ALGOMA, Wis. (WFRV) – A fire back in July at Bearcats Fish House in Algoma caused damages to the building and had two people get evaluated for smoke inhalation, and now the store announced its plans moving forward.

According to Bearcats Fish House, the decision to not rebuild or reopen the Algoma store was made after conversations with an insurance provider, banker, general contracts and others. The store says that it became evident that the insurance coverage, high costs of rebuilding, labor shortages and long lead times on equipment would prevent them from rebuilding.

Back on July 16, Bearcats’ Algoma location caught fire and even closed parts of WIS 42.

‘Overwhelming’ was used to describe the loss of the store under the circumstances.

Bearcats also thanked their employees for the relationships that were formed.

We are grateful to our employees and for the amazing relationships we have formed within the community. You have shown us nothing but kindness and support over the years.

Bearcats Fish House – Algoma

Bearcats also wanted to remind the community that they are real people and this decision was not easy to make. They mentioned that they suffered a major loss during the events of the fire.

For those looking to enjoy the products from Bearcats, they can still purchase them at their Green Bay location. Construction at the Green Bay location started in Oct., and the expanded retail space is expected to open in Jan. 2022.