a storm, and an idea.
On August 2, 2015 a storm rolled through the sleepy town of Glen Arbor, MI, leaving residents stranded as trees littered the streets, construction crews removed leftover wood, and our community questioned what steps to take next. Rather than seeing the destruction of this momentous event as a barrier to our town’s healing, we instead saw it as a light to bring our community together. So, we loaded a trailer full of wood scraps left over from the storm, began thinking of Northern Michigan places that meant the most to us, and started creating wood signs that would turn a negative event into a positive one, inspiring us to create even more products and designs that depict these iconic Michigan places. Northern Roots was born.
The sign that started it all.
Known for its pristine blue waters, rolling waves, steep sandy dunes, and trails to a deeper understanding of nature, the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore lies in the heart of Michigan’s pinky. While the destructive storm of 2015 brought Northern Roots to life, its beginnings were brewing long before in the grains of sand, drops of water, and continuous memories that make up our love for the Sleeping Bear Dunes. That is why our Sleeping Bear Dunes sign continues to be our best-seller, with two unique designs and four color variations adhered to wood salvaged from a natural event we as humans must learn to accept and appreciate rather than resist.
“While a storm may have caused devastation, we use art as a means of returning meaning to nature’s most beautiful places as we return to our roots and create Michigan inspired products.”