The Depot full steam ahead under new ownership

Rachel Kroeger

Staff

March 9, 2026

GREEN BAY – Though the dining room is currently closed for renovations and repairs, its new Owner, Jeff Schermetzler, said The Depot – a restaurant The Business News first featured in its April 7, 2025 issue – is on track to officially reopen next month.

Schermetzler – an experienced chef, food service and sales professional who took ownership of The Depot March 1 – said the historic building’s boiler system recently failed, prompting the temporary closure.

“Our boiler system is in the basement, [and] it’s been in there since 1996 when Titletown Brewing Company took over,” he said. “There were two big boilers. One gave out last year, and then the other one, which we named Selma after the Simpsons, she gave out this year.”

Having served as Titletown Brewing’s head chef from 2011-18 when it operated in the former train station – located at 200 Dousman St. – Schermetzler said his newfound ownership of The Depot is more of a “homecoming.”

“I basically lived here for those seven years, so I know the potential of the building and the area,” he said. “I know what this area can bring and what it means to downtown Green Bay.”

With a “combined 20 years of restaurant experience,” and after a brief hiatus in food sales, Schermetzler said he sought a way back into the industry and downtown Green Bay, leading him to The Depot.

“This isn’t short term for me – I plan on this being my legacy,” he said. “I want to be known for owning The Depot, bringing great vibes, great food and great experiences to everyone downtown.”

The joys of management

Having operated “plenty of restaurants and different kitchens” over his roughly 30 years of experience, Schermetzler said he’s been in the kitchen since he was 14 and has “seen every facet” of the food industry.

“I’ve done front-of-house [work] as well [as] bartending and serving,” he said. “I guess it’s always been a passion of mine, and it’s the only lifestyle I’ve known.”

Through his experience working in food sales, Schermetzler said he quickly realized his place in the industry wasn’t behind a desk.

“It was just a weird new lifestyle to me,” he said. “I appreciate that I made that move in my career, but I’m glad that I came back home to the service industry, the livelihood of it and just the experience of making other people happy.”

Though his passion lies in hospitality, Schermetzler said his time studying at Fox Valley Technical College exposed him to the joys of management as well.

“That’s where I got involved with leadership, management and ownership,” he said. “That’s when I really took [things] by the horns and said, ‘I’m not just cooking anymore – I want to actually be involved in the day-to-day operations and try to make the best we possibly can out of every situation for everyone involved.’”

Roughly six months ago, Schermetzler said he was “itching” to get back into the restaurant industry and was hoping to open his own deli market and steak house – “deli in the day and steaks at night.”

However, he said the management company of The Depot’s building approached him about purchasing the restaurant.

Though he was initially hesitant – “I wanted to do my own thing” – Schermetzler said his history with the building and downtown Green Bay ultimately convinced him to take over The Depot.

“I always call it the people’s building,” he said. “It was where everyone left and came into Green Bay back in the day. There was no highway, there were no boats that took you [to the city] – it was the train.”

Takeout is in

The boiler system failing within weeks of the ownership transition, Schermetzler said, was not part of his plan.

However, he said he and his team are trying to make the best out of the temporary closure.

“It actually was kind of a blessing in disguise,” he said. “We just decided to come together, [fix everything] the proper way [and] make sure there are generations that can come enjoy the building.”

Because of the building’s local and historical significance, Schermetzler said he and his team are taking their time to install a brand-new boiler system and upgrade other infrastructure as allowed.

“This building’s been here since the 1800s, so we want to make sure we do the building justice and do the correct renovations on it, versus throwing something together to just open right away,” he said. “We want to make sure this building is here for decades.”

During the closure, Schermetzler said he’s also working to revamp The Depot’s menu and service options, with plans to reinstate decades-old fan favorites, invent new daily specials and introduce an upgraded takeout system.

“I’ve never done this before – I don’t think anyone ever has – but I’m going to roll out a new menu in a to-go box, and we’re just going to see what the public thinks,” he said. “They can look at the menu online, get to know it and then, when we are ready to open it to the public…, I think we’ll already have one leg up.”

Ensuring takeout orders are prepared and presented with as much care and consideration as in-house meals, Schermetzler said, will help expand The Depot’s customer base – especially in the age of third-party delivery services.

“That’s the new calling card for restaurants in this economy,” he said. “If people are going to stay at home, in the comfort of their home [and] order the food delivered to their door, we better make that food look just as good, if not better, than we would have it served in the dining room, because that is our advertising.”

Investing in things like better insulated to-go bags and higher-quality silverware, Schermetzler said offering takeout/delivery is no longer an option but a necessity for any local restaurant’s success.

“Delivery service and to-go food are becoming more popular than even going out to eat,” he said. “So, how do you drive the experience you want them to have in your restaurant while they’re on their couch watching their favorite TV program?”

‘Let the growth follow’

Schermetzler said The Depot’s new menu is intentionally built to be intriguing but also affordable.

“I’ve listened to the regular customers, [who’ve] been coming here for years and decades, [about] what they want to come back on that menu, and then we’re doing some new and inventive things, too,” he said. “My motto always has been and always will be: ‘I want to test your taste buds, not your wallet.’”

Though his decision to temporarily close the restaurant for repairs has largely been met with understanding, Schermetzler said he can tell The Depot’s takeout-only era is “messing with routine” among its mainstay customers.

“There have been some regulars who, you can see in their eyes – they miss it,” he said. “You can come as you are and you’re welcome, and I think a lot of people are missing that right now, because those were the people who were coming in every day… We miss them just as much as they miss us, but we are being met with a lot of understanding.”

Once it reopens, Schermetzler said he’s looking forward to offering The Depot, its staff and its patrons “stability – [with] consistent food, consistent service, consistent hours.”

“I want to bring that back and let the growth follow,” he said. “I want to make this my legacy and help downtown grow.”

For updates on The Depot, visit its Facebook page.