A rejuvenated spirit

Steaks, along with the Stage Stop specialty of baked potatoes with heaps of butter, are ready for serving (Submitted Photo/The Report).
Steaks, along with the Stage Stop specialty of baked potatoes with heaps of butter, are ready for serving (Submitted Photo/The Report).

Stage Stop to re-open as family continues 168-year tradition

By Jason Arndt
Staff Writer

When the Wilmot Hotel opened its doors in 1848, the San Francisco Gold Rush was one year away, Wisconsin was not yet admitted into the United States and the telegraph was in its infancy.

Since then, the Wilmot Hotel, now known as Wilmot Stage Stop has stayed in the same family for seven generations as they saw the United States grow into 50 states and countless technological innovations.

Jill Wood, daughter of Wilmot Stage Stop owners Ron and Nancy Hackett, and her husband Craig have taken a hands-on role in reopening of the seven-generation business.
Jill Wood, daughter of Wilmot Stage Stop owners Ron and Nancy Hackett, and her husband Craig have taken a hands-on role in reopening of the seven-generation business.

As the United States grew, the Stage Stop, 30646 113th St., Wilmot, in western Kenosha County, continued to maintain the historical integrity of the three-story building consisting of a restaurant, museum and third floor where settlers traveling by horse stayed in the 1800s.

The 168-year-old history came to an abrupt end in July, but following an outpouring of community support and overwhelming response, the family vowed to re-open with a rejuvenated spirit. However, this time the family appeared to be determined in using technological aid like the best property management software application to manage their glorious hotel and cater better to the needs of their guests.

According to Jill Wood, daughter of fifth-generation owners Ron and Nancy Hackett, the support gives the family strength to plan a re-opening on Jan. 17.

“The response, not only from the local community, but the surrounding communities to re-open the doors was a magical response,” Wood said. “It gave you the motivation and the enthusiasm that the family needed to carry on the tradition.”

The enthusiasm, she said, included phone calls, handwritten letters and customers showing up to the property in tears.

“There was a lot of emotion, not only from the (customers), but the family,” Wood said. “After 168 years of being open seven days a week, it was a great opportunity to close the doors for six months and concentrate on the quality of what we had.”

For the past six months, Wood and her staff have assessed not only the food and service quality, but for ways to improve the overall customer experience. Taking into account customer experience is important for business quality, that is why setting out a strategy (https://www.qualtrics.com/experience-management/customer/design-customer-experience-strategy/) can help with getting to know the customer well and relating to them in a way to help the business.

Known for its steak, Stage Stop upgraded to Certified Angus Beef, replaced the T-bone and top sirloin with a 20-ounce bone-in ribeye and butcher steak.

Those are not the only upgrades, however, with the Stage Stop adding a vegetable of the day and a new addition to the menu.

“We have added the Ahi tuna steak and then we have taken two steaks off and replaced them with two different steaks,” said Wood. “We’ve also added a vegetable of the day because that is what people had been requesting.”

Although they improved the menu options, some of the old customer favorites are slated to stay the same, including homemade desserts and the trademark baked potato with a stick of butter.

“That is definitely going to be still here,” Wood said, in regards to the baked potato.

Furthermore, for the last six months, the family opted to add more historical features to the building and hired a new chef and master mixologist. They also did receive a few recommendations to hire Professional Hood Cleaning Services in Charleston or similar ones in their area so that they can be extra sure as to when they reopen their restaurant.

Corey Ludwig plans to add new cocktail concoctions to the menu at Wilmot Stage Stop.
Corey Ludwig plans to add new cocktail concoctions to the menu at Wilmot Stage Stop.

Personnel changes
One of the reasons for the July closure was staff turnover, but Stage Stop found two new employees they believe can make a remarkable impression on guests.

Stage Stop added Ashley Rupp, who is a pioneer in the 168-year-old history of the business.

“We are bringing in the first woman chef to ever be behind the grill,” Wood said. “She has culinary degree.”

Along with a new chef comes a master bartender, Wood said, noting Corey Ludwig delivers several years experience as both a bartender and a teacher.

