What is The Fuzzy Pig? You could venture 20 guesses and still not come close. But if farmer-turned-entrepreneur Dick Kraus has his way, the "delightful day trip secret" that is The Fuzzy Pig Country Mall -- just outside Whitewater, about a 50-minute drive from Milwaukee -- will soon be well known to residents of Milwaukee, Waukesha and Southeast Wisconsin.
Kraus, 55, is the mastermind and driving force behind a 15-year odyssey to transform a chunk of one of the family farms two miles outside of Whitewater, at N. 8660 Clover Valley Rd., into a unique Country Mall and dining destination. He has been assisted in his 15-year quest by brother-in-law Roger Gransee, 59.
"People constantly ask me what it is. I can tell you what The Fuzzy Pig isn't," observed Kraus. "It isn't a little craft store, it isn't a small antique shop, or little roadside shop. You really have to see it to believe it. It is a delightful day trip secret for the good citizens of Milwaukee and Waukesha Counties. Take a ride out and visit us, I believe you will enjoy yourselves."
The Fuzzy Pig is a hand-renovated barn lovingly converted into a distinct Country Mall using only authentic antique building materials from regional barns such as rough-hewn and hand-hewn, century-old woods and aged metal shingles. The family house next door to the Country Mall has been completely gutted and transformed into the rustic and enchanting Heritage House restaurant. A '50s-style Malt and Snack Shop, and a Gourmet Coffee Shop were thrown in for good measure.
"Fuzzyville," as Dick Kraus refers to the entire complex anchored by The Fuzzy Pig Country Mall, is a 15-year labor of love located on a four-acre section of a 160-acre Kraus family farm just outside of Whitewater. Kraus owns and actively farms 1,400 acres in the region.
Every addition Kraus makes to "Fuzzyville" is calculated to improve the day trip experience for Wisconsinites, especially people living in Milwaukee and Waukesha Counties. "We are less than an hour away from Milwaukee and Waukesha, we really want those folks to know we are out here."
In February, Kraus broke ground on a 10,000-square-foot addition. "People have been asking for more products and giving us ideas for new lines," Kraus explained. "I figured it was time to grow again." The next phase of Fuzzyville should be complete by this autumn.
"We were driving in the middle of nowhere wondering if we had misread the directions," chuckled Deb Doerflinger, 49, of South Milwaukee. "We come upon this rustic looking barn, house, and other buildings. We walk in and we were amazed at what we saw. My lady friends and I spent hours exploring The Fuzzy Pig."
Farm Roots Lead to a Creative Entrepreneurial Vision
Dick Kraus was born on this farm. The Kraus family has farmed this and other farms they own there for generations. Along with farming, everyone in the Kraus family also possessed artistic skills. Mother Kraus baked and sold custom wedding cakes. Sister Kraus went to school for floral design. Wife Pam Kraus left teaching to join the family floral business, which Pam has successfully run for 28 years.
Dick Kraus had a slightly bigger canvas in mind for his artistic vision.
He saw an old barn and dilapidated farmhouse used for storage and envisioned transforming the structures into a one-of-a-kind Country Mall. The Fuzzy Pig is one of the family barns gutted and artistically hand restored with vintage regional materials such as hand-hewn and rough-hewn lumber from old barns in the area, transforming it into a 6,500 square-foot, three-level marvel.
"I would always go with Pam to flower and gift trade shows," observed Kraus. "I would also want to buy different things than she would. I always envisioned a different way to do this."
The Fuzzy Pig offers hundreds of eclectic and inviting product lines ranging from furniture to women's clothing to natural bath and body products to free-range meats to antiques and art.
"We were visiting friends in the area," explained Carol Ragle, 53, of Silver City, NM. "They told us we were going to love spending a day at The Fuzzy Pig. We had a wonderful day there. There is so much to see and explore. We had a great meal and then we went back and bought more stuff."
The Road to FuzzyVille
Simply put, for a delightful day of browsing, shopping, dining, and relaxing, the Fuzzy Pig is Southeast Wisconsin's best-kept day trip secret.
