Crafting a Cocktail Scene

The Wickman House bar scene. Photo by Brett Kosmider.

When Mike Holmes and his partners launched Wickman House in 2012, he knew he wanted to create a lively bar scene centered around a craft-cocktail menu. 

There just wasn’t a clear path to his vision. The first hurdle was the marketplace: Most residents and visitors didn’t know what a craft cocktail was, let alone an entire bar built around them. Door County’s bar scene had instead been built around light beer and highballs (rum and Cokes, whiskey sevens and the like). 

The second hurdle was location. Ellison Bay may not be at the end of the road, but it’s close. Holmes would have to create a scene reliable enough to draw diners and drinkers from 20–30 minutes away. 

Then there was the matter of getting a liquor license because the previous owner had sold the one that belonged to the property. 

It took a year, but they solved the license issue. They addressed the other two challenges by being relentless about the menu, the quality of the food and drinks, and the service. 

Holmes and lead bartender Travis Ward greet every customer as if they’re greeting an old friend. The bar stays open late — and the kitchen, too — even way up north. And the barkeeps master a dizzying menu of 50 cocktails, sating experienced imbibers and educating newbies with every sip. 

Nine years after opening its doors, nobody says Ellison Bay is too far to go for a great drink.