The Making of the Shore Shop
From the very beginning, our hope was simple: Create a fun spot on the lake where people naturally gathered. A place buzzing with summer energy - kids running in for board games or ice cream, parents grabbing drinks for the boat, friends chatting in line, and families picking our their favorite resort apparel to remember their trip. We also wanted to welcome in the community to rent boats and find their much desired Lake Ida apparel and gifts.
Aaron and I (Taylor) both had previous retail experience in some capacity, but we knew a learning curve was ahead of us! And in the heat of an already busy spring and summer, that meant for a lot of work after the kids’ bedtime. If you could only see all the inspo Pinterest boards! We also had to learn how to set up and use a POS system, keep inventory organized, learn how to work with suppliers, learn how to fill out a ST3 form (are you asking ‘what even is that?’), and how to set up the store floor. We were so darn excited! This store was something so fun and new, and we both have such a heart for people. This was a great way to better serve our amazing guests, meet our neighbors and Lake Ida community, and have a location for an on-site office.
What we now call the Shore Shop began as a fun and exciting project in April of 2025. Honestly, our iPhone photos are the best timeline of how it all unfolded! The old store was moved off the property in mid-April—right in the middle of an extremely wet spring, which had already delayed the process (see photos below). What started as a routine building move quickly turned into a muddy mess. I’m fairly certain the moving crew cursed our name once or twice as they stood knee-deep in mud, trying to maneuver massive beams under the store.
Once the building was moved off the property, we removed countless yards of old soil and brought in fresh fill to support the future foundation of the store. Load by load, dump trucks rolled in, and Aaron spread each delivery with the skid loader, slowly shaping the new area. Construction officially began in May and wrapped up by July—just in time for us to open the Shore Shop to the public on July 25th!
The dream continues! We have finishing touches to bring to the store including landscaping, patio furniture and outdoor seating, a fire pit, signage and possible expansion in food offerings. We are always open to product suggestions so if you don’t see something you think we should carry, let us know - submit your recommendations here! We’ve got a curated selection of quality Lake Ida and Resort apparel, a range of light groceries, ice cream, candy, drinks, everyday toiletries, firewood, ice and fishing essentials. For a full list of current products, click here.
Thanks for being part of this dream and for helping the Shore Shop become the warm, joyful, community space we hoped it would be! We will see you again next summer!
Our online shop is open now through December 18th if you’d like to grab some last-minute gifts!