Under Ludwig, who plans to keep up with today’s trendiest cocktail concoctions, guests will have a diverse array of choices, Wood explained.

“We have taken the time to update our cocktail menu with mixing old classic cocktails with today’s trends,” said Wood. “We have a master mixologist, I would call him.”

“(Ludwig) has worked for a bunch of liquor companies that has done a whole bunch of training and teaching,” she added.

Historical appreciation

The original bar sits on the second floor of Wilmot Stage Stop.
The original bar sits on the second floor of Wilmot Stage Stop.

As guests enter the doors in January, they should expect the same physical structure and more, including enhancements for both children and those with physical limitations.

“The goal was to increase the customer experience. That is what we really concentrated on,” Wood explained. “With that being said, we closed down the gift shop and added more historical representations from the family, including the original bar that we brought back in.”

The original bar, still in storage, was replaced on the first floor with new counters decades earlier.

Wood added historical information from multiple eras on to the original bar, which is now on the second floor, where the gift shop was located.

Instead of a gift shop, staff plan to guide guests through the building, offering a more interactive opportunity.

“We are now going to be doing history museum tours upstairs, so people can actually hear the story behind the family and the artifacts, instead of just visually seeing them,” she said.

According to the Stage Stop website, the second floor was primarily used as a ballroom, where travelers in the 1800s sought a night of fun and relaxation as the ventured between Kenosha and Galena, Ill. en route to the Wilmot Grist Mill.

While travelers had a warm meal on the first floor, and danced the night away on the second floor, they needed an overnight resting spot.

Enter in the third floor, which consists of 13 cubicles, where travelers slept.

“When (Ephraim) Wilcox constructed the 13 small sleeping rooms on the third, he felt quite confident that Wilmot would serve as the perfect location for his hotel on the stage line between Kenosha and Galena,” the website states.

Today, nearly all of the artifacts are viewable through a tiny window.

Noting its mission to enhance the quality of the guest experience, Wood said, she opted to make the third floor child friendly, noting the small window is unreachable for them.

“On the third floor, I put a lot of additional artifacts in the rooms,” she stated. “I also took photos of all those rooms so that children could see what was in them as well, because there was always that small window.”

For guests with physical limitations, Wood opted to bring both the second and third floor to the first floor, with a photo scrapbook for everyone to peruse.

Next generation
While Wood has taken the reigns in the day-to-day operations of the business, there is a seventh generation entering the business, with her three children showing an interest in maintaining the family tradition dating back to John and Anna Hegeman.

“My parents still own it, they are still in ownership,” said Wood, mother of 11-year-old Maci, 13-year-old Erik, and Molly, who is 16 years old.

“Two of my children have a lot of interest in it,” said Wood. “They were, I want to say, part of the motivation to reopen as well. They were pretty heartbroken when it was closed.”

For more information
Wilmot Stage Stop reintroduced an overhauled website Nov. 18 and includes details on the updated menu along with more historical information.

Additionally, Wilmot Stage Stop plans to start taking reservations Dec. 1 in anticipation of the Jan. 17 re-opening date.

Holiday gift certificates are available, and guests can receive them in-person at Wilmot Stage Stop Monday through Friday between 8 a.m. and 3 p.m.

To place a reservation, place a call to (262) 862-6212.

The website is found at www.wilmotstagestop.com.


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3 responses to “A rejuvenated spirit”

  1. Karen Moe Avatar
    Karen Moe

    Good luck. I hope all goes well. A family run business for that length of time is wonderful!

  2. SleepyinIL Avatar
    SleepyinIL

    I heard first hand from former staff that the kids ran it to the ground, but they’re still going to be involved? Hope they learned some lessons and it goes well. Was one of our fav places to eat.

  3. Jannett Hawley Avatar
    Jannett Hawley

    Wishing you a spectacular opening. I am elated the family made this decision to continue this excellent restaurant. Will see you in June of 2017 when we make our yearly visit from Florida. CAN’T WAIT!