Central Munising

Rondi Olson is again making wooden bowls like those of Munising Woodenware which began production in 1911. They sell for $20 and up.

MUNISING WOOD PRODUCTS and MUNISING MANNA. Rondi Olson has purchased rights to the venerable Munising Woodenware trademark and sells contemporary versions of Munising Woodenware bowls, also hand-painted, in the front space of the former Charing Cross book store. A Seventh-Day Adventist, she also sells health and bulk foods and Grand Island maple syrup products. 102 East Munising/M-28, just east of Elm downtown. Open Monday through Thursday 10 to 5, Friday 10 to 2.

St. VINCENT de PAUL. "Vinnie's" is always a favorite for U.P. specialty shopping. The Munising store draws on donations from a wide range of households, including well-to-do summer people. Friday is bag day. 107 Elm between M-28 and Superior in the heart of Munising, next to the Corktown Bar. Open Monday through Friday 10 to 4. Handicap access: three steps.

PUTVIN HEALTH MART. This large, exceptionally helpful downtown drug store also offers gifts, summer fun accessories, and coloring books and games for rainy days, a Radio Shack outlet, wraps and supports for aching feet, and many special services, including 24-hour emergency prescription service. 119 Elm at Superior. (906) 387-2248. Mon-Sat 9-6.Handicap accessible.

The PEOPLE'S STORE. Here are better men's and women's clothing with brands like Woolrich, Columbia, and Duofold underwear with wool in it. Also, there's a good selection of women's Vanity Fair sleepwear and lingerie, and Carhartt jackets and overalls for men. Around the corner on West Superior, the attached shoe store carries time-tested functional footgear. The Fineman family's longtime Munising store looks as if it's been in this impressive department-store building since 1920 at least. Actually it moved here when Denman's, the original department store, went out of business around 1990. 120 Elm at Superior. Monday through Saturday 9-5. Wheelchair accessible.

PEOPLE'S STATE BANK. A handsome fountain centers on the propeller blades and anchor from the wreck Kiowa, sunk off Point Au Sable in a fierce storm in late November of 1926. At night, amber lights illuminate the water plume --- gorgeous! The water highlights the pink in the fountain's stones. The rock, with interestingly variegated patterns, is 2 billion-year-old kona dolomite from near Gwinn. (You can pick up small quantities for your garden. Call Lindberg & Sons at 906-249-1815 and be sure to get good directions.) Colored pink by iron, Marquette County dolomite is thought to be the world's only pink dolomite. The story of the sinking of the big freighter Kiowa lived on in the area because of the valor of three deer hunters in taking 18 survivors off the stranded ship. In 1968 two young scuba divers, Charles Nebel of Munising and his friend Brian Schulze organized a team to raise the anchor and propeller blades. Nebel, whose law office is in the bank building, incorporated the blades and anchor in this fountain. Southeast corner of Elm and Superior.