The Victorian Village Resort on Elkhart Lake has been purchased by a Chicago couple who plan to add a fashion boutique and Mexican-themed restaurant.
Thomas Shortt and Kristin Pagel will rebrand the resort the Shore Club as of Jan. 1 with an opening celebration planned for spring.
The 60-room resort, located at 276 Victorian Village Dr., will remain open during renovations.
“We fell in love with the resort and community and were shocked at what the area had to offer,” Shortt said in a written statement. “The location offers our guests the ability to enjoy kayaking, skiing, visit Road America, world-class golf, high performance driving, pursue health and wellness, live shows, and enjoy numerous restaurants or to simply relax.”
Shortt, who could not immediately be reached for comment, has been in the hospitality business since 1998, according to his LinkedIn profile. He is currently vice president of hospitality for Chicago-based Bighorn Capital.
Plans for Victorian Village include adding a new Mexican restaurant, El Teatro Cantina & Show, and adding a fashion boutique and social gathering space named Lake Thread & Field.
The existing restaurant, Back Porch Bistro, will be changed to Cottonwood Social and chef James Lintelmann, former executive chef of Chicago’s Baptiste & Bottle, will join the staff.
Guest rooms will be updated with a new contemporary design to highlight the vintage racing, fishing and boating amenities of the Elkhart Lake area.
Specialty cocktails and frozen drinks will be added to the existing Barefoot Tiki Bar menu.
“We will enhance the resort’s offerings and provide a luxury boutique lake resort experience,” Pagel said. “We plan to embrace locally and market globally, while we will share this wonderful destination with the rest of the world.”
