Gabi Kautz

Visit the West End. What does this phrase mean to you? To us, it means something along the lines of: “Western Marquette County is unique, exciting and captivating. Don’t let us just tell you about it though, come find out for yourself.”

With the volunteer efforts of Lindsay Bean, GINCC is working on an exciting website project. The website, VisitTheWestEnd.com, will be a comprehensive visitor guide to showcase all that the West End has to offer to visitors. This will include retail shops, restaurants, attractions, places to stay and other “things to do” in the area. The goal of this project is to create a greater online representation of the West End for people planning to visit the area. The project is multifaceted, including the creation of the website and support for chamber members to increase their own online presence.

To help get this project started, we received a community contribution from Eagle Mine. With the contribution, we also had a batch of stickers made up that encompass what the West End means to us. We’d love if you stopped by the GINCC office to pick one up for your car, laptop or water bottle to represent and help get the word out!

So, what will the website be exactly? There will be tabs for getting here, where to eat and drink, where to stay, things to see and do, and details on events. It’s the one-stop source for any visitor from near or far to assist in trip planning. Even if you live here, this website can help you explore your own town. Maybe you’re the type to go to the same few restaurants to eat. Refer to this website to find something new right in your backyard. I was born and raised in Ishpeming, so I get it. When you’ve lived somewhere your whole life, it feels less likely to view it through the lens of “exciting.” We want to change that for everyone. The West End of Marquette County has so much to offer when it comes to history, nature trails, restaurants, breweries and more.

GINCC member restaurants, attractions, stores and places to stay will be prominently featured on the website at no additional charge. The feature includes a photo of each business or organization along with directions, contact information and links to social media and websites. Non-GINCC members who would like to be included on the website can be listed with a link to their website or social media for an annual investment of $50. For questions on either option, contact ginccmarketing@gmail.com.

Visit the West End is set to launch by the end of February, so stay tuned! We are very excited to be able to bring this visitor-oriented resource to the community. The goal is to show visitors that there is so much more than meets the eye when passing through the West End on U.S. 41. We’re encouraging them to take a detour through our downtown areas to see the history and magic we feel every day. We hope you feel just as excited as we are to be able to share our wonderful community. Remember to stop by and grab a sticker!

EDITOR’S NOTE: Gabi Kautz is the communications & marketing assistant for GINCC. She currently resides in Ishpeming. She enjoys traveling, yoga and photography.