Since The Fuzzy Pig opened three years ago, tourists from all over the world (all 50 states and 22 foreign countries) have leisurely enjoyed a day trip visit and explored the many treasures contained in The Fuzzy Pig Country Mall, yet most people in Milwaukee and Waukesha County don't know it exists.
"Each day it is gratifying and amazing to learn where people are from and to hear them compliment The Fuzzy Pig's construction and look, the atmosphere, the unusual product lines," explained brother-in-law Roger Gransee. "They rave how they loved the food and enjoyed browsing through everything. They always say they cannot believe how fast the day went."
The 15-year saga of transforming The Fuzzy Pig from dream to thriving reality is as interesting as the Country Mall itself.
Back in the late 80s Farmers Kraus and Gransee purchased 300 acres of Kraus family farms from Father Kraus. Dick Kraus now owns and farms 1,400 acres in the Whitewater region. Their annual schedule was quite seasonally defined. Plant the crops in the spring. Manage the crops and livestock during the summer while also operating a landscaping business. Harvest in fall. Winter's months were filled by foraging for materials to eventually build The Fuzzy Pig.
The first version of The Fuzzy Pig was built on a nearby farm where Kraus and Gransee owned the land and life-long friend Bill Fero, a heroic veteran who lost his legs in Vietnam, owned the buildings.
Kraus and Gransee spent three years renovating the first Fuzzy Pig barn. A growing following of regional customers loved the free-range meat and poultry sold there. The first country mall was nearly ready to open.
Then lightning struck ... literally. A fire started by lightning gutted the buildings and destroyed three years of extensive renovations and a huge amount of the Fuzzy Pig's rare, authentic building materials.
"It was a difficult pill to swallow to see three years of hard work burn up," Kraus observed. "But I have never lacked confidence. I knew we could start over and make it work."
Farmers Kraus and Gransee had stopped raising cattle at the present Fuzzy Pig location. The pair decided to rebuild The Fuzzy Pig at that location.
"We had been foraging the area for 15 years to find the right antique materials to create the look I envisioned," Kraus noted. "We lost a great deal of irreplaceable materials in the fire. We had drained our area, so we expanded our search by many more counties and were fortunate to find enough materials to create our second location, The Fuzzy Pig."
The bricks, boards, and all other materials are recycled from old farms and farmhouses in region. Kraus is a stickler for authenticity. If he starts a room in hand-hewn lumber (wood from barns over 125 years old), he will not finish the room with any other materials.
"We had just about finished the candle shop room," Kraus noted. "We came up one board short. You wouldn't believe how long it took to find one more board that matched." That attention to detail is evident in every nook and cranny of The Fuzzy Pig.
What Else Do You Call It But The Fuzzy Pig
How did Farmers Kraus and Gransee arrive at the name "The Fuzzy Pig?"
"This project took years," Kraus explained, "We had sold off the cattle for this farm by then, so all the stray cats had left years ago. No free food, no strays looking for a meal. We finally amassed enough materials and started working on all the construction and renovation. A big wild cat shows up."
"We couldn't get near it at first. Every morning, Roger would head north to feed the herd of cattle and I would head south to feed the poultry. Roger was a big coffee drinker, and would always bring us coffee when we met back up to work on the Pig. Roger drank his coffee black, but I took cream with mine. Roger would always bring me creamers from the truck stop where he would pick up our daily coffee."
"That big cat always kept its distance, until he started to smell the creamers. He was definitely interested. We started to give him creamers and he became a very happy new friend of ours."
"It was amazing, back then there were a lot of Chrysler minivans on the road, but that cat could always tell it was Roger's minivan arriving with more creamers. When he'd see that van, he would run to the dish for more treats."
"Once we got him tamed down, he became a real pain. He became very affectionate and would rub up against us while we were trying to saw or nail. He decided to move in, so we thought we would set up a little bed for him. We put down a big piece of foam and hung a heat lamp down. He loved that. All he did was lay under the heat lamp. We were having some cold winters. The only time he would get up from under the heat lamp was to get fed. Our adopted feline friend got huge."
