(From left to right) Lars, Rolf and Annika Johnson, Renuka and Parv Jandu, Todd and Carin Suth and Dawn Fischer pose with their prices at the annual lunch of rewards from the Doard County Economic Development Corporation. The Johnsons accepted the life price of their parents, Al and Ingent Johnson. Photo by Myles Dannhausen, Jr.
The Door County Economic Development Corporation (DCEDC) celebrated the entrepreneurial spirit of the peninsula on Wednesday with honors that mixed historical family businesses with fresh faces making innovative movements.
The great honor of the day went to Al and ingest JohnsonWho received the Lifetime Achievement Award for the creation of a company that has become what could be the most recognizable brand of the county. For 76 years, Al Johnson has served Swedish pancakes and meat dumplings to guests that flock to the building with the roof goats. But Al’s is more than a restaurant, a gift shop and an outdoor coffee.
Al, who died in 2010, with his wife Ingner, created a culture like no other. Behind the scenes, Ingnene printed attention and style on the staff and shaped the aesthetics of the restaurant, while Al was the face and driving force of the company.
“Dad was completely dealing and my mother was in class,” said their son Lars Johnson. “Mom insisted that we have more Scandinavian things, and bring a building in Scandinavia. What Al’s today is really because of my mother.”
While the instead was meticulous, Al was noisy.
“It was just a great presence,” recalls Kit Butz of the longtime employee of Al.
And hundreds of employees always describe Al as more than a job, but as a family.
“I really like, really my bosses and they treat everyone like a family,” said Butz.
Jody Little said it more simply.
“Once an al, always a girl from Al,” she said.
The family extends beyond the restaurant. For more than seven decades, Al and Uget, and now their children Lars, Annika and Rolf, have been generous not only to community causes, non -profit organizations and fundraising, but also in the form of thousands of large and small contributions to help their employees to spend them.
“They put Sister Bay on the map,” said Joy LangLongtime owner of Jerry’s Flowers, where Inger is a regular customer. “But they share with the community, and I think it’s their greatest gift for us.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zx_cjqxrzso
Parvinder and Renuka Jandu: Emerging Business Award
Since 2002, Parvinder and Renuka Jandu have built Jandu Petroleum in a multi-localization company and a pillar of the community, which has earned them the Range Lights price for emerging companies. In Carlsville, their service station and their convenience store have become a hub for residents and visitors. They also invested in four apartment complexes on the property to provide more accommodation in the region and will soon add automatic car wash. All this helps support their generosity towards organizations such as Boys & Girls Club, door cancer, habitat for humanity, YMCA and local schools.
Carin and Todd Stith: Award of established companies
Lighthouse Keeper Award for established cases went to Baileys Harbor Fish Company and Hickey Bros. Research For more than half a century of innovation on water. The owners Carin and Todd Stith are the fourth generation of the Hickey family to fish for Baileys Harbor and have extended the company with a retail market that continues to grow.
Hickey Bros. Research works with state, federal and tribal agencies to provide critical assessments of fishermen and restore native ecosystems in Idaho and Wyoming. But the heart of their business is always a local perch and a white fish.
Dawn Fischer: Commercial price belonging to women, minorities or veterans
Dawn Fischer suffered a hard blow in 2019 when her mother-in-law and founder of Wilkins & Oleander, Carol OverlandDeath of brain cancer. Fischer picked up the parts and solidified the draper as the cornerstone of the third avenue de Sturgeon Bay. She was honored with the Light Keeper of the Year for Women or Minority Compart Business.
“Thanks to its involvement in destination destination bay, it strengthens the local economy, supports its colleagues entrepreneurs and maintains the spirit of the community,” said DCEDC director Michelle Lawrie.