Staff at Ryden’s Border Store in Minnesota waited for the May long weekend to gauge the amount of business that is passing through after the U.S. government imposed tariffs on goods.
Lori Boomer, co-owner of Ryden’s, said as of 5:45 a.m. Friday, there was a lineup at the door.
“Saturday is your opening for fishing and that’s what gets our season going,” Boomer said of the border store in Grand Portage. “All the U.S. fishermen start coming north and as of today, our summer hours are in effect and we had people here right away.”
Each year, American anglers travel to Northwestern Ontario lakes to fish for walleye, also known as pickerel.
“We’ve also been quite busy with Canadians going down (to the U.S.) for hockey and baseball tournaments, and it’s great to see them,” she said.
On the onset of the U.S. tariff impositions, Boomer told The Chronicle-Journal that “everyone’s in a tizzy” with the uncertainty of rising costs.
“That’s calming down, and I think more Canadians will start to move and visit,” she said. “Sure, there’s going to be some that are not going to come, but the majority are coming. And everything’s been great. I think they’re realizing a lot of things were blown out of proportion.”
Boomer added that travelling to the U.S. through the Pigeon River border crossing is “super safe.”
“We love Canadians, and we’re super happy to see them,” she said. “And we’re happy to have the Americans coming now to get into our summer season.”
Ryden’s parcel pickup service remains lower than usual but Boomer attests that to the low Canadian dollar and “probably a little bit of tariff fears.”
For those heading to Ryden’s to pick up a parcel, Boomer advises if you are in a hurry, it’s best to avoid Saturday mornings. Although they are typically busy each Saturday, the next three weekends will be their busiest of the year and patrons could find themselves in a lineup.
