Caught by the last, year round Commercial Fisherman on Washington Island. Our business owner: Ken Koyen. History of The Koyen Collection
In 1983 Ken Koyen, the proprietor of K.K. Fiske, built the Koyen Collection, which housed an assortment of businesses with various owners. The Other businesses at the time included Elderd Ellefson’s realty office, Julian Hagen’s ice cream shop, Laura Findley-Hagen’s jewelry shop, and a butchers shop and deli operated by Kirby Cornell. Eventually the other businesses moved on, leaving K.K. Fiske Restaurant to expand. (Ken's initials) and Fiske (the Danish word meaning Fish) began as a shop to where sport fisherman could bring their catch to be cleaned, wrapped and smoked. Eventually evolving into a full scale restaurant. In addition to the original restaurant, the building has expanded in the past two decades. The Granary Saloon was added in 2000. Originally an actual granary that was relocated from Zander, WI, a small farming community near the Green Bay area. Ken took apart the old building by hand and rebuilt it on the Island as the first addition to the building. Our latest addition to the Koyen Collection is “The Coop Hangout” which is an outdoor bar providing the perfect island atmosphere to catch the breeze, grab a cold drink, and immerse yourself in Island community. We also welcome pets at the Coop Hangout! The Story Behind Lawyers
The Lawyer fish is a delicacy found exclusively in The Koyen Collection. This fish has been called by many names: It's proper name Burbot, but definitely has many other slang names such as: Eel Pout, Mud Shark or more aptly named poor man's lobster. We however call them “Lawyers” because of the location of their guilty heart's, which is in an area where things normally come out not in, if you catch my drift? Being the only fresh water Cod in North America, its taste is light, sweet and very mildly fishy with a slightly firmer texture than most fish. Ken Koyen catches the Lawyers and the Whitefish fresh out of the surrounding waters of Washington Island. So we always suggest trying our fresh fish.
