Does Sun Prairie Need a Kitchen Incubator?

The following story popped up on WKOW's website yesterday:

Capital City Cookies is close to their one year anniversary in December. Though they do not have a retail space, you can find them at farmer’s markets and cater their cookies to your events. Robin and Jerry Kempfer started the company and make the cookies themselves. I joined Robin at Golden Days Bakery in Sun Prairie where they rent kitchen space.

(Click here for article and link to the video segment on how they make their Sea Salt Caramel Pecan Cookies.)

Now, there have been at least one or two other people in town who have approached the City about getting permission to run food related businesses from out of there houses. It raises the question if there is a growing demand for commercial kitchen space in the Sun Prairie area. Are there possible businesses that would use such a space, and might those businesses eventually spin off into the community as they grow? I am guessing there are. Both Golden Days Bakery and Capital City Cookies are great examples of food businesses. Add to that Carl's Cakes and the bakery at Market Street Diner all the way up to Village Hearth Bakery in the Business Park, and it suddenly seems like we're developing a baking cluster right here in Sun Prairie.

It is also interesting to note that the American Legion building already has a full commercial kitchen in it, as well as plenty of space for storing products, processing foods, retail, dining, classes, and a multitude of other food related uses. A great example of this sort of use is in Algoma, Wisconsin. Click here to learn more about their kitchen incubator.

If you or someone you know would be interested in learning more about how a kitchen incubator might work, and if you would use such a facility if it was available to you, drop Neil Stechschulte an e-mail or call at (608) 825-0894. If we get a significant response, we'll set up a meeting to discuss this idea more.

Sun Prairie Native to Lead Wisconsin's "Voice of the Biotechnology Industry" (Wisconsin State Journal)

Congratulations to Bryan Renk on his new position of Executive Director for BioForward (formerly the Wisconsin Biotechnology and Medical Device Association). He and his family have been producing seeds for four generations, helping farmers grow high-quality corn, soybeans and alfalfa through their company, William F. Renk and Sons in Sun Prairie.

We look forward to working with Bryan to expand Biotech business opportunities right here in Sun Prairie, as well as throughout the Madison region and the State of Wisconsin.

Click here for the full article in the Wisconsin State Journal.

Click here go to the BioForward website.

Sun Prairie Welcomes the Planet Bike Cup and the U.S. Gran Prix of Cyclocross to Angell Park (State Journal, ISTHMUS, USGP)

Local and national cyclocross enthusiasts say the Madison area is becoming a center for this arduous and wacky sport -- and the Planet Bike Cup at Sun Prairie's Angell Park Speedway, now in its seventh year, is drawing more amateur and professional cyclocross racers than ever.

New to the USGP in 2009, The Planet Bike Cup kicks off the Series in style on September 26th and 27th at one of the most popular venues of the Wisconsin Cycling Association Series: Angell Park Speedway in Sun Prairie, Wisconsin. Sun Prairie is located 15 miles from downtown Madison, Wisconsin. Cyclocross races have been held at Angell Park Speedway since 2003 and this year the venue will get the USGP treatment - the course is challenging and features terrain change, off-camber technical riding and some short sharp climbs. It's also a perfect venue for a good time

Last year for the first time the Sun Prairie race was sanctioned as a Union Cycliste Internationale-level racing event by that association, which oversees cycling events internationally, including the Tour de France. This year the race became part of United States Gran Prix -- a series of eight races where riders earn points that ultimately determine the best cyclocross riders in the United States.

Organizers say the number of cyclists in Sun Prairie could double from 300 last year to 600 this weekend.

Sun Prairie is proud to host this international event, and looks forward to a great race.

A special welcome to the many national and world class athletes competing here this weekend:

- Three-time world cyclocross champion Erwin Vervecken from Belgium

- Three-time U.S. cyclocross champion and world silver medalist Jonathan Page

- Swiss cyclocross champion Christian Heule

- Two-time U.S. cyclocross champion Tim Johnson

- Five-time U.S. cyclocross champion and world bronze medalist Katie Compton

- Three-time world mountain bike champion and Olympic gold medallist Alison Sydor of Canada

- World mountain bike champion and two-time Olympian Alison Dunlap

Click here for the full article in the Wisconsin State Journal.

Click here for the full article in ISTHMUS.

Click here for the Planet Bike Cup Information Page from the U.S. Gran Prix of Cyclocross.

Riders: Click here for information on places in Downtown Sun Prairie to stop, shop, dine, and get whatever else you might need.

MARCUS THEATRES® Signs Agreement to Purchase 16 Acres in Sun Prairie (Press Release)

Company pursuing alternate options for new Madison-area entertainment destination

For additional information, contact:
Carlo W. Petrick
(414) 905-1505
carlopetrick@marcustheatres.com

Milwaukee, Wis., August 24, 2009 - Marcus Theatres® today announced it has signed an agreement to purchase approximately 16-acres of land in the Prairie Lakes development in the city of Sun Prairie. The 100-acre development is located at the Northwest quadrant of County Highway C and U.S. Highway 151. The development will contain a mix of retail, restaurants, hotels and entertainment venues and is being developed by Prairie Development Ltd, a Madison-based company.

