The Lundberg general store is believed to be the left structure shown above that abuts the Lundberg home on the right. The pier shown in the foreground was used by ships to dock while wood was loaded onboard. Juddville Road rises away from the camera on the left side of photo. Wisconsin Historical Society, Ferdinand Hotz, Lundberg Home, Image ID: 97555

In the late 1800’s there was a general store in Juddville located where today Juddville Road meets the shores of Green Bay. A substantial commercial pier was built at this same location where schooners and steamships often came to tie up and receive cord wood and other items for transport. The original owner of the general store was C.A. Lundberg.

The pier was first built (in 1881) and owned by C.A.’s brother Kassander Lundberg and his partner Charles Settersten. (Source: “Around Home: Short takes”. Door County Advocate, 5/26/1881, p. 3. https://archive.co.door.wi.us/jsp/RcWebImageViewer.jsp?doc_id=ea91eb62-96e3-4ad5-b0c2-0fc095b362be/wsbd0000/20120910/00000990)

In 1882, Kassander Lundberg bought out Charles Settersten’s share of the pier. (Source: “Personal Mention”. Door County Advocate,  8/24/1882, p. 3. https://archive.co.door.wi.us/jsp/RcWebImageViewer.jsp?doc_id=ea91eb62-96e3-4ad5-b0c2-0fc095b362be/wsbd0000/20120910/00001055)

In 1902, the store, and probably the pier, were sold by C.A. to Myron Stevens.

Charles Alexander Lundberg (known as both C.A. and Alex ) was born in Milwaukee in 1854. Carl Lundberg, C.A.’s father, was a cooper whose barrel-making skills brought him, his wife Karn, C.A., a second son Kassander, and daughter Rudolphina, to Door County in 1867. (Source: Fisher, Nancy Waldo. “Lundberg Store Kept Fish Creek Going”. Door and Kewaunee Counties – Generations, Door County Advocate & Kewaunee County Star-News, June 21, 2014, pp. 18-19. https://issuu.com/gannettwisconsin/docs/dcatab_generations_dc_issuu)

The Lundberg family purchased a cabin that was located in Blossomberg, an area that ultimately became part of Peninsula State Park. There, Carl and his sons added a cooper’s shop that allowed the family to make a living.

As a young man, C.A. struck out on his own and worked on ships transporting goods throughout the Great Lakes. He took meticulous notes on reputable tradespeople, transport times, and the most popular merchandise items. He studied these things so he could one day return to Door County and open a store. (Source: Fisher, Nancy Waldo. “Lundberg Store Kept Fish Creek Going”. Door and Kewaunee Counties – Generations, Door County Advocate & Kewaunee County Star-News, June 21, 2014, pp. 18-19. https://issuu.com/gannettwisconsin/docs/dcatab_generations_dc_issuu)

In the August 12th, 1880 edition of the Door County Advocate, the following item was printed, “It is reported that Lundburg [sic] and another party from Menekaune intend establishing a store two miles south of here (Fish Creek), at or near Juddville”. (Source: “Northern News Items: Fish Creek”. Door County Advocate, August 12, 1880, p. 3. https://archive.co.door.wi.us/jsp/RcWebImageViewer.jsp?doc_id=ea91eb62-96e3-4ad5-b0c2-0fc095b362be/wsbd0000/20120910/00000949)

In 1881, C.A., with cooper skills learned from his father, an interest in merchandising, and newfound knowledge gained from working on ships, opened a general store on the shores of Juddville Bay.

Alex married Alice Schuyler of Clay Banks in 1885 and her organizational skills were a welcome addition to the operations of the business. Alex and Alice ultimately had five children together, two who died at a young age. (Source: “History of Door County Wisconsin, The County Beautiful, Illustrated Volume II”,  The S. J. Clarke Publishing Company, Chicago, IL, 1917, pp 221-222.)

Alex operated the store successfully for many years and had a reputation as a highly competent and honest business man. As you can see in the ad below from an 1894 Door County Advocate print ad, the store carried dry goods, clothing, furnishing goods, hats and caps, boots and shoes. Additionally, the store would purchase or trade for farm products, eggs, butter, and potatoes.

The Juddville store had a print ad in the October 6, 1894 edition of the Door County Advocate (see above) announcing a closing of the Juddville general store as Lundberg was transitioning his focus exclusively to his new Fish Creek store.

It appears that the store may have been closed for a while after the sale promoted above, but then Alex re-opened it again in 1895. The March 9th, 1895 edition of the Door County Advocate announced, “Alex. Lundberg will re-open his Juddville store, moving back to his old stand next month.” (Source: “Around the County: Fish Creek”. Door County Advocate, March 9, 1895, p. 8. https://archive.co.door.wi.us/jsp/RcWebImageViewer.jsp?doc_id=ea91eb62-96e3-4ad5-b0c2-0fc095b362be/wsbd0000/20120910/00001709)

C.A. was media savvy for his time. He consistently stopped by the offices of the local newspapers when he was in Sturgeon Bay. The newspapers would then report that he had stopped by to say hello, thus keeping his name and business in the minds of local citizens.

In 1902, Lundberg sold the Juddville store to Myron Stevens, the son-in-law of Increase Claflin. Lundberg had decided to move his business into Fish Creek because of the growing tourism, building trade, and ship activity in that nearby town. Myron Stevens closed the Juddville general store after a failed effort to establish a vineyard there. (Source: Smith, Linda Neeck. “Juddville: The Shadows of Our Yesteryear”. Door County Almanak – Farms, No. 4, The Dragonsbreath Press, Sister Bay, WI, p. 227.)

Today the building that housed Lundberg’s Fish Creek store is occupied by the On Deck Clothing Company.