By Raymond Neupert/South Metro Observer
WAUSAU, Wis. – A popular Wausau Hispanic grocery store has a new location as Tres Hermanos Grocery moves from its Third Street location into the former Handcrafted Furniture building on the corner of Sixth and Bridge Streets.
Store owner Rosalba Julio-Ramirez says the new location is going to better serve the Hispanic community in Wausau by making it more accessible.
“It’s much more visible, and easier to get to,” Julio-Ramirez said.
It’s also a much larger location than their previous home on Third Street.
Julio-Ramirez says she really likes the feel of the store, because it has a lot of history in Wausau.
“This is an antique building, this place has a history, and we as a family honor our past and we also want to honor the past of Wausau by giving back to the city.”
Store Manager Annie Williams says the previous owners Steve and Nancy Woller were wholeheartedly behind the move, working hard to bring the building up to code so that Tres Hermanos would be up and running within days of moving in.
“He’s been wonderful,” Williams said. “They have a very successful business that they moved to Lake Tomahawk, and we’re really really thankful to their family, and the city of Wausau.”
One major point of the store is that they have a full time butcher on site, so that they can offer authentic, fresh cuts of meat in the Mexican tradition.
“Like the chorizo pastor, everything is in the very unique style and people come from long distances to get it,” Williams said.
That authenticity is important to the community, Williams said, because Tres Hermanos exists as a center for a lot of Mexican culture in the Wausau area as well as the rest of Central Wisconsin.
“When they started their business here, there were no Mexican businesses around, at least like grocery store, and they were very surprised how many of our customers are from different ethnic backgrounds.”
While you can find some Mexican products in other grocery stores, Tres Hermanos offers the sort of service to the community that people have come to appreciate.
“We’re not just a store,” Williams said. “People who need any kind of recommendation or if they’re new in town, they’re more than happy to come here for more information. We believe in ‘mi casa, su casa,’ our home is your home.”
Tres Hermanos officially opened on Wednesday. Their regular store hours are Monday through Saturday from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m., and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.
