WINCHESTER, WISCONSIN

Up North



What do you get when Heritage beam & board owners, Seth Hanson and Emily Krauklis apply the talent of the team to their own personal projects?


Two show-stopping examples of what they do best.

Right after the purchase! New Years Eve 2022. Krauklis and Hanson families along with their close friends the Harbecks. 

Sportsman’s Motel & Resort + Norse Lodge

In December 2021, Emily and Seth separately purchased neighboring properties on the shore of South Turtle Lake in Winchester, Wisconsin. 

Emily and her husband, Adam, got the rundown—er “vintage”—Sportsman’s Motel and Resort. Seth and his wife, Andrina, acquired the previous motel owner's home next door. Both properties came with beautiful views of the lake and decades worth of wonderful memories for outdoor enthusiasts. However, both properties were in serious need of the vision and craftsmanship that Heritage offers.

OBJECTIVE:


To freshen rather than change the classic 1950s motel, preserving the Northwoods cabin charm while updating the rooms to modern standards. The Krauklis’ wanted the cabins to feel authentic and lived in, but clean and comfortable.

OBJECTIVE:


To bring to fruition every cool idea Seth has ever had for a  Northwoods lakeside cabin. The Hanson's were aiming for a luxurious yet cozy layout and decor, ensuring that guests would be met with a warm and thoughtful welcome to Turtle Lake.

How was Heritage involved in these passion projects?


For the better part of 8 months in 2022, Emily project-managed from HBB headquarters in Elkhorn, Wisconsin. Meanwhile, Seth traveled back and forth each week, slinging his hammer over long weekends and sometimes full weeks! In addition, Heritage cabinet makers, woodworkers, painters, installers, and designers all contributed to the success of the projects in ways large and small.

What do you do in your role at HBB that you were excited to do for yourself?

Emily: I got to think through all the details like we do for our clients. My main client was my husband Adam! I wanted him to feel like this was the place he always daydreamed of owning, meanwhile making it great for all our future guests. The result has been very satisfying!

Seth: My wife, Andrina and I worked as a team through the very last detail. Andrina drove everywhere scouring pieces for the home. I would come back from Norse, work a few days at HBB, load up another trailer, and head back up to rinse and repeat!

What was one of the biggest challenges you faced?

Emily: The struggles were real! Designing remotely and also working through the winter up north were just wild. With six different doors and five units, we could’ve made a comedy reel of us going in and out, sometimes just trying to remember which unit a tool was left in.

Seth: I didn’t know what to expect, but I did NOT expect a failed septic system. Doing a full renovation project five hours north of home, in winter, with no heat until after spring arrived…the whole thing was challenging, to say the least.

How did you overcome it?

Emily: We really had to work as a team. I made sure all the scheduling for the Sportsman’s project was ready to go when my husband, Adam, was ready for it. I also had to be thoughtful of Seth’s schedule and concentrate our HBB work into the times when he was down south. It was like a game of Tetris! But we rallied to make all the moving parts fit together in the end.

Seth: This project needed to be completed by a certain date, and it needed to be done with a certain level of excellence. Owning HBB, I don’t get to wear my toolbelt that often anymore, but on this project I wore one every day. I enjoy challenges, and this one really pushed me—I loved every minute of it! And we’re so happy with how it turned out.

bringing the lumber back to the northwoods

The Northwoods projects showcase the heart, talent and skill of the HBB partners and staff. However, the real star of the show is the wood itself.


Returning guests to the Sportsman's Motel will notice original wood cladding maintained throughout the motel. Additional reclaimed wood used in both projects was sourced from the Northwoods, and has been returned after almost a hundred years spent in barns and buildings in southern Wisconsin. A few custom Heritage pieces are sprinkled throughout the properties as well, because, of course there are! 


Now that all this wood is back "home" in the Northwoods, Seth and Emily, their families, and all who visit can appreciate the stories contained within the walls of these two labors of love. If you're interested in seeing these Heritage handiworks in person, book your stay at the Sportsman's Motel & Resort or the Norse Lodge today!


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