DOOR COUNTY (NBC 26) — Wisconsin Highway 42 in Sister Bay sees a lot of visitors. While they can purchase items at eateries and other local shops, there are still gaps in what they can buy.
"We'd always be at the beach, and 'oh my God, we forgot swim diapers or forgot sunscreen,' or 'oh, I wish we could go grab a sandwich real quick and not have to order and wait,'" Sister Bay general store co-developer Brigid White said.
Brigid— and her husband and co-developer, Adam— know the feeling as visitors to the peninsula before moving to Sister Bay a few years ago. Now, they are trying to fix it by developing the new Sister Bay General Store at 10674 N. Bay Shore Drive.
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If all goes according to plan, the Whites say that the roughly 10,000 square-foot store will sell merchandise, local groceries and have a walk-up food counter.
"We're producing things on our farm on (County Road) ZZ that we're going to sell fresh in the store as well," Adam said.
That is a reason why Jacob Wegehaupt— a kitchen manager at Door County Creamery, about 300 feet south of the proposed Sister Bay General Store site— is looking forward to the possible development. Wegehaupt says that he currently does his groceries at Costco in Green Bay and stores in Sturgeon Bay. He rarely goes to the Piggly Wiggly in Sister Bay.
"With gas prices, (when) I drive down to Sturgeon Bay, I'm kind of spending almost the same as (going to Piggly Wiggly)," Wegehaupt said. "So, (Sister Bay General Store) would eliminate that, and I would just be able to stay in town."
For locals like Wegehaupt, the store is not just about convenience. It is about keeping dollars and daily life closer to home.
The Whites said that they are waiting on Sister Bay General Store's development agreement to be signed by the Sister Bay Village Board, and approved by an inspector. They hope construction on the store can start next month, and finish next fall.
