![]() Obviously, the Walli’s enjoy their business, rather businesses, because their copper art is an integral part of the family’s livelihood. “We did consider putting one ounce of oatmeal in a package and attach it with a ribbon to the handle and advertise it as a one-time starter on the scoop,” laughs Dave. “It’s not the back breaker that shoveling snow is and it doesn’t require any oil, gas or additional attachments,” says Dave. Actually, Dave says even if you are a bit awkward with the scoop, it still does the job. Needless to say, when I got home that night and it was my turn to clean the driveway, I wondered if l was maneuvering the lightweight Silver Bear scoop in the proper manner. ![]() You push the scoop into the snow, and lift from the…” We thought the sight of a shop owner scooping snow on the sidewalk was so interesting, we missed the instructions. That’s a sure sign of someone hauling wood or using it as a sled, which it is not.”Īt this point, Dave took us outside for a demonstration. They’ll bring it into the shop for a repair and it has all kinds of dings and dents in it. “You can always tell when someone’s been improvising with their scoop. The scoop, which also has a 16-gauge front edge, is designed for snow removal “not firewood retrieval,” Dave notes. It always has, otherwise it would have been just another snow scoop,” says Dave. The workhorse portion of the snow scoop forms a still life when stacked in the basement at Dave Walli’s workshop.Īnd though snow scoops have been around since the 1920’s, Dave claims he has built “the better mouse trap.” “Our scoop features a kick bar/plate on the back. residents who know the value of a snow scoop. He’s also shipped snow scoops to a ski resort in Montana and fills orders from former U.P. Dave wholesales the scoops to Kmart, Holiday and Pamida stores in the Upper Peninsula. ![]() The scoops, which retail for $28.25 to $34.75 are available in three sizes and feature one-inch or three-quarter inch diameter handles with a built-in height adjustment. “Copper is our thing,” said Dave, “but the snow scoops fill the gap in the off season.”Īccording to Dave, he’s produced 10,000 snow scoops with an all-time high of 2,200 “one year when we had a lot of snow.” What year that was he- couldn’t recall, but most Copper Country winters have accumulations of at least 150 inches. The building also houses the couple’s “sideline” business – Silver Bear Products – so named because the snow scoops they manufacture are made of steel and work like a bear. They began their business in 1976, working out of their home in Laurium and moved the business to their current location in 1982. Walli and his wife, Gloria, both Copper Country natives, are the owners of Copper Art on Fifth Street in Calumet. “I was practicing brazing for all those years and didn’t know it.” “The clipper and the comb are in the same position as the brazing rod and the torch,” says former barber Dave Walli.
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