The Lodge at Leathem Smith: Kona Bay Fish House

What The Lodge at Leathem Smith: Kona Bay Fish House does

The Lodge at Leathem Smith is a privately held, single-property waterfront resort operating under the legal name The Lodge at Leathem Smith with DBA brands including Kona Bay Fish House, Kona Bay, Tiki Bar, Madelyn Marina, and Fishing Village. Located at 1640 Memorial Drive, Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, on the Lake Michigan shoreline in Door County, the property comprises a main lodge with multiple room tiers (King Guest Rooms, 2 Queen Guest Rooms, Junior Suite, Captain's Suite, Admiral Suite), a separate Fishing Village building with budget rooms, a five-bedroom rental house, and a 48-slip marina (Madelyn Marina) accommodating vessels up to 60 feet. On-site amenities include a pool, fitness center, free daily breakfast with made-to-order omelettes, free Wi-Fi, and a 24-hour maintenance staff.

The business generates revenue from four core streams: lodging and room rentals (primary), food and beverage at Kona Bay Fish House restaurant and the Tiki Bar, weddings/corporate events (full-service coordination with catering, floral, and AV), and marina/charter fishing services (seasonal and transient dockage plus referral commissions with roughly 10 local charter operators). Pricing is per-night pay-as-you-go, with published tiers ranging from $129/night (Fishing Village 2 Queen) to $299+/night (Admiral Suite); special holiday rates and a $25/pet/night fee apply. Distribution is direct-to-consumer through the property's own website (Vertical Booking and Lodgical CRS booking engines), phone reservations, walk-in traffic, and an Airbnb listing for the rental house, supplemented by presence on TripAdvisor, Facebook, Instagram, X, Pinterest, and an email newsletter.

Founded in its current form in 2011 by owner Paul Meleen — a professional fisherman and chef who purchased and renovated the property after it closed in 2007 — the Lodge traces its heritage to 1864 lumber and shipping operations by John Leathem and Thomas Smith. Customer segments include couples and romance travelers, families and groups, wedding parties, fishing enthusiasts, corporate/business groups, and veterans served through the annual Wounded Hero Fishing Event. The company operates with approximately 7 employees and no disclosed institutional investment, parent company, or subsidiaries.

Name

The Lodge at Leathem Smith: Kona Bay Fish House

Legal name

The Lodge at Leathem Smith

Website

https://thelodgeatls.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Lodge at Leathem Smith is a privately held waterfront resort in Sturgeon Bay, Door County, Wisconsin, offering lodging, dining at Kona Bay Fish House, a 48-slip marina, charter fishing partnerships, and wedding and corporate event services to leisure travelers, couples, families, and fishing enthusiasts.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Hospitality & Lodging Services

NAICS

Hotels (except Casino Hotels) and Motels (72111), Accommodation (721)

SIC

Hotels, Rooming Houses, Camps & Other Lodging Places (7000), Hotels & Motels (7011)

akta.pro primary industry

Marina & Waterfront Full-Service Hotels (THAGAAAK)

Keywords

• Waterfront resort lodging
• Hotel accommodations
• Wedding venue services
• Marina dockage services
• Casual dining restaurant

Headquarters

HQ city

Sturgeon Bay

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Lodging/Room Rentals: Primary revenue from overnight accommodations including guest rooms, suites, and rental house. Rooms range from standard king/queen rooms to luxury suites with kitchenettes and waterfront views.
2. Restaurant and Bar (Kona Bay Fish House): On-site dining featuring Pacific rim infused cuisine, fresh seafood and meats, with changing daily specials. Revenue from food and beverage sales including Tiki Bar operations.
3. Events and Weddings: Hosting corporate events, weddings, rehearsal dinners, bridal showers, and special occasion celebrations. Revenue from venue rental and catering services.
4. Marina and Charter Fishing Services: 48-slip marina offering seasonal and transient dockage for vessels up to 60 feet. Partnership with local charter fishing operators for booking referrals.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The Lodge at Leathem Smith is a waterfront resort in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin that sells overnight lodging accommodations (Main Lodge rooms, Junior/Captain's/Admiral Suites, Fishing Village rooms, and a five-bedroom Rental House), on-site dining at Kona Bay Fish House restaurant and Tiki Bar, marina services at Madelyn Marina, and full-service wedding and corporate event hosting. Charter fishing excursions are offered through partnerships with local operators and the resort runs the annual Wounded Hero Fishing Event for veterans.

