EGG HARBOR, Wis. — On one of the biggest weeks of the summer, Dawn Johnson is busy helping customers and keeping her stock neat at Summer Home Wisconsin in Egg Harbor.
“Overall, July is our biggest month,” she said. “This is kind of the kickoff to the summer. This is definitely very impactful on our sales for the year.”
Road construction and frequent spring and summer rains have had no impact on Johnson’s business. She said hot weather in parts of the country may be helping her bottom line.
“We’re seeing a lot of people from Missouri, Arkansas, from Florida, from Texas,” Johnson said. “A lot of the southern states and the eastern states that are really getting hit with hot, hot temperatures.”
Last year Door County saw a total economic impact of $620 million from tourism, according to the Wisconsin Department of Tourism. That’s up almost 6% from 2022.
Every July 2, you’ll find Sarah and Daniel Diederich in Door County. It’s how the De Pere couple celebrates their wedding anniversary.
“Mostly we take it where the day takes us,” Daniel Diederich said. “We go wherever we feel like when we’re driving around. We’ll stop in if we see any shops or any of the little galleries and have a drink or two.”
They’ve seen an evolution in Egg Harbor over the past few years.
“It’s changed a lot since I was a kid. It’s a lot bigger. It’s grown a lot since I was young and there’s been a lot of positive development in terms of new buildings and the roads,” Daniel Diederich said. “There’s much better parking and a lot better safety when you want to cross the road. We walk everywhere once we’re in town.”
Johnson said she’s happy with where her business is so far this year, including an increase in average sales at the register. She said she’s hopeful for a good week of business.
The Fourth of July week is also a reminder of just how fleeting summer in Wisconsin can be.
“This week we just hope to move a lot of merchandise and start preparing for the fall season, which sounds a little crazy, but we always need to be one step ahead,” Johnson said.
Fall is still a few months away. For many people, this holiday week is all about what a summer in Door County — and Wisconsin — can deliver.