These sisters are expanding their Menomonee Falls bakery business. Here's what's planned.
Coined the "talented sisters" of downtown Menomonee Falls, the two bakers have the motto that if something seems difficult to bake, and they never tried it, they will often say, "Sure! Let's do it."
Brittany Wohlfeil, and Kasey Gusho, who own Batter & Mac, have proved this motto worked. They are doing so well, they are expanding their baking business to give the community much more.
The two bakers started out working out of their homes. Wohlfeil started baking cakes after she made her first cake for her daughter, Violet, for her first birthday party in 2020. Word got out about how good her cakes were, and people kept asking her for more.
Her sister, Gusho, taught herself to bake macarons (the "Mac" part of the business name). She mastered the art of making this tricky sweet treat. As people fell in love with her art, the orders grew.
The sisters then rented a 300-square-foot space in downtown Menomonee Falls in 2021 to have a place to bake. At first, it was for baking. But when community members requested more products, Wohlfeil said she did everything to make that happen.
Customers then asked them if they could make doughnuts, croissants and then ham and cheese sandwiches on a homemade bun.
And they did.
Neither went to school for baking, but they learned through YouTube videos and by teaching themselves.
They plan on opening in their new location in November with a few soft opening events in October, said Wohlfeil. Wohlfeil also said Batter & Mac will be more of a family business because their mother, Geri Voboril will be joining them.
Wohlfeil said she's still processing how fast Batter & Mac has grown.
"This is shocking to me," she said.
How big will the new Batter & Mac be?
Batter & Mac will be 2,400 square feet.
Where will it be located?
Batter & Mac will still be in downtown Menomonee Falls. It will be at N89 W16750 Appleton Ave., the former home of Marigold Marketplace & Creative Studio, a business that closed last summer.
The current location is N88 W16739 Main St. and is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday through Friday; 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday and 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sunday. Wohlfeil said they will still have regular items, which include cakes, macarons, cookies, doughnuts and croissants.
What will be inside?
With using Moore Construction, Wohlfeil said that they are "doing a total gut job" to renovate the space. She described the new location as "very classic" and "all black and white with pops of greenery." Wohlfeil said there will be a section to sell baked goods such as macarons, cookies, doughnuts and cakes. There also will be more options for people to walk in and buy such as goods from other local vendors, such as honey.
Wohlfeil said they will be expanding their hot ham and rolls dish on Sundays to include more items such as sliced cheeses or sides. She added that there will also be a small retail area to sell specialty baking supplies, cake decorations and other items.
Will there be a teaching area at the new location?
Yes. Wohlfeil said the teaching area will be "very hands-on." She said that classes are capped at 18 students. "It is set up for people to work in pairs, so when you take a class with us, you won't be standing in a large group with six students sharing a mixer or a food processor or only one person gets to actually cook while others watch," she said. "It is designed to be very hands-on so you walk away feeling confident in whatever skill you were working on."
What kinds of classes will be offered at Batter & Mac?
Wohlfeil said that there will be a wide variety of classes. Wohlfeil and Gusho will teach some of the classes as well as other local chefs. Classes are slated to begin in mid-November so holiday cooking classes can be offered.
"We have cake decorating, macaron making, cookie decorating, charcuterie boards, jam making, candy making, and much more planned," she said. Another class planned is one focusing on holiday cocktails.
Will there be alcohol served?
Yes, the business will have a liquor license and will serve wine and beer. Wohlfeil said she would like to sell local products.
What will be the hours at the new location?
Batter & Mac plans to be open 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday to Friday and Saturday and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. They plan on having their classes in the evenings on weekdays and early afternoons on the weekends.
Will there be indoor and outdoor seating?
There will be limited indoor seating. Wohlfeil said they would like to have some temporary outdoor seating for the summer months.
What will be the vision for Batter & Mac?
Wohlfeil said that she and her sister would like to have a tea house as part of Batter & Mac. She said she has fond memories of going to a tea house in Chicago as a kid and would like to have one in downtown Menomonee Falls.
Will Batter & Mac be hiring?
Yes. Wohlfeil said that Batter & Mac will be hiring about eight to 10 people in roles as bakery assistants or for retail help. They are looking to hire in the fall.
Where can I get updates and more information?
To get updates and more information, visit www.batterandmac.com or www.facebook.com/battermke.
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Cathy Kozlowicz can be reached at 262-361-9132 or cathy.kozlowicz@jrn.com. Follow her on Twitter at @kozlowicz_cathy.
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This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: This Menomonee Falls bakery business is expanding and relocating
