Mars Cheese Castle: Where Cheese Reigns Supreme
Mars Cheese Castle exterior photo credit Laine Doss
The stretch of highway that connects Chicago, Illinois, to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, is rich in places to stop for food. Driving along, you’ll see signs for farmstands selling produce and bakeries offering doughnuts. But of all these temptations, one place stands out for its uniqueness.
Halfway between the two cities, a literal castle comes into view just off I-94. Mars Cheese Castle could be yet another roadside attraction, but this royal homage to fromage is truly too good to pass up. Not only does it offer a fantastic selection of cheese, but its story is truly remarkable.
History of Mars Cheese Castle
Mars Cheese Castle sign [03]" by SchuminWeb is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.
Mars Cheese Castle started as a small cheese shop in a former schoolhouse in Downtown Kenosha, Wisconsin. In 1947, Martha and Mario Ventura Sr. named the shop by combining their names (“Mars”) and adding the “castle” for a castle in Italy owned by Martha’s mother. In 1957, a fire occurred, forcing the Venturas to relocate their shop. They purchased an old gas station and gave it a castle-like facade, and the new location close to the highway thrived. Martha and Mario ran the business until their passing in 2004 and 2007. In the late 1990’s, Mars Cheese Castle was forced to move due to a highway expansion. The move was only a few hundred feet, but enabled a transformation.
In 2011, the building was completed, with the new Mars Cheese Castle reimagined as a true castle complete with turrets, knights in shining armor, stained glass windows, and a talking cow named Isabel (because why not).
Mars Cheese Castle Today
Mars Castle interior photo credit Laine Doss
Currently, Mars Cheese Castle is run by Mario and Martha’s grandchildren, Michael and Chris Ventura, and cousin Natalie Broussard, who all share a General Manager title. Michael Ventura says that Mars Cheese Castle is more than a souvenir shop — it’s a piece of Americana. “You don’t see roadside attractions much anymore. It has a very specific value. It has nostalgia.”
Chris Ventura adds that Mars Cheese Castle adds a bit of whimsy in what can be a drive filled with the same big-box retail and chain restaurants. “There’s something upsetting about that homogenized culture. We’ve lost that kind of uniqueness. Customers here can come see a very special building.”
What to Expect
Cheese shop
Bakery
Deli
Restaurant
Mars Castle cheese curds photo credit Laine Doss
Though the facade might look kitschy, inside Mars Cheese Castle is a serious cheese lover’s dream come true. The 45,000 square-foot space offers more than 700 varieties of cheese along with wines, gourmet condiments, meats, and other items to complete your cheese board. An in-house bakery bakes breads, including Mars’ famous cheese and jalapeno bread. There are also desserts and kringle (A Midwestern pastry that can best be described as a giant Danish pastry).
There’s also a deli and restaurant that offers sandwiches, a fantastic beer selection (including a good number of local brews), and a gift shop specializing in the cheesiest of items and locally-made gifts. And, of course, there’s Isabel, a talking cow that shares cheese-related trivia.
Don’t let the talking cow and the suits of armor distract you from the fact that Mars Cheese Castle is serious about its fromage. “In terms of cheese and beer, we’re the second largest retailer in the state. We make a big effort to source cheese and beers from Wisconsin,” says Chris.
Even for cheese, there’s life outside of Wisconsin. “Though we’re proud to offer local cheese, we would be remiss not to offer imported cheese. There are incredible cheesemakers overseas,” says Michael.
The most popular item has to be cheese curds, the fresh, unaged cheddar that’s separated from the whey during the cheesemaking process. True Wisconsinites test their curds to see if they “squeak” when eating them — a true sign of freshness. The cheese curds from Mars Cheese Castle are made fresh daily. Michael explains the squeak: “When the curds are made, they have a high moisture content. Curds can rapidly lose their moisture, making them rubbery. So, a truly fresh curd will squeak. This is the freshest cheddar you can buy. Ideally, you’re consuming the curds just hours after they’re made.”
With hundreds of varieties, even a well-versed cheese aficionado can have trouble choosing. Thankfully, customers can try any cheese before they buy it, according to Michael. “There’s a lot of cheese, and people need a little help. We’ll sample anything at our cheese cases. We pride ourselves on customer service.”
If you’re looking for suggestions, Michael recommends an aged Wisconsin cheddar. “The typical grocery store cheddar is aged about six months; here we have a 15-year-old cheddar that takes a lot of time and care to produce”.
For Chris, favorite cheeses change all the time, but his go-to right now is a local gouda from Wisconsin’s Marieke Farms.
Mars Cheese Castle also ships most of its items, including cheese curds, but really, the best way to experience it is in person. There’s som ething truly wonderful about this place, and it comes from the people as much as the cheese and beer. Chris agrees. “It’s a really fun place. It’s magical, and the ‘Midwestern nice’ is alive and well in Wisconsin.”
Michael sums it up. “It’s truly the Midwestern mentality. We love our cheese and sausage, and we love to share.”