UPDATE: 9/5/2014 There was a major fire discovered at the restaurant at 5:30 this morning by a passing Marinette County Deputy Sheriff. There was major damage and they will be closed for the season I'm sure. We all hope Mark and Amy will rebuild and continue making that fabulous chicken!
7/27/2012 Tribute to John Shaffer and his mother’s famous chicken, since 1949. John died Monday at the age of 92 in Crivitz. A little of John’s history and obituary are below. An outstanding, successful businessman who had to quit school after the eighth grade! John’s son, Mark and his wife now own Shaffer Park resort and serve the best tasting chicken that I and my wife have ever had! If you ever get to the northwoods of Wisconsin, 5 miles west of Crivitz, you’ve got to try it. It’s one of our first stops every year when we go back.
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| WBAY.com 9/5/2014 |
From Mark’s wife Amy’s blog:
Vacation, recreation, relaxation; there are many reasons why people seek a northern lifestyle. For many, consumption is near or at the top of the list. When up north people like to take a break from their daily diet and dig into something hardy or even sinful like a greasy burger, big bowl of chili or deep-fried cheese curds. One such northern gastronomical delight can be found just a few miles outside of Crivitz, Wisconsin at Shaffer Park Resort on the Peshtigo River.
Since 1941 Shaffer’s, as it’s plainly known by the locals, has been serving up huge helpings of delicious fried chicken. It’s hard to know if anything else on the menu is actually available from the kitchen because everyone comes for the chicken. On any given evening as you walk into Shaffer’s you’ll see people walking out with big greasy bags of chicken to take home to their cottages and cabins. People from Green Bay drive an hour just for the chicken.
This is a classic Wisconsin supper club, and no you don’t have to become a member to eat and drink here. Generally speaking, a supper club means you order at the bar while having your beverage of choice and only get seated at your table just before the food is ready to be served. Order up and settle in for a long wait; this is the most popular restaurant in the immediate area. In the summer sit outside and watch the Peshtigo River flowing by; in the winter watch the snowmobilers roll in and line up for fortification before returning to the cold trails.
Mrs. Shaffer’s famous chicken is greasy and delicious. It would probably be illegal to serve it in New York City. The meal is served with all the classic supper club fixings dinner rolls, breadsticks, relish tray, cranberry sauce, potato, coleslaw or salad. You’ll even get a delicious homemade cookie for dessert.
There are a lot of great eats up north, make a point of stopping by Shaffer’s and digging into the chicken some evening.
And please let us know about your experience at Shaffer’s or about any other ‘Great Northern Eats‘ you’ve discovered.
John Frank Shaffer, 92, of Crivitz died peacefully of old age on July 23, 2012. He was born January 29, 1920 on the family farm in Crivitz, just up the road from Shaffer Park Resort. His parents were John and Ursula (Delach) Shaffer. He was the fifth child of seven, and the first boy of two. John attended grades 1-8 in a small one room country school. He walked 1.5 miles to and from school daily. He left school to work full time on the family farm. At 14, his first paying job was loading 100 pound sacks of potatoes into rail cars in Crivitz for 10 cents an hour. John enlisted in the Army in 1941. He served in the South Pacific operating steam powered cranes at supply docks in Australia and the Philippines until the end of WW II. After the war, he returned to Crivitz. John was encouraged by his mother to buy property on the Peshtigo River, where he continued her fried chicken business with her help and his sister, Stella. John married Clarissa "June" Witt, May 1, 1948. June passed June 23, 2004. They shared 56 years of marriage, including many long hours growing their thriving business and enjoying a few major trips to Australia, Europe with winters in Port Charlotte, Florida. Daughter, Clarice died tragically at the age of 14. She would have been 50 years in 2012. In 1949, Shaffer Park as opened in current location on the Sandstone Flowage. In 1959, the West Motel was built. In 1971, the East Motel was built. Sandstone Lodge and Banquet Hall was built in 1973. Shaffer Park Resort is proudly continued by his son and daughter-in-law - Mark and Amy Shaffer. John was a charter member of the Crivitz Lions Club and the Crivitz Recreation Association. He was a member of the Marinette County Tavern League, the Wisconsin Restaurant Association, Elks, American Legion, and Knights of Columbus. John was a strong promoter and supporter of snowmobiling in the area. Sandstone was the first designated snowmobiling property with over 600 acres. He introduced hundreds to the new sport at the motel by providing them with Skidoos machines. He helped established the Iron Shoe Snowmobile Club by giving them a loan for their first trail groomer. He worked hard with the Crivitz Lions Club to introduce the first snowmobile races - possibly the first in Wisconsin. John also donated the funds for the Shaffer Family Pavilion in the Crivitz VFW Park. He is survived by his sons, Mark (Amy) and Roger Shaffer of Crivitz, grandchildren; Jasen of Boulder, Maren of Baltimore, Lisa of Albuquerque, and Sara of Milwaukee; great grandchildren, Gunar and Ryder of Boulder. Also surviving is his baby sister, Eleanor Krejci of Brookfield, and 2 sisters-in-law, June Witt of Crivitz and Ann Witt of Shawano. His deceased siblings are Ann, Josephine, Stella, Em, and Edward. Friends may call at Rhodes-Charapata Funeral Home, 801 George St., Crivitz from 4-8 p.m. on Monday, July 30th with a wake services at 7 p.m. Visitation continues on Tuesday at the funeral home from 9 - 10:15 a.m. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held Tuesday at St. Mary Catholic Church, Crivitz at 10:30 a.m. Concelebrating the Mass will be Rev. Walter Stumpf and Rev. Jack Harper. Burial will be in the church cemetery with Military Rites by the Crivitz American Legion. Pallbearers will Frank Krejci, Michael Shaffer, Bruce Witt, Jack Witt, Pat Witt, and Steve Witt. Honorary pallbearer will be Thomas Gerbyshak. Thank you to John's caregivers and Unity Hospice. We Appreciate their care and support. In lieu of flowers, please send a donation to Bank North in Memory of John Shaffer. A donation will be made to a local charity. Please visit www.rhodes-charapata.com to express online condolences and view video tribute.
John's son Mark Shaffer and his wife Amy
UPDATE: August 2, 2015
Message from Amy Shaffer's Facebook page:
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Message from Amy Shaffer's Facebook page:
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