Sister Bay Getting Chained?

A De Pere-area developer has submitted plans to build a Subway restaurant on Highway 42 in Sister Bay. The Sister Bay Plan Commission will take its first look at the proposal from Bruce Gajewski at its next meeting March 25 at the Sister Bay Fire Station at 5:30 pm.

The restaurant would be located next to Wulf Brothers on the south end of the village across the street from Bay Ridge Golf Course.

A drawing of the Subway restaurant planned for Sister Bay.

The plan is generating nervous buzz not only in Sister Bay, but throughout Northern Door, which has long been hailed by travelers and travel writers for the notable absence of fast food chains.

“I like Subway, but it could open Pandora’s box,” said Stewart Dawson, expressing fears that it would attract more chain stores and restaurants. “Every restaurant in Door County should be terrified of this.”

Sister Bay resident Todd Frisoni owns the Door County Ice Cream Factory. He said his reservations about chain stores and restaurants in the area go beyond business competition. He worried that the introduction of chain restaurants to Northern Door will hurt the Door County brand.

“It detracts from the uniqueness of the experience,” he said. “The lack of chains is one of the big reasons I live here and why a lot of people live here. I feel like it cheapens Sister Bay as a whole.”

Sister Bay Village President Denise Bhirdo expressed reservations about the project, but said there’s nothing in the village zoning code that prevents a chain restaurant from moving into the village. “We just haven’t had anyone try before,” Bhirdo said.

Bhirdo said she urged the Plan Commission to take steps to prevent fast food chains from locating in the village over a year ago, but the commission declined to take up the issue.

If built, the restaurant would be subject to the same setback, signage, and parking restraints as any other businesses. Two years ago the former Khrist’s Grocery store became a Pamida, a regional retail department store. Next door to Pamida, a Sub Express sandwich line is located in the Sister Bay Mobile gas station. Sub Express is a national brand under the City Wholesale umbrella.

To view the all submitted plans, visit the village Intranet site at http://intranet.sisterbay.com/default.aspx and click on the Developer Projects tab.