A new space, expanded menu for The Cheesecake Slice

Matthew Day

Staff

May 11, 2026

WISCONSIN RAPIDS – Since The Business News last featured them in its March 3, 2025 issue, Jayda and Dylan Schulfer have built enough momentum with The Cheesecake Slice to move from the kitchen at Hotel Meade into their own storefront at 3940 8th St. South.

“It’s nice to be in our own space,” Jayda said. 

The husband-and-wife duo said strong customer support since launching The Cheesecake Slice made the move into their own storefront possible. 

“[Hotel Meade] definitely did work for us in the beginning,” Dylan said. “We appreciate that they were willing to accommodate our needs. But then, as a business grows, we start to think about what else we want to do.” 

Dylan said talks of expansion turned serious when the 8th Street property became available. 

“Everything lined up a lot sooner than we expected,” he said, “but it worked out for the better.” 

After months of preparation and renovation – “a huge project” completed with the help of friends and family – Jayda said the space was ready for its May 4 grand opening.

Once home to a bait shop and most recently a barbecue restaurant, Dylan said it was exciting to give the space a new life with an updated look and atmosphere.

The centerpiece of the reimagined space, the Schulfers said, is the shop’s mural, created by Jayda and her cousin, Cecilia Shefchik.

Within the mural, Jayda said she and Shefchik hid the names of those who helped create the storefront – a small tribute to their support.

“We’re truly thankful and blessed for our family and friends and everybody who has helped…, because two people [alone could not have] put this whole place together,” she said. 

Sweet dreams 

Though cheesecake remains the star at The Cheesecake Slice, Dylan said expanding the menu beyond it has been “really fun.”

“We love doing cheesecake, and it’s our breadwinner here, but we love baking, [too],” he said. “We love making new recipes. So, being able to try all these new products, it was a lot of fun, and we will be able to share that with a lot of other people, too.” 

Jayda – who admits she wasn’t a fan of cheesecakes until Dylan surprised her with one years ago – said customers find their take to be creamier than normal – “they’re not as dense, and it’s really easy to eat a bunch of them.” 

“When you eat a ‘normal cheesecake,’ it’s too rich, and you can only have a couple of bites or just one slice,” she said. “Ours isn’t like that.” 

By upholding their standard of high-quality ingredients, Jayda said she and Dylan hope their customers find the expanded menu just as “exceptional” as the cheesecake – “everything’s fresh, homemade.” 

New items at The Cheesecake Slice, Dylan said, include (or will include) brownies, turnovers, muffins, Danishes, cinnamon rolls, banana bread, cinnamon bread, creampuffs, cake pops, baked (not fried) doughnuts, scones, puppy chow and no-bake cheesecake cups – which are “like a cheesecake parfait in a cup.” 

The bigger space and menu, the Schulfers said, have also led them to hire employees for the first time. 

Backed by industry experience and “almost overwhelming” community support in the best way possible, the couple said they entered their grand opening with confidence.

“It’s really cool to see the community support this type of new business to come here,” Dylan said. 

The additional square footage, Jayda said, not only allows space for customers to “enjoy their time and relax a little bit,” but also can be rented for private events (with packages, including select treats, available). 

With the new location now open, the Schulfers said they’re already looking ahead to what’s next – with plans for internships, scholarships and use of the store’s drive-thru window.

Even as new responsibilities set in, Jayda said she’s thankful she tried that first cheesecake Dylan made her – and for everything it’s led to since.

“I wouldn’t do this business with anybody else,” she said. “I couldn’t have done it without him.” 

Find The Cheesecake Slice on Facebook for more info.