Maureen Wallenfang
Appleton Post-Crescent
Published 8:20 AM EST Dec 23, 2019
The Buzz “year in review” begins this week with the openings and big business stories of 2019.
Next week, see a review of 2019 business closings.
The week after that, get a sneak peek at 2020’s ins and outs.
Recapping some of 2019’s big business stories
Secura
Secura Insurance built a $98 million, 300,000-square-foot office in Fox Crossing. Its 750 employees moved in in October. The company’s vacated Appleton offices on Memorial Drive, meanwhile, were scooped up by Fleet Farm, which will move its offices over in early 2020.
Bemis
Amcor Ltd., based in Melbourne, Australia, completed its $6.8 billion acquisition of Neenah’s Bemis Co. in June. The newly merged company is a global consumer packaging giant with combined revenues of $13.4 billion based on 2018 figures for each. Bemis has about 5,000 employees in Wisconsin in 10 facilities. Its New London plant had between 70 and 110 layoffs in June that were unrelated to the deal, according to a company spokesman.
Stormy weather
A violent storm rolled through the Fox Cities July 20, damaging multiple businesses. Twigs & Vines lost its greenhouse, but kept its flower shop open. The Creeks at Ivy Acres lost the rest of its golf season. Dairyland Brew Pub closed for months after sustaining damage, but has since reopened.
Shopko aftermath
As Shopko closed stores under bankruptcy, Shopko Optical was purchased and continued in new locations in Appleton, Menasha, Neenah and Kimberly. A number of former Shopko pharmacists broke out on their own, opening Hometown Pharmacies in Appleton, Darboy and Winneconne.
Grand Chute gains
It was a grand year for Grand Chute. Besides the Community First Champion Center sports facility, it added three hotels – a $4.5 million Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott, $8.2 million Holiday Inn and $6.6 million Home2Suites by Hilton, according to building permits – and gained national restaurants P.F. Chang and Chick-fil-a. Fifteen cardiologists left ThedaCare to create a new independent clinic in Grand Chute called Heart and Vascular Institute of Wisconsin. Kolosso Toyota opened its new $6.5 million building on Wisconsin Avenue. Two large indoor activity parks opened — Urban Air Adventure Park and Altitude Trampoline Park.
The Fox River Mall, meanwhile, went through a major period of upheaval with departures, relocations and incoming shops. Sears, Payless ShoeSource, Crazy 8 and Ann Taylor left. Victoria’s Secret, Aerie, American Eagle, Hollister and Journeys moved and reopened. H&M took a massive space.
The $45 million redevelopment of the former National Envelope/Fox Tractor site on W. Wisconsin Avenue, led by WG&R, added At Home. Construction started on REI. A portion of the property was sold to Kwik Trip, which opens Friday.
More retail openings
It was an odd and sometimes wacky year. Who would have thought we could get so riled up by chicken sandwiches?
Consumer business openings were dominated by chicken wars, CBD stores opening everywhere and a lot of hoopla over a place to have coffee with cats.
Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen and Chick-fil-A opened new locations in August less than a mile from each other on West College Avenue. It was at the same time their chicken sandwich war was raging throughout the country. That publicity didn’t hurt, but perhaps they didn’t even need it. Lines formed at both places the moment they opened, they still both have long lines at their drive-thrus four months later.
“It’s been phenomenal. The response from Appleton and the community has been overwhelming. We’re genuinely thankful,” said Eric Krebs, owner/operator of Chick-fil-A in Grand Chute. It’s still selling an average of 3,000 chicken sandwiches a day and this branch ranks in the top five percent of all Chick-fil-A locations.
Stores selling CBD oil popped up all over the Fox Cities. They included Happy Trails CBD, Urban Leaf CBD, Superior Lounge, Kaya Irie and Your CBD store. Pharmacies and video stores also stocked CBD products.
The Pawffee Shop Cat Café, the first business of its kind in the Fox Cities, opened in Grand Chute and was swarmed from day one by customers eager to get a cup of coffee and cuddle up with the kitties. On weekends, it took reservations in its cat lounge.
A sampling of businesses that opened in the Fox Cities by community:
APPLETON: Fress Restaurant & Bar, Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen, Ivory Rose Bridal Boutique, Fika Tea Bar, The Jerk Joint, El Sabor Mexican Grill, Christianos Pizza, Maple Tree Restaurant & Pancake House, Rico’s Family Restaurant, Meade Street Bistro, Nice Time (opened in April and closed in October), Appleton Indoor Golf, Wonders Ice Cream Co., Jimmy John’s, Casting On, Braids Unlimited, Todays Organics, Nine. Two. Zero. Salon, Dollar Tree, Pure Barre, Stateview Commons, Moon Water Cafe
FOX CROSSING: Wissota Chophouse
GRAND CHUTE: Chick-fil-A, The Pawffee Shop Cat Cafe, Urban Air Adventure Park, Altitude Trampoline Park, At Home, P.F. Chang’s, Skechers Outlet, Sapphire Moon Chocolates, The Rustic Burrow, The Shop Bar and Grille, MOOD a Salon, Blaze Sports & Fitness, Kwik Trip and Burn Boot Camp. The Fox River Mall added H&M, Jim Laabs Music, Vans, Lululemon, Shoe Show and Doughlicious.
GREENVILLE: Fiesta Rodeo Mexican Cuisine, Thai Cuisine, All World Ford, Dashboard Tea Co. kiosk
KAUKAUNA: Wildfire Coffeehouse, Dollar Tree
KIMBERLY: Savor Food and Spirits, Wags and Whiskers Pet Resort
LITTLE CHUTE: Lil Bit Local
MENASHA: Dunkin’, Starbucks, Koi Coffee & Tea, Casey’s General Store, Jimmy John’s
NEENAH: Madsen Guitars, Cre8lab, Sankalpa Salon, Missing Links Indoor Golf, Tricia’s Treasures, Diamond Glow Car Wash
MORE: B&J’s Riverside Club, Shiocton; Aquamos Coffee Collaborative, Waupaca; Bee Hive Barn & Grill, Vinland; Joe’s Texas BBQ and Palenque Mexican Restaurant, Sherwood; Dollar General, Black Creek
For more details on the businesses listed here, go to poscrescent.com to search for back stories.
Contact reporter Maureen Wallenfang at 920-993-7116 or [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter at @wallenfang.
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