Tough Times in the Northwoods

[G]

In Wisc on Hwy2 near Brule I believe there is or rather was a big SkiDoo dealership that went broke about ten years ago. I think they also might have sold Yami or Cat. Anyway it has never reopened. Just up the road in Iron River there is a vacant bar and grill. I think it was called The Lumberjack. Anyway that structure is NOT that old and shabby. LoveMyDobe would know the stories on both of these. But these business are/were both located on the Tri County Corridor. I cant think of a better location for a sled dealership or a snowmobile oriented bar and grill yet they have both been closed for years. So obviously there is not as much money to be made as a lot of people would think.

 

[ranger_x]

The key is finding reliable help. How many times have you walked into a bar where the bartender is cooking along with waiting tables. Or an established business during peak hrs you there forever just to get a dinner. Very slow turnover getting customers in and out. Not enough staff or poor management.
Years ago we went to grab lunch in st Germain the owner told us he was on break and will be with us in a few minutes. That is not customer service. Unfortunately they closed up.

 

[G]

The key is finding reliable help. How many times have you walked into a bar where the bartender is cooking along with waiting tables. Or an established business during peak hrs you there forever just to get a dinner. Very slow turnover getting customers in and out. Not enough staff or poor management.
Years ago we went to grab lunch in st Germain the owner told us he was on break and will be with us in a few minutes. That is not customer service. Unfortunately they closed up.

OK then. This is how the application would read:
Help wanted. Every weekend from the middle of December until the middle of March.
Mondays or Tuesdays off unless there is lots of snow. Also required to work from 4 pm to 2am or until kitchen is cleaned and ready for the next day.
Heavy lifting required. Good people skills. $15.00/hour but you will be able to keep all tips. Helps to not have a spouse or kids or a life of any kind.
No health insurance or benefits. Must be able to never get sick. Might need to shovel roof off if snow gets too deep.

There are not many people out there that apply for such jobs. Unless you were foolish enough to sign the papers to ' live the dream'. And then you are a one man show. And that is why you wait while the owner/bartender/cook/waiter/snow shoveler/ DEBT SLAVE struggles to do his best to please everybody all the time. It is impossible.

When we go on sled trips we are not on a tight schedule. If we go to a place out in the middle of nowhere and it is busy and there is only one guy or gal running the show we are patient and undemanding. They are doing their best. Years ago we went to a place we had never been to and it was busy and the bartender didn't show up for his shift. So one of our guys went behind the bar and started bartending. When the dust settled down and the bar cleared out it turned out it was the owner there all alone when his bartender didn't show. So we all got to be friends and now we stop there every year and he always remembers us. So don't be a hole when you don't get instant service out in the boonies. If you want instant service stay home and go to McDonalds or something. You are on VACATION. Lighten up.

 

[byr 13]

amen

 

[chop]

The ROI on a lot of these places is just awful. Im not just talking about the purchase price either. There is a time aspect to it also. You basically buy yourself a job working 60+ hours a week for minimum wage. I would prefer to work on a business rather than in it.

The availability of information because of the internet has created far more knowledgeable buyers. The metrics by which to judge the value of a business are now a google search away. 25 years ago that info would be buried in a book or locked in a mentors head only to come out after a long learning curve. I would not have been able to start a business in my mid 20's or run it for the last 10 years without the knowledge that I pull off the web.

I think many of the businesses currently for sale in the northwoods are just bad buys. In 5 years or so when they are bank owned then maybe they will be good options. Remember, you make your money on an investment when you buy.

 

[whitedust]

The key is finding reliable help. How many times have you walked into a bar where the bartender is cooking along with waiting tables. Or an established business during peak hrs you there forever just to get a dinner. Very slow turnover getting customers in and out. Not enough staff or poor management.
Years ago we went to grab lunch in st Germain the owner told us he was on break and will be with us in a few minutes. That is not customer service. Unfortunately they closed up.

The word you are looking for is honest help. Lol I ride very remote areas and get to know the owners and help pretty well. Time after time I would ask what happened to Mary or Joe they were very helpful and were working their butts off. Then told they aren’t with us anymore. When things quiet down a bit I would ask again and almost every time the employee had their hand in the till and was fired. You hear this enough around here it is no longer surprising and cameras everywhere now days. So Mr and Mrs owner are forced to work day and night just to keep their money. Sad but true.

