DOOR COUNTY (NBC 26) — A local business owner is choosing to preserve his historic buildings, even if it means braving the summer heat.
- Bayside Café in Fish Creek is housed in a historic building dating back to the early 1900s
- Manager Megan Butler and staff have adapted creatively to the heat, staying hydrated and keeping cool
- Visitors like Kristy Motz from Michigan prefer dealing with heat over enduring winter weather
(The following is a transcription of the full broadcast story)
Fish Creek’s buildings date back to the early 1900s, and owner Bob MacDonald says a modern HVAC system could alter their look and strip away the charm he’s working to preserve.
"We really enjoy the heritage and history of Fish Creek and Door County the way it's been," Bob MacDonald Bayside's general manager said.
NBC26 WAS UP IN FISH CREEK, LEARNING MORE ABOUT HOW BAYSIDE CAFE WAS DEALING WITH THE HEAT, WATCH BELOW:
MacDonald says the recent stretch of nearly 90-degree weather has been hard to ignore.
"You see a fairly dramatic change. Like yesterday when the patio might’ve been full at lunch it was too hot to eat outside, and it was also too hot to eat inside," MacDonald said.
His family has owned the Bayside Tavern for five decades, though the building itself dates back to the 1920s. They also operate the café and shops just behind it, built in the early 1900s.
"Too many places get torn down just because it’s not convenient to heat them or cool them," MacDonald said.
Bayside Café manager Megan Butler says Monday’s heat had her and her husband who also helps run the café considering calling it a half day.
"We actually talked about it this morning if it got too hot, we might close early," Butler said.
But instead, she and her staff toughed it out and got creative to stay cool.
"We’ve been doing water-drinking challenges, making sure our waters are full of ice, and just trying to stay hydrated," Butler said.
Kristy Motz, visiting from Big Rapids, Michigan, says if dealing with a little heat is the trade-off, it’s still better than snow.
"This is what we wait for. If it has to be warm tomorrow it’ll break, right? It'll be back in the 70s. You’ve got to go through a day or two like this, it’s still better than winter," Motz said.
MacDonald says his family will mark 50 years of owning Bayside Tavern on August 16. While a celebration is in the works, the details are still up in the air.