Kraus and Gransee never really named him, but they kept him well fed.
"Roger was taking 50-60 creamers each morning to satisfy our friend. The truck stop started rationing creamers. They couldn't figure out what was happening. Word spread about our new friend, and a buddy of mine who owns a trucking firm would send over a damaged pallet of creamers. Our friend had literally a limitless supply of his beloved creamers."
"Roger and I were seeing the light at the end of the tunnel for our construction work. We had been discussing names for the place for weeks, but we couldn't agree on one. We wanted it to be something that stuck in your mind when you heard it. The cat walked by us to get some more creamers. I blurted out 'look at that fuzzy pig' as a joke to make Roger laugh. We looked at each other and said that could be the name. For days we kept attempting to shoot the idea down, but ultimately we felt it would stick in your head, once you heard it. I think we got that right."
What happened to the feline name inspiration?
"Our friend impregnated a couple of strays," Kraus explained. "The first litter of kittens started exploring and came and crawled over him. He did not like that. He moved away from them once. They followed. He moved again. They followed and bugged him. He moved two more times and then you could tell he wanted no more of it. He took off and never returned."
The Fuzzy Pig's daughter Whiney now rules the roost, or more accurately, The Pig, and is the only cat allowed inside the Country Mall. Kraus and Gransee honor the namesake by feeding strays (cat food, not creamers). The Fuzzy Pig is a hit on the stray circuit, going through 20 pounds or more of cat food each day.
A Landmark Country Mall
The Fuzzy Pig Country Mall is a marvel of interwoven product lines, decorations, and the wonder that is the complete renovation and restoration. Dick Kraus trusts his intuition and vision in adding eclectic product lines; he trusts Geri Harris to make it all work visually.
Harris has worked for the Kraus family's successful floral shop Floral Villa for decades. She now wears a second hat as the display coordinator for The Fuzzy Pig.
"Geri's a natural at it," Kraus noted. "She can take boxes of unrelated products and produces beautiful arrangements and rooms. She's that good." Kraus noted that customers regularly hire Geri Harris to decorate a room at home or an office.
Harris is especially effective at displaying various product lines in the same area. She skillfully weaves displays that are eye-catching and functional. "I love that every day is a new challenge at the Fuzzy Pig," Harris explained. "You just never know what Dick will bring into the store."
Kraus commented: "Deep down I think I can do this, too. Then when I actually design and set up an area, I won't even be close to what she can do. I can't do it, but I can see it when it's right."
The Fuzzy Pig Country Mall offers Harris a rich pallet from which she can create. Kraus carries hundreds of varied and appealing product lines.
There's a candle room interweaved with stained glass art. Another room features natural soaps and bath products with eye-catching artworks. There's a room featuring gourmet kitchen supplies interspersed with pottery, vases, and spectacular wood-carved art pieces. On the second floor is a women's clothing boutique with chic and fashionable clothing and apparel. A third-level room features a rare display of bridal dolls from all other the world. Unique, hard-to-find antiques fill several rooms at the Country Mall. Other product lines include furniture, rugs, linens, tiffany and vintage lamps, watches, fine crystal, eatery and cutlery sets, and so much more.
"I had no idea The Fuzzy Pig would offer so much," observed Judy King, 43, of North Lakes. "I thought I would spend 15 minutes there. I stayed 4 hours and bought a lot of great gifts for the holidays."
The Fuzzy Pig also offers fresh meats and free-range natural chickens, turkeys, and geese, as well as dozens of gourmet food product lines and delicious sweets and treats.
Each month The Fuzzy Pig morphs with new products and seasonal displays and specials. You simply never know what Dick Kraus will come up with next. He despises stagnation, where themes become stale and common. "We will never have a year-round Christmas or Easter room," commented Kraus. "How can people look forward to the surprise, if it is there all year round?"
