Century Farmhouse Soap to close
Century Farmhouse Soapnbegan at the West Bend Farmers’ Market during the summer of 2001 and the LLC was formed in December 2001.
“West Bend is my home and some of my very first customers still come through our doors to buy soap,” said Ann Marie Craig, owner and founding member of Century Farmhouse.
It was Craig’s work with Country Living Magazine in 2006 that launched her from a “very small” home-kitchen operation to a storefront.
“We were living in my inky dinky little house with 3,000 bars of soap and I had to move it out,” she said. “Someone had to leave and it wasn’t going to be me.”
Finding space took quite a while. Initially located in Barton from 2010 – 2013, Craig was on the verge of closing when the former Hemauer building / paint store opened on Main Street in downtown West Bend.
The adventure in the triangle building included an appearance on John McGivern’s Around the Corner, signature events with West Bend’s DIVA group, and soap-making classes that featured bundles of wonderful lavender.
“Some of the soaps I’ve done for Country Living have had everything from sawdust to ice cream in it,” said Craig. “That was called ‘A Day in the Country.’”
The creations at Country Living have no boundaries and included other items from Mother Nature including melted snow, Hudson River water and even chicken feathers.
The overall decision to close the store “has been extremely difficult” according to Craig but the timing is right both personally and professionally.
Moving forward the focus of the Century Farmhouse brand will broaden toward education rather than soap production and retail.
“I will make tiny batches of soap but the plan is to broaden into more do-it-yourself projects,” said Craig. “If I needed something or wanted something I had to make it because that’s how I grew up so I’m just hoping to capitalize on some of those fun things.”
Although the shop venue will close, Craig will continue to work within the Century Farmhouse brand as a speaker and teacher.
“This was an exceedingly hard decision,” Craig said. “The very hardest thing about this change is saying goodbye to people who have become not just customers but friends, and I want to be certain to thank everyone who has played a role in our successes over the years.”
Working in downtown West Bend, according to Craig, has been extremely rewarding. “The environment in downtown West Bend is fabulous,” she said. “Everybody works together and the DIVA group is an amazing group; it’s a fluid group and we really work hard to make the downtown a total shopping experience for everyone.”
Soaps from Century Farmhouse will still be available online for the next few months and on a few Saturdays at the West Bend Farmers’ Market this summer; those dates have yet to be determined.
Store hours through Saturday, Feb. 25: Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. and Saturdays 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Website: centuryfarmhouse.com
Online orders can be picked up at other local downtown shops – notification of where will come with the confirmation of your order. Soap club cards and gift certificates will continue to be honored as long as soap is available.
Please direct questions to the comment section of the website or directly to Ann Marie Craig.
email: annmarie@centuryfarmhouse.com Thank you, West Bend. Ann Marie Craig
Four walls are up at Starbucks on 18th Avenue in WB
Contractors are taking advantage of the warm weather as they make significant progress on the third Starbucks in West Bend. Four walls are now up at the shop under construction on 18th Avenue, just south of Highway 33. The new Starbucks is expected to open in spring. The other two coffee shops are located on Paradise and Main and inside the new Meijer on S. Main Street.
MC Sports in West Bend is closing
MC Sports in West Bend is closing. Staff received word this week. The store on Paradise Drive has been open since November 1999. The corporate store in Michigan sent out a press release citing a number of issues including bankruptcy, which was filed Feb. 14, 2017.
The store is beginning liquidation sales. There is currently 10% off merchandise. According to a company statement it was “unable to reach an agreement on a viable out of court proposal” to restructure its balance sheet and operating performance.
Court filings show MC Sports has millions in trade debt and millions owed to companies like Under Armour and Nike with thousands owed to Adidas Group, Columbia Sportswear and Wilson Team Sports, and others. A company statement said MC Sports operates 68 stores in seven states.
Schaarschmidt Chiropractic has moved
Some changes on 18th Avenue in West Bend as Schaarschmidt Chiropractic has moved out of its building, 235 N. 18th Ave. Kurt and Janine Schaarschmidt sold the property last April. They said at the time they would continue to operate their clinic out of the location.
That’s changed now as the Schaarschmidts are out. A note on the door said, “We will be merging our practice with McCormack Chiropractic of West Bend effective Wed. Feb. 1. Dr. Schaarschmidt will be seeing all of his patients at the McCormack office on Shepherds Drive in West Bend. Julie and Janine are going along with Dr. Schaarschmidt, so you can expect the same friendly service you experienced at the Schaarschmidt Castle. Sincerely, Dr. Kurt Schaarschmidt, D.C.”
The professional building on 18th Avenue is now for lease. In April 2016 the Schaarschmidt Chiropractic building was sold to Daniel Hess from Glendale for $625,000. The 2015 assessment on the property was $760,500.
“This used to be an apple orchard owned by the Barth sisters,” said Kurt Schaarschmidt. “We opened Dec. 20, 1991 and Larry Bunkelman from Bunkelman Builders was our builder.” Schaarschmidt said he was going for an English Tudor look. “Originally it was a house plan out of Arizona and we adapted it to a clinic,” said Janine Schaarschmidt.
Milwaukee Archbishop says Catholics can eat meat on St. Patrick’s Day
Milwaukee Archbishop Jerome Listecki is giving Catholics a pass this Lent as St. Patrick’s Day falls on a Friday. Here is Listecki’s note allowing meat on Friday, March 17: The disciplinary practice of abstaining from meat on the Fridays in Lent is an important dimension of the penitential nature of the season. This year, the Feast of St. Patrick, March 17, 2017, falls on a Friday in Lent. Given the many celebrations that occur on this day and especially as we in the Archdiocese of Milwaukee will be ordaining our two new auxiliary bishops, in accord with the norm of law, I herewith grant to all Catholics of the Archdiocese as well as all present here that day, a dispensation from abstinence from meat and meat products. I encourage all who make use of this dispensation to engage in another sacrificial or charitable act that day.
