After 17-Years, Locally Owned Northland Business Closing

After 17 years, one Northland business has made the decision to close its doors, and the future of the business remains uncertain.

Announcing the closure on Facebook, the owner of the business calls her experience an "adventure and a pleasure." This locally owned business will be a real loss for the community, as it's a very specialized business that has a very dedicated fan base.

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Lisa Kamp, owner of World of Fish, located on Miller Trunk Highway in Hermantown says that she has decided to retire to spend more time with her family. Kamp said in the announcement post, "Thank you for supporting me and allowing me to share my passion for fishkeeping".

World of Fish will remain open until August, the building and land where the business is located has been sold, but Kamp says that there may be a buyer for World of Fish, but a new location and opening date are "uncertain" at this time. Not knowing about the future of the business "breaks my heart" Kamp said.

The World of Fish building is also home to The Snake Pit, a reptile store and a reptile encounter experience, with a variety of reptiles, including an alligator. Roger Hill, owner of the Snake Pit will find a new location.

Comments of congratulations and thanks flooded the post on Facebook, with one comment saying, "Enjoy your retirement!!! Thanks for all the years of service to the hobby!"

It's always sad when a small, specialized business like World of Fish closes in a community like Duluth, as this is the only option if you don't want to visit one of the big retail chains like Petco or PetSmart, nothing wrong with them, but you certainly don't get the service and expertise that comes with visiting a place like World of Fish.