Spring Tour: The Gingerbread House

The three and a half years that the Gingerbread House has been operating, its business has remained strong.  From the time the old farmstead was obviously undergoing a major restoration and renovation into a business, locals have been drawn to the place, and the attraction has shown no signs of waning.

From the aged floors (no, those are not the original, but a darn good representation) to the pressed copper ceilings, it's a great homage to the yesteryears of Muskego.  However, ambience is only going to get you so far, and the menu has proven every bit as inviting, if a crowded lunch on a Wednesday is any indication.

"We started with just a little dream of having a little bakery and coffee, and we just never expected how it would take off," said Tracy Bohrer, owner.  "It's crowded every day at lunch, and generally by 11, it's tough to find a table."

Bohrer is a former flight attendant with Midwest Airlines, and she's applied her training in customer service to her staff as well, although when the place is crowded, customers don't always see it that way.

"We'll do whatever we can to make our customers happy, but at times when it's so busy, the wait can be longer than they may expect.  While it's lunch, it's not going to be fast food, because we make everything fresh," Bohrer said.

That's probably the only wrinkle in what has been a smooth relationship between business and customer, and as the capacity for tables more than doubles in the summertime (60 can be seated outside) the demand stays high.

While Bohrer sees herself as blessed in the success of the restaurant, she also knows that businesses in Muskego don't all have the same experience, and she calls on city officials to make a better effort in showing their support.

"The people in city hall as well as the community need to be more visible in their support," she said.  "Our alderman (Keith Werner) comes in often, and that's a great way for him to see what we're doing here.  It needs to be the same throughout the city."

A boutique is featured upstairs along with a wine bar on Friday nights. With the summer months approaching the restaurant will also feature ice cream in one of their outbuildings.