Product overview

The Lodge at Leathem Smith is a waterfront resort offering a comprehensive hospitality experience centered around lodging accommodations and dining. The property features multiple accommodation tiers: Main Lodge rooms (King Guest Rooms, 2 Queen Guest Rooms, and various suites including Admiral Suite, Captain's Suite, and Junior Suite), Fishing Village budget rooms, and a five-bedroom Rental House. Onsite dining includes Kona Bay Fish House restaurant (casual seafood-focused dining with Pacific rim influences) and a Tiki Bar with outdoor patio. Additional services encompass wedding and corporate event venues, charter fishing partnerships with 10 local operators, and Madelyn Marina with 48 slips. The resort differentiates through its waterfront location, comprehensive amenities including free breakfast with made-to-order omelettes, and integration of marina access for fishing enthusiasts.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Tiki Bar: Outdoor tiki bar and patio at The Lodge at Leathem Smith, featuring tropical drinks and outdoor dining. Located adjacent to Kona Bay Fish House.
• Madelyn Marina
• Fishing Village

Named customers2 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Reel Impression Sportfishing CharterscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFeatured charter fishing partner operating from Madelyn Marina on property. Offers private fishing charters and sunset cruises. Captain John operates a 35-foot Viking flybridge accommodating up to 6 guests. Package includes bottle of wine and 2 a la carte menu items with discounted room rates for charter guests.
• Angler's Edge Sportfishing ChartersminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal charter fishing operator featured on The Lodge's charter fishing page. Partners with property for guest referrals and discounted lodging rates.
• Rasmussen OutdoorsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal outdoor recreation and fishing partner featured on charter fishing page.
• Sturgeon Bay OutdoorsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal fishing and outdoor services partner featured on charter fishing page.
• Nick Nault's Guide ServiceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWisconsin fishing guide service featured as partner on charter fishing page.
• Tite Line Fishing ChartersminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDoor County fishing charter service featured as partner for guest referrals.
• Hooked Up Sport Fishing ChartersminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSport fishing charter partner featured on charter fishing page.
• Leprechaun Fishing ChartersminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal fishing charter service featured as partner.
• J-E Charter FishingminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSturgeon Bay area fishing charter service featured as partner.
• Nooo Problem ChartersminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal fishing charter partner featured on charter fishing page.
• Top Banana ChartersminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal fishing charter service featured on charter fishing page.
• Taqueria NeriminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMexican food partner providing Tuesday night Mexican Night dining at The Lodge restaurant. Taqueria Neri operates from 4:00pm-8:00pm on Tuesdays with Happy Hour 4:00pm-6:00pm.
• Yvonne Marie PhotographyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerWedding photography partner credited for wedding photos on The Lodge's website. Photographer showcased in wedding photo galleries.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• The American Club: Historic luxury resort in Kohler, Wisconsin with full-service lodging, dining, golf, and event venues. Comparable historic full-service Wisconsin resort with similar heritage-driven positioning.
• Grand Geneva Resort & Spa: Large Wisconsin destination resort in Lake Geneva with full-service lodging, dining, golf, spa, and event space. Larger, established competitor in the Wisconsin leisure/event lodging market with overlapping capabilities.
• Kalahari Resorts: Major Wisconsin Dells destination resort operator with lodging, waterpark, dining, and conventions. Large incumbent in Wisconsin family/leisure hospitality competing for regional tourism dollars.

Direct peers

• The Edgewater: Full-service Madison, Wisconsin hotel with waterfront positioning, multiple F&B outlets, and significant wedding/event business. Comparable mid-sized Wisconsin full-service hotel with diversified revenue mix.
• The Ashbrooke Hotel: Boutique hotel in Egg Harbor, Door County, competing for the same couples, families, and wedding/event travelers in the Door County lodging market. Comparable tier of rooms, pricing, and small-property operating model.
• The Osthoff Resort: Full-service Wisconsin resort in Elkhart Lake offering lodging, dining, event venues, and spa. Comparable mid-size Wisconsin resort with similar event/wedding revenue mix and tiered accommodations.
• Ephraim Shores: Waterfront Door County resort in Ephraim with marina-adjacent access and lodging for leisure and fishing travelers. Comparable waterfront/marina lodging positioning in the same Door County market.
• The Inn at Little Sister Hill: Door County resort in Sister Bay offering rooms, suites, and seasonal amenities for leisure travelers. Directly comparable Door County mid-scale lodging competitor with similar seasonality.
• Gordon Lodge: Waterfront Door County resort in Baileys Harbor offering lodging, dining, and on-site recreational amenities. Most directly comparable Door County peer with multi-tier rooms, F&B, and event hosting in a similar tourism segment.

Regional players

• Sundance Resort Properties: Door County vacation rental management company operating multiple waterfront homes and condos in the same regional market. Adjacent competitor for the rental-house segment and the broader Door County leisure traveler pool.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/Leathem_Smith
• Facebookfacebook.com/lodgeatleathemsmith
• Instagraminstagram.com/lodgeatleathemsmith
• Pinterestpinterest.com/leathemsmith
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-lodge-at-leathem-smith-kona-bay-fish-house

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Lodge at Leathem Smith: Kona Bay Fish House