Takka Portage, a new public sauna, held its grand opening at its location on Navy Street Saturday, drawing people from the area, the Midwest and even Finland to check it out.

The new saunas are the latest branch of Takka Saunas, run by husband and wife Jason and Lynn Makela. They began offering saunas last year at the Fresh Coast cabins between Eagle Harbor and Copper Harbor. That space has been popular, and also made more people wish there were more opportunities for social and community saunas in the area, Jason said. 

“Winters are long here, and cold, and we wanted a place that we could bring people together — and maybe people that don’t even know each other — in a way to connect that’s outside of what we would normally do at some of the local restaurants and bars, just giving people a new third space to be able to connect,” Lynn said. 

Given the sauna’s deep roots in Finnish culture, Hancock jumped out when the Makelas were looking at a second location. It has a Finnish sister city, Porvoo, and also hosts the Finnish American Heritage Center. 

Local artist Rebecca Paavo paints a mural during the opening of Takka Portage in Hancock Saturday. (Garrett Neese/Daily Mining Gazette)

Last February, the center hosted several events as part of Finlandia Foundation National’s Sauna Week, including a public forum on what a public sauna could look like in Hancock.

“It was something we felt really strongly about, and Houghton has been doing such a great job of rejuvenation of the downtown spaces and the public spaces, we wanted to be able to bring an offering that more people could enjoy,” Lynn said. 

The space offers three saunas for people to cycle between, each offering different temperatures and their own scent for aromatherapy, Lynn said. Depending on the day, one might be designated for a private session, though the others would remain available. 

Especially in the Finnish culture, the intention is to pair it with a water experience, Lynn said. For now, that’s provided by two waterfall showers and three cold plunge buckets to cool down after their sauna. 

By next summer, they’re hoping people will be able to get that cold plunge in the Portage Canal. They’re in talks with the city about plans, Lynn said. 

“That will be a year-round thing,” Jason said. “We’ll get some bubblers and we’ll make it happen.”

The first day had proved popular, drawing people from Houghton to Copper Harbor, and parts beyond, Jason said. 

“We have people from Minnesota,” he said. “We have a couple of people from Finland here. So it’s been a pretty wild week, with a lot of people bringing a really good energy.”

It had already impressed a team of Finnish experts who were in the United States to look at saunas, said Ted Holmstrom of Hancock. 

“It’s impressive, to take this space and use it in such an appropriate way,” he said. 

Locals Cathy Bethel and Carol Schwab were talking by one of the fire pits Saturday afternoon. 

“I’ve been walking by this constantly, and I’m thrilled to see it happen in Hancock,” Schwab said. 

Kathy Ladas of Eastpointe, Michigan, was relaxing by another fire pit after her own time in the sauna. She predicted the site is “going to take off.”

“It’s great,” she said. “I love it. We’re going to be back.”

Takka Portage is located at 101 Navy St. in Hancock. It is open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday through Saturday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. For more information, go to takkasaunas.com/takka-portage.