In 1910, Mr. & Mrs. Jacob Barringer hired architect Charles Gabert to design a summer ice cream shop for their daughters, Cora and Meta, after their family suffered losses in the sinking of The Hackley. The shop, named The Maple Tree Cafe, was built on the north half of the hotel property with pine lumber from Wells Lumber Co. in Menominee, brought across the ice to Fish Creek that winter.

Maple Tree Cafe catered to vacationers arriving by boat, especially those traveling with the Goodrich Steamship Line from Georgia, Alabama, and the Carolinas. It offered a menu focused on ice cream and desserts. The smaller second story hosted private bridge parties for Thorp Hotel and Welcker Resort guests.

The Barringers operated the Maple Tree until 1940 when Roy E. Kinsey, a Fish Creek native, bought it. Renamed The Summertime, it expanded into a gift and coffee shop. After 37 years, it was sold. In 1986, Terry Bolland and his children, Heather and David, turned it into a fine dining establishment. In 2016, Dan Doerr purchased and remodeled the property.

Barringer’s Restaurant, owned by JR Schoenfeld (also of Chives Door County, Rye, and Chives in Suamico), blends our signature style with a Wisconsin Supper Club and steakhouse vibe. The menu features selected steaks, fresh seafood, and ample sides, alongside weekly blackboard specials. Enjoy the historic dining room and indoor/outdoor bar, offering locally sourced ingredients and craft cocktails selected by our Certified Sommelier.