Dairyland Old-Fashioned Hamburgers will soon add another location with the opening of The Avenue’s 3rd Street Market Hall in downtown Milwaukee.
Dairyland, which currently serves its signature burgers, fried chicken sandwiches and other Wisconsin favorites in Oak Creek and Milwaukee, has signed a lease to operate a vendor stand at the 35,000-square-foot food hall, slated to open this summer at the former Shops of Grand Avenue.
“We have been working towards this goal with 3rd Street Market Hall for the better part of the last two years,” Kurt Fogle, co-owner of Dairyland said in a news release. “With all of the challenges we have all faced during the (COVID-19) pandemic, it’s a wonderful feeling to finally share our plans with our friends in the community. We are so excited to help reinforce the vitality coming to Westown.”
Dairyland launched last September as curbside operation at Common Cookhouse, a shared commercial kitchen on East Rawson Avenue. A couple months later, it opened a mobile food trailer at Zocalo Food Truck Park in Walker’s Point. Fogle co-owns the business with Katie Fogle, Brent Fogle and Joe McCormick.
Dairyland’s downtown location will add frozen custard to its existing menu. Made-in-house using Wisconsin-sourced eggs and cream, the chocolate- and vanilla-flavored custard will be available in cones or dishes with toppings like crushed candy bars and cookies, praline, cookie dough and brownies. Those baked goods will be sourced from Dairyland’s new sister brand, Mid-Way Bakery, which will also operate at 3rd Street Market Hall.
Headed by Dairyland pastry chef and co-owner Katie Fogle, Mid-Way will sell breads, croissants, Dutchies, cookies, and brownies, as well as soup, grab-and-go sandwiches, and salads.
“After working to get Dairyland off the ground, I’m looking forward to not flipping burgers and focus on making more fun treats,” said Katie Fogle.
A custom coffee blend by Milwaukee-based Anodyne Coffee Roasters — and house-made creamer —Â will also be served.
3rd Street Market Hall will open this summer, with initially 12 local food vendors, a large 40-seat central bar, Topgolf simulators and game areas. Original plans for 19 food hall tenants were scaled back due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Avenue project also includes the 52-unit Plankinton Clover apartments and 190,000 square feet of office space.
Dairyland is the first vendor to officially announce its commitment. The business will also manage the food hall’s four miniature vendor spaces, which will serve as incubators for new dining concepts. Street hawker stalls are found in major cities around the world — the idea is to keep startup costs low so the owner or chef can build their business on stable ground.
“Both Common Cookhouse and the surrounding community in Oak Creek gave us the opportunity to start building our little burger joint,” said Brent Fogle. “We see these hawker stalls offering a similar opportunity for passionate food creators, making it possible to turn someone’s dream into reality.”
Dairyland is actively seeking hawker stalls vendors. Interested parties can email eat@ilovedairyland.com for more information.
