A Visit with Visionary Entrepreneur David Grandmaison of the Duluth Experience

David Grandmaison was born and raised in Duluth. Like many here, he moved away for a number of years for college and career, then returned.

Most recently, he worked as a research biologist for the Arizona Game and Fish Department. After eight years in the desert he decided to return to the Northland. His folks are still here and he wanted to be closer to them. "Plus," he adds, "there's water here."

His father was himself a very successful local entrepreneur, so it is not surprising to see David in a similar role. His title is "Experience Designer."

EN: What is The Duluth Experience and how was it conceived?

David Grandmaison: Our mission at The Duluth Experience is pretty simple, "We Connect People To Duluth." It's about crafting activities that facilitate deeper travel experiences that poke at the essence of what Duluth represents -- namely, adventure, storytelling, and a "can-do" entrepreneurial community. Back in 2012, when our idea for The Duluth Experience was being discussed, there wasn't anyone in the tourism space making these types of connections. Breweries were popping up, Duluth was being recognized as a national outdoor recreation destination, and excitement was building for what I saw (being a Duluth native) as a rebrand for the city.

So we started working on a business plan and pulled the pieces together for an experiential tourism-focused brand that incorporated craft beer brewery tours, kayak and bicycle adventures, and stories from Duluth's rich history... basically the activities and stories that we thought would make the most meaningful connections for our guests. We had no idea that it would work so well.

Here's a link to our "Who We Are" page for more info: https://www.theduluthexperience.com/who-we-are/

EN: How many different channels or opportunities do you manage? What criteria do you use for deciding what you will add next?

DG: Our overall activity calendar varies seasonally. Plus, the tours & activities sector of the travel industry is dynamic -- in the sense of crafting new experiences and continually evolving. I think that's part of the draw to this work for me. The creativity and experimentation is challenging and fun. Our greatest challenge has been finding ways to engage our guests during the "off-season." Necessity being the "mother of invention", we've developed a bunch of great fall, winter, and spring offerings.

Our Curling & Brews Experience has been a game changer for our Brewery Tour Program. Similarly, we just launched a Backstage Experience with the Duluth Superior Symphony Orchestra -- something we've been developing with the DSSO for years and are finally ready to implement. At our last count, we have about 28 different options throughout the year. Some of those options are workshops. We hold one wilderness medicine workshop and two photography workshops each year. We're developing a couple of new tours for this summer, too.

There are a few simple criteria for developing new ideas. First and foremost, it has to tie into our mission. Then we ask ourselves a few questions. Do we think it will be engaging and fun? Does it make sense financially? We have a formal process for new program development that has worked for us. Some ideas make the cut. Some don't.

We have a running list of nearly 100 ideas that have been developed or recommended to us over the years. Every couple of months we take a look at that list to see if anything jumps out at us. This year it's our Backstage Experience with the DSSO, a ghost tour that will replace our Dark History Bus Tour, and a tour that focuses on Bob Dylan's connection to Duluth.

EN: How do you promote The Duluth Experience?

DG: Many ways. Most importantly, we deliver on our promise to our guests. That leads to the most important means of promotion -- word of mouth recommendations.

We are also committed to doing our part in the community. This highlights our brand values -- passion, thirst, and service. As an example, we started our Collaboration Brew Program in 2019 as a way to help raise money for local non-profits. The idea is pretty simple. We leverage our relationships with our brew and cider partners to develop and craft a beer (or cider) and then take the proceeds of its sale and give them to an organization making a difference in our community. In 2019 we raised nearly $5,000 for two local non-profits: The Northland Paddlers Alliance and LifeHouse. This year we'll release a cider that will benefit the Minnesota Prison Doula Project and a beer that will raise funds for The Hartley Nature Center.

We basically stick to our mission and engage with the community. That has served us well so far.

EN: What do your typical “customers” look like?

DG: Our guests are folks who are looking for more personalized experiences than Duluth's typical attractions can offer. Our service is about building a relationship built on trust and friendship - two things that our guest greatly value. Many - but not all - of our guests are folks who have been to Duluth in the past. Some of them come to Duluth each year or multiple times each year and we see many repeat customers as a result.

Approximately 70% of our guests are travelers from outside of Duluth. The remaining 30% are Duluthians looking for fun activities and things to do -- for date nights, for family outings, for visiting friends. It's been amazing to see the local support and it's something we've worked hard to earn.

EN: Why is Duluth such a great city to experience?

DG: Duluth has a ton to offer. Great city culture, a rich history, and a story that combines determination, tragedy, failure, darkness, and triumph. The adventures in, and around, Duluth are nearly endless -- from fishing to mountain biking to hiking... Duluth is the gateway to the Northwoods. When you tie in the growing food and beverage scene and the stories of the entrepreneurs crafting Duluth's new identity, you've got a winning combination that defines our world-class destination.

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Related Links
The Duluth Experience
Destination Duluth
Visit Duluth


All photos on this page courtesy John Heino Photography with the exception of the Bob Dylan Way sign.