There's a Leelanau landmark for sale at 11738 S Lake Street in Empire (11738 S Lake Street; MLS #1912604). Zoned commercial-residential, longtime locals recall it as the onetime home of the local hardware store. But the most striking aspect of the property is the historic livery barn on the northeast corner of the property. It stands guard at the corner where Lake Street meets Niagara, making it impossible to miss for those going to or coming from the beach.

Listing agent Steve Batdorff says both the store and the barn were built about 1900, though the former has since been renovated. Not so with the barn, however. Batdorff says its clear-span upper level is like being in the belly of a whale.

The 5.34-acre parcel includes an 8,400 square foot pole building and two sheds previously used for storing lumber. The site is just a five-minute stroll from the town’s beaches on Lake Michigan and South Bar Lake, and like the rest of Empire, it’s surrounded by Sleeping Bear Dunes National Park.

Property Watch is sponsored by Venture Properties. If you are thinking of selling, call Venture Properties 231-631-2119 to find out what your property is worth or get an instant online Property Evaluation based on sold properties in your area (no obligation).