Some product lines sold in The Fuzzy Pig Country Mall can even be life changing. "We met this woman who was a little down on her luck," Kraus explained. "She makes these phenomenal handmade wool mittens. She was concerned they would not sell. The quality is so exceptional that at $25.00 per pair they are a bargain. She can't make them fast enough to keep up with demand. The success of her mittens has changed her life for the better, giving her confidence and a brighter outlook."
Shopping and Dining for Every Budget
While The Fuzzy Pig offers quality merchandise, some of which can be considered upscale, Kraus bristled at the suggestion that The Fuzzy Pig is an elite destination. "The Kraus family are farmers," Kraus noted. "I would never open something that my family or people in the same situation could not afford to visit and shop at."
This is no more evident than the "FuzzyVille" Heritage Room restaurant, the blast-from-the-past Did-Bo's '50s style Malt and Snack Shop, and FuzzyVille Coffee Shop. All three culinary options offer superior quality without outrageous prices.
The rustic yet elegant Heritage room offers sumptuous Americana dishes such as Homemade Meat Loaf combined with fine cuisine entrees such as seafood pasta dishes and gourmet poultry dishes. Sandwiches, salads, soups, and desserts are always available at the Heritage Room. Daily specials keep the menu fresh and appealing.
A food industry expert with 25 years experience, Royal D. All, who goes by "Deester," described the Heritage Room as "home-style Americana with refined Bistro flair."
"The ambience is wonderful," noted Deester. "It really is an ideal place to rent out for a birthday party, a baby shower, or any event seeking a memorable quality."
In the February 16, 2006 edition of the Janesville Gazette, Restaurant Critic Norm Starks concluded after dining at the Heritage Room, "What a delightful place!"
Starks recently visited unannounced for lunch and to review the offerings of the Heritage Room. He dined with his wife and wrote a detailed description of the meal. Stark found the soups "delicious," and his entrée of Portabella Siciliana was "a huge, healthy dish bursting with flavors."
Stark concluded his article by writing: "Bottom line? This quaint antique and gift shop and restaurant is a place you simply have to visit."
Did-Bo's Malt Shop is a Happy Days-like experience with soda fountain treats, premium soft-serve ice cream in an impressive array of flavors, burgers, hot dogs, and finger food snacks such as wings and mozzarella sticks.
The FuzzyVille Coffee Shoppe offers regular coffees and gourmet cappuccinos and espressos.
The Carpenters once sang "We've only just begun." This is now the anthem of the farmers Kraus and Gransee. Phase Two of FuzzyVille is currently under construction. Sometime in autumn, a 10,000-sq. ft. addition will open offering a bookstore, a baby store, a Fuzzy Pig merchandise store, an art gallery dedicated to local student artists, a shop offering supplies for do-it-yourself quilters, and a costume and Halloween shop that will rival anything found in Milwaukee. Kraus promises other surprises as soon as he thinks of them.
The Floral Villa Flower Shop is also relocating to FuzzyVille after 28 years in downtown Whitewater.
For farmer-turned-entrepreneur Dick Kraus, The Fuzzy Pig has taken root, blossomed, and matured from the seed of a dream he planted 15 years ago. Despite adversity and plethora of challenges, The Fuzzy Pig Country Mall is three years open and making its mark as a day-trip destination.
Is Kraus satisfied his work is over?
"Our ultimate goal is to never be done," explained Kraus. "I really believe we will never be done."
To get to The Fuzzy Pig from the Milwaukee area, follow 43 south to Mukwonago; exit right toward Mukwonago, then turn left at the first stoplight onto Bay View Road. Turn left onto Main Street (Hwy ES); turn right onto Hwy J. Hwy J dead-ends into Hwy 20, which becomes Hwy 12. Follow Hwy 12 to the outskirts of Whitewater. At the first stop sign, turn left onto County Road P, and take the first right onto Willis Ray Road. After the tractor store, turn left onto Clover Valley Road; The Fuzzy Pig is the third farm on the left. The Fuzzy Pig Web site is thefuzzypig.com. The phone number is ( 262) 473-4574.
