Good news for ice cream lovers: Babcock store reopens

The famed Babcock Dairy Store has reopened after undergoing a major renovation over the past five months.

The store, one of the most popular spots on campus, has a completely different and very up-to-date look. An official ribbon-cutting ceremony is scheduled Tuesday, July 31.

The renovated store features natural maple, colorful tiles and flooring, glossy black menu boards and bright, modern lighting. The shiny stainless steel countertops were chosen because “they’re dairy-like, very sanitary and easy to clean” says Food Science Department administrative director Tom Blattner.

There’s even a new logo on the wall and the windows, designed with the help of a group of undergraduate art education students.

Blattner says that while the store’s basic offerings remain the same, the deli operation has been expanded to include a sandwich grill. The store’s new freezers can hold a lot more ice cream than the old ones, and new coolers have doubled the storage for other dairy products like milk and cheese.

The store, which first opened in 1951, seems larger now, but really isn’t. The space has just been utilized more efficiently, says Blattner. Additional counter space and a fourth cash register should help improve the traffic flow and reduce congestion.

The seating area has about the same capacity as before, but now contains five maple-topped bistro-style tables and two high counters, along with metal chairs and stools that will seat 24.

There is an education aspect to the remodeling as well. When customers enter the store, they will see a large lighted panel that tells the story of food science via a photo collage that shows how food goes “from the farmer’s gate to the consumer’s plate.” And the history of Babcock Hall is explained on a double panel in the seating area.

The Babcock Dairy Store renovation was funded through a generous gift from John and Donna Hansen of Onalaska, Wis. John Hansen, the founder of Kwik Trip, Inc., earned his bachelor of science degree in meat and animal science from the University of Wisconsin in 1960.

The store, located in Babcock Hall, 1605 Linden Drive, is open 9:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Monday-Friday, and 10 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Saturdays.