Before COVID-19, the West Allis Cheese and Sausage Shoppe served out of their primary location as well as the Milwaukee Public Market.
But when the Public Market closed its doors prior to the official shutdown, owner Mark Lutz immediately started to worry.
EVERY MORNING WE'RE FEATURINGA LOCAL BUSINESS IN PART OFOUR WE'RE OPEN SERIES.
THESEBUSINESSES CAN REMAIN OPENUNDER THE GOVERNOR'S STAY ATHOME ORDER.
THIS MORNING WETAKE YOU TO A BLOCK IN WESTALLIS - WHERE ONE MAN RUNSTHREE BUSINESSES THROUGH THEPANDEMIC.BEFORE COVID-19 THE WEST ALLISCHEESE AND SAUSAGE SHOP SERVEDOUT OF ITS PRIMARY LOCATIONAND THE MILWAUKEE PUBLICMARKET.
...(((MARK SAYS:"Obviously the Public Marketis a major part of our incomestream.")))...WHEN THE PUBLICMARKET CLOSED ITS DOORS PRIORTO THE OFFICIAL SHUTDOWN.
...OWNER MARK LUTZ'S IMMEDIATEREACTION - WORRY.
...(((MARKSAYS: "The first two days waslike oh my gosh how are wegoing to get through this?")))...BUT AFTER A FEW ADJUSTMENTS- CAFE ORDERS MOVED FORWARD....(((MARK SAYS:"On therestaurant side you can callin your order.
We can bring itour to the curb, we candeliver it.
Or you can walk inand we do our best at keepingsocial distancing.")))...ANDTHE CHEESE IS STILL FLOWS OUTTHE DOOR.
...(((MARK SAYS:"Inthe store itself, people stillcome for their cheese or theirsyrups and honey.
Any of thespeciality food we have fromWisconsin.")))...(((Delaneysays: "It's not just the WestAllis Cheese and Sausage Shopthat Mark is running throughthis pandemic.
On the sameblock he also owns BecherMeats, a local butcher shop,and Station No.
6 where youcan pick up Bloody Mary kitsto go every saturday from 12to 3."))) ...(((Mark says:"The immediate area with theneighbors and the community,they've really been doing thesupport local thing.
OnSaturday's when we do thosebloody marys to go, we'll gothrow 150 bloody marys to goand then people come in a buya sandwich.")))...AS FORBECHER MEATS - ONE BUSINESSDAY OF "NORMALCY" WAS ENOUGHTO GET THE WORD OUT.
...(((MARK SAYS: "It's probablyone of the five specialtystores you could have openedup during this pandemic.
If Iwould have opened up anythingelse, it would have been adisaster.")))...BECAUSE EVENIF CUSTOMERS PREFER TO COOKTHIER OWN MEALS....THEY STILLNEED A MAIN COURSE.
...(((MARKSAYS: "The aren't eating atrestaurants but they areeating at home.
So the butchershop kinda saved our bacon nopun intended.")))...THE CHEESEAND SAUSAGE SHOP ALONG WITHBECHER MEATS IS OPEN 7 DAYS AWEEK.
...AND DON'T WORRY IFYOU CAN'T WAIT TILL SATURDAYFOR A BLOODY MARY - YOU CANPURCHASE KITS AT EITHERLOCATION.
...DELANEY BREYTODAY'S TMJ4 NE