Thousands of lakes, each one a mirror to the heavens. Millions of acres of virgin mountain, woodland and prairie. Billions of fish in every color of the fish rainbow. Over 500 golf courses, too. This is Minnesota: home of the great outdoors – and birthplace of SCHEELS, which stocks everything Minnesotans need to enjoy them.
SCHEELS was founded by Friedrich A. Scheel in Sabin, MN in 1902. The German immigrant never imagined his humble hardware and general store would one day offer power-assisted kayaks for sale. Today it does, at 34 locations spanning 16 states, under the leadership of Scheel’s great- and great-great-grandsons.
It’s not just a family business. And it’s not just an employee-owned one, either. SCHEELS is a collective of athletes, outdoorsmen, and of course outdoorswomen who all share their guests’ passion for the rinks, links, lakes and trails that make our state a paradise.
“For me, growing up in rural Wisconsin meant playing hockey whenever it was too cold to play baseball,” said Al Henwood, assistant store leader at SCHEELS’ Eden Prairie location. “I only discovered my loves of golf, biking, hiking, fishing and camping later in life. But better late than never. Every time I pick up a new pursuit, it gives me a new way to connect with the people who walk through our doors.”
Al will not live long enough to gain a profound appreciation for every sport and hobby SCHEELS caters to. The 250,000-square-foot store’s 100 specialty shops encompass football, lacrosse, soccer, softball, weight lifting, pickleball, boxing, running, yoga, and everything else that gets Eden Prairians’ hearts pumping.
“Our floors are filled with experts who share ownership of SCHEELS’ success,” said Al. “We want people to have whatever they need to get wherever they dream of going. Whether that’s the Boundary Waters or a family cookout, we’ve got our customers covered with the same products we’d trust our own precious free time to.”
If you spend any amount of time exploring the great outdoors this summer, then you’ll love SCHEELS’ First Lite x NEMO merchandise. The two manufacturers have combined their expertise on hunting apparel and outdoor equipment to create first-in-class tents, sleeping bags, and sleeping pads. Perfect for adventurers who meet challenges head on and well rested.
SCHEELS tailors to adventurers who limit their explorations to their backyards as well. There you’ll find drinkware you’re allowed to be careless with, cornhole setups you’re allowed to get competitive over, and the sausage stuffer you’ll need to finally grill brats of your own design and creation.
“We’ve grown a lot in the backyard market over the years,” said Al. “One of the highest-demand products in that department is the Solo Stove – the wildly popular portable smokeless fire pit, which we stock in seven sizes and ten different colors. Whether you want to toast marshmallows on your patio table or keep a dozen family members warm on your deck, we’ve got just the Solo for the job.”
SCHEELS recently began showcasing the future of floating technology: the electric-assist pedal-driven kayak by Old Town. It’s a great way for kayakers of all ages to preserve their stamina and keep up with the group, and it frees up an angler’s hands for pressing bass-based objectives.
“One of the best parts of my job is giving kids access to the outdoorsy pastimes they’ll cherish for life,” said Al. “That might mean preparing Boy Scout and Girl Scout troops for their first overnight forays into the forest, equipping a child for their inaugural fishing trip with their grandpa, or helping junior athletes choose the equipment they’ll need to shine bright on the field. ‘Get them hooked young’ is a healthy attitude to have when creating joy is your specialty.”
If you don’t leave SCHEELS with a camp chair, ice auger, catcher’s mitt, or bag of rawhide dog treats, then you can still take away nice memories. Ride the 45-foot indoor Ferris wheel. Watch reef fish dart around the 16,000-gallon aquarium. Get inspired by an animatronic Herb Brooks. Play mini bowling, have an iced latte, and test out the goods at the archery lanes and synthetic ice rink. It’s all at the south corner of Eden Prairie Center.
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