 

[chop]

The word you are looking for is honest help. Lol I ride very remote areas and get to know the owners and help pretty well. Time after time I would ask what happened to Mary or Joe they were very helpful and were working their butts off. Then told they aren’t with us anymore. When things quiet down a bit I would ask again and almost every time the employee had their hand in the till and was fired. You hear this enough around here it is no longer surprising and cameras everywhere now days. So Mr and Mrs owner are forced to work day and night just to keep their money. Sad but true.

Yea, Im not a big fan of cameras everywhere. But I wouldnt own a bar without them. Recently I have heard more about bartenders robbing customers than I have the till, at least here in IL. Pull a $20 off the bar for a drink and give change back for a $10. Do that enough times in a night and it adds up. Mostly its people with a pile of cash on the bar and distracted in conversation or watching TV. Its sad, you think someone is your friend and theyre smiling to your face as they steal from you.

 

[Cirrus_Driver]

Your are absolutely correct snowmobiling is huge for the WI Northwoods and lots of folks in their 60s and 70s that own bar/grills are trying to retire. Problem is 20 to 40 somethings don’t want to live here away from urban amenities so a limited age market that will buy into Northwoods biz. Good Northwoods fishing is a myth except for Musky and every lake needs to be stocked with walley and work a deal with the Indians to lay off spearing so the fishing market is way smaller than it used to be. Mismanagement of the deer herd has reduced deer numbers so that hurts too. Summer is doing well on the lakes with warmer temperatures but over after Labor Day. Snowmobile Clubs are hurting up here too members are way too old to continue trail prep and grooming activities some are in their 80s! Clubs are finding it very difficult to get younger peeps involved.

Interesting thread - I agree with the BOLD text 100%...I used to fish up there but lakes gets fished out and you have to be in the know about what is hot, as your "go-to" lake turns off, and regenerates. Tough to know unless you pay a guide which I don't do anymore. The younger generation doesn't want this life style, or to work particularly hard. My son is down in Chicago today with the girlfriend climbing the Sears tower and hanging out. He likes to ride but that's it. Look at Pine Gables in ER on HWY 70 - grand rebuild and remodel, and delayed opening for a year. When they did open, now's its hit and miss regarding when. Currently closed - can't find a chef. (allegedly) Riverstone lost their chef and business is suffering. Economy is good - people find higher paying jobs in big cities. No way I'd own a business up there. Way too much work for me at this age, as I'd have to be involved with, and micromanage everything.

 

[whitedust]

Interesting thread - I agree with the BOLD text 100%...I used to fish up there but lakes gets fished out and you have to be in the know about what hot as a lake regenerates. Tough to know unless you pay a guide which I don't do anymore. The younger generation doesn't want this life style or particularly to work hard. My son is down in Chicago today with the girlfriend climbing the Sears tower and hanging out. He likes to ride but that's it. Look at Pine Gables in ER on HWY 70 - grand rebuild and remodel and delayed opening for a year. When they did open, now's its hit and miss about when. Currently close - can't find a chef. Riverstone lost their chef and business is suffering. Economy is good - people find higher paying jobs in big cities. No way I'd own a business up there.

Pine Gables WOW!!! Took FOREVER to build and open now just sits there no idea if or when it is open. My wife and I drive by and say tonight is not the night not open again. Lol

 

[nhra1000]

All counties in the northwoods need to open up roads and as many trails as they can for the ATV/UTV market. The county I live in, Marquette, now has 300 miles of atv/utv road routes.

Yep this is exactly whats needed...ATV registration passed sleds 15 years ago...pains me to see a load of atv's pass right thru here...

 

[johnissa12]

So I rode around Hurley/Ironwood/Mercer last weekend and I couldn't help but notice how many bars, restaurants, hotels, and other businesses are closed or for sale. Some of the places I stopped were run by people that were too old to be working so hard. I also picked up a Realty paper at the gas station. Beaver Lodge, Granary Restaurant, Boulder Motor Lodge, Bootleggers (Nokomis), all places I've been to, and probably twenty other large resorts up for sale in that flyer alone. It's really kind of depressing. It makes me wonder if the business owners that benefit from the trail system will soon dwindle to the point where there won't be enough people to keep the system going. I can tell you that the Great Northern was packed with trailers, and most of the places we stopped had decent crowds, but what happens the rest of the year up there? Too many people going to Disney, too many kids' summer sports and activities? I don't know but I can't imagine how many people have lost their butts going up north to buy a business and failed. Just kind of wondering what the next decade will be like for things up there.

