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'Passport' highlights small businesses along the North Shore

The Endeavor Pass was created to encourage tourists to spend their money at locally-owned stops along Minnesota's north shore of Lake Superior.

NORTH SHORE, Minn. — Frequent travelers to Minnesota's North Shore might have a routine.

"They've been going up their whole lives...You tend to get into this pretty particular rut that you go to the same places. This is where we go to eat, this is where we get our beer," said Tyler Thompson.

Thompson is the founder of Endeavor Minnesota, which rents kayak equipment to tourists, and formerly offered rental properties. 

The company's latest 'endeavor' is called the Endeavor Pass. It's a coupon book featuring 35 businesses, most located between Duluth and Grand Marais. 

It's not only about discounts, however. Thompson's goal is to encourage tourists to branch out and visit places they might not otherwise.

"[The pass] gives you a little QR code, so you can get directions super easy and that tells you if it's dog friendly, if it serves beer or wine, [or] if it has food," he said.

Thompson created the project with the tough past year in mind, although by many accounts the North Shore has been seeing an abundance of visitors during the pandemic. Now he hopes those visitors broaden their stops.

"It gives you kind of an excuse to go explore," he said.

You can learn more about the businesses featured in the Endeavor Pass here.

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