Full Bar. Gaming Machines. Speak Easy Vibes. All Good Times.

Coming Mid Summer 2025

Acorn Ridge Motel has long been a staple of Princeton, Wisconsin lodging. Originally built in the 1960s as Barnekow’s Patio Motel, it stood proudly across from the Barnekow’s Supper Club. Guests loved the ease of a cozy room and a cocktail just steps away. When the Supper Club was torn down years ago, it left more than an empty lot—it left a gap in experience.

That’s why we’re so excited to bring the bar back, right where it belongs: on-site at the motel. Whether you’re staying with us or stopping in from town, Tim’s Hardware Store is your new local hangout.

Postcard from original owners of Barnekow’s Patio Motel.  The top right corner shows the Supper Club that used to be ‘across the road’

When we bought Acorn Ridge Motel in the spring of 2024, we fell hard for its retro charm. The place had been lovingly maintained, and stepping into the rooms felt like opening a time capsule from a cooler, simpler era. But as much as we adored the vibe, we knew it was time to bring in a few modern upgrades.

Enter my dad, Tim.

He’s the man behind nearly every update we’ve made. New floors? Tim. Shelving in every room? Tim. Windows added to the backs of the units? You guessed it—Tim. He’s been the mastermind, the muscle, and the occasional comic relief through it all.

So when we started talking about turning the basement into a bar, he didn’t hesitate. He grabbed a beer and said, “Let’s do it.” Before we knew it, he was building walls, wiring lights, and turning our wild idea into a real space. It was only right to name it after him.

But here’s the thing—it’s not just “Tim’s Bar.” That would’ve been too easy.

Growing up, we’d spend our summers at the lake house. And like clockwork, you’d hear Dad say, “I’m headed out to the hardware store.” Spoiler: he wasn’t going for nails and paint. He’d come back smelling like Miller Lite and pull tabs, grinning like he’d just won the lottery. It was our family’s ongoing joke—and our favorite alibi.

So now, in honor of the man, the myth, and the legend of the world’s most casual cover story, we give you Tim’s Hardware Store.

Cheers to the perfect alibi.

~ Mae Wilton

If you ask us, the permanent response is… ‘in two weeks’. Ask us again in two weeks, and the answer will be ‘in two weeks’. We are working our butts off (and by we, I mainly mean my dad, Tim), and will have the doors open the second it’s ready to go! We’re just as excited as you.