Martin's Sport Shop: Nearly a Century on Nisswa's Main Street

Some businesses end up defining a town, and Martin's Sport Shop has had nearly a century to do that in Nisswa. The store opened in 1927, making 2026 its 99th year on Main Street, and the family behind it is preparing to celebrate 100 years in 2027. For buyers weighing Nisswa, an institution like this is worth knowing about, because it tells you the town was a real community long before it became a destination.

How did Martin's Sport Shop get its start?

It did not start as a sporting goods store. Martin Dullum founded the business in 1927 as the Nisswa Oil Co., a service station on Main Street. A station explosion in 1930 destroyed the original building, and in 1932 the family added Johnson Outboard Motors, the move that pivoted the business into recreation and turned a gas station into a sporting goods store. From outboard motors to water skis and snowshoes, the store has been outfitting lake life ever since.

Who runs it today?

The shop is still family owned, now led by third-generation owner Teresa Berg, with sixth-generation family members working in the store. That kind of continuity is rare anywhere, and it is especially rare in a resort town where storefronts can change hands every few years. The shop stocks apparel, sunglasses, ski and snowshoe equipment, water skis, wakeboards, in-line skates, and running gear, and it rents equipment too, which is exactly what weekend families and full-time residents both use.

Where is it, and why does that matter?

The store sits on Main Street across from the Paul Bunyan State Trail, next to Rafferty's Pizza and down the street from the turtle races, which means it has been at the center of Nisswa life through decades of change in everything from retail to recreation. Lakeland PBS even profiled the store and its history in its In Business series. When a business survives nine decades in the same town, it is a signal of stability that buyers can feel when they walk the street.

What does it mean for buyers?

A nearly 100-year-old family business says a few things about a town. It says the year-round community is real, not just a summer overlay. It says Main Street can support businesses through every season, not only July. And it says the people who live here take care of what they build. Those are the same signals that show up in property values: demand driven by character, not just by the lake.

If you are considering Nisswa, the Nisswa community guide covers the town and its waterfront, and our post on Grand View Lodge and Main Street shows why the shopping and dining character developed in the first place. Or schedule a call and we will help you picture your own Nisswa routine. Cheers!