The Brix: A Different Kind of Stay in Duluth

By Tiegen Brickson, owner and developer of The Brix, for Visit Duluth

Travelers come to Canal Park for Lake Superior views, walkable attractions, and some of Duluth’s most recognizable landmarks — but finding spacious accommodations designed for families and groups has not always been easy. Visit Duluth invited The Brix owner and developer Tiegen Brickson to share how one renovated condo grew into a collection of design-forward vacation rentals, why the properties reflect Duluth’s industrial character, and what makes staying in Canal Park feel different from a traditional hotel.

Elevated Vacation Rentals in the Heart of Canal Park

Duluth, MN, has always punched above its weight as a destination. Between Lake Superior, the parks and trails, the food scene, and everything happening in Canal Park, people have plenty of reasons to visit. But for a long time, the accommodations didn’t really reflect the quality of the experience. Many traditional hotel rooms followed the same formula: a couple of beds, a desk, and maybe a nice view if you’re lucky.

At the same time, the way people travel has changed. Many guests now begin their search for Duluth accommodations on Airbnb or VRBO, not hotel booking sites. They’re looking for more than a room—they want a space where they can actually spend time together. A kitchen. A living room. Thoughtful design. A place that feels connected to the destination.

A lot of our guests are multigenerational families traveling together—parents, kids, grandparents, sometimes even extended family. They want a place that works for the whole group, somewhere everyone can gather, cook a meal, and spread out after a day of exploring.

We saw a gap in Canal Park and set out to fill it by creating beautiful, spacious accommodations for families and groups in the neighborhood people actually want to stay in, available on the platforms they’re already using.

From One Condo to Ten Units in Four Years

The Waterfront Plaza building at 325 S. Lake Ave. has an interesting history. The 30 condos there have been privately owned for decades, with the Suites Hotel managing them on behalf of the owners. It was a model that worked well for a long time.

Growing The Brix at Waterfront Plaza

When we looked at purchasing our first condo unit, we asked a simple question: could we opt out of the hotel arrangement and manage it ourselves as an independent vacation rental?

The answer turned out to be yes. We bought the condo, completely renovated it, launched it on Airbnb, and quickly saw strong demand.

As other owners watched what was happening, many became interested in the results but had no interest in managing bookings, guest communication, cleaning schedules, and everything else that comes with operating short-term rentals. Since we’d already built the systems, it made sense to bring additional units under The Brix brand and share in the success.

Today, we manage roughly a third of the condos in the building, and we’re still growing.

Breathing New Life Into the Aerial Lofts

That first project also helped us recognize other opportunities in Canal Park, including what eventually became the Aerial Lofts. What was once 3,000 square feet of vacant office space on the top floor of a historic warehouse is now one of our most unique lodging properties in Duluth.

Designing a Stay That Feels Like Duluth

When you travel somewhere memorable, the best places don’t just give you a bed—they help you feel connected to where you are. A beach house feels different than a mountain cabin, and we think a Canal Park lodging should have its own sense of place too.

Duluth is a city shaped by its industrial history and its relationship with Lake Superior. The materials that define it are brick, steel, timber, stone, and iron. They’re beautiful, but they’re also inherently hard and rugged. The challenge was finding a way to honor those gritty materials without making the spaces feel cold.

Through thoughtful design, we focused on balance. Historic brick walls and timber beams are paired with warm lighting, soft textiles, worn-in leather, natural wood, and comfortable gathering spaces. The result is a space that feels authentic to Duluth’s industrial character while still being inviting and relaxing.

There’s something about the smell of old timber, aged brick, and well-worn leather that immediately feels grounded and familiar. Combined with the fresh air coming off Lake Superior, it’s a feeling that’s hard to describe but unmistakably Duluth. We wanted guests to experience that sense of place the moment they walk through the door.

