavor springs from the minds of Keiko Johnson and Coady Johnson, longtime vacationers to the Northwoods. The mother-son duo have been longtime friends of the Dalbec family who make up the driving force behind Hawk's Nest success.

Focusing on plants and wildlife that are native to the area, as well as the bounty of nature-related activities in the area, visitors can see a colorful landscape of rabbits riding bikes, deer tossing around the ol' pigskin, and birds out on a cross-country skiing adventure.

David Dalbec, general manager of Hawk's Nest Outfitters, is in the process of getting the downtown location open for business. It's expected to open this June at 210 Main St. in addition to the existing location on the Wisconsin River, located at 6141 Highway 70 between Eagle River and St. Germain.

Now open for its 52nd season on the river, the establishment is expanding its reach from paddling and tubing opportunities, to bicycle and E-bike rentals downtown. In addition to rentals, the new business also will act as a second booking location for those who would like to schedule a relaxing day on the water.

Beyond just the additional foot traffic of downtown, the new location also has a close proximity to the start of the Three Eagle Bike Trail that connects Eagle River to Three Lakes. "The downtown appeal is very big," Dalbec said.

One of the things that makes downtown Eagle River a special destination is the camaraderie many businesses are able to create with each other. That's the case with Hawk's Nest, which has partnered up with Breakaway Sports on Wall Street to offer another avenue of recreation for silent sports enthusiasts. Breakaway furnished and will perform needed upkeep and repairs on the bikes offered by Hawk's Nest, while staff at the new location will handle the rental side of things.

"It's really the perfect partnership," said Dalbec. "We're happy not to have to sell and service bikes," adding that it's better to find your own niche and then make up partnerships with other businesses than for everyone to try to do everything themselves.

This is precisely what having a downtown that works in tandem is all about — especially when most businesses have a hard time finding employees to man their stores. "Staffing is a problem here in Eagle River — it doesn't make sense to staff multiple businesses with overlapping services," Dalbec explained.

This isn't Dalbec's first time collaborating with fellow business ventures. Similarly to what they have done with Breakaway Sports, Hawk's Nest has been teamed up with WalkAbout for its paddling needs since they took over operation of Hawk's Nest in 2019. The business purchases its paddling gear from WalkAbout, which is then used as rental pieces for those looking for a day on the river or a place to rent gear and take it back to the cabin for use.

"It's really about fostering the spirit of community — working together with other small businesses to make a great experience for all," Dalbec said.

Karen Margelofsky, executive director of the Eagle River Revitalization Program, has been hard at work replenishing the downtown area. She said fostering these types of unions to create a better experience for visitors. "That's something that's really refreshing about our downtown businesses. There isn't a lot of competition. It's more about working together to raise everyone up."

She's enthusiastic about the new mural which will serve as an attractive backdrop for the summer street dances that are held each Thursday. The public events feature live music throughout the summer.

Although the doors for the new venture aren't even open yet, Dalbec was already excitedly spouting ideas for this and that, and new ways of teaming up with people and places around town. It'll be exciting to see what he comes up with next.

In the meantime, painting on the mural is expected to be wrapped up this coming week.