The sandwiches at the Village Cheese Shanty are a big hit for many reasons.

They’re huge, fresh and loaded with top-shelf ingredients, plenty of which (including the bread and their signature herb mayo) are made daily on site. And at $12, they remain a bargain in today’s skyrocketing lunch climate.

But for many people, including those who run the joint, the food is only half the story. Whether you’re a fan of the South Shore or insist on the Log Jam, most of the fun lies in the energy and tradition this immensely popular Fishtown shop exudes, particularly during the summer rush.

It’s all part of a larger feedback loop: People crave these sandwiches, and indeed the whole experience of getting one (this is especially true for tourists). And those behind the counter who bust their humps to fill the orders get a kick out of knowing they get to provide great food and good vibes to people in town, across the state and around the country. 

“I’m immensely (proud),” longtime owner Dave Kareck tells The Ticker. “Everybody’s happy when they’re coming down here, and we just really enjoy making them happy. Our life’s work – my life's work – is making other people happy, and that’s pretty cool.”

Kareck is joined by his son Owen, daughter Tatum and wife Jennifer in running the shanty, along with a small team of mostly college students home for the summer.

“We love what we do. We love being here. It’s why we come back and why our staff comes back,” Owen tells The Ticker. “And for customers to love it as well, and for them to keep us going and doing what we enjoy doing, it’s just super special, and it’s…validating and encouraging.”

The shop was opened in 1977 by Eloise Fahs, whose husband Harold regularly flew to Wisconsin for specialty cheeses. Eloise was the daughter of Blue Bird founders Martin and Leone Telgard, whose grandson Skip Telgard still helms that neighboring Leland icon.

It was 1997 when Eloise was looking to hang it up, and a chance conversation with a then 26-year-old Dave at the Leland Lodge resulted in him taking the reins.

“He came home and said ‘Hey, Eloise told me I’m taking over the shanty in a month,’” Jennifer says.

Dave’s in there as early as 1 a.m. on some days baking fresh bread as fast as he can, perhaps putting some extra love into the famous pretzel bread he introduced years ago. He finally broke down and got a second oven just last year, giving him more output and a backup plan if the main oven goes down. 

“I like to get everything I do done before my first employees get in, so I’m not in their way,” he says. “I use the whole space to make bread; there’s trays all over the place.”

The rest of the crew gets in later and is ready to deal with what can be a mad crush in the summer. As one might expect, it’s a well-oiled machine with everyone working very closely to keep the line as short as possible.

“We have people whose only job all day is just to get the sandwiches for an order in the correct bag to then give to the people at the window, who then get it to the people that have been waiting,” Owen says.

That’s not to say there isn’t stress, particularly on those super busy summer weekends where the line can grow long and the stakes can seem high, even if it’s just a sandwich. The Karecks hear over and over again how far people have come for their favorites. 

“There’s a little bit of pressure on the sandwich makers,” Jennifer says. “This is what people came all the way here for. They’ve driven from Ludington or wherever, and they just can’t wait to get it. So we can’t get this wrong.”

There have been, of course, larger challenges as well. COVID was a big blow, and rising food costs continue to apply pressure. Then there was the 2019 flooding that eventually resulted in much of Fishtown being raised, along with the entirety of the Cheese Shanty.

“I had a big squeegee on a stick, and my job for eight hours a day was to keep the water out,” Owen says. (“He was fighting Lake Michigan, and that just was a losing battle,” Jennifer adds.)

The shop remained closed off to customers for several years after COVID, with all transactions conducted through a window. It was nice to have more space to prepare sandwiches, the Karecks say, though they know that people being inside the shanty itself is a key part of the experience. To that end, they're glad to have reopened the doors. 

“We like to have live music, people singing, and we like people to see what we're doing," Tatum says. "And we know it’s fun for them to of fully dive into the atmosphere and the loudness and the craziness."

Though Dave and Jennifer have plenty of years left, and Owen and Tatum are still in their early 20s, the plan is for the kids to eventually take over.

“We do really enjoy this being a family business, I love working with my family,” Owen says. “So yeah, to continue it as a family business down the road is definitely a goal of mine.”

The Village Cheese Shanty opens for the 29th season under Kareck ownership this Friday (April 17) at 9 a.m., though staffers will be active on the phones Thursday from 10-4 taking orders for opening day.