Knowing Your Neighbors: Free Air Life Connecting Northlanders with the Outdoors

New store brings western outdoor style to Duluth.

DULUTH, Minn.- A new clothing store on 20th Avenue West in the Lincoln Park Craft District is bringing a taste of Western outdoors style to Lincoln Park.

Free Air Life moved to Lincoln Park this month, after occupying a space in the Miller Hill Mall for a few years as the store “I Lake It.”

“We’re really stoked to have kind of our brick and mortar, our own store it has our stamp on it,” owner Sarah Steinbach said.

Part of their own stamp is their unique name. “It comes from the Norwegian word “friluftsliv” which literally translates to “Free Air Life.” But that word, they use in Scandinavian culture for basically their way of connecting with nature or their lifestyle.”

The husband and wife owners also own the Vista Fleet. Now they’re hoping to connect people with nature through their products.

“With obviously Duluth becoming an outdoor Mecca we feel that having clothing that’s inspired by the outdoors but also inspires people to get outdoors is important,” Steinbach said.

Many of the brands they sell were taken directly from their travels.

“We love to go out west and camp with children and I think just exploring a lot of those towns out west and Colorado and Montana, Wyoming.”

“They have a lot of product that I think is really cool that I wanted to bring back to this area.”

And with the brands came their unique origins.

“A lot of it is made out of sustainable materials so some of our products are made out of recycled bottles…by-products of trees, but a lot of them do give back.”

The owners hope their new store will help feed the growth in Lincoln Park.

“That we can continue to grow this area and get people down here. Y’know I think it’s a bigger mission than just us, I think just being part of it is really awesome.”