The Bolder Bear Motor Lodge is for sale NOT the Boulder Junction Motor lodge. Two different places on different sides of town.

- - - Updated - - -

nc666

If you never owned a business you would never understand the struggles we face every day. They made their Billions and moved on LOL what a joke!!!!

 

[blkhwkbob]

The Bolder Bear Motor Lodge is for sale NOT the Boulder Junction Motor lodge. Two different places on different sides of town.

- - - Updated - - -

nc666

If you never owned a business you would never understand the struggles we face every day. They made their Billions and moved on LOL what a joke!!!!

LOL, Billions. I did get a chuckle out of that one.

 

[old abe]

Yea, Im not a big fan of cameras everywhere. But I wouldnt own a bar without them. Recently I have heard more about bartenders robbing customers than I have the till, at least here in IL. Pull a $20 off the bar for a drink and give change back for a $10. Do that enough times in a night and it adds up. Mostly its people with a pile of cash on the bar and distracted in conversation or watching TV. Its sad, you think someone is your friend and theyre smiling to your face as they steal from you.

Been going on forever in the bar business. Employees stealing from the owner, and the patron.

 

[snobuilder]

Jezus...will I need a damn trailer for my bar goods in the future?...doom and gloom...doom and gloom....Is Seney Claus still cookin'?

 

[highhertel]

Went bowling today, no snow to play in. What a blast! This is a sport that needs to be revived imo. Any good chiropractors around? Lol

 

[LDF180]

Interesting thread - I agree with the BOLD text 100%...I used to fish up there but lakes gets fished out and you have to be in the know about what is hot, as your "go-to" lake turns off, and regenerates. Tough to know unless you pay a guide which I don't do anymore. The younger generation doesn't want this life style, or to work particularly hard. My son is down in Chicago today with the girlfriend climbing the Sears tower and hanging out. He likes to ride but that's it. Look at Pine Gables in ER on HWY 70 - grand rebuild and remodel, and delayed opening for a year. When they did open, now's its hit and miss regarding when. Currently closed - can't find a chef. (allegedly) Riverstone lost their chef and business is suffering. Economy is good - people find higher paying jobs in big cities. No way I'd own a business up there. Way too much work for me at this age, as I'd have to be involved with, and micromanage everything.

The simple fact here is that people in my generation (millennial or whatever you want to call it) do not have as much disposable income as the boomers did. In order for us to get a good job college is a must and we get stuck paying $500-$1000 a month in student loans well into our 30's. That's $500 less per month that we can spend on hotels, gas, and sleds.

That said, I live in a real small house so I can afford 3 sleds and a fishing boat. I barely have enough disposable income as Manufacturing Engineer who specializes in CNC and Robotic Automation.

Second point about club participation and aging baby boomer volunteers. You are your own worst enemy. I'm 30 years old, fit, active and willing to help, but all of my clubs meetings are on Mondays, and the clean up events are always midweek. Most people just starting out in their careers only get 10 days of vacation and they're not going to blow it going to meetings and clean ups on weekdays. HAVE THE MEETINGS ON SATURDAY PEOPLE!!!

I'm a fisherman and I have seen the walleye decline first hand in the Northwoods for my entire life.
Get over the racist notion that the Natives are spearing all the walleye. First, they're not going to stop no matter how much you b*tch. Second, recreational (non-native) harvest is nearly ten times the amount taken by the Natives.

Do your research and you will find that the number one culprit in the decline of walleye population is climate change and habitat loss. Thanks again to the boomers for decades of reckless lake shore development and ignoring the overwhelming consensus of the world's climate scientists.

I take extreme offense to anyone who says my generation doesn't work hard. We are more educated as a whole and have different challenges than your generation. Get over it.

If you want our help, stop blaming us and start working with us!

 

[JWBERT]

The simple fact here is that people in my generation (millennial or whatever you want to call it) do not have as much disposable income as the boomers did. In order for us to get a good job college is a must and we get stuck paying $500-$1000 a month in student loans well into our 30's. That's $500 less per month that we can spend on hotels, gas, and sleds.

That said, I live in a real small house so I can afford 3 sleds and a fishing boat. I barely have enough disposable income as Manufacturing Engineer who specializes in CNC and Robotic Automation.

