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Milk Can Hamburgers & Frozen Custard will be opening in the former Ferch's Malt Shoppe and Grille in Greendale
Bob Dohr
Ferch's, for decades a mainstay in Greendale's food scene, may have closed, but an up-and-coming burger and custard business is poised to take its place.
Milk Can Hamburgers & Frozen Custard, which has been providing burgers, drinks, breakfast items and more at various locations via food truck for about the past year, is making the move to brick and mortar.
Milk Can Diner plans to open in April 2021 at 5636 Broad St. in Greendale, the home of Ferch's Malt Shoppe and Grille from 1987 until it closed in October.
Milk Can Diner's ownership group is comprised of the four current Milk Can partners — Ryan Oschmann, Laurie Oschmann, Jared Eggener and Andy Meinen — along with Rich Busalacchi.
The team will base the diner's menu on the current Milk Can offerings, featuring burgers, chicken sandwiches, custard, French fries, onion rings and cheese curds, along with a daily plated breakfast, lunch and dinner menu, Ryan Oschmann said in a phone interview.
Offerings will also include soups, salads, traditional diner classics and fun twists on those classics, he said.
Also in the works: Specialty coffees and a bakery program featuring cookies, brownies, assorted pastries and pies made from scratch daily.
In addition, Oschmann said the business will be applying for a liquor license and hopes to offer bloody marys, mimosas, a full bar, craft beer and boozy shakes.
Maintaining a tradition
The tradition that Ferch's established at the Broad Street location is not lost on Oschmann. He called it an honor to take over the space many Greendale residents grew to know and love.
"We've talked to people that have lived there that are 50 years old that have been going there since they were kids, and that's important, and really special to us," he said. "It was a big draw to be able to take over that space there, definitely about more than just picking a location to open a new concept."
Two new locations
The new diner in Greendale will actually be the second brick and mortar Milk Can location.
The eatery is planning to open a Milk Can Diner in Muskego in mid-January in the former Arby's space at S73W16770 W. Janesville Road.
Oschmann said they're looking forward to having a standalone location where they're not restricted to just the space of a food truck. He said they'll also be able to apply what they learn in Muskego to the new restaurant in Greendale.
"We're just really excited to be able to see what we can do having the space that we need, but definitely we'll be learning a lot at the first standalone location to be able to take over to the diner concept," he said.
Food truck a bonus
Oschmann, co-owner of Bass Bay Brewhouse in Muskego, said the pandemic and its effect on restaurants have made 2020 a challenge, but Milk Can's food truck operation enabled them to stay agile.
"During shutdown, we moved a good amount of our staff at Bass Bay Brewhouse over to the truck," he said. "That helped us stay to a point where I think we were able to employ about 35 people full-time throughout the shutdown, which is pretty great."
He said Milk Can's expansion is coming at a good time.
"We got the food truck on the road a little over a year ago and the response to that has been amazing" he said. "All throughout the winter, during the shutdown, it kind of seemed like it gave people something to be excited about, something to get out of the house to experience."
Remodeling needed
Construction-wise, Oschmann said interior work is planned to open up the existing space.
"We're intending to open up the wall in between where the current diner counter is in the space, and we'll be extending that counter around into the backside of the space to create more of an open environment," he said.
He said the diner will have walk-up, across-the-counter ordering as well as full table service.
"So that is a hybrid between what Ferch's used to be and adding in a full-service aspect to it as well," he said.
Contact Bob Dohr at 262-361-9140 or bob.dohr@jrn.com. Follow him on Twitter at @BobDohr1.
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