Popular Senior Conference in Washington County is canceled
Word is spreading across the community that the popular Senior Conference at the Washington County Fair Park has been canceled. The conference is an annual event that started 20 years ago. It featured vendors and guest speakers and was a one-stop-shop of information for senior citizens in the community.
Tammy Anderson with the Washington County Aging and Disability Resource Center said the cut is due to the county’s new priority-based budgeting, which basically means any program that’s not mandated by the state or federal government would be at risk of getting cut.
“This cost the Aging and Disability Resource Center about $23,000 a year,” said Anderson, who was made aware of the cut about six months ago when she first started. “This is an expensive program to run and no it did not end because Linda Olson retired.”
Thousands of senior citizens have enjoyed the conference over the years, they even adapted when it moved from Cedar Community to the Washington County Fair Park. So far only a couple of regular vendors have called the county asking about the event. Local senior citizens are upset. Many say, “government always taking away something from the senior; what a shame.”
Hartford runs a senior fair in the spring and fall. An effort to “wrangle” other groups to take over the conference has not come to fruition.
Former Washington Co. Attorney Kim Nass to be hired in Dodge County
Former Washington County Attorney Kim Nass is expected to be approved next week, Wednesday, Feb. 22 as the new lead attorney for Dodge County. Nass would begin her duties Monday, Feb. 27. Nass interviewed for the post along with two other candidates. Supervisors in Dodge County were reportedly impressed with her broad range of experience as a corporation counsel.
Polls open 7 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 21 for the primary election
There are only a couple of items on the ballot for the Feb. 21 primary election. Polls open at 7 a.m. on Tuesday. Races include State School Superintendent. In West Bend there are seven candidates running for 3 seats on the West Bend School Board. Six of the top vote getters will advance to the April 4 election. In reality there are six candidates running for three seats. Tina Hochstetter announced she is not running but her name will still be on the ballot. In the West Bend School Board race the ballot order is: Nancy Justman, Richard Cammack, Joel Ongert, Tina Hochstaetter, Ryan Gieryn, Tonnie Schmidt, Bob Miller.
Updates & tidbits
–A new salon “The Hair Affair” has opened at 2131 W. Washington Street in West Bend.
– The Elbe family from Golden “E” Dairy on Orchard Valley Road and Shalom in the Town of Farmington will host the 2017 Washington County Breakfast on the Farm on June 10.
– The gloves come off Feb. 25 at Washington County Fair Park as Tiny Love, Justin Dredd and Damon Knight climb into the ring for Mayhem for Mason. Money will be raised for Mason Holbrook and family.
– West Bend Youth Football registration is Saturday, Feb. 25 at 8 a.m. at Silverbrook School.
– Paul Eve as Johnny Cash Alive is coming to the West Bend Moose Lodge on Feb. 25. Eve has portrayed Johnny Cash since he was 9 years old; he captures the essence of the Man in Black.
– There will be casino games and prizes at the annual Vegas Night at Fillmore Fire Department on Feb. 25 starting at 7 p.m. Information or tickets call Judy 262-692-9434 or Dale at 689-4799.
– The deadline is coming up March 3 to take part in the 2017 Washington Co. Tree Program.
Rallying 103 birthday cards for 103rd birthday
It is an overcast Thursday morning and Lucille Christianson is wheeling herself through the hallway on the third floor of the Samaritan Home.
Her soft pink slippers push along the flat carpet. It’s a slow process although Lucille is in no hurry.
It’s easy to spot Lucille; her name is in big, bold letters on the back of her wheelchair. I shout her name and she looks up. A nurse caretaker hands me a small microphone that’s attached to her headphones. It makes for much easier communication.
“I understand you’re going to be 103 years old,” I yell into the microphone.
Lucille nods as if it’s no big deal. Just another day. We return to her room and chat. The microphone squeals as I shout and try to maneuver the small black box to reduce the feedback.
Lucille is soft spoken and admittedly a bit confused. She said she grew up on a farm in the area; the family had cows which meant she had chores …. the rest is a little foggy.
Born in 1914 when Woodrow Wilson was president of the United States, Lucille recalls very little. A gold frame with the number 50 sits on the windowsill. There’s a photo of Lucille and her husband Phil. The date reads October 20, 1931.
A family member has sent a photo of Lucille and Phil in their prime. The couple sit on the bumper of a car in a happy embrace.
Lucille’s family is working on a goodwill project as they try to rally 103 birthday cards to help her celebrate her 103rd birthday on Feb. 18.
There are already piles of cards on a nearby coffee table. We sift through a few and I read the notes aloud. One person asks Lucille who the president was when she was born. Another handmade card features a cake with 103 candles on top.
Lucille puts her hands to her face and starts to cry. “I don’t even know these people and they took the time to send me a birthday card,” she said.
It’s hard to tell, but she said it makes her happy. I try to distract Lucille and ask her what kind of cake she’ll have. “Plain vanilla,” she said. Mostly, she’d like her family to visit but she said “she understands.”
If you would like to help make Lucille’s day special you can send her a birthday card too. Cards can be mailed to Lucille Christianson, Samaritan Health Center 531 E. Washington St., West Bend, WI 53095
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