Marcus Theatres is considering a megaplex entertainment destination to replace its existing Eastgate Cinema property, which will remain in operation until the new theatre opens. The new entertainment destination would feature 16 movie screens, including a 70-foot-wide signature UltraScreen®, in-theatre dining and a full-service restaurant and bar.

“The Prairie Lakes development is one of two sites in the Madison-area we are contemplating,” said Bruce J. Olson, president of Marcus Theatres. “The Prairie Lakes site offers excellent visibility and accessibility and inclusion in a high-quality development. A final determination has not yet been made, but this site does offer additional options and flexibility for building an entertainment destination our guests will enjoy without the added challenge and financial risk of developing the surrounding property ourselves, which would be required with the other site,” added Olson.

The company still has an option to purchase the 26-acre site, known as “The Crossing” at Nelson Road and Highway 151 on the east side of Madison. The company has obtained approval from the Urban Design Committee, City of Madison Planning Commission and the City Council on the general development plan, but has not yet begun the second round of approvals required on the specific implementation plan.

About Marcus Theatres
Marcus Theatres®, a division of The Marcus Corporation (NYSE: MCS), is the seventh largest theatre circuit in the United States and currently owns or manages 663 screens at 53 locations in Wisconsin, Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota and Ohio, and one family entertainment center in Wisconsin.

About The Marcus Corporation
Headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, The Marcus Corporation is a leader in the lodging and entertainment industries. In addition to its Marcus Theatres division, the company’s lodging division, Marcus Hotels and Resorts, owns or manages 20 hotels, resorts and other properties in ten states. For more information, visit the company’s web site at www.marcuscorp.com.

New Copp's Store to Open in Sun Prairie (Madison.com)

The new Copps grocery store in Sun Prairie opens for business at 6 a.m. Saturday and will feature more fresh produce, more prepared foods and a full-service Roundy’s pharmacy, said parent company, Roundy’s Supermarkets, based in Milwaukee.

The Copps store, at 640 E. Main St., replaces the Pick ‘n Save at 2001 McCoy Road, about two miles away.

At 60,700 square feet, the new store is nearly 45 percent bigger than the Pick ‘n Save, which is 42,000 square feet. Built in 1991,

About 140 people will be employed at the new Sun Prairie Copps. All of the workers at the Pick ‘n Save will either be transferred to that store or to other Roundy’s grocery stores, Folczyk said. Employees are not represented by a union at either of the stores, she said.

The Main Street store in Sun Prairie — the 11th Copps grocery store in the Madison area and the second in Sun Prairie — will be open from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. every day. A grand opening celebration will be from 4:30 to 7 p.m. Monday and will include a $2,500 donation by Roundy’s to the Sun Prairie Education Foundation.

A 60,000-square-foot Copps store opened in March 2007 at the corner of highways C and 19 on Sun Prairie’s west side.

Click here to read the full article from Madison.com.

Sun Prairie Sweet Corn Festival - Aug. 20th-23rd at Angell Park

Click here for a great video on how all the corn gets to the Sun Prairie Sweet Corn Festival!

Click here for another great video on the serving building and the festival grounds at Angell Park.

For more information on the Sun Prairie Sweet Corn Festival, click here to visit the Sun Prairie Chamber of Commerce.

Associated Announces Second Branch Opening at New Copps Food Center in Sun Prairie

MADISON — August 17, 2009 — Associated Bank announced today the opening of its third banking office in Sun Prairie. Located in the newly built Copps Food Center at 640 E. Main Street, this new Associated branch will replace the one currently located in the soon-to-close Pick’ n Save store at 2001 Mc Coy Road. The store is scheduled to close in conjunction with the opening of the new Copps. Both Copps Food Center and Pick ‘n Save are owned and operated by Roundy’s Supermarkets, Inc.

“This is our second new branch opening this month,” said Sana Khatri, District Manager for Associated Bank. “We have a number of exciting grand opening events planned. We hope everyone will join us as we continue to celebrate our commitment to the Sun Prairie community.”

The grand opening is scheduled for Saturday, August 29 from 9:00 am until 4:00 pm. Celebration activities include refreshments, games and prizes, and a chance to meet Bucky Badger. Radio personalities from WOLX radio will broadcast live from the new Associated Bank branch that day.

Grand opening specials will be available for new and existing customers of the bank. Customers can enter a drawing to win a Copps gift card at $500, $200, and $100 levels. This offer will run through Monday, September 7. In addition to the grocery drawing, customers will receive $50 when opening a checking account with a direct deposit. This offer expires September 30, 2009.

For added customer convenience, the 640 E. Main Street location will be operating Monday-Friday 9:00 am to 7:00 pm, Saturday from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm, and Sunday 10:00 am – 2:00 pm.

Associated Bank is part of Associated Banc-Corp (NASDAQ: ASBC), headquartered in Green Bay, Wis., a diversified bank holding company with total assets of $24 billion. Associated has more than 300 banking offices serving approximately 160 communities in Wisconsin, Minnesota and Illinois. Associated offers a full range of traditional banking services and a variety of other financial products and services. More information about Associated Banc-Corp is available at http://www.associatedbank.com/.