Cheese Shops We Love: The Milk Merchant

Location

402 S. 2nd Ave., Wausau, WI 54401

Mary Gallagher wanted to live in a big city. So as soon as she could, after graduating from college, she left her hometown of Wausau, Wisconsin—only to bounce right back. “I had a bead and jewelry store in Chicago for 10 years. My husband moved back (to Wausau) for business and I moved back hesitantly but now I love it,” she says, adding “I was looking to do something in retail.” That opportunity came in 2019 when she bought an existing cheese shop in Wausau—Naïve Fromagerie—and rebranded it entirely, with a new name: The Milk Merchant. Only she did something very unexpected: she hired the owner of that cheese shop to work for her.

A Partnership that Works

Milk Merchant tasting bar. Photo Credit Kristine Hansen

“It’s very different than it was before. New name, new look,” says Gallagher. Maggie Christians owned Navieve Fromagerie with her husband, Matthew Christians, from 2016 to 2019. Known as Chef Maggie, she now cooks for events hosted by The Milk Merchant, such as a five-course French or Italian night, or “perfect pairings” classes where five cheese-focused small bites are paired with wine. Having a full kitchen on-site allows for this. “I consider her a partner,” says Gallagher about Christians.

Marieke Gouda Honey Clover. Photo Credit Marieke Gouda

Everyone who works here loves cheese. “I’ve got a fun staff of women and we do outings,” says Gallagher, who reopened the shop during the summer of 2019. “We’ve gone to Uplands Cheese, Marieke Gouda and St. Isadore’s Dairy. There’s so much to learn when it comes to cheese and so many people doing cool things in Wisconsin. As much as we can, we try to get out of the shop and meet the faces behind the cheeses we sell. It’s fun if you can tell the customer the story.”

Focusing on Wisconsin Cheese and More

As the shop is in Wisconsin, creating a line-up of local award-winning cheeses was not only easy but a no-brainer. Cheeses like Door County Creamery’s Fresh Herb Chevre, Hook’s Five-Year Cheddar and Sartori’s Merlot BellaVitano are among those sold. Read more about BellaVitano.

That said, Gallagher also sells cheeses from Rogue Creamery in Oregon as well as Cypress Grove’s Humboldt Fog (Arcata, California), Beemster’s Gouda (the Netherlands), Manchego from Spain and Irish Whiskey Cheddar from Ireland. Read more about Gouda, including producers Beemster and Marieke.

“I’m always trying to find that specialty cheese you won’t get in the grocery stores,” she says.

“I’ve always loved cheese, growing up in Wisconsin. I also studied abroad in Italy and fell in love with cheese not from Wisconsin, but Wisconsin still holds a special piece of my heart,” says Gallagher. “I took a cool course at the University of Wisconsin in Madison for developing my education, at the Center for Dairy Research, and I also took a weekend-long intensive boot camp in New York City before opening, at Murray’s.”

The Store

Milk Merchant interior. Photo Credit Kristine Hansen

As a new owner of the shop, Gallagher had the benefit of existing clientele but also free rein to carry whatever she wanted. “I added a lot of new items: some home goods, a lot more wine, beer and spirits,” she says.

“I wanted to make it more of a store where you could come in and get a fabulous birthday gift or a hostess gift, or for entertaining,” says Gallagher. “I appreciate anything that’s local, handmade or produced on a smaller scale, whether a wooden charcuterie board or local jam. We have a local chocolatier that makes fabulous toffee.” What makes the cut when she’s sourcing? “Definitely stuff that pairs well with entertaining, whether that be cheese or wine, but also things you can’t find in the local grocery stores or any other boutiques in town,” says Gallagher.

Gallagher strives to support other food and beverage purveyors near her by retailing their wares, whether it’s Wisco Pop! sweetened sparkling waters or The Quince & Apple Company’s jams and preserves folding in local ingredients. You could nearly stock a kitchen with all she carries, including hand towels, fondue pots, coffee mugs, ramekins, cheese knives, wine glasses, charcuterie boards and wine glasses.

Charcuterie boards with meals, cheeses, nuts and spreads are available for catering, too. Beverages that shoppers can pick up—perhaps to pair with their cheese finds—range from a six- pack of craft beer to a bottle of wine or canned cocktails.

Top Selling Cheeses

Pleasant Ridge Reserve

One of only two cheeses made by Uplands Cheese Company in Dodgeville, Wisconsin, this is among The Milk Merchant’s top-sellers and a store favorite. It’s released every summer and has won Best of Show three times at the American Cheese Society’s Annual Competition. “We love adding this raw-milk, alpine-style cheese to our cheese boards,” says Gallagher. “And when Upland’s seasonal Rush Creek Reserve comes out in the fall, we have a waiting list.”

Marieke Gouda Honey Clover and Marieke Gouda Fonenegreek

Marieke Gouda Foenegreek Photo Credit Marieke Gouda

Established by Netherlands native Marieke Penterman, the Thorp, Wisconsin, creamery only makes gouda. But the possibilities are many. “She has so many fun flavors. The Honey Clover and Foenegreek are our top two,” says Gallagher. “Love the grassy notes of the Honey Clover and maple notes of the Foenegreek. Her raw-milk cheeses are made less than an hour away from our shop, so we love that as well.”

Meredith Dairy Marinated Sheep & Goat Cheese

For this favorite cheese of hers that comes from Meredith Dairy in Australia, Gallagher is nearly apologetic for looking beyond the Dairy State. “We love Wisconsin-cheese makers, especially the farmstead producers, but we also sell some amazing imports,” she says. “This fresh, Australian cheese is delicious on anything. It is nicknamed the ‘crack cheese’ by our customers.” Read more about Meredith Dairy.