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Lauderdale Lakes BREEZE Summer 2018 • Second Edition
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It’s all about location – and the weather General Store/Backyard Bikes meets outdoor enthusiasts’ needs
BY Todd Mishler COPY EDITOR
T
hey aren’t farmers, but not many business owners rely more on Mother Nature than the Bettingers. Mike and his wife, Anita, are Milwaukee area natives who left the big city when they bought the LaGrange General Store and Backyard Bikes & Ski in 1982. They require about four months of quality, consistent snow and as many dry, pleasant days as possible the rest of the year to satisfy their recreational patrons and their cash registers. Although their precipitationdependent business —Anita currently has a full-time job, too — has endured economic challenges, they couldn’t have asked for a better geographical location or more pastoral setting despite sitting at the intersection of busy Highway 12 and County H in LaGrange Township. That’s because they are nestled in the Southern Unit of the Kettle Moraine State Forest, which means one of the best and most popular trail systems in the state sits just minutes away, beckoning bikers, hikers, skiers and horseback riders. “We’ve had three terrible winters in a row with not much snow, so biking will have to pick us up the rest of the year. It’s so unpredictable … but I expect us to be busy today because they’re saying rain tomorrow,” Mike Bettinger said right before opening May 18.
Change is constant And like the weather, things have changed tremendously since he started this adventure. “I’ve never been an avid biker, but we saw a need,” he said. “I mean, there were no designated trails or routes, and there weren’t any maps, so we created them. And mountain biking didn’t exist back then and didn’t really get started until the early 1990s, but now it’s known on a national and global scale. “But we’ve seen a resurgence as far as running and hiking, so there’s been blossoming and growth in all three,” he added. And that bodes well — again, if the weather cooperates. Still, Backyard Bicycle & Ski provides the outdoor enthusiast everything he or she needs in biking and skiing equipment sales and rentals, not to mention bicycle
TODD MISHLER Lauderdale Lakes Breeze
The LaGrange General Store and Backyard Bikes & Skis benefits from its location near the Southern Unit of the Kettle Moraine State Forest and its many hiking, biking, skiing and horseback riding trails.
repairs, so they can hit the John Muir, Nordic and/or Emma Carlin trails. Both halves of the business typically are open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily, but closing time usually extends to 8 p.m. between Memorial Day and Labor Day. “Many people are getting away from the old 9 to 5 schedule, so we’ve seen an increase during the week,” Bettinger said. “And I was teasing some customers the other day that we’re seeing more business from people over (age) 60 who have more time on their hands.”
A popular stop The quaint spot, thanks largely to the Bettingers’ self-promotional efforts and word-of-mouth, has become increasingly more well known.
“The word definitely has gotten out, and on a national level,” Bettinger said. “We had a guy from Alabama in here who bought a bunch of beer and cheeses. And a guy from Germany came in last week … we get a lot of people who might be doing business in Milwaukee or Chicago and do a Google search for places to get out.” However, don’t forget the general store, which emphasizes healthy, natural food and drink choices that often fit well with the active lifestyles of those who frequent the shop — and many are produced in southeastern Wisconsin. Made in-house every day, some of the highlights include their soups and salads and the original sunflower seed-based smoothies. And the menu goes on and on, including beer, sandwiches, baked
goods, ice cream and other hot and cold drinks, satisfying palettes from visitors and regulars alike. When on-site, the store is Anita’s purview. Backyard Bicycle & Ski is Mike’s.
Ups and downs Despite being a pioneer in many ways in building his outdoor business and literally putting it on the map, Bettinger continually sees many ups and downs, just like the trails that many of his visitors tackle nearby. “I never really thought about it,” Bettinger said of his many accomplishments in creating one of the best destinations for outdoor enthusiasts. “Running a small business is never easy and has gotten harder because the whole landscape has changed. Despite us
being unique, it’s so competitive.” He said a big challenge is finding quality help. Bettinger said he signs 12 to 18 paychecks during their busy times, including five full-time employees. Their son, Andrew, has helped out in the shop, but Bettinger isn’t sure yet what the future holds or whether the business will remain in the family. “The last three years have been tough, so there’s some burnout,” he said. “But I like to be doing something. And when things are clicking, it’s a lot of fun.” So, he just keeps plugging away – and watching the weather.
Lauderdale Lakes
Local couple killed in crash BREEZE It occurred near Sterlingworth Drive in LaGrange
An Elkhorn couple was killed and two others injured in a crash in the Town of LaGrange in late May. The cars collided on highways 12 and 67 south of Sterlingworth Drive at about 4:25 p.m. May 29, according to the Walworth County Sheriff’s Department. Investigators believe a 2011 Kia traveling south crossed the
centerline and struck a 1999 Pontiac Grand Prix that was traveling north. The occupants of the Kia – Dennis Hinze, 67, and Joy Hinze, 60, both of Elkhorn – were pronounced dead at the scene, according to the Sheriff’s Department. The driver of the Pontiac was identified as Matthew Kilroy, 40,
of Fort Atkinson. His passenger was a 15-year- old female, who was not named in the release. Both occupants of the Pontiac were transported by ambulance to a local hospital and transferred via Flight for Life to an area trauma center, according to the release. The crash remains under investigation by the Walworth
County Sheriff’s Office Crash Investigation Unit. Assisting agencies included LaGrange Fire and Rescue, Paratech Ambulance, Wisconsin State Patrol, Troy Center Fire Department, Elkhorn Fire and Rescue, Walworth County Medical Examiner’s Office and Flight for Life.
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