A story that most Yoopers are familiar with, Robin and Steve Chapekis are U.P. natives who couldn’t wait to leave the area as soon as possible. Most recently, they were living and working in the Detroit area. While they enjoyed the city and having access to things like sporting events, art galleries, and restaurants, the pandemic shifted their mindset. When those amenities were no longer offered (with no end in sight), they thought, “What are we still doing here?”
Luckily, they were able to smoothly transition to remote work as they relocated to Escanaba. Steve kept his job as an engineer in the automotive industry and Robin continued her own firm, SVELTE HR, while maintaining clientele in the Detroit area and growing locally.
The decision to move back to the U.P. stemmed from wanting to return to the outdoor lifestyle they grew up with, but the two quickly realized that the area is full of excellent opportunities as they began managing rental properties and looking into potential locations to open a coworking space, Docking Stations. While interacting with the local business community, they quickly noticed an outpouring of encouragement and excitement about new businesses. Robin, Steve, Chief (orange) and Murphy (brown) are building their lives in the U.P. and couldn’t imagine doing it anywhere else.