Second point about club participation and aging baby boomer volunteers. You are you're own worst enemy. I'm 30 years old, fit, active and willing to help, but all of my clubs meetings are on Mondays, and the clean up events are always midweek. Most people just starting out in their careers only get 10 days of vacation and they're not going to blow it going to meetings and clean ups on weekdays. HAVE THE MEETINGS ON SATURDAY PEOPLE!!!

I'm a fisherman and I have seen the walleye decline first hand in the Northwoods for my entire life.
Get over the racist notion that the Natives are spearing all the walleye. First, they're not going to stop no matter how much you b*tch. Second, recreational (non-native) harvest is nearly ten times the amount taken by the Natives.

Do your research and you will find that the number one culprit in the decline of walleye population is climate change and habitat loss. Thanks again to the boomers decades of reckless lake shore development and ignoring the overwhelming consensus of the worlds climate scientists.

I take extreme offense to anyone who says my generation doesn't work hard. We are more educated as a whole and have different challenges than your generation. Get over it.

If you want our help, stop blaming us and start working with us!

Well said young man.

 

[LDF180]

Thank You JWBERT

 

[Woodtic]

Ma and Pa places are closing all over the country. Nothing new.

 

[Cirrus_Driver]

The simple fact here is that people in my generation (millennial or whatever you want to call it) do not have as much disposable income as the boomers did. In order for us to get a good job college is a must and we get stuck paying $500-$1000 a month in student loans well into our 30's. That's $500 less per month that we can spend on hotels, gas, and sleds.

That said, I live in a real small house so I can afford 3 sleds and a fishing boat. I barely have enough disposable income as Manufacturing Engineer who specializes in CNC and Robotic Automation.

Second point about club participation and aging baby boomer volunteers. You are you're own worst enemy. I'm 30 years old, fit, active and willing to help, but all of my clubs meetings are on Mondays, and the clean up events are always midweek. Most people just starting out in their careers only get 10 days of vacation and they're not going to blow it going to meetings and clean ups on weekdays. HAVE THE MEETINGS ON SATURDAY PEOPLE!!!

I'm a fisherman and I have seen the walleye decline first hand in the Northwoods for my entire life.
Get over the racist notion that the Natives are spearing all the walleye. First, they're not going to stop no matter how much you b*tch. Second, recreational (non-native) harvest is nearly ten times the amount taken by the Natives.

Do your research and you will find that the number one culprit in the decline of walleye population is climate change and habitat loss. Thanks again to the boomers decades of reckless lake shore development and ignoring the overwhelming consensus of the worlds climate scientists.

I take extreme offense to anyone who says my generation doesn't work hard. We are more educated as a whole and have different challenges than your generation. Get over it.

If you want our help, stop blaming us and start working with us!

If the Indians are not spearing SIGNIFICANT numbers of walleyes, then WHY are local municipalities in negotiations, including the Minoqua Chain, to spear limited numbers over the next 5 years? The Great Lakes Indian and Wildlife commission agreed for the next five years it will be ILLEGAL to harvest a walleye. The DNR also agreed to these regulations. The desire is to return the walleye to prominence it once had on northern lakes. Fact is they spear thousands of walleyes each year since the sixties, so get over your climate change impacts on fisheries, since this is the standard message taught in today's liberal educational system. Most people I know, including myself, have not taken a walleye for 5-10 years - it's all catch and release. Take picture and turn it loose. I've caught more muskies lately fishing for walleyes than I have anything else. Lakes get fished out - just talk to a couple of guides that do this for a living. I've talked to plenty of them up in Vilas.

Of course if you go to college and have student loans, it takes a while to get financially solvent - that's a fact of life and hasn't changed over the years. The problem with this generation is they expect to have everything right away, not realizing the older generations had to work for years to afford a new sled. I didn't have my first new sled until I was 40, because I have priorities. The reason college costs so much, nearly tripled in WI over the last 30 years, is out of control bureaucracies of administration with tenured professors that don't teach classes, and lavish facilities. Nobody holds them accountable. The challenges today aren't any different than what we had growing up, it's just the desire to work hard. I've worked two jobs for months, I've worked while I went to college - 60 hour weeks...who does that now days? Small minority.

I do agree with you regarding club meetings and clean ups on weekends vs. weekdays. Problem is, people that run the clubs want their weekends free too. Don't preach to me about climate change and habitat management....I'm not receptive, nor am I buying it. Man's not smart enough to change the weather, the direction of the wind, the amount of clouds or the rotation of the earth. My story and sticking to it.