Finnish tradition coming to Hancock

No one would dispute the Finnish heritage or character of Hancock. The small city in the northern U.P. even has street signs in Finnish and English. But what Hancock hasn’t had — up until now— is public saunas, an everyday sight in Finland.

Takka Saunas is changing that.

The company, owned by Jason and Lynn Makela, is building a sauna center in Hancock, right on the Portage Waterway. 

What’s Happening: The couple started offering saunas at their Fresh Coast cabins on the shores of Lake Superior between Eagle Harbor and Copper Harbor last year. Now, they’re building a second sauna operation -- in Hancock. Shooting for a mid-October grand opening, Takka Portage will have three saunas and a deck with a fire pit and fireplace overlooking the waterway. The couple is doing most of the work themselves. 

Jennifer Donovan Jason and Lynn Makela outside their sauna opening soon in Hancock.At Takka Portage, individuals and groups will be able to go from hot to cold to colder in cedar saunas with outdoor showers and cold buckets of water to dump over their heads.  

“In a traditional Finnish sauna, the combination of heat and cold exposure mirrors the natural rhythms of the environment,” Lynn explains. “The intense heat of the sauna causes your heart rate to rise and your blood vessels to expand, promoting deep relaxation, improved circulation and detoxification through sweating.

"Afterward, cold water constricts the blood vessels, invigorating the body, boosting circulation and strengthening the immune system. This cycle of hot and cold not only helps reduce inflammation and muscle tension, but also revitalizes both mind and body, leaving you feeling refreshed and in harmony with nature’s elements. It’s a ritual that has been practiced for centuries in Finland, bringing balance, clarity and a deeper connection to well-being.”

Until now, there have been no public saunas in Hancock. Over in Finland, they've always had public saunas.

"It's a huge part of life and culture,” says Lynn. 

Although saunas are traditionally taken naked, people visiting Takka Portage will wear bathing suits or gym clothes, she adds.  After the sauna, guests can sit on the deck, chat, meditate or just gaze at the waterway before them.

How it came about: Jason Makela grew up in Marquette and attended Michigan Technological University in Houghton. His father was Finnish. Lynn grew up in Traverse City. She and Jason bought the Eagle Lodge and Lakeside Cabins in Eagle Harbor in 2020, renaming it Fresh Coast Cabins.

Takka SaunasThe view of Lake Superior from Takka Last year they added saunas, naming their venture Takka Superior. The saunas there could only accommodate up to four people, and demand soon exceeded supply. Also, many people couldn’t or wouldn’t make the long drive up to Eagle Harbor. So, the couple decided to expand to Hancock, to give people in the Houghton-Hancock area better access. 

Plans for the future: Takka Portage will be open three days a week: Friday, Saturday and Sunday. The couples hopes to open on Monday and Thursday in the near future. Initially, there will be a fire pit on the deck overlooking the water. But the Makelas plan to build a massive stone fireplace there too.  he couple will partner with local businesses and organizations to offer wellness retreats.  They are also partnering with Fresh Coast Yoga in Houghton to offer yoga classes, which have already begun. In the future, they hope to build a cold plunge into the waterway, another Finnish tradition.

Funding: Jason and Lynn started Takka Portage with a $15,000 grant from the city of Hancock, a loan from Incredible Bank in Houghton and their own savings.  
Lynn has a special spot in her heart for the bank. “The name is kitschy, but Incredible Bank really is incredible,” she says. “Not only did they believe in our vision, Christian Palamaki, our banker, even helped us move the heavy stove into the sauna up north.”

The business will sustain itself on fees for service and investment from founding members, who will get perks from their membership, including a lifetime discount and a brick with their name on it built into the fireplace. Founding membership costs $175 to $350. Usage fees will vary.  Group use will cost around $50 for up to two hours. Private use will cost about $55 for 75 to 90 minutes. Organizations can also reserve the entire space. 

“Our goal is to help people discover what they need to know about themselves, about sauna, about history and Finnish culture,” says Lynn.

Jennifer Donovan is a reporter with more than 40 years of experience on daily newspapers, magazines and university writing and editing. She is retired as director of news and media relations at Michigan Technological University and lives in Houghton.