I remember the first time I saw that Mars Cheese Castle sign looming large over the Wisconsin highway.
I was ten years old, and the promise of pulling over for some of that delicious Wisconsin cheese was about all I could hope for. The thought of all those kitschy trinkets, the smell of frying bacon, and the lure of squeakily fresh cheese curds were almost too much to bear. And yet, even as an adult, the call of the castle is still exceedingly strong.
The fact is, if Wisconsin is well-known for anything besides cheese, it is our landmark roadside cheese stores. The most famous of all is the Mars Cheese Castle, located along I-94 between Kenosha and Racine. The Mars Cheese Castle has welcomed travelers to America’s Dairyland since 1947, offering visitors the option to purchase delicious cheeses, beer, sausage, or knick-knacks, grab a reuben sandwich at their home-style restaurant, sample a piece of
kringle, stollen, kolacky and rugulach from the bakery, or have a drink at their bar.
Phil Wehrmeister, who owns the store with his brother-in-law, Mario Ventura Jr., says Mars has always catered to travelers with a craving for a little piece of Wisconsin. “Whether it’s cheese, wine, food or souvenirs, I try to deal firsthand with Wisconsin dealers,” Wehrmeister notes. “We have Nueske’s meats and Usinger’s brats.” They also stock more than 350 varieties of cheese. In addition to offering familiar Wisconsin varieties, such as Swiss, Colby, Brick and various ages of Cheddar, Mars Cheese Castle also offers Wisconsin specialty items, such as flavored and smoked cheeses, cheese curds and small waxed-coated cheeses shaped in the form of footballs, the state of Wisconsin and Bucky Badger, the much loved mascot of the University of Wisconsin.
Interestingly, although its name would suggest otherwise, the original Mars wasn’t even really a castle.
“The castle was my father-in-law’s idea – Mario Ventura Sr,” says Wehrmeister, “He thought big, and his idea of something grandiose was a castle. The original store was an old school house on that same corner that my father-in-law bought in 1947. It burned to the ground in 1957 and he moved to the building in back of it, which had been a service station. He converted it into a store and from there it grew. He was always knocking out walls and adding on as he got the money – he was always doing something to improve his store.”
The original Mars Cheese Castle closed its doors in February to accommodate a $1.9 billion freeway-widening project. Their iconic sign has been moved to accommodate the highway expansion project, but will still be visible to drivers, thanks to a special provision from the state. In 2009, lawmakers voted to allow the company to move and keep the 90-foot-tall sign despite a statewide ban on signs that tall.
And, when the store front reopens at 9 a.m. on Friday, March 4, it will have moved just 800 feet west to a new 24,000-square foot store. This time, it’s a real castle.
Built with castle brick, the new location features a turret and various other Medieval touches. The new 24,000-square-foot facility includes updated versions of Mars Cheese Castle mainstays—the tavern, cheese and deli department, gift shop, bakery and wine shop. The lunch counter will continue to serve up its famous Reuben sandwiches and customers can enjoy their meal in the family or lounge dining areas. The bakery will still offer its signature spiral Cheddar bread as well as cookies, doughnuts and cinnamon bread.
In addition to special in-store tastings and demos throughout the month of March, Mars will also host champion cheese carver, Troy Landwehr, who will carve a Mammoth Cheddar for the store’s grand opening event on March 26.
Nueske’s Bacon?
Wisconsin Cheese?
In a castle?
It’s so cheesy, it’s perfect.
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Mars’ Cheese Castle
2800 120th Ave.
Kenosha, WI 53144
1-800-655-6147
www.marscheese.com
