Paul Hackbarth remembers where he was when he got the idea for Milwaukee’s cozy Camp Bar brand he founded in 2012 – he was at “Maple,” his cabin in Star Lake, about 12 miles south of Vilas County’s border with the UP. “I was sitting on the couch by the fireplace and thought, ‘Ooh, I have an idea. Let’s make a bar that looks like this cabin,’” says Hackbarth.
The same design duo that branded Camp Bar – Milwaukee architect Wade Weissmann and Peabody’s Interiors – were also Star Lake devotees. Peabody’s Interiors late owner, Jon Schlagenhaft, was Maple’s previous owner. Last year, when Weissmann sold the nearby Fern and Oak cabins to Hackbarth, the trio of overnight rentals called Star Camp was born.
It’s time to pick your Milwaukee favorites for the year!
Just like at the Camp Bars, all three cabins were decorated by Peabody’s Interiors, including custom fabrics, furnishings and antiques – and that now-familiar bright-red trim on windows and doors. The aesthetic preaches taxidermy, patterned tapestries, stone fireplaces and live-edge wood-slab countertops.
“They’re not pretentious by any means,” says Hackbarth. “If you watch ‘Yellowstone,’ [it’s like] the main home with beautiful, old hickory furniture and high-end, custom fabrics. All of the kitchens are outfitted with Sub-Zero and Wolf [appliances].”
Oak is the largest, with two stories. It has three bedrooms, each with an ensuite bath. Fittingly, there’s a full bar in the lower level, with a live-edge wood-slab top and adjacent fireplace – just like at Camp Bar. Maple and Fern have two bedrooms and two baths each, with an additional bunkhouse at Fern, which is closer to Star Lake.
Late fall and winter offer the juxtaposition of cozy cabins in which to recharge before heading outside for cold-weather fun. That includes snowshoeing, cross-country skiing and snowmobiling on the nearby Sayner-Star Lake Barnstormers trails. In the evening, it’s more than fitting to whip up a batch of old fashioneds and curl up in a blanket in front of the gorgeous stone fireplaces, the crackling fire casting a soft glow. Rates: from $694 per night.
Stillwaters
This casual bar and grill is the place to go for a Friday night fish fry (bluegill, perch and walleye) and get a Saturday karaoke fix.
Clearview Supper Club
No Northwoods getaway is complete without visiting a supper club. This one, located in St. Germain, dates to 1918 and is known for its steaks, chicken and Saturday night prime rib.
Saynor’s Red Door Relics
Marked by its – big surprise – red door, the shop sells upcycled furnishings and cottage-core décor.
Thrifty Drifter
The tiny shack in nearby Eagle River is plastered with vintage signs and packed to the gills with fun finds like wooden decoys, taxidermy and vintage beer cans.
