REGIONAL- General Manager Elizabeth Deegan didn’t wait long to fulfill her promise to raise the profile of Fortune Bay Resort Casino as a Native American-owned property. On Tuesday, April 8, the Giizhik Market officially opened its doors.
“The name pays homage to our Anishinaabe language,” said Deegan. “We’ll continue to come up with other ways to honor our culture, but this is the first step in ensuring guests know more about the Bois Forte Band of Chippewa.”
Located across the hall from the Whispering Winds Gift Shop, the Giizhik Market marks the start of a broader revamp of dining options at Fortune Bay. The new market will house all Grab-and-Go items previously available at the Gold Mine Grill, which has operated out of the Tamarack’s breakfast buffet area since late November.
“This gives our guests more options while also opening up additional space in the Tamarack dining area, which is sorely needed,” said Deegan.
Offerings at the Giizhik Market include cold sandwiches such as turkey, ham, club, and Italian subs – served with condiments on the side. There are also chef, Cobb, and Oriental salads, fruit and veggie cups, yogurt parfaits with granola, and desserts like cherry and blueberry cheesecake.
Guests will also find cookies, trail mix, muffins, cinnamon rolls, gluten-free breads, éclairs, Rice Krispie bars, deli bars, and a variety of individually packaged baked goods. Microwaveable pizzas and other hot items are available, along with 12-packs of soda and six-packs of water for extended stays.
Food and beverage items formerly sold in the gift shop have also moved to the market, freeing up shelf space in Whispering Winds.
Giizhik Market is open daily from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. Staffing includes employees from the former Gold Mine Grill, along with new hires brought on by Food and Beverage Director/Executive Chef Kirstie Kern.
“I’m super excited to have this space open again,” said Kern of the area that previously housed Tim Horton’s and the guest coffee lounge. “It will give our customers more variety and open up the Tamarack dining area as well.”
The added space will also allow for occasional specialty buffets like one recently held before the Bone Thugs-N-Harmony concert on April 11.
“There’s no way we could have hosted the buffet if Grab-and-Go was still in Tamarack,” said Kern, who began her Fortune Bay career in 2015 after working at Green Mill Restaurant. “This is a good move for us.”
Plans are also in the works to install kiosks for self-service checkout, similar to those at Walmart or Target. The goal is to have the system in place before summer.
“If a guest runs into any issues, we’ll work with front desk staff to help out,” said Kern, who praised the maintenance, hospitality, and gift shop teams for their help preparing for the opening.
To ensure product security, the market is covered by surveillance cameras, with more to be added if needed.
“We’re not really worried about that happening,” Kern said of potential theft concerns.
Longer term, Fortune Bay plans to rebrand the Gold Mine Grill into a new restaurant within the current Tamarack space. While specifics are still in development, Kern said she hopes that transformation will come “sooner rather than later.”