Northport Trading Post hosts summer treasure hunts
People can often be found year-round searching for regional rocks along the beaches up north — and this summer, some may get lucky and find a treasure chest hidden in Leelanau with even more colorful stones.
Scot and Jennifer Wack, owners of the Northport Trading Post, a popular rock/gift shop in downtown Northport, first began the treasure hunts last summer around Memorial Day, a busy time of year when the season really starts kicking up. Weekly treasure hunts have been held until the end of August, after the Labor Day weekend.
Enclosed in the treasure chests can be a number of special items including collectible polished and unpolished rocks like Petoskey and Charlevoix stones, pendants, and sometimes even a Northport shirt, depending on the size of the box it’s hidden in. Boxes are hidden in various ways, whether they be buried in sand, nestled in a tree, or just situated in a little nook.
If the treasure box is returned afterwards to the Northport Trading Post, the person who discovered it can receive another special reward at the shop. All boxes returned are then hidden once again in the following week.
There could be anywhere between one to three treasure boxes hidden at a time around public beaches in Leelanau County, and clues to find them are typically posted online at the Northport Trading Post Facebook and rock ID page. Wack said they like to have treasure boxes hidden by the end of each week, but the day gets pushed back if they are busy.
“It could be anywhere, you’re going to have to follow the clues, and usually, if you read the clue and it doesn’t match the beach, then you’re probably at the wrong beach,” Wack said.
The hunt helps to incentivize people to get outside during the summer months, giving those searching for these small treasures a chance to learn about the area while introducing them to the Northport Trading Post and what they have to offer. “The whole thing behind it is getting kids out and getting the adults out. The people that are visiting, it’s getting them out to a new beach,” Wack said. “We include all the beaches in Leelanau County… it’s not on inland lakes, but it could be on the bay side or it could be on the lakeside. Any public beach has the possibility of getting one of our treasure boxes.”
Surprisingly, Wack said he has not had one person from Northport find any of the hidden treasure chests yet, however, many visitors from out of town have found them in the immediate area, whether its at beaches like Peterson Park, Christmas Cove, or other public properties in the county.
“We had somebody that came up last year from Ludington on a motorcycle ride just for the treasure hunt, so they’re (people) coming from lots of different places to get out,” he said. “And it’s meant to get you outside — If you’re bored and you don’t have something to do, well, there may be a treasure box out there, so go find the treasure box.”
Wack said the best part about the treasure hunts are when people come into the shop with the box after finding it, as well as seeing the pictures taken after the discovery.
“We encourage you to take pictures of your hunt, it makes it a family affair,” he said. “All ages are out finding these things.”
To see the next clues that may lead you to a treasure box, follow Northport Trading Post on Facebook or go online to https:// northporttradingpost. com for more information about the Wack’s rock shop.
