Mealtime will be healthier with a stop at Silver Creek Market

MANAGER JENNIFER CUMMINS, left, and owner Shirley Lenz will run Silver Creek All Natural Market and Cafe, as soon as the former Dairy Queen building’s renovations are complete later this summer.   Ian Stepleton photo

Shop, cafe will offer all-natural items at former DQ building

by Ian Stepleton
ians@riponprinters.com

Eight years ago, an area couple was ready to move on to a new chapter of their lives. The children of farmers, Jerry and Shirley Lenz passed their car dealership on to their two sons, and purchased more than 200 acres near Green Lake.

That passion led to Lenz’s Green Lake Meadows, where they have several hundred head of grass-fed cattle. Now, their dream has taken the next step.

Knowing the benefits of eating grass-fed beef, they’re hoping to share it with others at a new store in Ripon. Silver Creek All Natural Market and Cafe will open in the former Dairy Queen building, located just west of the intersection of West Fond du Lac and Union streets.

It will be managed by Jennifer Cummins, while the Lenz family owns the property and business. By June or July, the store and cafe will open, offering all-natural foods — including the grass-fed beef the Lenz’s raise — as well as serve meals that may be eaten on-site or taken to go.

So far, people have been receptive to the idea.

“We went around town, and … [one guy] couldn’t wait until we open up because his wife goes to Milwaukee for this stuff,” Shirley Lenz said. “We find a lot of people who are going, ‘I don’t know what’s wrong with me; my doctors don’t know what’s wrong with me,’” Cummins said. “But before you know it they start changing up their food, they get more energy, they feel better.”

Cummins got to know the Lenz’s because she, too, was seeking a healthier option.

“She started coming out to my farm and buying my meat three years ago,” Lenz said. “At first she found it at the village market in Fond du Lac.”

“Then, one day, I went out to the farm and that’s how we met,” Cummins said.

“That’s when I said, ‘Hey, I’ve got the right person here,’” Lenz said of choosing Cummins to manage the new store and cafe. “She said, ‘You know so much just from [your] own personal experience,’” Cummins said, noting she has experience shopping for such items, but also “then I also have food and restaurant skills behind it.”

When the store opens this summer, it will specialize in harder-to-find, healthy foods. Available will be the grass-fed beef from Lenz’s farm. Also sold will be all-natural pork, chickens, eggs, butter, juices, milk, cheeses and produce.

“There wasn’t anything around like this anywhere,” Lenz said. “You really have to travel to find good, all-natural food. I think people are going to appreciate what we’re going to have.” Want all-natural ice cream, too?

Sassy Cow Creamery will sell its cold treat at Silver Creek All Natural Market. “They’re nice, Wisconsin farmers we’d like to support …,” Cummins said. “We’ve actually met the farmers and toured the facility out of Columbus.” Renard’s Bakery will sell its breads, while the market also will carry gluten-free and allergy-sensitive items.

“All they have to do is come into our store and say, ‘Can you carry this because we go to Milwaukee for this?’” Lenz said. “We are very open to helping people. We don’t just want to put what we want on the shelf; we want them to tell us, ‘This is what I need …’ We won’t have a huge retail section, but we want to cater to those special needs as well.” “Even if you can’t eat gluten, at least you can come here and get a burger with a gluten-free bun,” Cummins said.

That will be one of many items available on the cafe side of the shop. “We’d like to have a place you can come to pick up your staples, and if you want to pick up your meat from us, we’ll cook your burger,” Cummins said, “because not everybody loves to cook.”

The menu, which is still in development, won’t be extensive but will offer a nice variety and will change from time to time. Items could include a pulled-beef sandwich, sloppy Joes and other favorites.

“They can go ahead and order their lunch; we’ll make it for them, or they can take it or eat it here,” Lenz said. “Anything from hot sandwiches to soups, salads, desserts,” Cummins said.

“We will have things sitting in the deli case you can swing in and go [as well].” It will be a few more weeks, though, before such items will be available. Lenz is still completing a major overhaul of the building. “We’ve gutted the whole building out, from top to bottom,” she said, noting they stripped the building down to the bare cement walls.

“This whole place is brand new.” Soon, the outside will be renovated as well to reflect the farm-fresh business it houses. “We were trying to make it look more like a little farm,” Cummins said. “I think there are a lot of people who are excited to see [the building get put back together]. I think it’s kind of ironic that we’ll be serving ice cream and burgers … Just a little twist on [what’s always been served here].”

Others have said they’re ready to shop at Silver Creek All Natural Market and Cafe just as soon as it opens. “We’re very excited. We’ve met some really nice people,” Lenz said. “Our insurance guy said, ‘Yeah, that’s all we eat,’” Cummins added. “I’m surprised at the open arms to this. We just went out for lunch around town and talked to people who said, ‘We’re so excited; we can’t wait.’ Wow! “… It’s really reassuring,” she said.

Want to know more about the business as it gets ready to open?

For now, the best way to keep tabs on Silver Creek All Natural Market and Cafe is to follow it on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/SilverCreekAllNaturalMarket.