Sister Bay General Store Plans Retail, Food and Ice Cream

A new family-friendly stop is taking shape in Sister Bay, with plans for shopping, casual food and ice cream under one roof.

Adam and Brigid White, through Sister Bay General Store LLC, are proposing a two-story general store at 10674 N. Bay Shore Drive. The concept is still moving through the Village of Sister Bay review process, so this is not yet an opening announcement—and no opening date has been released.

What is planned for the Sister Bay General Store

The proposed Sister Bay General Store would combine a retail shop with a walk-up food counter and an ice cream shop, according to Door County Pulse’s preview of the September 22 Plan Commission meeting.

The Village of Sister Bay’s official project documents describe a two-story building with a basement that would be used for storage and kitchen preparation. The exact merchandise mix, menu, ice cream offerings and operating schedule have not yet been announced.

Still, the combination has obvious appeal for families: browse the store, pick up something quick to eat and finish with ice cream—all in a walkable Sister Bay setting.

A walking trail and wetland boardwalk are part of the plan

One of the most interesting pieces of the proposal extends beyond the store itself.

Plans include a walking trail from Highway 42 through a wooded portion of the property, with a boardwalk over the wetlands and a connection to Spring Road. Sister Bay Plan Commission members expressed strong support for that addition during their July review.

The commission also favored a 35-space angled parking layout instead of a 40-space perpendicular design. Village records say the smaller configuration would require removing 41 trees rather than 57, preserving 16 additional trees—including six mature cedars measuring approximately two to three feet in diameter.

Two bicycle racks and a village-owned public parking lot approximately 300 feet from the property were also cited as reasons the smaller parking layout could work.

Where the approval process stands

The project has cleared several important steps, but some details remain unfinished.

During its July 28 review, the Sister Bay Plan Commission supported the site plan and architectural plans, including the 35-space parking configuration. The official September 22 meeting packet says the site plan, building elevations, floor plans, parking plan, and drainage, grading and utility plans have been reviewed and approved.

The development agreement will return to the Plan Commission on September 22 with remaining provisions involving landscaping, lighting and the visual screening of rooftop mechanical equipment.

The proposed agreement sets September 15, 2028, as the deadline for the total development to be completed. That is an outside project deadline—not a projected opening date. The store could open earlier, but no construction schedule or target opening has been publicly confirmed.

Why this could become a popular family stop

Sister Bay already lends itself to the kind of flexible family outing where shopping, food, the waterfront and a sweet treat can all fit into the same afternoon. A general store with a walk-up food counter and ice cream could slot naturally into that rhythm.

The wooded trail and boardwalk may make the property more than a simple roadside retail stop, while the decision to preserve additional mature trees should help the site retain more of its Door County character.

Until the owners release more details, families can explore our guide to Door County with kids, compare the best desserts in Door County or plan another nearby stop with our Door County coffee-shop guide.

What we are still waiting to learn

Several of the details visitors will care about most have not been released:

• What merchandise the general store will carry

• What will be served at the walk-up food counter

• Whether the ice cream will be made in-house or supplied by another producer

• Whether the business will operate year-round or seasonally

• When construction will begin

• The anticipated opening date

We’ll update this story as the Sister Bay General Store moves through the approval and construction process and the owners share more about what families can expect.