Memories of Baskin Robbins in West Bend Plaza

Septmeber 3, 2020 – West Bend, WI – As the Baskin Robbins / Dunkin store nears completion on W. Washington Street in West Bend we pause to take a look back at when Baskin Robbins / 31 Flavors was first in the community.

According to Kathy Leisman Suchon her parents, Ken and Shirley Leisman, opened the first Baskin Robbins Ice Cream Store in the West Bend Plaza.

“It was by the old Kohl’s Food Store in the mall on Main Street,” said Suchon. “On the other end of the mall was Alston’s clothing store and we were right in that middle by the garden area on the right-hand side. I remember the whole front and side of the store were all windows.”

Suchon also remembered a Ben Franklin in the strip mall and RadioShack, 842. S Main Street. (RadioShack filed bankruptcy Feb. 5, 2015. The store in the West Bend Plaza closed at the end of May 2015.)

“My mom and dad opened the Baskin Robbins in 1974 and we had it until 1978,” she said. “Right about the time we first opened you could buy a coupon for a $1 and it had four squares and each square was worth one scoop of ice cream. So, each scoop was a quarter which was pretty amazing,” she said.

Suchon’s brother was 14 years old when he worked at Baskin Robbins. He said minimum wage was $2 an hour when he started.

The many windows at the store became a marketing tool as Suchon’s mother came up with a clever plan.

“She would call the grade schools and elementary schools and they would have an art class come and paint murals on the windows; it was mainly during the holidays,” she said. “My mom thought it was neat to have the kids paint the windows and then for the next month the kids could bring their parents and show them what part of the mural they painted and then have an ice cream. My parents were very family focused and thought that was a neat program.”

In 1976 with the Great Ice Storm on March 6 and 7 the power went out at the store. “We had so many tubs of ice cream in the freezer and we didn’t know what to do,” said Suchon. “The National Guard was in town with headquarters based at Badger Middle School. My parents took all the ice cream over to Badger School and scooped ice cream for all the National Guard members that were there.”

Suchon said her parents got into the ice cream business because they really wanted to do something together. “They thought what is better than an ice cream parlor that brings families together and everyone is happy when they get ice cream and they just thought it would be really fun,” she said.

For a teenage perspective it was fun.

“It absolutely was fun,” Suchon said. “We always had ice cream in the freezer at our house. Most of my birthday parties were at the store and my friends would love to come and be able to scoop their own ice cream.”

One of the interesting things about the franchise was the Baskin Robbins headquarters was is in Burbank, California. “It is warm there 12 months of the year and having a shop in Wisconsin was definitely different. Not too many people are thinking about ice cream when it is below zero, so that was definitely a challenge,” said Suchon.

Something funny Suchon’s mom always chuckled was the selection of flavors.  “Every month a lot of the flavors changed.  We had a bubblegum ice cream that was popular and a daiquiri ice that was popular. But my mom laughed because of all the different flavors of ice cream my favorite was vanilla and that is still true today,” she said.

The  Leismans sold Baskin Robbins but within a year the store closed completely.

“Still to this day when I come back to West Bend I visit the store site. I had a lot of fun memories with my mom and dad,” said Suchon.

Milton Kenneth “Ken” Leisman died February 25, 2015. Shirley preceeded her husband in death.

Above photos courtesy West Bend East 1978 yearbook.

Milton Kenneth “Ken” Leisman

Feb. 10, 1928 — Feb. 25, 2015

Milton Kenneth Leisman (Ken) of Madison died Feb. 25, 2015. He was 87 years old.

Ken was born Feb. 10, 1928, in Oconomowoc, the oldest son of Mavis (Schirmacher) and Rev. Milton B. Leisman. Ken graduated from Columbus High School in 1946 and then enlisted in the United States Air Force, where he served as a Staff Sergeant in Japan and Germany. After serving his country, he attended Northland College in Ashland. While attending college, he met his future wife, Shirley Ann Holvick, whom he married on Sept. 8, 1951.

Ken graduated from the University of Wisconsin – Madison with a B.S. in Journalism in 1953. He worked as an advertising manager and technical writer, but his most rewarding job was owning and operating a Baskin Robbins Ice Cream store in West Bend. Ken loved playing cards, traveling in his RV, listening to big band music, watching Green Bay Packer games and spending time with his children and grandchildren. He enjoyed volunteering for the West Bend Communication Patrol and was honored with a Community Service Award in 1982. He was a lifetime member of the VFW.

Ken is survived by his son, Scott Leisman of Madison, daughter, Karen (Terry) Diercks of Cincinnati, Ohio and daughter, Kathy (Randy) Suchon of Houston, Texas; nine grandchildren, Ben, Po, Nyla, Tyler, Cody, Hannah, Jordan, Payton and Kassidy; and one brother, Wayne (Mary) Leisman of Stillwater, Minn.

He is preceded in death by his wife of 59 years, Shirley Leisman.

A graveside prayer service will be held at 1 p.m. on July 10 at the Washburn Cemetery on Woodland Drive in Washburn.