Today we are talking with the fine folks at Northern Grade, a pop-up market of American Made products.   Can you give 50 BUILT readers some background on yourselves and how Northern Grade came to be? Well being based in Minnesota, we are surrounded by brands like Red Wing and Duluth Pack who represent the authentic heritage brands. We thought we should do something to celebrate them and promote their historical significance. We also saw a lot of men in this area who did not know where to shop for premium American brands. How has Northern Grade evolved from when it started in 2009? We have grown from an event that had about 600 people at the first one, to 3000 at our last.  We still have about 20 vendors. We like to keep things in scale with our venue, Architectural Antiques.   Has the Made Local/USA always been the…Continue Reading
Schwing is the largest concrete pump manufacturer. A great example of a company that makes the machines that build our country, and the world. Take a peek at the video to see how a large scale manufacturing company manufactures their industrial pumps. People make companies great, and Schwing has dedicated employees with years of experience, making for a quality product.   Call Schwing for factory tour info: 888-SCHWING Schwing America Inc. 5900 White Bear MN 55127  
Duluth Pack is another great story of a company that filled a niche during our country’s early industrial years. Duluth, Minnesota was one of the wealthiest regions in the country and a center for logging, railroad and iron ore industry. They had needs to build their businesses and the company that became Duluth Pack fulfilled those needs. Duluth Pack is about quality and stands behind their products 100%. Their lifetime warranty is something that foreign imported products don’t offer. Take a look at Duluth Pack the next time you’re in the market for a bag, wallet, clothing or accessories. Chances are when you buy that next item from Duluth, it will be the last time you’ll make that purchase for the rest of your life. duluthpack.com
Red Wing Shoe Company of Red Wing, Minnesota has a long and proud history dating back to 1905. Providing footwear for American soldiers in WWI and WWII, Red Wing quickly became a household name in the USA. Today they provide top quality work boots that are worn with pride around the world. Majority of Red Wing’s boots are hand-made in the USA. They have four factories across the country in Potosi, Missouri and Danville, Kentucky and two plants in Red Wing, Minnesota. FACTORY TOUR DETAILS: Cost: FREE Reservations: Call Red Wing Chamber of Commerce – 651.388.4719 Tour Duration: 1 hour Factory hours: M & F 10AM RED WING SHOE COMPANY 314 MAIN ST. RED WING, MN 55066 800.RED.WING redwingshoes.com