Our
store as it looked in the early 1920'sHistory & Background
Our
store as it looked in the early 1920's
The building that now houses Ruef's Meat Market was originally built and opened in the early 1920's and has always been used for meat production and sales. A young man named Willy Ruef, who had just emigrated from Switzerland a few years earlier, began working in the store (then known as Zemp's Meat Market) in 1960. In 1965, Willy purchased the business and Ruef's Meat Market was born. For the next 35 years, he and his wife Annette established a tradition of producing the finest Swiss sausages from old world recipes made with select cuts of beef, pork, & veal and their own blends of spices and seasonings.
The same view today.
Over the years, Willy & Annette added several new sausages (often consulting with Willy's relatives back in Switzerland to maintain the proper old world flavors) along with a full line of Wisconsin-made cheese and imported specialty food items. The Ruefs' youngest son Bill began working in the store while still in high school in 1981. In 1999, Willy decided it was time to step down and pass the torch on to Bill who continues the family tradition. Willy & Annette continue to help out in the store when ever needed for man-power or advice.
Oberried - Willy's home town in Switzerland.
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