WHY OCONOMOWOC?

I've touched on pieces of this story in other blog posts, videos, and conversations on this website, but after looking back through everything I've written, I realized I've never really answered one simple question.

Why Oconomowoc?

Why would someone spend years planning a retirement restaurant in a town they didn't even grow up in?

The answer starts more than forty years ago.

I was born in Ohio. Our family lived on Chippewa Trail, surrounded by friends, relatives, and everything that was familiar. Then my dad was offered what was essentially his dream job. It was the kind of opportunity that only comes along once in a lifetime.

It was also in Wisconsin.

My parents packed up three of their four boys and moved us halfway across the Midwest.

To say I handled the move well would be a lie.

I was a teenager. I didn't want to leave my friends. I didn't want to leave my school. I didn't want to start over somewhere I'd never even heard of. I resisted in just about every way imaginable.

As you might expect, I lost that battle.

We ended up in Brookfield.

Looking back, Brookfield was exactly what I needed. It gave me a fresh start, introduced me to new friends, and eventually became home.

But only a few miles away was another town that quietly began working its way into my life.

Oconomowoc.

A Town Unlike Most Others

Today, Oconomowoc has a population of roughly 19,000 residents. It's large enough to support a thriving downtown business district, outstanding schools, and an active community, yet small enough that people still recognize one another on the street.

Its history stretches back to the mid-1800s, when wealthy families from Milwaukee and Chicago built magnificent summer estates around its lakes. Even today, that heritage is obvious. Historic homes, tree-lined streets, and carefully preserved architecture give the city a personality that many communities have slowly lost over time.

The heart of downtown sits at the intersection of Wisconsin Avenue and Main Street.

It's a remarkably simple intersection.

But it also happens to separate two beautiful lakes.

To the west sits Fowler Lake.

To the east is the much larger Lac La Belle.

That geography gives downtown something that very few communities can claim. Walk a block in almost any direction and you're standing on the shoreline of one of Wisconsin's most beautiful lakes.

The combination of charming local businesses, historic architecture, restaurants, coffee shops, boutiques, parks, and waterfront views creates a place that feels distinctly Midwestern while somehow managing to be timeless.

If someone asked me what a perfect Wisconsin downtown should look like…

I'd probably point them here.

Four Seasons Done Right

Every season feels different in Oconomowoc.

Summer brings boating, paddleboarding, kayaking, swimming, waterskiing, fishing, concerts, festivals, farmers markets, and people simply enjoying the lakes.

Winter doesn't slow things down nearly as much as you'd expect. Ice fishing appears almost overnight. Snow-covered parks become gathering places. Holiday lights fill downtown. Restaurants stay busy while everyone escapes the cold for a good meal.

But fall…

Don't even get me started.

I've always loved autumn.

Cool mornings. Football. Bonfires. Changing leaves.

But fall in Oconomowoc is something special.

The trees surrounding Lac La Belle explode into shades of red, orange, and gold. The downtown sidewalks fill with people enjoying one last warm weekend before winter arrives. The whole town somehow manages to feel both peaceful and alive at the same time.

It never gets old.

Childhood Memories

Long before I ever thought about owning property here, Oconomowoc was simply the place we visited.

My brothers and I would wander through downtown, weaving in and out of the little shops, doing exactly what brothers do—finding creative ways to cause just enough trouble without attracting the attention of our parents.

One memory has always stayed with me.

The Fourth of July parade.

American flags line the streets. Families claim their spots hours in advance. Bands march. Classic cars roll by. Community organizations wave from floats.

And, just like when I was a kid…

They still throw candy.

That surprised me.

Kids still scramble after Tootsie Rolls. Parents smile. Everyone enjoys themselves.

Maybe it's a small thing.

To me, it says something much bigger.

Some traditions are worth protecting.

Life Brought Me Back

Years passed.

College. Career. Marriage. Travel. Divorce. Building businesses. Working far more hours than I probably should have.

Then life changed.

My mom became sick.

When it became clear she would need long-term rehabilitation and care, my brothers and I started researching facilities throughout Wisconsin.

We wanted the best.

One name kept appearing near the top of every list.

Shorehaven.

Right in the middle of Oconomowoc.

For several years I made that drive often.

At first to visit my mom.

Later, my dad joined her as his own health declined and he needed the kind of daily care that my mom had always provided.

Eventually, both of my parents were living there together.

Those visits became about much more than seeing my parents.

Every trip reminded me how much I loved this town as a kid.

Yes, it had changed.

But somehow…

It hadn't changed enough to lose its soul.

The character was still there. The pace was still there. The friendliness was still there.

It still felt like Oconomowoc.

The Idea

Somewhere during those years, the thought occurred to me.

I had already decided that retirement wasn't going to involve golf courses or cruise ships.

I was going to build a restaurant.

That part had already been settled.

The only remaining question was where.

The answer suddenly seemed obvious.

Why not Oconomowoc?

So I started watching commercial real estate.

For a long time…

Nothing.

Then one day, a portfolio of downtown buildings came on the market.

The crown jewel was a building on Main Street.

The future home—at least in my mind—of G&C BBQ Company.

Even better, just before I purchased it, the tenant signed a lease with options that could keep them there for roughly six years.

Perfect.

I'm not retired yet.

The timing couldn't have been better.

The Property I Never Planned to Own

The second building wasn't really part of the dream.

It simply came with the deal.

Located on Wisconsin Avenue, it housed a small sandwich shop.

At first, I viewed it as the extra property I had to buy in order to get the one I actually wanted.

Then I met the tenants.

They're exactly the kind of people you hope are running neighborhood restaurants.

Kind. Hardworking. Friendly.

Over time, my perspective changed completely.

I no longer looked at that building as the one I didn't want.

I looked at it as another opportunity.

Not today. Maybe not tomorrow. But someday.

Maybe…

Just maybe…

It becomes G&C Sandwich Company.

Why This Matters

People often ask why I'm spending years planning a restaurant that won't open until I retire.

The answer is simple.

Restaurants aren't just buildings.

They're part of a community.

Communities deserve owners who care about them.

I've traveled to dozens of countries and visited cities all over the world. I've eaten in incredible restaurants from Tokyo to London, from New York to tiny roadside diners that never appear in travel guides.

And after all those miles…

I keep coming back to Oconomowoc.

Because it feels genuine.

It values tradition without being stuck in the past.

It continues to grow without sacrificing its character.

When G&C BBQ Company finally opens its doors, I don't just want to serve barbecue.

I want to become another small piece of the town that made me fall in love with it decades ago.

And if I'm fortunate enough to someday open a second restaurant just around the corner…

Well…

I can't think of a better place for that story to continue.