Green Grocer keeps it fresh

Where the food is real and the people are too

Green Grocer keeps things local, simple and delicious

by Sandra Landen Machaj

CORRESPONDENT

When the Bay Centre building on Geneva Street was built over 100 years ago, it is unlikely that its owners considered that in the 21st century it would still be used for a successful business and still continue to look much as it did when built.

More surprising is that some of the features that made it a showcase, such as the brick walls, hardwood floors and tin ceiling, would continue to be present in the building and part of the ambiance that today’s customers enjoy.

More than 12 years ago, Jennifer Veith and her business partner Dawn Marie Mancuso opened the Green Grocer at 24 Geneva Street in the Bay Centre building, Williams Bay. Familiar with the building as they are also partners in the Coldwater Spa already located there, they were extremely pleased when the adjoining space became available. They went on to add Jennifer’s sister, Jane Larson to the ownership team.

Interested in health and wellness, they felt that a green grocery adjacent to the spa was the perfect partner. Since both are careful of the types of food they eat, they began plans for a grocery store that provided clean healthy foods, without unnecessary additives. And so, the Green Grocer and Café was born.

Rather than trying to update the building they embraced its historic features. A walk into the Green grocer is a walk into a corner grocery store of the past. The hardwood floors show the years of wear as customers made their way through the building. Occasionally you step on a board that offers

The checkout counter is always busy, especially during the lunch hour when local residents and visitors stop in to pick up their sandwiches, pizza or salads.

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Monday thru Friday 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Tel: (262) 551-9821 Fax: (262) 551-9843

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a squeak as old-time hardwood floors tend to do after many years of traffic and settling.

Looking up at the high ceiling, the traditional tin tiles can be seen just as they were in the early days of the building. A full-service grocery

Just as in a grocery store of earlier times, there are many products on the display shelves. While the store is small by today’s standard, most of what shoppers are looking for can be found.

“The difference in our products from what one finds in the bigger supermarkets and big box stores is that we have organic or as clean as possible foods,” Veith said.

Although some fresh vegetables are kept in the cooler, there is a display of what is available in the center of the store. Fresh fruits and vegetables are from local farms. All are freshly harvested and full of the elements needed for good nutrition.

“Again, we work with organic local farmers to bring in fresh and healthy fruits and vegetables,” said Veith. “We also differ from the larger stores in that we only carry fruits and vegetables that are in season. One of the reasons for that is cost. If we carried say, asparagus, all year round rather than when it is just in season, it would mean we had to purchase it from farther away. That of course would raise the cost astronomically.”

The deli section of the store seems to be among the most popular. Customers come in to purchase sandwiches, salads, soups or pizzas for their lunch and enjoy it inside or out front at tables on pleasant days. Others take their food to go and enjoy it on the beach or their boat or just take it home to enjoy.

“The lunch meats we carry are Boar’s Head because, while they are not organic, they are the closest to organic that we can find. They do not put any unnecessary fillers into their products,” Veith said. Fresh salads

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The store creates its own tuna, egg and chicken salads in-house and in small batches. The salads are made fresh each day, sometime several times during the day.

“We do small batches so that it is as fresh in the morning as it is at 4 p.m. When we run out one of the staff members will whip up another batch. All our employees have to know how to make the chicken, tuna, and egg salad so that they can pitch in to prepare a new batch,” Veith said. “We use local Yuppie Hill eggs which are technically not organic but are clean products and we love their quality.”

According to Veith, during the pandemic their business continued to do well as more customers were concerned about eating healthy and safe foods.

“We are also seeing people changing their eating habits,” added Veith. “They are looking for healthier foods rather than just going to the nearest fast-food place when they need to pick up something to eat.”

More people are becoming vegan and dairy free for environmental and health reasons. Whatever their reasons, many people are adding more vegetables and fresh fruits to their diets and receiving the nutrients they need from these sources.

“In addition to vegans there are more people becoming gluten free, again some by medical necessity and others by choice,” said Veith. “So, we have added some products for those who need to remain gluten free. Our soups, which are made in house daily, are gluten free as we do not add any flour or other gluten to thicken them. We also have some gluten-free breads to make sandwiches and the Boar’s Head meats are gluten free and there are no unnecessary additives.”

Those on gluten-free diets often have difficulty purchasing the ingredients needed to produce some of their favorite and familiar foods. The Green Grocer carries a large selection of mixes and ingredients to make foods such as pancakes and gluten-free breads. They also carry gluten free breads.

This year Green Grocer added Troubadour Bakery items for sale. The breads and other bakery are products of the Collectivo Coffee Company. They are the same high quality as the hand-roasted coffee that Collectivo is known to produce. Located in Milwaukee, Troubadour attempts to source all of its baking materials from local suppliers. Large wine selection

Reminiscent of a grocery store from the past, with its tin ceiling and worn hardwood floors, the Green grocer carries a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables that are in season on local farms.

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The Green Grocer is well known for its supply of wines. The first display is seen when walking in the front door and various displays are found throughout the store. The wines are not necessarily familiar as a large number of them are unique to the area and come from places such as New Zealand, Europe and California.

“Most of the wines we carry come from small wineries that are recommended by our vendor,” Veith said. “For the most part they are not the wines seen in the bigger wine stores. We are not looking to duplicate the larger advertised wines of the bigger stores but to offer our customers a unique wine experience and the ability to discover new varietals that they would not find in the larger stores. We offer both red and white wines, sweet or dry to please the customer.”

It seems that the Green Grocer is continuously expanding. The store has a full liquor license so it is possible to come in and enjoy a cocktail or a glass of wine with their lunch.

The owners have opened an additional space in the building by cutting through the brick wall and creating a space for a coffee or wine bar, which they share with Steamer’s Coffee, a separately owned business.

This year they have added smoothies and juicing which is in the Coffee Bar of Green Grocer.

“The juicing started in February after we received many requests. It has been a nice addition to our menu. We also began serving gelato this year. “

The gelato has become a favorite on hot days and is carried in a number of flavors. Some of the gelato flavors are also vegan.

Green Grocer customers seem to come from everywhere. According to Veith, they have some local customers who do the majority of their grocery shopping at the store. Others come just for some of their grocery needs or to enjoy a quick and healthy lunch while visiting the area. Some of the visitors to Williams Bay are looking for a quieter, more peaceful stay at the lake than found in the busier City of Lake Geneva.

Green Grocer and Café is at 24 W. Geneva Street, Williams Bay. Hours are 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday and from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday. To place orders for pickup or delivery call 262-245-9077.

from top left: A variety of wines, mostly from small organic wineries are available. Customers are invited to try some of the special brands offered here to find a new favorite; Visitors to Green Grocer may opt to enjoy a smoothie or a cup of Steamers coffee in the shared café space before or after finishing their grocery shopping; On a recent day, visitors to the Green Grocer enjoy their lunch on a patio in front of the store.