Hotel is Fremont’s missing link

By James Card

The Cobblestone Inn & Suites’ first day of business was Friday, Nov. 11.

A number of vehicles were in the freshly paved parking lot and they had 75% occupancy for the inaugural night. The two-story hotel has 45 rooms.

Upon entering, the lobby has a sofa in front of a fireplace and above the mantle is a flat-screen television.

On the other side of the lobby are a business center nook with a computer and printer and a coffee-and-tea bar.

At the head of the lobby is the check-in counter that is adjoined with a small shop offeriing beverages, snacks and toiletries.

Off to the side of that area is a conference room with tables that can be adjusted in round or rectangular configurations.

Across the hallway is the bar and breakfast buffet. The buffet has a hearty menu of hot-served foods and standard breakfast staples.

There is a small bar area in this room for the evening hours. They are licensed to serve beer and wine. It is open to the public from 3 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. This room leads to an outdoor patio with tables.

There is a laundry room and a small fitness room with a treadmill, an elliptical machine and a dumbbell rack. There are two specialty rooms that have whirlpool baths.

Famioly proprietors

The hotel is owned by Fred and Nicole Lemens. The property has been in their family for more than years.

Nicole’s father owned it, rented out the Wolf River Diner and was waiting for the right kind of project to develop the location. He passed away in July 2020.

The Lemens family already opened a Cobblestone in Little Chute so Nicole decided to pick up where her father left off.

“Seeing what Fremont really needed – the missing link was a hotel. Since we already had a relationship with Cobblestone, it was the perfect fit. Cobblestone’s motto is ‘big-city quality, small-town value.’ It fits with small municipalities so it was perfect with Fremont,” she said.

The classic art-deco Wolf River Diner neon sign still stands and still works and just needs to be hooked up. It will be on during the grand opening at 3 p.m. Friday, Dec. 2 with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 4 p.m.

A Stone Arch beer trailer will serve beverages and there will be a charcuterie board and drawings and giveaways. The hotel employs six staffers and can be contacted for reservations at 920-551-5055.