Historic Buildings, Modern Duluth Accommodations

All our properties are located inside former Marshall Wells Hardware warehouse buildings dating back to the late 1800s, and we viewed that history as one of our greatest assets rather than something to be covered up. The challenge with old buildings is figuring out what should stay and what needs to change. We worked hard to preserve the elements that tell the building’s story — the original brick walls, timber beams, and industrial character — while updating everything that affects the guest experience.

We also looked for ways to weave local history into the design itself. In our flagship condo, L’Étoile du Nord — named after Minnesota’s state motto, “Star of the North” — we enlarged historic black-and-white photographs of Canal Park into wall-sized murals in each bedroom. Guests are literally surrounded by scenes from the neighborhood’s past while staying in one of its most historic buildings.

We never wanted these buildings to feel like museums. We wanted them to feel alive — places where Duluth’s history is still visible, but where people are creating new memories every day.

Designed for Families, Friends, and Group Getaways

Because we specialize in multi-bedroom condos rather than standard hotel rooms, we naturally cater to group travel. The majority of our guests are families, and most of those are multigenerational.

We also host wedding parties, girls’ trips, work retreats, family reunions, and everything in between. A lot of the time, we’re at the center of a milestone — a birthday, a graduation, an anniversary — and we understand that we’re providing the backdrop for memories, not just a place to sleep. We try to think of everything before a guest asks, deliver top-tier customer service, and create spaces that feel like home rather than a transaction.

Experience Canal Park Right Outside Your Door

We encourage our guests to park their car when they arrive and not touch it again until it’s time to check out. Most guests stay two to four days, and you can easily fill that entire trip without ever leaving Canal Park district.

Things to Do Within Walking Distance

Within a few blocks of The Brix, you can eat almost any kind of cuisine, sample local craft beer and spirits, explore museums and history, watch a thousand-foot ship pass through the Aerial Lift Bridge, enjoy the lakefront, relax on a beach, board a boat, train, or helicopter, shop to your heart’s content, catch a concert or movie, take an outdoor adventure, or challenge the family to laser tag and mini golf. The list goes on.

That’s one of the things that makes Canal Park so special. It’s remarkably walkable, and there’s always something happening.

Save at Local Businesses With the Brix Passport

To help guests get the full local experience, we created the Brix Passport, a digital pass that offers exclusive discounts and perks at many of our favorite local businesses throughout the district.

The Personal Story Behind The Brix

More than anything, I hope guests understand that we’re not a national hotel brand or a large development company. We’re just a couple of 30-somethings with young kids who took a chance on an idea and worked hard to bring it to life in our hometown.

Buying that first condo felt like a huge risk at the time. Taking on the Aerial Lofts was an even bigger one. But we’ve always been motivated by two things: creating the flexibility to raise our family on our own terms while contributing something meaningful to a neighborhood and city we care deeply about.

There’s also a personal connection to Canal Park that makes this journey feel full circle. I grew up in Duluth, and Keenan and I actually met in Canal Park in 2011 while I was working at Grandma’s Sports Garden. Neither of us could have imagined that fifteen years later we’d be raising four kids and building a business just steps away from where we first met.

What a Luxury Duluth Vacation Actually Looks Like

Duluth isn’t Santorini or the Maldives. I’ll grant you that. But if you ask someone what actually makes a vacation feel luxurious, the answers are pretty consistent: natural beauty, great food, a comfortable bed, thoughtful design, top-tier service, and experiences you don’t forget.

I can say with full confidence that Canal Park delivers all of that. You wake up to one of the largest freshwater lakes in the world outside your window. You walk to dinner at a restaurant that could hold its own in any major city. You come back to a space that was designed with real intention. And you do all of it without a 10-hour flight or a $20,000 credit card bill.

Duluth has always had the ingredients for a luxury trip. We’re just finally building the accommodations to match.

FAQs About The Brix

Tiegen Brickson answers his most frequently asked questions to help you plan your trip to Duluth, MN.

Tiegen Brickson

Tiegen Brickson is the owner and developer of The Brix, a collection of vacation rentals in Duluth’s Canal Park. A Navy veteran and father of four, he and his wife, Keenan, restore historic warehouses into design-forward stays for travelers.