Theresa, WI – Confections for Any Occasion by Joel, 101 N. Milwaukee Street, in Theresa, Wi, will hold a grand reopening June 21 and 22, 2024. The locally owned chocolate /ice cream/sandwich shop has been closed since a fire damaged the business April 23, 2024.
Owner Joel Bernhard has been working with his team the past few months to get the store back in order.
“I feel good. It’s coming along,” said Bernhard. “The restoration crew from Property Loss Management just got done so they are out of the building and we’re starting to put everything back together, getting inventory in and getting that priced and on the shelf.”
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Bernhard expects to open strong with an array of his famous homemade chocolates and a new sandwich-and-salad menu.
“We’ve been making chocolate for almost two weeks now in the Chocolate Room,” Bernhard said. “Our kitchen is done, so I’ve been cooking a little bit.”
To say that damage from the fire was extensive, is probably an understatement to those on the clean-up end.
“Everything had to be gutted,” he said. “Everything was totally damaged or covered in smoke and sweat. All the candy and product was thrown out and whatever else was exposed in the kitchen and the candy room”
What wasn’t disposed of, had to be cleaned: twice.
“The walls and ceilings were cleaned and then sealed and painted and the hardwood floor was sanded and varnished with four coats,” Bernhard said.
The damage was rather stunning, since the fire itself, was small. The fire was sourced ton a wall air conditioner. An upstairs tenant heard a bang, looked outside and saw flames.
Bernhard said the tenant broke in downstairs and used a couple of fire extinguishers to douse the fire.
“I’m very grateful for all the support we’ve received,” said Bernhard. “The community helped, the businesses and a donation page raised over $6,000. And then the local bank had a fund set up so lots of donations including the Piggly Wiggly which gave me a percentage of their sales one weekend which was over $1,000.”
In order to celebrate the completion of the project and the interior facelift of the 100-year-old building, Bernhard said he’s going to offer specials June 21 and 22 and hopefully people will come out.
“We just want people to come and look at the chocolate, we’re going to have door prizes and the Lions Club is offering a free single-scoop ice cream cone for people that mentioned they heard the Lions were sponsoring.”
The grand reopening will run from 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Confections for Any Occasion has been open nearly 22 years.
Below is the initial story that ran regarding the fire April 22, 2024.
April 23, 2024 – Theresa, WI – There was a fire Monday night, April 22, 2024, at Confections for Any Occasion by Joel in Theresa, Wi. Seven fire departments responded. Nobody was hurt. Joel’s is temporarily closed.
Early word is an air conditioner may have sparked the fire. Confections for Any Occasion had some product damaged. Insurance is reviewing at this time.
