The Milk Pail in Rice Lake is under new ownership

Rachel Sankey

Staff

July 22, 2024

RICE LAKE – Going through major life changes can cause someone to view the trajectory of their life differently.

Alyssa Madlon said this is exactly what she experienced in her life.

After beating cancer, the 26 year old said she decided to change careers and recently became the new owner of The Milk Pail (36 W. Marshall St.) in Rice Lake. 

The change, she said, has been “really crazy but so rewarding.”

“The joy on people’s faces – that’s worth it to me,” she said. 

Ready for a change

Madlon said the journey started four years ago when she was diagnosed with stage 2 Hodgkin’s lymphoma.

“That was scary – being young, figuring out life and then having to do that,” she said. 

Madlon said she went to Marshfield Clinic for treatment, and with the amount of time she was spending there, decided to start working there as well.

“I was there all the time (with) all of my chemo (treatment), and (the staff) was like, ‘do you want a job?’” she said. “I ended up working there for a couple of years.”

Around that time, Madlon said she wanted a lifestyle change.

“I wanted to do something different with my life – (especially) now that I have beat cancer,” she said. “I wanted to live my life to the fullest.”

For Madlon, that lifestyle change meant stepping into business ownership. 

“I started looking for businesses in Rice Lake I could buy,” she said. “I love to bake, so I wanted to have a platform to do that.”

During her search process, she said The Milk Pail popped up for sale.

When she went to view the business, she said she “instantly fell in love with it.”

“My husband was right on board with me,” she said. “It took a little while to (take over) – there were a lot of hurdles, inspections, appraisals and things, but it was all worth it.”

Madlon said she officially closed on The Milk Pail July 2 and was running the business the next day.

“It was craziness,” she laughed. “I had to fix a bunch of things, and I had to run the kitchen by myself… (Soon), I think all the quirks will be worked out, and we’ll be sailing from there.”

The entire process – from looking to take over the business to closing – she said, took about six months. 

Adding, not changing

Though Madlon said she has plans to add to the business over the next six months – such as offering homemade baked goods – she doesn’t plan to change the aspects of The Milk Pail already in place.

“The Milk Pail has a long history,” she said. “It was built in 1947 and passed down from generation to generation for a while and then sold off after that to another family,” she said. “I (do, however) plan to add more inventory.”

For baked goods, Madlon said she plans to add cookies, cake pops, custom cakes and more to The Milk Pail’s array of food offerings. 

Adding more retail options, she said, is also in the mix.

“‘Local people, local products’ is (the business’s) slogan,” she said. “I want to continue that – all of my retail items are local products from local people, and I love that.”

For example, Madlon said customers can expect to find crocheted items, such as can koozies and key chains, available for sale soon.

Madlon said she is open to selling almost anything, as long as it is appropriate and fits in with the shop’s mission.

The new owner said customers can also expect to find the goods they’ve come to know and love, such as Cedar Crest ice cream, fudge from Valley Fudge and caramels from Sugar Wood, as well as meats from Louie’s Finer Meats and cheese from North Country.

“My father-in-law does woodworking,” she said. “I’m going to have him bring me some cutting boards to sell because what goes better with meat and cheese?”

Sandwiches, wraps, hot dogs, salads and coffee, she said, are also available at the shop.

Madlon said The Milk Pail offers homemade soups from September through April.

And, one can’t forget about the cheese curds – especially on Wednesdays – when Madlon said there are free samples. 

“We’re a one-stop shop for knickknacks, goodies and local products,” she said. “I’m hoping that reputation carries me and this business for a long time.”

A mom-and-pop staple

Madlon said The Milk Pail continues to meet the needs of the Rice Lake community by being a local, mom-and-pop shop. 

“People like the environment and atmosphere,” she said. “(The Milk Pail) is going to continue to bring people in because of the history it has.”

Since taking over, Madlon said several customers have told her stories about their experiences at the shop.

“People come in and say, ‘I used to come in with my grandparents, and now I bring my grandchildren,’” she said. “It’s been passed down from generation to generation.”

Madlon said for her, it’s important to have that foundation of the business.

“I haven’t heard one bad thing – even before I bought it – there were no bad comments,” she said. “It was always good.”

Business, Madlon said, has been busy since she stepped in as owner, which she said is “exciting.”

“There’s never not anybody in the building,” she said. “There’s always somebody here.”

The Milk Pail is open from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday and from 1-8 p.m. Sunday.

To learn more, visit themilkpail.net.