Fish Creek Moccasin

Fish Creek Moccasin produces both hardsoled and softsoled moccasins for men, women, children, and infants, making each pair by hand to order in the back of their shop. The company's product range extends beyond footwear to include leather belts, wallets, hats, and other accessories. Located at Founders Square in Fish Creek, the shop allows customers to observe the cutting, stitching, fitting, and lasting processes, providing transparency into traditional moccasin-making techniques.

Fish Creek Moccasin was established in 1988 by Jim and Candy Yonker in Fish Creek, Wisconsin, beginning as a small shop in Door County with the specific mission to craft footwear locally. The founders combined their skills as leatherworkers with a commitment to traditional moccasin-making techniques, establishing a business model based on custom hand production rather than mass manufacturing.

The company developed from these modest beginnings into a recognized regional producer of handcrafted moccasins and leather goods, building reputation through attention to detail, customer satisfaction, and consistent material quality. Over more than thirty years of operation, Fish Creek Moccasin has maintained its family-run character while expanding product offerings and establishing multiple production and retail locations within Door County.

The business's longevity in a single geographic region reflects both the founders' commitment to local production and the sustained demand for handcrafted footwear among Door County residents and visitors. By remaining family-operated, the company has preserved direct connection between ownership and craftsmanship, ensuring quality control and customer service remain central to operations.

Fish Creek Moccasin maintains traditional hand production methods, creating moccasins by hand to order in the back of their retail shop. This approach allows for customization to individual customer specifications while preserving craft techniques that predate industrial footwear manufacturing. The company's production philosophy emphasizes made-to-order construction rather than inventory-based sales, ensuring each pair is crafted specifically for its purchaser.

The business operates from two locations in northern Door County, with the majority of production taking place at the Bailey's Harbor facility. The Fish Creek location at Founders Square serves dual functions as both retail space and production workshop, where customers can observe craftspeople cutting, stitching, fitting, and lasting footwear being made for them.

This transparent production model provides customers direct insight into moccasin construction while demonstrating the skill and time investment required for handcrafted footwear. The process involves pattern cutting from whole hides, hand-stitching uppers, fitting to individual foot measurements, and lasting to create the final form. Each step is completed by skilled leatherworkers who maintain traditional techniques passed down through generations of moccasin makers.

Fish Creek Moccasin utilizes natural leather materials selected for their specific performance and aesthetic characteristics. Primary materials include moose-hide, deerskin, and sheepskin, each chosen for particular applications based on durability, flexibility, and comfort properties.

Moose-hide provides exceptional durability and water resistance, making it suitable for hardsole boots and outdoor-oriented footwear. Deerskin offers superior softness and flexibility, preferred for softsole moccasins and lighter-weight applications. Sheepskin provides natural insulation and moisture-wicking properties, utilized in cold-weather styles and lined footwear.

The company produces both hardsoled and softsoled moccasin constructions. Softsole moccasins feature traditional one-piece bottom construction with leather extending continuously from upper to sole, providing maximum flexibility and ground feel. Hardsole constructions incorporate separate sole units, offering increased durability and protection for outdoor use while maintaining the handcrafted aesthetic of softsole designs.

All materials are described as high-quality, though specific sourcing and tanning information is not publicly detailed. The emphasis on natural leathers aligns with traditional moccasin-making practices that predate synthetic materials and industrial tanning processes.

Fish Creek Moccasin offers comprehensive footwear lines for all age groups, including women's moccasins in both softsole and hardsole configurations, men's moccasins in various styles, children's footwear, and infant booties. This range allows the company to serve entire families while maintaining focus on core moccasin construction techniques.

Beyond footwear, the company produces leather accessories including belts, wallets, hats, and other goods utilizing the same materials and hand-construction methods applied to footwear. This diversification allows fuller use of leather hides while providing complementary products that appeal to customers interested in handcrafted leather goods.

Custom orders represent a significant component of the business model, with the company accepting specifications for materials, sizing, and design details beyond their standard offerings. This customization capability distinguishes Fish Creek Moccasin from mass-produced footwear while serving customers with specific fit or aesthetic requirements.

The shop also carries home goods and footwear from other brands, supplementing their own production with curated selections that align with their emphasis on quality and craftsmanship.

Fish Creek Moccasin's location in Door County, Wisconsin connects the business to a region known for tourism, natural beauty, and artisanal production. The company's presence in Fish Creek, a small community at the tip of the Door Peninsula, positions it within a local economy that values craft production and small-scale manufacturing.

The business operates from Founders Square, a commercial development in Fish Creek that provides retail space for local businesses and visiting customers. This location serves the seasonal tourism economy while maintaining year-round operations serving local residents, with operating hours adjusted between summer and winter seasons to reflect demand patterns.

By maintaining production facilities in both Fish Creek and Bailey's Harbor, the company demonstrates commitment to Door County manufacturing rather than outsourcing to distant facilities. This local production model supports regional employment while allowing customers to connect directly with craftspeople creating their footwear.

Fish Creek Moccasin operates a retail location at 4199 Main Street, Unit 3, in Fish Creek, Wisconsin. The shop maintains seasonal hours, operating Monday through Thursday from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM, Friday and Saturday from 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM, and Sunday from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM during summer months. Winter hours are reduced, reflecting the seasonal nature of Door County tourism while continuing to serve local customers.

The retail space combines traditional shop functions with active production, allowing customers to observe moccasin-making in progress. This integration of retail and production provides educational value while demonstrating the authenticity of handcrafted claims that can be difficult to verify in conventional retail environments.

Phone contact at (920) 868-2100 allows customers to discuss custom orders and specifications before visiting, facilitating the custom order process that defines much of the company's business model.