Popcorn, ice cream, and shaved ice, oh my.
Dana “Moe” Mueller, of Shawano, opened Moe’s on Main on April 17 and is already tempting the appetites of summer crowds with her gourmet popcorn, Chocolate Shoppe ice cream and Hawaiian shaved ice.
Located on the southeast corner of Main and Division streets, the storefront had been vacant for a few years, prompting Shawano residents to speculate on what would be coming to the prime downtown location.
When her parents, Monica and Gary Mueller, purchased the building in 2022, her father thought that the location would be great for a popcorn store. It’s convenient to the Naberhood, Franklin Park events, downtown shopping and has lots of foot traffic.
Mueller said that her parents asked her if she’d like to own a popcorn shop. She said, “Sure, why not?”
“We just didn’t know everything that we needed to know before getting into renovating,” she said. “That’s part of what took so long, plus I had some health issues.”
Her brother, Lee Mueller, helped with the demolition and renovation. She noted that two of the pleasant surprises found during renovation were the glass block décor that rims the ceiling and the original hardwood floor.
The family-friendly store is now fully supplied.
“All of the popcorn and whatever is done to it, caramelized or cheesed, is made here on site,” Mueller said.
Mueller’s mother works alongside her.
“I agreed to come and help her,” Monica Mueller said. “I tell everyone that I’m the unpaid help. It’s been fun. We think very much alike.”
The popcorn is kept in warmed display cases, easy to view by customers, with room for six flavors at a time. Some of the flavors sold in the shop are Orange Cheddar, Extra Buttery Caramel, Movie Theater Butter and Kettle Corn.
Both of the Muellers enjoy giving out free samples. A special flavor of the week is offered.
Customer Sheryl O’Malley, Shawano, discovered Moe’s on Main with her daughter and liked it so much that she’s a return customer.
“Cheddar corn is one of my favorites,” O’Malley said. “I like the caramel and cheddar mix.”
An eight-tub case of Chocolate Shoppe ice cream is kept full daily. Chocolate Shoppe is a super-premium ice cream developed in Madison.
Dana Mueller said that two of the eight tubs will always be dedicated to non-dairy options, with Italian Ices and oat-based ice cream.
Ice cream is available in cones, dishes or pints.
“My mom is my chocolatier,” Dana Mueller said.
Their waffle cones are dipped by Monica Mueller. One variety is white chocolate, with Nerds on the rim, which she said has been very popular.
Shaved ice, with multiple flavors and many sugar-free organic monk fruit options, is proving to be popular.
Customers can choose their own soda flavors for ice cream sodas from the refrigerator case to be mixed with any of the ice cream flavors.
Moe’s also offers grab-and-go popcorn bags.
“I usually have caramel popcorn with different chocolate drizzles available,” Dana Mueller said.
There are numerous ice cream and popcorn related items for sale in the store. One interesting item is a Koozie for pints of ice cream.
“I try to bring in things that are something that you’re not finding everywhere,” Dana Mueller said.
She sources candy from Texas, for example.
Dana Mueller learned the popcorn trade from Popcorn Papa in Rockwell, Texas, which has helped many stores across the country to get set up and running.
“So, we went to Texas for four days,” she said, explaining that her mother joined her. They cooked in Popcorn Papa’s kitchen, learned recipes and how to use the machinery.
Her husband, Alfonso Cuenta, and her brother, Lee Mueller, traveled to New Orleans to pick up popcorn-making equipment from a store going out of business and brought it to Shawano.
To learn the ice cream side of her new venture, Dana Mueller and her mother trained at the Chocolate Shoppe in Madison, which has been very supportive of the venture. Chocolate Shoppe set her up with other ice cream shop owners on Facebook.
“It’s a good resource to reach out to other owners who’ve been doing this longer than I have,” Dana Mueller said.
Just as the store itself is family-oriented, her own family is a big part of her business. From her husband’s support, to her parents’ purchase of the building, to her siblings who have helped with renovations and worked in the store, she has their support to help grow her business.
The Moe’s on Main logo was designed by her brother, Christian Mueller, a youth pastor in Janesville. He brought his family to Shawano to help work in the store on its first Saturday.
Caitlin Hillis, her younger sister, along with her husband, Christian Hillis, have both worked in the store.
“It’s been great since we’ve opened,” Dana Mueller said. “It’s been really well-received by the community.”
She has a Facebook page and relies on word-of-mouth to advertise the shop. She said that she enjoys involving the community in Moe’s through her Facebook page.
“I like to ask people what they want,” Dana Mueller said.
She has run polls through Facebook to see what the locals want and she watches how many votes are cast.
“I’m trying to listen to the people coming in,” Dana Mueller said. “If they have a say, maybe they’ll be more likely to patronize the shop.”
She said that almost 50 people interacted with her Facebook page to vote for ice cream flavors she recently posted. She has close to 1,000 followers.
“I want my customers to know that I’m here to support the community and I hope that they’ll support me,” Dana Mueller said.
AT A GLANCE
WHAT: Moe’s on Main
WHERE: 204 S. Main St., Shawano
WHEN: Tuesdays 2-8 p.m., Wednesdays noon to 5 p.m., Thursdays and Fridays noon to 8 p.m. and Saturdays 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
PHONE: 715-201-0036
FYI: Moe’s will be closed one week in July. The information will be available on the Facebook page.
Dana “Moe” Mueller helps her nephew, Caleb Mueller, stock waffle cones in her new store, Moe’s on Main. Caleb spent a few days recently in the store helping to carry supplies, organize items and measure ingredients for popcorn flavors. “It’s pretty good to have a place like this in the family,” Mueller said. “The other day when he helped me, I paid him in ice cream.” (Lynn Zaffrann)
