Wisconsin-made at Gouda Life
By James Card
Taking the mantle as the only cheese shop in Waupaca, The Gouda Life is filling the void that Cheesie Bob’s Bleu Cheese House left behind when Bob Gruenenfelder retired and the store closed in 2018.
Their first day of business was on Nov. 18 and by the end of the weekend; they sold out six different types of cheeses.
“Now I know what people are liking,” said owner Sheila Jacobsen.
“People may be apt to try something new if they can actually taste it. So with all of the wedges, you could say, ‘Oh, I never had that,’ and I could cut you off a piece to taste before you commit to buying it,” she said.
The Gouda Life is at 112 N. Main St. Previously, it was home to A Touch of Glass and before that it was a beauty salon.
In 1908 it was a tavern with a billiards hall in the basement. The ceilings are high and one wall was left alone with the original brick.
For remodeling work, they repainted the ceiling and walls, did some electrical and plumbing work and put in subway tile for the kitchen-cheese cutting area.
Her sister and brother-in-law came up with the name “the Gouda Life” and Jacobsen loved it.
“My original business model was a strong focus on Wisconsin-made products. Currently, everything in the case is Wisconsin-made cheese,” said Jacobsen.
Inside the glass counter case are wedges and huge wheels of cheese. Potions are sliced off and sold by weight. The store also offers butter, summer sausage and salami.
On a shelving rack near the cheese counter is a wall of made-in-Wisconsin condiments, sauces, snacks and crackers. All of the Wisconsin-made products are noted with a yellow sticker that is shaped like the state of Wisconsin with a heart in the center.
Of the other remaining products, Jacobsen has rounded her inventory with products from the upper Midwest.
“My sister and I traveled all around the state and we started the legwork of researching. There are a lot of really unique makers out there,” said Jacobson as she pointed out products from Spooner, Beloit, Iola and the Milwaukee-made Colonel Pabst Amber Lager Worcestershire sauce.
She also assembled a small liquor section featuring Wisconsin wines and vodkas, bloody mary mixes and some regional wines. Also there is a stand-up cooler with soft drinks such as Wisco Pop sodas. In the future she intends to build a separate space as a sampling room per city ordnance.
Jacobsen also plans to offer charcuterie boards and cheese plates that can be pre-ordered for later pick-up.
They are open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sunday They can be contacted through their Facebook page or by calling 715-942-2312.