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June 30, 2025
EPHRAIM – Thor Johnson – owner of Door County Boats’ rental division – has expanded his operation to three locations following the 2025 addition of South Shore Pier in Ephraim.
Johnson said the new location solidifies his desire to connect the peninsula and make boat travel easier.
“I truly enjoy getting people out on the water in Door County,” he said.
A love for the industry
Johnson, 27, said he’s been interested in the boating industry for as long as he can remember.
However, since his family wasn’t really interested in the outdoors, much less the boating industry, no one in his family ever owned a boat.
Nonetheless, Johnson said that didn’t stop his fascination with the industry.
When he was 16 – living in Sister Bay at the time – Johnson said he went to work for a local boat rental business, branching out from his family’s restaurant business to follow his passion.
This eventually led to him purchasing the boat rental side of Door County Boats in 2020.
The Minnesota State University-Mankato graduate said although he has long wanted to have a presence at South Shore Pier, things didn’t quite line up to make that happen until this year.
“Acquiring this location will almost double my current rental fleet – bringing it to 35 boats,” he said. “This gives me the ability to offer many more ways to experience Door County the best way possible – on the water.”
In his blood
Though he didn’t follow in his family’s restaurant footsteps, Johnson said he definitely got the entrepreneurial bug from them.
In an ode to his grandfather Al’s legacy, he said he hopes to be to the boating industry what his grandfather was to many he helped along the way with the success of Al Johnson’s Swedish Restaurant & Butik.
During college – where he majored in business and marketing – he said his entrepreneurship classes often sparked ideas of business ownership.
Though, owning and operating a boat rental company, Johnson said, wasn’t among them until the opportunity presented itself.
And though he may not have necessarily been ready to leap into business ownership right out of college, he said the opportunity was too good to pass up.
Since purchasing the boat rental side of Door County Boats in 2020, Johnson said he has been working to bring the fleet up to full capability and capacity.
Johnson said the biggest adjustment for him has been remembering that even though he is younger, he is still the boss.
Being a young entrepreneur, however, he said, also helps him connect with his team of 25 people – many of whom are younger.
“Because of how old I am, I can still relate to them and make the job a fun and enjoyable environment where they can learn and grow,” he said.
Gaining momentum
Looking back on his first few years as an entrepreneur, Johnson said the COVID-19 pandemic definitely helped him hit the ground running as a newbie to business ownership.
Advertising the boat rental business as an ideal social-distancing activity, coupled with the nice weather, he said, supported strong company growth.
“Nobody wanted to go to a public beach – however, they wanted to get a boat, so right when June 2020 hit, it was full throttle in Door County,” he said.
As the business continued to gain momentum, Johnson said the opportunity to purchase the South Shore Pier boat rental company arose.
Now, guests staying in Ephraim, he said, will not have to drive to the other locations for boat rentals.
Johnson said he knows it’s all about “location, location, location,” and he scored a good one with the South Shore Pier in Ephraim.
“Ephraim will provide more convenience to things like Nicolet Bay and the beach at Peninsula State Park, Horseshoe Island and the other islands, too,” he said.
When choosing a location to set up shop, Johnson said he considers what renters might want to do after their trip.
Sister Bay, he said, is perfect for those looking to keep the party going, while Egg Harbor offers two boats and ample parking, making access a breeze.
And now, Johnson said Ephraim stands out with its own dedicated parking lot and prime access to Wilson’s – “home to some of the best ice cream in Door County” – which is located right across the street from the marina.
Door County’s maritime tourism
Johnson said there are a few things to consider for maritime tourism in Door County.
For starters, he said, the peak busy season is relatively short – from Memorial Day to Labor Day traditionally.
That’s roughly 14-18 weekends and 130 days on average, Johnson said.
This, he said, is a key point to think about when you consider how many people travel to the peninsula.
Johnson said he also embraces the history of the area and said the best way to learn more about it is to get out on the water.
Within the vicinity of Ephraim and South Shore Pier, he said there is Peninsula State Park with Nicolet Bay Beach, Horseshoe Island, the Strawberry Islands and Anderson Dock – characterizing “the Door County shoreline as one of the most beautiful you’ll see.”
“You see the bluffs, you see the homes, a lot of times you’ll see eagles flying around,” he said. “If it’s early enough in the season, the water is crystal clear and you can see 25-30 feet down. I love the history up here on the water.”
Options
Being unique, Johnson said, is key – especially during peak season.
He said one of the aspects that makes his company stand out is how it connects the peninsula.
“You can start at South Shore Pier in Ephraim and either go north to Sister Bay or south to Egg Harbor (with the docking options we have),” he said.
Door County Boats rental options, Johnson said, include pontoons of all sizes, jet skis and speed boats.
Furthermore, he said they also offer tubing, wakeboarding, water skiing, kneeboarding, lily pads and even coolers of ice for boat renters.
Johnson said Door County Boats offers hourly, half-day, full-day and multi-day rental options at all three of its locations.
All boats and pontoons, he said, are wheelchair accessible and dog friendly.
Rentals at each location vary, Johnson said, with additional details available at doorcountyboats.com.
All boats in the Door County Boats rental fleet, he said, are no older than four years and in “pristine condition” – referencing the company’s strict maintenance programs to ensure a quality ride for any type of driver or rider.
“We are the peninsula’s premier top-of-the-line boat and watercraft rental company, allowing people and families to be their own captain out on the water,” he said. “We keep expanding our fleet to offer new things. We listen to our customers’ wants and needs, and we make it happen.”
