NAHMA, Mich. (WZMQ) – Winter can be a slow time for many Upper Peninsula businesses. However, one Delta County business owner says a new snowmobile trail and ideal weather conditions have made this winter a bit better.
For the Nahma Inn, the cold months typically bring a lull in business. According to owner Charley MacIntosh, the primary clientele in the winter is locals.
“It’s kind of like the hub for the town here, in a good way,” he said. “I do some events. I put a pond hockey tournament on in February, we’ve got a Wii bowling league on Thursday night, we do karaoke. I’ll get some live music here. Something to keep the kitchen and bar open. We’ve got 17 rooms, so we try to rent some out in the wintertime.”
MacIntosh has been running the inn for 17 years. In that time, he has also advocated for a new way to increase winter traffic.
“[We were] trying to get something going with the trail coming from US 2 down by the grooming station and the fire hall,” he explained. “The old Bay de Noc Lumber railroad grade comes right to town, and I just thought it’d be great to have a snowmobile trail down here. It took an act of Congress—we had the congressmen here even—and a lot of exposure. The feds signed off on it, and the State got involved in it. Boy, all that takes a long time, but it all came into fruition.”
The trail opened to snowmobilers three years ago. Unfortunately, Delta County would then experience a few mild winters with little snow accumulation. While those first winters were largely quiet, MacIntosh got a small taste of what the snowmobile trail would soon bring.
“One day, about 20 to 25 snowmobiles came down here,” he recalled. “I said, ‘Wow, this is really cool!'”
This is the first winter that the MacIntosh is fully reaping the benefits of the trail, with the Nahma Inn receiving more frequent visits from snowmobilers.
“One day, I think we had probably 32, and the other day was 25,” MacIntosh said. “That’s not big peanuts for some people; to me, it’s huge. I don’t ask for a lot. I just want to get it rolling and get a few extra bucks coming in to get through the winter.”
MacIntosh says this snowmobiling season has been a much-needed boost after a series of tough winters.
“I’ve been open every winter, and it seems like everything’s tighter now,” he said. “It’s just like, ‘Do I stay open in winter, or don’t I?’ Right now, I’m open Thursday through Sunday. If we get any more winter and I start getting the business I’m praying I want to get, I’m probably going to open up maybe a couple extra days even. The bar would be open, rooms for rent. We always rent rooms out seven days a week, no matter what, but just for the business to be open itself.”
It has also provided some positive momentum, both for the Nahma Inn and for the entire community.
“I think the best thing is just to open it up, be who you are, treat people the way you like to be treated,” said MacIntosh. “It’s really easy to do, you know? There’s some kind of vibe when you first walk into this building. A little bit of energy I think from the old spirits upstairs maybe, but whatever the case may be, it’s a good place to be. If all you did was hear about Nahma, you should come and get the experience, really. It’s a great little town, and it’s like stepping back in time.”
For updates on hours and events at the Nahma Inn, follow the business on Facebook. The pond hockey tournament is scheduled for February 7, and it is open to six-person teams.
