Through wars and a pandemic, Sherper’s endures

Nate Scherper said it felt surreal to be sitting at his desk, writing about his store celebrating its 90th anniversary, with his great-grandfather Sam Scherper’s ledger next to him.

That ledger outlined the receipts from the first day of business at Sherper’s on Oct. 12, 1935.

“It’s pretty surreal to be sitting at the same desk 90 years later. There are feelings of nostalgia, gratitude and excitement as we enter our next decade of business on the way to 100 years,” Scherper, who is the business’ president and owner, wrote.

In an interview, he said, “It’s just kind of crazy we’ve existed for 90 years. Each generation has gone through different things — my grandpa, it was World War II. In the last 10 years, it’s been a recession and pandemic.”

To celebrate the anniversary, Sherper’s is holding events at all three of its stores — in Port Washington from 2 to 9 p.m., Friday, Oct. 10; in Hales Corners from noon to 9 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 11; and in Oconomowoc from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 12.

The Port event opens with giveaways, family activities such as a bounce house, children’s games, bubbles, crafts and a bonfire with s’mores. There will be a bags tournament from 4 to 6 p.m., food and beverages for purchase, including a special Sherptoberfest beer by Inventors Brewpub, from 4 to 9 p.m. and live music by Wire and Nail from 6 to 9 p.m.

Scherper credits the longevity of the family business in large part to its ability to adapt to the times.

Sherper’s started in downtown Milwaukee as a men’s haberdashery, he said, selling “top hats and canes” for roughly two decades.

Then, as his grandfather Lionel ‘Boyce” and great-uncle Donald transitioned into the business after serving in the military, the store began selling military surplus items.

Later, as his father Gary and aunt Gale Scherper Slates got involved, it transitioned into more of an outdoor store.

As he and his brother Rob got into the business, Scherper said, they expanded several lines and ventured into online sales.

“Each generation has made its mark,” he said. “Each generation evolved with our customers.”

Sherper’s has made it a point to listen to customers and respond to their needs, he said.

“I think if people are asking for something or have constructive criticism, we should take it,” he said.

Sherper’s today is primarily an outdoors store, but it’s also a community general store, Scherper said, noting that if he finds a good deal on items that don’t fall into the “outdoors” category, such as dish soap or children’s toys, he buys it and puts it up for sale.

“If our customers would buy it and we can offer real value with it, we do it,” he said. “If you need hiking boots and sleeping bags, we’ll always have that. We might have dish soap and candles, or we might not. Those one-off things are never the same.”

The store also offers goods at a variety of price points, Scherper said.

“I think a lot of stores try to be really budget or really high end,” he said. “We literally cater to everyone. If you want a pair of $5.99 wool socks, we’ve got them. If you want a $30 pair of wool socks, we’ve got them. A Cub Scout going camping for the first time has different needs than an established hunter.

“We try to find what’s good for that person or good enough for them.”

And for those seeking items at a good price, Sherper’s has its Lost C Section.

“If you’re looking for discounts, we’ve got close out, scratch-and-dent stuff,” Scherper said. “It might not be perfect, but it’ll do the job.”

The corner is called the Lost C for a reason that hearkens back to Sherper’s earliest days, Scherper said. Sam Scherper was just about ready to open his store, and the last thing he needed was the sign. The sign that fit all the letters in Scherper’s was too expensive, so he bought the size smaller and just eliminated the “C” to create Sherper’s.

“Our family members keep the C,” Scherper said. “The store continues on as Sherper’s.”

It was a lesson, he said.

“Business isn’t always going to be perfect. You have to be frugal too.”

Through the years, Sherper’s has expanded. It moved out of downtown Milwaukee in 1952 and opened its flagship store in Hales Corners, then established its Oconomowoc shop in the late 1970s. The Port store opened in 2018.

Scherper said the family had been looking to establish a store north of Milwaukee at the time and looked at a few locations in Grafton and Cedarburg before their real estate agent suggested the current Port location, which was being developed at the time.

“Driving down the hill and seeing Lake Michigan, it was love at first sight,” he said.

A day later, then Mayor Tom Mlada called him, and two days later three city officials met with Scherper to pitch the community to him.

“I thought, if this community has that type of support for its businesses, it’s a place for us,” Scherper said.

Scherper has been successful, he said, because of employees who are dedicated — he noted all the store managers have been with the store for 10-plus years and a number of employees have 25-plus years tenure — and family members still remain involved, including his sister-in-law Sarah.

He also credited Port officials, Port Main Street Inc. — Scherper has been active in the organization and served as its president for a time — and the business community, singling out Port Washington State Bank for its help during the pandemic.

“I think back and there’s a lot of feeling of being grateful and knowing what other people had to go through to get to the point we are at now,” Scherper said. “There’s a lot of emotion. I’m excited to see what’s next.”