Anchor Restaurant Announced For 3rd Street Market Hall

The long-awaited 3rd Street Market Hall is scheduled to open this summer, and now it has an anchor tenant.

Dairyland Old-Fashioned Frozen Custard and Hamburgers signed an agreement to operate a restaurant, launch a new bakery and manage the street-food-style hawker stall program in the approximately 35,000-square-foot food hall.

“We have been working towards this goal with 3rd Street Market Hall for the better part of the last two years,” said co-owner Kurt Fogle. “With all of the challenges we have all faced during the pandemic, it’s a wonderful feeling to finally share our plans with our friends in the community. We are so excited to help reinforce the vitality coming to Westown.”

Fogle’s prior Milk Can hamburger venture was promoted as one of the initial vendors when the food hall was announced in December 2018. But the pandemic delayed the food hall’s opening and in the meantime Fogle, with his wife Katie and business partner Joe McCormick launched Dairyland and exited Milk Can.

Dairyland launched in September out of a shared commercial kitchen, Common Cookhouse, in Oak Creek. In November the partners launched a food trailer at Zocalo Food Park, acquiring the former Fontelle’s Eatery trailer.

The expansion to the Westown food hall will add house-made frozen custard to the menu.

Katie Fogle will launch Mid-Way Bakery in the food hall.

“After working to get Dairyland off the ground, I’m looking forward to not flipping burgers and focus on making more fun treats,” said Fogle. The new venture will also offer soup, sandwiches, salads, desserts and a custom Anodyne coffee blend.

All three business partners were once chefs for SURG Restaurant Group. 3rd Street Market Hall head Omar Shaikh was a partner at the restaurant group, from which Shaikh’s Carnevor steakhouse is the only remaining restaurant.

“We believe people deserve better burgers and custard, so to do this in a space that has so much energy and potential is amazing. It’s been great seeing all of the improvements and new developments being made downtown and we’re thrilled to be a part of it,” said McCormick.

The food hall, at 275 W. Wisconsin Ave., will occupy what was once the first floor of the Shops of Grand Avenue mall. The complex was redeveloped into The Avenue, an office and housing development.

Beyond dining options, a number of entertainment options are planned for the food hall including a Topgolf Swing Suite, a slot racing track and an interactive “selfie museum.” A bar is also planned for the food hall.

Good Karma Brands is expected to sign a lease to bring its radio stations, including 620 WTMJ, into studios overlooking the food hall.

Hawker Stall Program

The third piece of Wednesday’s announcement is the creation of a hawker stall program. Four stalls will flank Dairyland’s space and be targeted at short-term tenants testing out new concepts.

“Both Common Cookhouse and the surrounding community in Oak Creek gave us the opportunity to start building our little burger joint”, said co-owner Brent Fogle, Kurt’s cousin. “We see these hawker stalls offering a similar opportunity for passionate food creators, making it possible to turn someone’s dream into reality.”

The partners are actively searching for vendors. Interested individuals can email eat@ilovedairyland.com.