New Millhome owners:

"Dream Come True"

By Gina Kabat, for the Tri-County News              Thursday, November 23, 2006

Kiel’s legendary Millhome Supper Club is welcoming new owners to the dining table, and an open house for the community is also being planned.

The prior owners, Jerry and Karen Vandermause, proved that it takes a strong family to run a family owned and operated business. This is nothing new for the Sloma family and a tradition they intend to carry on. Aaron and his wife Jennifer, along with Patti Wagner, Jennifer’s mother, have ventured into what they call a “dream come true.”

Their first open house held Nov. 14-16 produced favorable crowds, according to Aaron. “We felt very well received and are just getting to know the community,” he stated. The Slomas’ biggest message to the community is that the Millhome they know and have loved to come to for many years will stay the same. “The name Millhome Supper Club will never change. It is a part of the landscape here and we would be foolish to change that,” Aaron said. Placing their own unique stamp on their business, the joint owners came up with their corporate name of “The Stuffed Olives.”

“We are not here to make any drastic changes in any way. We have some ideas on décor but it is too early to get into that. We are just getting our feet wet. We would like to start a happy hour during the week after the first of the year. As far as the banquet halls are concerned, Jerry and Karen did a great job renovating and updating those areas of the business. It’s important that people understand that all reservations for the banquet facilities are still securely booked,” he said.

Aaron is busy setting new menu changes but waiting until after the holidays to get a clearer picture of the year ahead. “We see a menu change coming in the beginning of the New Year with an expanded Friday night seafood buffet, Sunday brunch featuring breakfast and lunch items and a facelift on our current menu. We want to be clear that this does not spell drastic price increases but rather a change of what everyone has seen for the past years. We think everyone will be happy with what we will have to offer,” explained an enthusiastic cook and entrepreneur.

Ambition put the Sloma family from the frying pan into the fire, as restaurant management and working in the hospitality industry gave Aaron all the fuel he needed to get started. “I grew up in Reedsville, but most recently moved from Iowa where Jennifer and her mother lived. Jen and Patricia are both from the Quad Cities of Iowa. After graduating from high school I had no idea what I wanted to do. A few seasons in Door County steered me into the hospitality industry and into classes at Fox Valley Technical College in Oshkosh. I graduated with a degree in Restaurant and Hotel Management and joined Heart of America Corporation following graduation. They are known best for The Machine Shed. Heart of America is a Midwestern hospitality company with roots in the Quad Cities but locations across the Midwest. It has three different restaurant concepts along with a variety of hotels in five states. I worked with them for eight years living in seven different cities in that time opening new restaurants and trouble shooting in others.”:

He added, “I thoroughly enjoyed my time with them but always dreamed of having a place for my family and I knew that when I did I wanted to come back to Wisconsin and do it. I love the business both in the public eye and behind the scenes in the kitchen. I love to cook and find my job most rewarding when people are excited about good food,” Aaron claimed, anxious for what the future holds.

Aaron said he knew Millhome was the right choice for his family. He and wife Jennifer called up the owners and inquired about the business one day, then started talking about the future. “The Millhome Supper Club technically was not for sale. I knew of the business and thought it was a great fit for my family. I called Jerry unexpectedly on a Tuesday in the beginning of March and asked him if he would be interested in selling his business. It takes a long time to close on a business like this,” Aaron said.

The sale of the property was final on Oct. 23 of this year, but the previous owners are still lending a hand and getting them through the holiday season. The duo, enthralled in every aspect of running their
own business, consider themselves “very fortunate.” The entire Millhome staff support this new transition while getting ready for the busy holiday season.

The new owners are interested in learning more about the history and uniqueness of the supper club. They would like to incorporate historical information into the menu and decorate an area of the club with shadow boxes if any items of significance would be shared with them. They welcome any information the public would like to share with them about their business and building.

The Sloma family would like to thank all of those who could attend their first open house and appreciate the kindness of the community of Kiel and the surrounding areas. To contact Aaron, Jennifer or Patti at Millhome, call 894-7414 for reservations or menu specials and upcoming events.

Article reprinted courtesy of the Tri-County News. See iwantthenews.com for daily updates.