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Nicolet Farm Market: An Unforgettable General Store Experience
June 1, 2022
Nicolet Farm Market: An Unforgettable General Store Experience
Nicolet Farm Market conjures up memories of an old-fashioned country store. The small-town general store, located halfway between Suring and Mountain on Highway 32, carries a little bit of everything, just like the general stores of yesteryear. Plus, many of the products are local and homemade, an old-time tradition that customers love.
Toni and Mike Rupiper created a throwback character at the market, lining the walls with reclaimed barn boards, vintage hand saws, and other antiques. If it doesn’t have a price tag, then it’s part of the ambiance and isn’t for sale, Toni said.
The allure of the Nicolet Farm Market is its one-of-a-kind shopping experience. Customers love to wander around unhurried and take it all in. Nicolet Farm Market is a store to linger, browse the aisles, and happen upon a novelty item that catches the eye. Sometimes, the store gets a little overwhelming for first-time guests. They are amazed by the wide assortment of goods and the store’s charming, rustic atmosphere.
“People walk through the door and say, ‘This is not what I was expecting!’” said Toni, with a laugh. She’s not at all bothered by their initial surprise. In no time, the shoppers feel comfortable with the store’s personality and variety. Nicolet Farm Market is completely unlike any supermarket chain or supercenter.
“We’ve got curtains on the windows, and it’s a homey atmosphere,” Toni said. “We aim to have a relationship with our customers. You’re not just another number coming through the check-out line.”
Nicolet Farm Market, 12396 Highway 32, is easy to find at the intersection of Highways 32 and 64 by Chute Pond. Toni and Mike opened the store in 2018 as a neighborhood grocery store and an outlet to sell produce locally grown at The Muck Farm, known for its 50- to 100-pound bags of potatoes and onions. While the Rupipers closed The Muck Farm in 2021, they continue to grow vegetables to sell at the store. They also contract with other local farmers, gardeners, and orchard owners.
Supporting the local economy is important to Toni and Mike. They fill their shelves with farm fresh eggs, honey, maple syrup, cheese, spices, handcrafted soaps and lotions, wood and metal art, and so much more. The market sells wine from Lakewood and Door County, toffee-flavored rum from Coleman, and other local food and drinks. Looking for a beaver pelt to hang in the cabin? Nicolet Farm Market sells those, too, sourced from a local trapper.
In the commercial kitchen in the back of the store, Toni makes jams, jellies, and more pickled foods than you can imagine. Shoppers really like the pickled beets, but Nicolet Farm Market also sells pickled eggs, kohlrabi, carrots, mushrooms, and of course, pickles.
That’s not all! The Rupipers raise Angus beef cattle and sell their meat at the market. In addition to the tradition cuts of meat and hamburger, Nicolet Farm Market sells beef bacon, summer sausage, ring bologna, beef sticks, and jerky. The meat cooler is well-stocked with beef, along with chicken, pork, seafood, smoked fish, and more. Nicolet Farm Market also has a treat for Fido: smoked dog bones.
“People go crazy over those dog bones,” Toni said.
New for summer 2022 is hand-dipped Cedar Crest Ice Cream, available in a cup or cone.
In addition to all of these extras, shoppers can find all of the staples of a traditional grocery store. The locals, summer residents, and vacationers can stop in for what they need.
“We call this the ‘Oops, I forgot it store,’ and we carry a little bit of everything,” Toni said.
Nicolet Farm Market is open 8am-5pm Sunday, 9am-5pm Monday through Thursday, and 8am to 6pm Friday and Saturday. The general store caters to seasonal residents, visitors, and local residents, saving them a trip to Lakewood or Gillett for groceries. With entrances on both Highway 32 and Highway 64, Nicolet Farm Market is easy to get to - and oh, so fun to experience.