8 Unexpected design details of Doc’s Donkey Barn

If you know me well you know that I have an extremely soft spot for little donkeys. Of all the barn yard creatures people have tried to persuade me to get over the years they are the one I am actually preparing to have. We took steps towards future black burro ownership with the masonry work that happened this spring on our barn, but we still have a little ways to go.

Meanwhile I can still enjoy the fleet over at Doc’s Harley Davidson in Bonduel when I am passing thru. I remember when Doc’s was just a small bike shop in Shawano with a pot bellied pig. Now it is an impressive compound with shopping, food and a menagerie of animals. The structures showcase a joyful creativity and ingenuity that is unique to Doc. I found myself really taking note of the donkey barn and all the ways this building has been made just a little extra special.

Here’s 8 Unexpected design features of Doc’s Donkey Barn!

There are giant ants on the roof

I’m not sure if there is a story to the ants, as Doc throws a biker rally on these grounds every year and often builds things to fit the theme, the remnants of which find themselves incorporated into backdrops and animal habitats. Whatever the source of inspiration for these ants (I would like to think of them as the ones in “Honey I Shrunk the Kids”) they are just the kind of roadside oddity that makes a trip here memorable.

The windows are reclaimed

Nothing beats a rustic shed look with repurposed windows. The fact that most of these are red and have beautifully intact stain glass is quite the bonus. It gets even better when you realize that some of them are hinged to open so you can interact with the donkeys from inside the shed.

There’s a table made out of a bicycle

Re-purposing at it’s finest. This bicycle table is the perfect addition to a space with a gentle mix of outdoor furniture that blends a theme of a garden shed and welcoming saloon.

There’s a red piano

Not everything has to be colorful. The red that is a reoccurring color among all the natural wood and raw concrete floor especially pops in this environment. The piano becomes a stand out piece that alludes to some story or lore about a “red piano” and one can picture those gathered around it for a fun filled jam session on a hoppin’ summer night.

The other pop of color is this vintage stove

What makes this scene so easy on the eyes is the way the warm weathered tones fade into the background in favor of this one polished piece. Your eye immediately gravitates to the vintage stove, which is a cool nod to the antique vibe in addition to being a great contrast to the other finishes. It also feels authentically placed here in that collected home way we have been discussing. There is an effortless way these items become part of a design that makes the difference between a welcoming space and one that feels overly thought out or messy.

Unique lighting

I have seen light fixtures made out of overturned farm relics before but rarely are they captured in such an appropriate setting. It’s the perfect use of this repurposed pail. The size, the material, the color- all spot on.

Wine bottles turned into stain glass

This is perhaps one of my favorite design elements from this little structure- the way the side windows on the bumped up center roof were filled with colorful bottles to create a custom stain glass effect on both the inside and outside.

It’s that little dazzle and sparkle that I have praised Patina Vie and The Stock Peddler for adding to their interior remodels. When you let the natural wood be exposed (and even the way the underside of this steel roofing is left raw) a little colored glass goes a long way. With nothing to compete with, the vibrant blues and green of the bottles are an unexpected surprise when you look up and a charming way to reiterate that this donkey house is, at it’s core, a place to throw back a good drink or two.

And finally, the reason we’re here: The donkeys

These little guys come to the window and gently eat provided pellets out of your hands. There is no quarter machine, there is no warning or scolding signage. They appear healthy and not overweight. There is a mutual trust among the patrons and these animals that we can have nice things like this when everyone is respectful.

Before you leave, look down at the floor in front of the door. It’s little details like these horseshoe prints that were not forgotten. A moment to personalize yet another piece of this place.

It all makes you realize that care and thought went into making this shed special. It wasn’t thrown together with mismatched finds, it was gathered and collected in a way that reflects personality. I can barely remember that previous shop and the pot bellied pig- I was only a young girl when I tagged along with my dad there- but I do remember that it didn’t feel sterile. Much like this place, I remember it had soul.