PAOLI, Wis. — A building that once housed one of the largest cheese factories in Wisconsin is being restored and rebranded as the Seven Acre Dairy Company.
The historic site, located in the small town of Paoli, will be a destination for diary lovers, travelers and those looking to enjoy a local meal.
Nic Mink, proprietor of Seven Acre Dairy Company, said the historic location will feature farm-to-table riverside dining, a dairy cafe, an eight-room boutique hotel and walking trails.
“This was at one time one of the largest cheese factories or dairy factories anywhere in the state of Wisconsin,” said Mink.
The building was once home to the Paoli Cheese Factory, which was in operation from 1888 to 1980, and while the building has not had dairy products produced in it for decades, that will be changing again soon.
“To be able to take an amazing, old dairy factory and ensure that it is going to be used for the next fifty years in the spirit of a dairy factory — that was an amazing thing,” said Mink.
With a $10 million plan and a collaboration with Landmark Creamery, Seven Acre Dairy Company will have a micro butter plant and soft serve ice cream. Some of the milk will be sourced from Tom and Vicki Sarbacker.
“The catch phrase is going to be, ‘you people traveled farther to get here than the milk did to get to their place,’” said Sarbacker.
Thomas Sarbacker and his family grew up in Paoli and he has been a dairy farmer his entire life.
“Our milk has been going there ever since I could remember. I was born in the 50s and it went there until 1980,” said Sarbacker.
The Sarbackers spend their days milking 65 Holsteins, a job that produces around 5,000 pounds of milk a day. By this winter, some of that milk will be used to make ice cream and butter at Seven Acres Dairy Company.
Landmark Cremery will also contribute cheese, butter and ice cream.
The Seven Acre building has been added to the State and National register of historic places.
And Mink is looking for the public’s help to finish restoring the historic cheese factory. The company has already raised $9.5M but is still looking for the last $500,000 to be invested by community members.
If you are interested in donating, you can do so here.