Skogen’s Festival Foods Adds Banquet Hall, Catering
Skogen’s Festival Foods has unveiled The Marq, a new banquet hall and catering business that will serve customers in the northeast Wisconsin area.
The new enterprise is the result of Onalaska, Wis.-based Skogen’s purchase last year of Apple Creek Inn, a longtime catering and banquet service that had operated in the region for 25 years. An extensive $1.5 million renovation, which included raising the ceiling, refurbishing the entire bar area and adding new furniture throughout, was recently completed for the 550-seat facility, which is located in Lawrence, just south of De Pere.
Skogen’s Festival Foods’ purchase, remodeling and renaming of Apple Creek Inn is part of the company’s expansion of its offerings and services beyond food retailing, explained Mark Skogen, president and CEO of the company that bears his name. “This was a unique opportunity to purchase a very successful catering and banquet company with a long-established reputation for excellence similar to our own,” said Skogen. “As a result, we will now be able to extend our brand and service while also providing support for our retail store catering operations, which continue to see heavy requests for their catering and food preparation services.”
The former owner of Apple Creek Inn, Sue Cashman, will stay on at The Marq as its sales manager, to grow and develop the business.
According to Skogen, The Marq will continue to service weddings, graduation parties, reunions, anniversaries and other events, as well as providing catering support for Festival Foods’ on-site corporate cafeterias.
Family-owned Skogen’s Festival Foods operates 13 stores and employs more than 3,600 full and part-time associates. The company is currently preparing to open its 14th store in the fall in Suamico, Wis.
The new enterprise is the result of Onalaska, Wis.-based Skogen’s purchase last year of Apple Creek Inn, a longtime catering and banquet service that had operated in the region for 25 years. An extensive $1.5 million renovation, which included raising the ceiling, refurbishing the entire bar area and adding new furniture throughout, was recently completed for the 550-seat facility, which is located in Lawrence, just south of De Pere.
Skogen’s Festival Foods’ purchase, remodeling and renaming of Apple Creek Inn is part of the company’s expansion of its offerings and services beyond food retailing, explained Mark Skogen, president and CEO of the company that bears his name. “This was a unique opportunity to purchase a very successful catering and banquet company with a long-established reputation for excellence similar to our own,” said Skogen. “As a result, we will now be able to extend our brand and service while also providing support for our retail store catering operations, which continue to see heavy requests for their catering and food preparation services.”
The former owner of Apple Creek Inn, Sue Cashman, will stay on at The Marq as its sales manager, to grow and develop the business.
According to Skogen, The Marq will continue to service weddings, graduation parties, reunions, anniversaries and other events, as well as providing catering support for Festival Foods’ on-site corporate cafeterias.
Family-owned Skogen’s Festival Foods operates 13 stores and employs more than 3,600 full and part-time associates. The company is currently preparing to open its 14th store in the fall in Suamico, Wis.