So I made my last trip to Bobby Nelson's Cheese shop in Kenosha Wisconsin on Saturday. (no link to a website....because they don't have one!)
An hour and half each way.
They are closing after 70 years of selling Cheese, meats, and Sausages.
You could get aged cheddar, fresh curds, and beef summer sausage...the latter, as the sign out front promised...either Mitt, or Mittout......Mitt Garlic, that is (lots of garlic). I have to keep the "Mitt" outside in the garage 'cause it stinks up the house. But that is some good food. I (used to) go up in that direction every few months, and bring delicacies back for friends
Good old fashioned-needs no refrigeration-hang it up by the string, summer sausage.
Sadly, the kids have their own lives, the proprietors are in their 70's, and no one wants to work enough to buy the business, so after 70 years in business, 40 years with the present owners, they are closing. I bought from, and knew Phyllis and Richard since I went to college in Wisconsin 30+ years ago, and remember my grandfather stopping there with me even before that from when I was about 10....
I have friends who swear by their smoked liver sausage (I can't stand the stuff), others who would kill for their aged (2, 5 10, 15 and 25 year) cheddar,....I like the 5 year and the 10 year, the older stuff is a bit strong for me. I also love the 2 year old swiss.
Sadly, most "Wisconsin" cheese shops are not Wisconsin cheese but imported from all over.
Bobby Nelson's was the real thing.
His property sidelined by the expansion of US41/I-94, and beset by age, Robert and Phyllis are retiring.
I'm so glad that cheese freezes well..... I have 20 lbs of it. Plus sausage. I will be distributing the liver sausage among friends who like it. I bought a whole bunch of all of it, meat, sausage, and cheese.
I bought a bunch 'cause there ain't gonna be no more after this.
I wish Phyllis and Richard well in their retirements.
An hour and half each way.
They are closing after 70 years of selling Cheese, meats, and Sausages.
You could get aged cheddar, fresh curds, and beef summer sausage...the latter, as the sign out front promised...either Mitt, or Mittout......Mitt Garlic, that is (lots of garlic). I have to keep the "Mitt" outside in the garage 'cause it stinks up the house. But that is some good food. I (used to) go up in that direction every few months, and bring delicacies back for friends
Good old fashioned-needs no refrigeration-hang it up by the string, summer sausage.
Sadly, the kids have their own lives, the proprietors are in their 70's, and no one wants to work enough to buy the business, so after 70 years in business, 40 years with the present owners, they are closing. I bought from, and knew Phyllis and Richard since I went to college in Wisconsin 30+ years ago, and remember my grandfather stopping there with me even before that from when I was about 10....
I have friends who swear by their smoked liver sausage (I can't stand the stuff), others who would kill for their aged (2, 5 10, 15 and 25 year) cheddar,....I like the 5 year and the 10 year, the older stuff is a bit strong for me. I also love the 2 year old swiss.
Sadly, most "Wisconsin" cheese shops are not Wisconsin cheese but imported from all over.
Bobby Nelson's was the real thing.
His property sidelined by the expansion of US41/I-94, and beset by age, Robert and Phyllis are retiring.
I'm so glad that cheese freezes well..... I have 20 lbs of it. Plus sausage. I will be distributing the liver sausage among friends who like it. I bought a whole bunch of all of it, meat, sausage, and cheese.
I bought a bunch 'cause there ain't gonna be no more after this.
I wish Phyllis and Richard well in their retirements.
3 comments:
I live in Michigan, about 40 miles from the small town where I spent the first 30 years of my 59 years of life. I have memories of some of the small shops in my small town that have also shut down, due to none of the owners kids wanting to be tied down to the business world. In fact, my parents owned a restaurant for over 30 years before they sold it, to someone else. I have one brother who might have liked to buy it, but they could not afford to do so. I had a job from the age of 18, making 60 grand a year, and was not going to leave that job.
But now my small town has a big building which was a variety store for decades, since before I can remember. It is empty, for the same sort of reasons, but there is a person who wants to buy it and start a marijuana business now that Michigan has legal recreational marijuana. They are fighting over that like you could not even imagine. I am glad I don't live there now.
Sad, but the reality... Nobody wants to work for a living anymore... Much less the descendents... They just want the money.
If you go to Green Bay, here is one of the best cheese shops anywhere,
https://www.nalascheese.com/s/
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