A longtime Midwest Mountaineering employee just opened an outdoor adventure gear store in the North Loop.

Lake State Mountaineering, located in the historic Kildall Building at Washington Avenue and Fifth Street, primarily sells equipment for climbing, paddling, and camping. Steve Schreader launched the business online last April and moved into his new brick-and-mortar space in March, with his dog, Cinnamon, in tow.

Schreader was a manager of Midwest Mountaineering and initially hoped to take it over when founder Rod Johnson decided he was ready to retire. But Midwest Mountaineering ultimately closed in 2023 after more than 50 years in the Cedar-Riverside neighborhood.

Schreader hopes Lake State will help fill the void in the local outdoors market and remove hurdles to spending time outdoors, whether they’re financial, educational, or social.

Lake State’s new space features a classroom for workshops, demonstrations, and meetings. That’s where Schreader is also stashing his cache of rentable climbing equipment.

Schreader revived Midwest Mountaineering's popular Thrifty Outfitters, a heavily discounted selection of brand-name outdoor clothing, through Lake State, both in store and online. Most of the items are only available in women’s small and men’s medium since they came from sample sales.

Schreader wants Lake State to be a representation of what Minnesota’s outdoors have to offer. The store is still being outfitted with additional merchandise, a proper cash wrap built by Schreader, outdoorsy murals, and local art that’s available for purchase.

Lake State is open Wednesday through Sunday on the second floor of 424 Washington Ave. N., where Crisp & Green, Face Foundrié, and Floyd’s 99 Barbershop are also located. Go though the building’s main entrance and up a flight of stairs to access the shop.

A grand opening is scheduled for May 16 through 18.